Attaching Nikon D3400 to Celestron 31145 NextStar

[ZakO]

Hi All,

I have a Nikon D3400 camera and my telescope is a Celestron 31145 NexStar 130SLT. I am trying to figure out a way to attach my camera to my telescope but would like to have a lens for the camera too? I have bought the T-Ring adapter which attaches to the camera without a lens however I am struggling to find any information regarding what lens a T ring can attach to that's also D3400 compatible. The eye piece holder, being 1.25 inches, can be removed and so creates a 2.5 inch opening. Is there a way to attach the camera with a lens to this opening? If so any idea on what lens I can get (for both T-Ring and the opening).

Please note I am very much a beginner, I enjoy using my telescope as it is but just thought it would be nice to try take some low level photos for myself! Advice/help very much appreciated!

Thanks!

[Cornelius Varley]

Does the eyepiece holder disassemble and the large flat part have a t-thread on the upper surface ?

[michael8554]

Hi Zak

I'm not clear what you want to do here.

1)  Your Nikon D3400 has a detachable lens and could be connected without the lens to the scope via a T2 Adapter.

Attached to a "1.25" T2 Nosepiece" that slips into the "hole" in the focuser where the eyepiece would normally go.

(That might raise a separate issue of not being able to get the camera close enough to the scope to get an in-focus image. )

2) "but would like to have a lens for the camera too?"

Do you mean a lens, or do you mean an eyepiece ?

Cameras and smart phones with a non-removeable lens can take images from a telescope's eyepiece.

(And avoid that separate issue I mentioned)

Or you can use "Eyepiece Projection", where the camera body is attached to an eyepiece to get "high magnification" for images of planets. 

If it works, option 1 is the most common method

Michael

 

[ZakO]

3 hours ago, michael8554 said:

Hi Zak

I'm not clear what you want to do here.

1)  Your Nikon D3400 has a detachable lens and could be connected without the lens to the scope via a T2 Adapter.

Attached to a "1.25" T2 Nosepiece" that slips into the "hole" in the focuser where the eyepiece would normally go.

(That might raise a separate issue of not being able to get the camera close enough to the scope to get an in-focus image. )

2) "but would like to have a lens for the camera too?"

Do you mean a lens, or do you mean an eyepiece ?

Cameras and smart phones with a non-removeable lens can take images from a telescope's eyepiece.

(And avoid that separate issue I mentioned)

Or you can use "Eyepiece Projection", where the camera body is attached to an eyepiece to get "high magnification" for images of planets. 

If it works, option 1 is the most common method

Michael

 

Hi Michael,

Thank you for taking your time to read this and reply, much appreciated.

 

A response for 1 and 2:

What you referred to in 1), is what I've been doing! For 2) where you're trying to understand what I am referring to, I mean a camera lens. So instead of what I've been doing which is using the adapter without a lens (not eye piece), was wondering if there was a way to attach the camera with a lens to the tube. I guess I was wondering if it would improve anything but if it's not possible/recommended then that's okay.

 

Thanks again

 

Zak

[ZakO]

4 hours ago, Cornelius Varley said:

Does the eyepiece holder disassemble and the large flat part have a t-thread on the upper surface ?

Hi Cornelius,

Thanks for taking your time to read this and reply, much appreciated.

If I have understood correctly then I am not sure I haven't checked for this. The T-thread attaches to the camera but was wondering if I can attach something to a detachable lens for the camera, attach to the camera and then attach it all to the telescope (hope this makes sense sorry).

Thanks again.

 

Zak

[Cornelius Varley]

6 minutes ago, ZakO said:

So instead of what I've been doing which is using the adapter without a lens (not eye piece), was wondering if there was a way to attach the camera with a lens to the tube. I guess I was wondering if it would improve anything but if it's not possible/recommended then that's okay.

Attaching the camera and lens directly to the focuser won't work, you will just get an image of the secondary mirror. To image through the camera lens you also need an eyepiece (afocal imaging).

[Geoff Lister]

Hello Zak, and welcome to SGL.

This is what I use with my D3200

With my Newtonian telescopes (like yours) I usually need to fit a x2 Barlow lens between the T-to-1.25" adaptor to get a sharp focus. Some Barlow lenses have the external T thread as part of the body, and don't need an extra adaptor to work.

Geoff