He could get a brand new 1100D with 18-55 lens for $328;see if he enjoys DSLR astroimaging, and if not, he can sell it. A cheap way to dip his foot in the DSLR water. If he likes it, he could get it modded later.
If he does not intend to do wide angle imaging, he can get one body only for under $300.
raymo
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