Is there any point getting an Canon EOS 1100D in the current day?

[Cakedestroyer]

Hello everyone!!!
I have been watching quite a view videos and poking around here and it seems like you can do quite a lot with just a DSLR and a kit lens. I am wondering though if  the Canon EOS 1100D is still worth getting over 10 years after it was released. The one I am looking at buying comes with the canon 75-300mm kit lens as well as the 18-55mm kit lens. I would like to try some wide astro shots but also maybe some big deep sky astro and also some general photography/timelapses.

If this is posted in the wrong place or you need any more information please let me know!!!!

Thanks!

Edited July 15, 2022 by Cakedestroyer

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Older DSLRs can give really good results, especially if astro-modded. My old, modded 550D works just fine

The 75-300 isn't Canon's best zoom, the 70-300 being rather sharper at full aperture, but I have no experience with the former, so cannot comment on how good it will be

 

[happy-kat]

I use the 1100D, when using for astro I've chosen to control the camera using an Android app DSLR Controller makes focus much easier using a mobile phone. During the day I use a intervalometer for timelapse. The 1100D screen is fixed, the 600D does have an articulated screen which is nice and useful. 

1100D daytime images are pleasing though for astro use it's quite noisy but there are different things that can minimise this.

I don't use the kit lens I picked up a pancake 40mm for the everyday lens.

[Craney]

Canon DSLRs ( stretching back a few years) can use Magic Lantern  which works as a very useful intervalometer that loads onto the SD card.   Saves an extra wire having of the mount  and is very good for time lapses on the like when not hooked up to the scope.

[M40]

Hello Cakedestroyer and welcome to the site 👍 

Yes is my answer. I bought a 100D a few years ago and its adds nicely to the kit. Used with it's own lens it can provide great pictures as shown above plus at a later date by adding adapters you can bolt it one way or another to a telescope to provide a different field of view. Very cost effective extras can be sourced such as an intervalometer or dummy batteries. 

[Cakedestroyer]

21 minutes ago, michael.h.f.wilkinson said:

Older DSLRs can give really good results, especially if astro-modded.

Can they do ok if they aren't astro modded? Or is it something I could do myself?

 

Thanks for you reply!!

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Just now, Cakedestroyer said:

Can they do ok if they aren't astro modded? Or is it something I could do myself?

 

Thanks for you reply!!

The lower of the two images would be roughly the same with a non-modded camera, as it does not contain H-alpha emission. For the top one you would need at least twice the exposure time to get a similar result, because modding the camera more than doubles the sensitivity to H-alpha.

M31 with my old EOS 700D shows what can be done with a non-modded camera

All images above were taken with my APM 80mm F/6 with 0.8x reducer. Below is a 200mm telephoto shot

Modding a camera yourself is possible, although I have never done it. There are several modding services

[Cakedestroyer]

1 minute ago, michael.h.f.wilkinson said:

The lower of the two images would be roughly the same with a non-modded camera, as it does not contain H-alpha emission. For the top one you would need at least twice the exposure time to get a similar result, because modding the camera more than doubles the sensitivity to H-alpha.

M31 with my old EOS 700D shows what can be done with a non-modded camera

All images above were taken with my APM 80mm F/6 with 0.8x reducer. Below is a 200mm telephoto shot

Modding a camera yourself is possible, although I have never done it. There are several modding services

That top photo (of the Andromeda galaxy?) on the 700D is stunning. If I can get to anything like that I will be very pleased!!

 

Does that mean that I could take photos like your first one from the first reply if I just used a longer exposure? What kind of total exposure did you use?

Thanks again!!

[SthBohemia]

14 minutes ago, Cakedestroyer said:

Can they do ok if they aren't astro modded?

Link to the instructions for removing the IR filter within the early model Canon cameras.

http://dslrmodifications.com/rebelmod450d1.html

[Cakedestroyer]

3 minutes ago, SthBohemia said:

Link to the instructions for removing the IR filter within the early model Canon cameras.

If you do this do they still work for normal uses? I'm a bit of a novice sorry!

[happy-kat]

To take long exposures you would need a tracking mount. With a static mount you would need to take several hundred 1-2 second exposure images and stack them. Plenty to learn and experiment with using a static mount and camera and lens you may already have. You don't have to use a modified camera, something you could research later.

[SthBohemia]

3 minutes ago, Cakedestroyer said:

If you do this do they still work for normal uses? I'm a bit of a novice sorry!

🙂 don't be sorry 🙂  Yes, they still function more or less normally, however the focusing is slightly different as is colour. Nothing devastating 🙂

 

[Cakedestroyer]

Just now, happy-kat said:

To take long exposures you would need a tracking mount. With a static mount you would need to take several hundred 1-2 second exposure images and stack them. Plenty to learn and experiment with using a static mount and camera and lens you may already have. You don't have to use a modified camera, something you could research later.

Yeah I'm looking forward to trying stacking! I've watched the Nebula Photos video called "Orion Nebula WITHOUT a Star Tracker or Telescope..." a couple of times and it seems interesting. I've also seen people talking about cheap barndoor trackers and I have been thinking about 3d printing one and using an Arduino to turn the motor if I want a bit of a project later on.
 

The only camera I have at the moment is a Canon G9X (a point and shoot) so I think it would be worth getting at least something like the 1100D first. There is an auction ending in a couple of days that I have my eye.

