DSLR Cameras'

[Taff]

Hi' can anyone give me some help with DSLR cameras'.Besides Canon cameras' which other name DSLR cameras are good for astrophohography Thanks.Mark

[Merlin66]

Unfortunately can't think of any others

The Canon is very good for astronomy.....

[Taff]

Thanks Merlin' i already have a canon 300d Thanks.Mark

[steppenwolf]

Another Canon is the way to go, Mark

[tooth_dr]

Hi Mark, the Canon 1000d seems to be very popular, and a very good astro performer.

[Taff]

Thanks for your quick reply, Canon it is:)Mark

[Peter Drew]

Just had a look at my DSLR camera in the daylight and it says Canon on it!

[Keithp]

:DMy 500d doesn't see daylight

[yesyes]

That's actually a good subject and something I wanted to ask. Everyone seems to recommend Canon for astro imaging. On the other hand I keep reading that CCD is better for astro than CMOS. Yet all EOS D that I've seen use CMOS sensors. So why are they so much better than the rest?

[Dave]

I use a Nikon D300, and have no complaints whatsoever.

My handling of the camera and post processing is improving all the time.

[Scott Tilley]

I am using a Canon 50d unmodded. Not bought specifically for astro but I find the live view fantastic as you can centre a star and then zoom x10 to really get a goodfocus. I am also able to use my laptop to set up multiple timed exposures, (eg I can tell the camera to take 20 50sec exposures with 10 seconds inbetween etc.) This comes with the cameras bundled software.

Scott

[jgs001]

That's actually a good subject and something I wanted to ask. Everyone seems to recommend Canon for astro imaging. On the other hand I keep reading that CCD is better for astro than CMOS. Yet all EOS D that I've seen use CMOS sensors. So why are they so much better than the rest?

I'm not sure it's that they are so much better than the rest. But there seems to be a lot more support in astro software for Canon. And I think Canon are the only major manufacturer ever to specifically offer an Astro SLR the 20da (I think). Also, as I understand it, it's far easier to Mod the canon to remove the IR cut filter, and replace with something like the Baader ACF than the other brands. The CMOS technology isn't, as I understand it, as good as CCD, but Canon have obviously spent a lot of time and money developing there imaging sensors to be as good as can be, or they wouldn't be one of the main brands.

[Merlin66]

There's no comparison between a cooled CCD and a DSLR... the CCD would win every time. However, the DSLR allows to to have a large chip size 22 x 18mm for around the 500gbp mark; a similar sized CCD chip astro camera will cost you ten times that amount ( at least!)

[yesyes]

OK, fair enough. But I was more referring to other DSLRs, not dedicated astro cams.

I noticed (while searching on ebay for some second hand DSLR) that almost any other DSLR has a CCD chip (Nikon, Olympus, Fuji, you name it) for more or less the same price and more or less the same sensor size.

I was just wondering why people still prefer the Canon.

Don't get me wrong, I like Canon. All my compact digital cameras were and are Canon (currently Ixus 860is) and the next will most likely be another Canon.

Just curious, really...

[callump]

No, I don't think any of the low end consumer DSLR's from any manufacturer actually use a CCD sensor.

(waiting for someone to chip in with an example to prove me wrong :-)

/callump

[callump]

ok, i'll get my rebuttal in first - of current production cameras the Nikon D60 and D3000 are both CCD sensor chips...

But of course they are not cooled...

/callump

[themos]

If somebody could hack the Fuji S5 pro to turn its 'R' cells into a guider while the 'S' cells record the long exposure, that would be an awesome solution.