Looking for guidance!

[Jamie_Light]

Hi All, 

I bought my 14 year old boy a skywatcher 1114p telescope on an EQ2 mount a couple of years ago, I think I probably use it more than him!
 

Appreciating this is an entry level setup, but I’ve bought a t-adaptor for an old canon DSLR (300d) to try some basic planetary / nebula imaging / tethering.
 

Having read some forums / internet searches, I know this camera is difficult to use for imaging because it doesn’t have live view so focussing is an issue. There is some older software that can be used to focus but it’s difficult to set up, and I’ll probably just try and do it manually. 

Have briefly looked at more advanced older DSLR cameras that can be bought for like £50-100 that will get around this issue and offer better bang for buck.

Just looking for recommendations as to what I can do here, appreciate its a very basic / old camera, and just trying to do this as cheaply as possible initially but will potentially look to upgrade in the future!

Thanks for looking

[Cosmic Geoff]

I have a Canon 300D camera.  I have rarely used it for any astrophotography because of various drawbacks - no live view, could not see what I was doing with it in the dark, etc.  IIRC I imaged the Moon with it, and after I bought a photographic zoom lens for it I was able to image a few constellations.  The support software for the 300D only works on Windows XP (though I was able to get image files off it using Mint Linux).

I have not tried any planetary imaging with it as I have planetary cameras more suitable for the purpose.  You need to make the camera take a high-speed video and if possible be able to crop the region-of-interest in the camera.  The 300D pixels may also be on the large side.

As for nebula imaging, you would need a much better mount, e.g. a substantial GoTo mount and maybe other ancillary kit.  Can you get the camera to come to focus when mounted on the 114P? (it may not unless the scope has been modified).

With the 300D you could try imaging star trails with a fixed tripod, or star fields and maybe large nebulae with a tracker mount (q.v.)

If you want to dabble with imaging deep sky objects including nebulae you might think of ordering a Seestar S50, which does it all for you in one package.  Having tried it, if you want something that outperforms the Seestar on nebulae, be prepared to spend a thick wad of money.

[Jamie_Light]

Bump!

[Elp]

All these years using various cameras I've never used live view as you can't judge the focus properly (unless if the camera has focus zoom). Why not try taking images and review them once taken. You can also zoom in to assess the focus better. That's how I've always done it.

As a general rule, dslr type cameras are not suited to planetary because their sensors are large so any planet projection will be tiny on the sensor across few large pixels, and they can't image fast enough to freeze atmospheric seeing. You can try via eyepiece projection if you have or can source an eyepiece which has a thread under the eyecup and can screw the camera directly to it via tring adaptor, the Celestron 8-24 zoom has this thread and it's not too expensive.

Edited November 9, 2023 by Elp

[AstroNebulee]

Would it be easier to use a batinov mask on the scope. Take an image and check if the lines converge at the right points? If not then move the focuser and take another image until correct. 

 

Lee 

Edited November 11, 2023 by AstroNebulee

[Bugdozer]

49 minutes ago, AstroNebulee said:

Would it be easier to use a batinov mask on the scope. Take an image and check if the lines converge at the right points? If not then move the focuser and take another image until correct. 

 

Lee 

Not necessarily. I recently purchased a Bahtinov mask and have found that even on bright stars, it's very difficult to see the spikes visually through my camera viewfinder. My camera (Nikon D90) has a very light-insensitive live view too so the spikes don't show up. The OP will be having to do it visually and may get the same problem. 

[AstroNebulee]

9 hours ago, Bugdozer said:

Not necessarily. I recently purchased a Bahtinov mask and have found that even on bright stars, it's very difficult to see the spikes visually through my camera viewfinder. My camera (Nikon D90) has a very light-insensitive live view too so the spikes don't show up. The OP will be having to do it visually and may get the same problem. 

I wasn't quite sure really. But thought if the OP captured an image with the mask on with the exposure upped a bit the spikes would show on the lcd screen image taken? I'm not familiar with this camera so probably wrong though. 

Lee

Edited November 11, 2023 by AstroNebulee

[Elp]

No, quite right. As I said before you take the actual image then review the taken image. This is how I've always focussed a DSLR body without a computer controller attached and works every time. I don't even use a mask and just judge the size of the stars.

[Bugdozer]

I must try that, I hadn't considered it!