Thanks for the help!

[SthBohemia]

2 minutes ago, Cakedestroyer said:

auction ending in a couple of days that I have my eye.

Like yourself I am new to imaging with 'electric' cameras! My previous efforts were with a Minolta srt 101 over 50 years ago! A few weeks ago thought, 'might give imaging a try', thus purchased a Canon 1000D from Ebay for 25 UK quid, and removed the IR filter. Since then nothing but rain and clouds 🙂

 

[Cakedestroyer]

2 minutes ago, SthBohemia said:

Like yourself I am new to imaging with 'electric' cameras! My previous efforts were with a Minolta srt 101 over 50 years ago! A few weeks ago thought, 'might give imaging a try', thus purchased a Canon 1000D from Ebay for 25 UK quid, and removed the IR filter. Since then nothing but rain and clouds 🙂

 

25 quid sounds like a steal!!!! How hard was it to remove? Would I have a high chance of breaking it?
😀

[SthBohemia]

4 minutes ago, Cakedestroyer said:

How hard was it to remove?

It was a 'bloody' NIGHTMARE which I would never again attempt to repeat 😞 😞 😞 . Half way through I was wishing I had never begun the operation!!!

[Cakedestroyer]

35 minutes ago, michael.h.f.wilkinson said:

The lower of the two images would be roughly the same with a non-modded camera, as it does not contain H-alpha emission. For the top one you would need at least twice the exposure time to get a similar result, because modding the camera more than doubles the sensitivity to H-alpha.

M31 with my old EOS 700D shows what can be done with a non-modded camera

All images above were taken with my APM 80mm F/6 with 0.8x reducer. Below is a 200mm telephoto shot

Modding a camera yourself is possible, although I have never done it. There are several modding services

Just showed my parents these photos and they don't believe that you could do this without a telescope haha!


They also don't believe that the photo on the right can look pretty close to the hubble one on the left while being taken by a person in their backyard (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QcJaD9klDc)

 

[Cakedestroyer]

1 minute ago, SthBohemia said:

It was a 'bloody' NIGHTMARE which I would never again attempt to repeat 😞 😞 😞 . Half way through I was wishing I had never begun the operation!!!

Maybe I'll stay away from that then haha!

[Cosmic Geoff]

I have an 'older' Canon camera - a 300D, which I acquired from another astronomer to see how I got on with a DSLR.  I found that (with a zoom lens purchased separately) it still works well as a daytime camera BUT at night I could not see any of the controls, the screen on the back is fixed, tiny and does not give a 'live view', the support software to facilitate downloading images only works under Windows XP.  And it is not supported by the astronomy program APT.

It was possible to get the images out using a card-to USB adapter, or, oddly, using Mint Linux.

I have not seriously tried using the 300D for astro imaging. It seems like too much bother.  Before buying any older camera, I advise you checking carefully to see you don't run into the same problems that I did.

[happy-kat]

It's a shame there is no CHDK port for the G9x that could have got you started with time lapse, if it has a timer then could have a go with star trail image with your camera. Just need to trigger the shutter without vibration so delayed timer works for that.

I made a barn door works well and is manual though I used a 40mm lens with it.

[Cakedestroyer]

2 minutes ago, happy-kat said:

It's a shame there is no CHDK port for the G9x that could have got you started with time lapse, if it has a timer then could have a go with star trail image with your camera. Just need to trigger the shutter without vibration so delayed timer works for that.

I made a barn door works well and is manual though I used a 40mm lens with it.

For a star trail image do you take lots of images or just use a high exposure?

I'll make sure to check out your post about the barn door!

[happy-kat]

The eagle nebula was taken with a telescope and substantial mount, for now with a static tripod have a look at Forrest Tanaka M31 if you like YT

Star trails can be many or say 20 to get started 5 second exposure images, your camera perhaps no higher than 500iso take raw images, starstax or startrails both free to stack. GIMP is good editor and free to post process further.

[happy-kat]

For experimenting try ever longer exposures in 1 second increments and different ISO to understand what G9x does and what settings make the image too noisy when looked at afterwards on a computer.

Then you would know what you could try now and what is the maximum exposure and ISO you could use. If you find ISO500 and 10 seconds is ok then could use that for startrails.

[Cakedestroyer]

 

2 minutes ago, happy-kat said:

For experimenting try ever longer exposures in 1 second increments and different ISO to understand what G9x does and what settings make the image too noisy when looked at afterwards on a computer.

Then you would know what you could try now and what is the maximum exposure and ISO you could use. If you find ISO500 and 10 seconds is ok then could use that for startrails.

I was trying out the G9X last night with general photos and I got this. I wasn't really aiming at anything but I don't hate it!

[Cakedestroyer]

11 minutes ago, happy-kat said:

The eagle nebula was taken with a telescope and substantial mount, for now with a static tripod have a look at Forrest Tanaka M31 if you like YT

Star trails can be many or say 20 to get started 5 second exposure images, your camera perhaps no higher than 500iso take raw images, starstax or startrails both free to stack. GIMP is good editor and free to post process further.

I know the eagle nebula one was taken with some pretty good gear, they didn't believe even a very good backyard telescope could get that close to the Hubble telescope.  They were wondering what NASA was spending all that money on haha