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Which DSLR? Newby Advice needed

StarDome1

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iamjulian

iamjulian

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The 1000D was a fair point in terms of modding that over a much more expensive camera. However, the OP said he is going to use it for daytime too. So I doubt he'll be modding it.

I have the 550D, which I love for daytime, but have no real experience with astro. I have not owned any of the other cameras you mentioned. I think any of those cameras will be more than capable of giving you great results by day or by night.

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GuillermoBarrancos

GuillermoBarrancos

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Me to...I Considerd the list supplied and their costs and suggested a cheaper option which could then be "decicated" to astro use rather than being a "Jack of all tales and Master of None"....

Peter...

Well if you want to use it during the day as well, then the "Jack of all trades" is the only option really.

And so far, I have seen people taking quite stunning images with unmodded cameras, that sertainly raises the question if you really want to go through all the hasle for a modification.

Only when you are 110% sure that you will never use the camera for daytime use and are fully into Astro Photography and tied to a budget that a CCD camera will be out of reach for a long long time. Then you might consider having your DSLR modded for dedicated Astro use.

But if you are so hooked into Astro Photography and planning to upgrade to a CCD camera in the near future. Then I think it's a total waste to go through the hasle and risks for having the camera modded.

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LukeSkywatcher

LukeSkywatcher

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From my point of view, taking a DSLR and making it do things it isnt designed to do (ie: exposing the sensor for 10's of minutes to open air, cold, moisture etc) is technically abuse.

Indeed it is. I was thinking you were gonna play football with it,LOL.

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Psychobilly

Psychobilly

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I suppose it depends on you skill set ... modding the 1000D for dedcicated astro use is cheap - your removign a filter elemet and dont need to add anyhting back in..

Compared to some of the camera's on the original posters list you could have got a 1000D body only (modified for astro) and a 550D for general use thus having a pair of DSLR's so that each can be used to its best...

Modded DSLR's are a great way into large sensor astro imaging on a budget ...

Following up on the master on none comment - this is the reason i am holding off modding my 500D at the moment...as it still may get to see more general photography use - although my D200 is still my main cam for this purpose... and is almost useless for astro fo a whole host of reasons...

Peter...

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fatwoul

fatwoul

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...although my D200 is still my main cam for this purpose... and is almost useless for astro fo a whole host of reasons...

Peter...

One being the atrocious high-ISO ability of the D200, right? That was my biggest disappointment with mine - the fact that I couldn't shoot higher than ISO400 without artifacts ruining pictures. Great shame, as it was otherwise a really nice camera.

Do you have the banding issue with yours, too (banding along high contrast edges)? If so, I remember reading that is correctable by Nikon, depending on the nature of the banding.

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StarDome

StarDome

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Calm down chaps :)

I am getting there now, it's looking like the Canon 7D + the 5D Mk1 plus a 1000D (to look after and not abuse LOL)

Thanks for your help everyone, much appreciated.

As for scopes;

LX200 8"

PST

80mm Skywatcher

and about go go for a EQ-6 + A N Other Refractor.

My problem is time... being away a lot doing astronomy for other people, mind you I wish I had hada decent camera when i was out in the Atacama recently!

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StarDome

StarDome

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OK, I've got a D1000 too now, if you have it modded for astro use i guess you cant use it in the day? sorry for all the questions... new to the DSLR bit and Astro Imaging malarky.

This was a 30 second shot in the Atacama, open shutter, light the group with a headtorch then let it run.

post-17369-133877467046_thumb.jpg

post-17369-133877467051_thumb.jpg

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StarDome

StarDome

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You can set up a remote scope there if you like but it will cost you 5000 Euro for the land per year... and then the scope etc. I did 3 nights observing there as well as seeing the eclipse on Easter Island.... incredible stuff. 340 clear nights on average per year too in San Pedro! Great reactions from my group when I showed them M13 and them Omega Centauri.

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Psychobilly

Psychobilly

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Depends on how you mod the 1000D

The cheapest option is removal of the one element of the filter which improves Ha response but still keeps UV/IR Cut this has a samll effect on focusing and alters colors which can be corrected to a large extent using custom white balance and/or post processing. The filter can be replaced with a clear glass window...

Theres also filter removal has more of an effect of focus (the sensor can be shimmed back to compensate) and gives full spectrum capture - you would then need to take care of UV/IR Cut in the filtering but gives the most flexibility. again filter can be repalced with clear glass window...

If you shoot in RAW then theres no need to worry about color balance as it can all be done post capture. If you only shoot Jpegs for day to day then you need to use custom White Balance (CWB) as the white balance is applied in the camera before the jpeg is stored.

Have fun...

The scopes may struggle to properly illuminate the full frame sensor in the 5D and the outer parts of the frame will show up all the inherent "nasties"...

Peter...

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George

George

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You must be a rich guy. I certainly would not consider the 1000D "cheap enough to abuse". Yes it IS the cheapest entry level DSLR and yes the results do speak for themselves but as for it being "cheap enough to abuse"........................

I find that comment pretty flippant and offensive and not very constructive to this thread.

The 1000D is a pretty expensive camera by most peoples wallet and it takes brilliant images.

Sorry.....but i just had to point this out.

I didn't find this comment flippant or a brag, quite the opposite.

When your using a DSLR or any other piece of kit not designed for certain extremes and outside its design envelope you have to be prepared for a loss or damage. Hanging a DSLR off the back of a scope dripping with dew and in temperatures of -15C is not in Canons operating envelope yet I do this every winter and accept the fact that it might go bang.

Fact is if your not prepared to lose it you shouldn't be using it :)

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LukeSkywatcher

LukeSkywatcher

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When your using a DSLR or any other piece of kit not designed for certain extremes and outside its design envelope you have to be prepared for a loss or damage. Hanging a DSLR off the back of a scope dripping with dew and in temperatures of -15C is not in Canons operating envelope yet I do this every winter and accept the fact that it might go bang.

Fact is if your not prepared to lose it you shouldn't be using it :)

This is true. This why i am NOT gonna be hanging a £750 camera off the back of a £150 scope. Mind you i still use the same camera on a tripod that cost £100 (sorry to keep mentioning prices), but the camera tripod (Horizon 8115) is a hell of a lot more sturdier then the tripod my refractor scope is mounted on.

It would take an earthquake to knock the Horizon tripod over. Thankfully we dont get many earthquakes here in Ireland.

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