I used to use Images Plus for acquisition. That program is regularly updated for newer camera models. Here is a copy of a post from Mike Unsold the author of Images Plus:
"Nikon has recently added a bulb function to their camera control SDK for the newest DSLRs.
ImagesPlus 5.75 camera control beta with bulb capture control for the D5200, D7100, D600, and D800(E) is now available. You only need to use the camera USB cable to control bulb exposures with these 4 new Nikon DSLRs.
Shoestring DSUSB will no longer be supported when using the D5200, D7100, D600, and D800(E) and future Nikon DSLRs.
Shoestring DSUSB bulb capture is still supported for older Nikon DSLRs.
Send an email to
mike@... if interested in the Nikon bulb function beta and please state you Windows version and camera type.
Mike Unsold"
One post I did read about Nikon D800 was there was some non linearity for doing flats. I am not sure what the guy meant by that but some aspect of the analogue to digital converter was not linear and made doing flats hard.But the posted image he did, a 2 panel mosaic, was stunning. That was a modded D800.
He got around it. I can't comment as I never used my D800e for telescope deep sky objects. But yes I agree any deep sky work with any DSLR (60Da excepted) would really require a modded camera which is hard to consider when they cost $3000 before modification.
I found the post about the D800 and non linear data:
http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/d.../topics/158253
So a 2nd hand modded 5D2 is hard to ignore when they sometimes go for US$1000. Check this image out:
http://www.astroeder.com/ic4592_eder_en.html Wow.
And this:
http://www.astroeder.com/m81-82_flux_eder_en.html
Perhaps a post on the digitalastro yahoo group would be good as well.
http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/d...tions/messages
There is also a Nikon DSLR astro Yahoo Group:
http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/n...slr-astro/info
Greg.