Can you use a modded DSLR for normal photography?

[Johnboy2011]

Or is evrything red?!!

[brantuk]

Everything has a pink tinge to it in daylight with my mod'ed dslr. I guess you can play with the image in Photoshop - but really, you'd only mod it with the purpose of night time use

[Johnboy2011]

Thanks Brantuk. I notice you have modded and unmodded, any particular reason?

I was thinking of trying a bit of basic AP in alt/az and it seems I could get a canon 350 or possibly 1000d for about the same as a Meade DSI II (second hand). I'm thinking unmodded I get the advantage of a great daytime camera too with the canon and they seem to be preferred by experienced imagers on here.

Do you think the canon would be the better way to go?

Thanks,

John

[sixela]

If you mod it, IIRC, you can buy a clip in filter to more or less restore the natural colour balance.

[brantuk]

Canon's are deffo bargains these days. I was after a mod'ed 350D and got this one second hand pre-mod'ed. The 1000D was also s/h and it came unmod'ed. I got it for the "live view" and it's usefulness in AP. When I'm flush again I may get it mod'ed as well (i'm not really a daytime kinda guy lol).

All that said - I still have to learn how to use both cameras. Just don't get much time to concentrate on AP these days. Hoping to make a decent start at Kelling on Sat week

[Glider]

I've been using Brantuk's modified 350D for a while now with a view to deciding whether to get my 1000D modified. I must admit I think it is.

I was worried about the lack of Liveview for focussing on the 350D but now find it no problem to take 5 or 10s exposures on a bright star and move the focuser a small amount at a time.

In reality I think I'll buy a cheap second hand 350D and modify it myself and leave the 1000D for astro and daylight photography. The 1000D can still get perfectly good astro images on the right targets with the right exposures.

Otherwise daylight images come out pink but you could always take a manual white balance to correct in the camera.

[Glider]

PS, I've also got the Meade DSI IIc camera. My experience is that the issue here is field of view.

Google for New Astronomy Press, CCD Calculator, you'll see what I mean.

[Johnboy2011]

Thanks Glider, the canon seems to get alot of ticks over the DSI.

It looks like it may be worth an extra £100 s/h to get the live view on the 1000d? I've also read that you get less noise than with the 350? Do you find much difference between the two?

Thanks,

John

[brantuk]

John - there's a good comparison of the two cameras that Glider did here:

http://stargazerslounge.com/imaging-deep-sky/132046-hh-26-2-11-brantuks-350d.html

[kk4df]

I have a modded Canon T1i DSLR. I have some white cards that I've shot in sunny, shady, cloudy, flash, incadescent, and flourescent lighting. I use these shots as a custom white balance, and get good daylight shots straight from the camera, without having to adjust white balance using software. It's a little extra work to change the custom white balance every time you change lighting conditions, but it suits me fine. I'll probably not ever purchase a normal camera, but will have only the modded one.

[Johnboy2011]

Great comparison, there is no end to the info and help on here!!

How close do you think I could get to this with the limited exposures on alt/az? I assume I would need a focal reducer too to counter my f10? (i've only just started reading making every photon count!!)

John

[Glider]

With hind sight, I'd get the 350D and use the £100 to get it modified by Astronomiser.

I think the noise maybe higher but not to a detriment that I see it in the final image.

kk4df is correct, you can use a custom white balance to do the correction in camera, you don't need to do it as post processing on a computer.

[Glider]

I think field rotation will limit a pure alt/azi to a greater extent than an EQ mount therefore relatively anything that gets more light in quicker will help your images. Removing the filter does get more red in quicker.

[LukeSkywatcher]

Far as i know........... a modded dslr cant be used for normal daytime photos.

Well it can but the results will be lesser.

[Glider]

Hi Luke, did you read all of the thread before posting, especially kk4df above?

[LukeSkywatcher]

Hi Luke, did you read all of the thread before posting, especially kk4df above?

Nope. I just know i want to keep my 450D as is, so modding it for ap IS A NO NO FOR ME.

[Johnboy2011]

This may be a silly question but I assume it would be better to buy the camera body only if it is only going to be for AP?

[philj]

Yep use the custom white balance facility to take a white card shot then select CWB and you can take normal non tinted shots.

Ive used my modded 1000d many times like this including doing wedding shots, the only red was in the eyes of the guests after the reception:-)

Philj

[Glider]

True, you only need the body and an adaptor to connect to a scope for AP, but you can get very good widefields using a camera lens on the body aswell.

[Johnboy2011]

Just pulled the trigger on ebay, a 1000D body only for £180 (unmodded). If it is ok seems like a reasonable price?

What connection do I need? Am I right in saying I need one to go straight on to the back of the ota which makes it prime focus?

[Johnboy2011]

Thanks Phil, that means the canon does everything!

[Psychobilly]

SCT -T adaptor will get you going.. and a Canon EOS T ring... longer term you might want a 0.63X FR to speed up the SCT and give you a wider FOV.. this will need spacing of around 55mm between the SCT and T-ring

[angusb1]

This question has been asked before, lots of useful shots for comparison in here:

http://stargazerslounge.com/equipment-help/126384-camera-modding-options.html

hth

[Johnboy2011]

Thanks gents, looking at the comparison now.

[Beyond_Vision]

You can also buy a white balance filter from Astronomik that sits behind the camera lens in the body and will restore the original white balance. This can then be easily taken out when doing astrophotography.

Here's a link to the white balance filter (btw the image shown isn't a clip type)

ihttp://www.astronomik.com/en/astronomik_owb-ccd_filter.html

This link shows you the clip filter system with ones for light pollution filtering etc.

Astronomik EOS Clip Filter System

Regards

Kevin