DSLR and Barlows

[Matt S]

Still waiting to get something more suited for imaging the planets, but as my favourites are once again coming into the evening sky I thought I’d use the opportunity to practice and test out using my Canon 700d and getting focus etc.

I’m simply adding on the camera to the scope via a nose piece adapter right now, which seems pretty nice as I can then swap in an eye piece for visual easily.

Anyhow, here’s a few shots I managed (no stacking or anything, just single shots). Not impressive by any standard - but quite happy with my first go.

Saturn/Jupiter are quite fuzzy - I had to zoom in a lot given they’re pretty small on the field of view of the camer. I’m guessing more shots and stacking will help, but probably a more suitable camera is the way forward…

Almach - pleased I got some nice colour, but it’s also looking pretty fuzzy. Any tips for getting the focus right for this? I’m currently zooming on the camera screen, then adjusting the focus until, they’re as round/clean as I can make out.

My actual question in all of this is; I wanted to try and get my planet images a little better - whilst I can attach the camera and get it all centred nicely, as soon as I add my barlow I seem to lose any sight of anything -  not even an out of focus blob of light on the screen.

For reference it’s this Barlow: https://www.firstlightoptics.com/barlows/astro-essentials-125-2x-barlow-with-t-thread.html

 

I’d tried slotting the camera with a nose piece adapter already attached into this, I’ve also added the barlow to the camera directly. Possibly something I need to try out in daylight or on a large target like the moon - but this should work right? I’m just a bit puzzled as to why I can swap from my camera to eye pieces, or eye pieces with the Barlow and still have my target in view (if not needing to adjust focus), but as soon as I add the camera to the end, I seem to lose my target completely… 🤔😫

 

 

[michael8554]

Barlows are often used to extend the focus point outside of the focus tube of Newtonians, to where a camera sensor would be placed.

So I mean the focus point will be much further away from the focuser with a DSLR and Barlow, than with an eyepiece.

Find daytime focus with the DSLR and Barlow, using the eyelevel optical finder, on a distant landmark.

Then without altering the focus, try an eyepiece, pulling it out of the focuser until you see a roughly focused image.

With luck that may still be inside the focuser, and you could attach a "Parfocal Ring" onto the eyepiece barrel, to give you the correct insertion in future.

But if it's outside the focuser you will have to add an extension to the eyepiece only.

Michael