What got you into imaging??

[acharris77]

Hi all, I am sorry if this post has been done before, but I was thinking the other night as with the clouds and not being able to get out, what got you into imaging.

I was thinking about it as I am awaiting my camera back from Astronomiser, and what got me into imaging was the fact that on my course I did on astronomy back earlier this year at the university of Glamorgan, there was a session on imaging with Nick Howes who came in and give a good session on astrophotography which kind of got me very interested in imaging as a distraction from observing at the eyepiece.

So I was just wondering why people on here got into imaging. Thanks for reading.

[blinky]

For me it was 2 reasons:

1. I could see things that I could not see simply by visually observing them

2. So I could show off the images to friends/family to prove I was not insane for standing in the back garden freezing my...... fingers! off

[Deneb]

1. I enjoy it

2. Justifies my spending to the Missus

[George]

Light pollution here is atrocious so anything but planetary and the moon is out of the question visually, hence I only do imaging these days.

[harry page]

Hi

I had done visual astronomy for 20 years ( and enjoyed IT ) And was looking for something new and challenging

Maddening , infuriating , drive you potty ,but rewarding fun

Harry

[MishMich]

I've been interested for years, look up when the sky can be seen, and been running Stellarium since I installed Debian back in March. Then I got a Sony Alpha in August, and then in late September after an evening of night photography at the beach, got home and turned it on the moon. That was the start. Within two weeks I had a Celestron NexStar 102 SLT. Within two week of having that I'd tried to capture M42 and Jupiter. Now I have put together out of second-hand/ex-demo/refurb kit an HEQ5, SPX200 f6, Celestron Onyx ED80, Canon EOS 1000, and am about to upgrade the HEQ5 motors & handset to Synscan. As soon as I can find a cheap portable Alt-Az mount, the I guess the 102 SLT will be going - as I only use the mount now. Nice bit of kit, but I suspect the Skywatcher 5" Mak would have engaged me better.

I try to balance visual with imaging, as I like looking at things - but I can see more detail on Jupiter through the DSLR live-view screen at x10 magnification than with my eyes using a 2x barlow and 9mm eyepiece - so I guess imaging has the edge as it extends what I can see with my eyes, and that is what lead me here. However, it doesn't beat the excitement of seeing something first time - like the Galilean moons, or Saturn with its ring(s), or M42, or craters on the moon.

M.

[russ]

I got into imaging in 2001. Initially only the planetary appealed because it was low cost but because imaging the planets in such detail just seemed an amazing thing to do. Then the 300D came along and it seemed DSO imaging had also become accessible at last.

But alas it was a false hope. Everything moves on at a pace and now imaging is back to where Astrophotography was in the 80's/90's. An expensive hobby way beyond the reach of the financially challenged. It tempts you in with some entry level stuff but you need the big bucks to make anything of it. A low rent unguided EQ with an ED80 and a DSLR just wont cut it in the end. 4 figure sums will be required at some point.

I've rediscovered visual and imaging has been shut away again to the back of my mind, like it was in the 80's. I did miss for a while but now it just feels me with dread.

That's how i got into imaging and back out of it again And probably back into it again when the next budget revolution comes by.

[moocher]

What percentage of people on the earth take there own images of the Planets, nebulae and galaxies? My point exactly. Plus the sheer enjoyment of it all. I`ll never forget the first time i saw M42 though my mates 80ED with his Atik 2HS. I was hooked after that!!!!

Alan:)

[Taff]

Hi Tony' with me after years of astronomy with binoculars or a scope.And after seeing captures what have been done with a camera i thought that i give it a go myself with a camera and see what happens.With help off this site i'm getting there slowly.Mark

[MishMich]

Hi Russ,

this is my anxiety as well - I'm trying to keep things down to around a grand, but it is easy to see how you could get sucked in to spending ten times that amount. I can't go there. For me, imaging is to record what I see, and to bring out things beyond what I can see visually. If I get some nice images I can show people, great - but I'm never going to even start trying to compete with some of the things I see. I admire what some people achieve, but at the end of the day, it's an interesting hobby.

M.

[russ]

It's sounds like you have a better atitude to it than i did. I should have gone on for years imaging everything up there. I barely scratched the surface in terms of objects imaged. Trouble is I got competitive, wanted to better myself, produce better images etc. Just wasn't satisfied with the quality of image i was getting from my setup. I knew i had to start guiding for starters and also update the 300D (or at least modify it).

So i did this. Bought a GPDX mount, added Synscan, side by side setup of Apo refractor and 6" SCT. Replaced the 300D with a newer Canon DSLR but knew i needed a proper astro CCD. Anyway the long and short of it is i broke myself finacially in a big way. I spent £1800 on all that kit, which isn't much for most, but it left me in bad way. I never got to use any of that kit as i had to sell it asap. I got back £1600 and after paying off the loan, i could only afford an ED80 on an EQ2. I then completely lost my way within the hobby. That was mid 2006 and it took until mid 2008 to recover to a place where i was happy again.

Anyway that is a story of a bad venture into imaging. I think if you are controlled (sounds like you are) and use self restraint (of which i had none), you'll have a blast with the imaging. I certainly did for the first few years.

[MishMich]

If I was starting again, I'd get a pair of those £1,000 binos - 2 apos side by side, essentially, mount then on a driven Alt-Az mount, and use one tube with a T-adapter if I wanted to take pics.

M,