I'm getting kind of bored chasing after Saturn every night, so I'm considering branching out into DSOs. Had a great night last night! I spotted M27, M57, M81 and M82! I was stoked!
Anyway, I'm considering the purchase of a Canon 40D (don't want to wait for the 450D). I've read that exposure time can go beyond 30 seconds if it's taken to manual mode. Does anyone have any experience with the 40D? All reviews max out the exposure time at 30 seconds. I don't want to have to modify the camera for longer exposures.
Also, I've been looking at an Imaging Source CCD camera. I notice that max. exposure time is 60 minutes. Can you successfully do long exposure imaging of DSOs with a CCD camera? I can't find any image samples on the web.
If you are getting a 40D I would strongly suggest you also get the TC-80N3 remote for it as well. This will allow you to set the camera to bulb and then dial your exposure time (up to 99 hours from memory) and number of images at that exposure into the remote. Hit start and basically walk away. I use one with my 20D and it is a god send. The instruction manual is very easy to follow and after one night's use you really don't need the manual.
Also, I've been looking at an Imaging Source CCD camera. I notice that max. exposure time is 60 minutes. Can you successfully do long exposure imaging of DSOs with a CCD camera? I can't find any image samples on the web.
Hi Kirkus,
I have used the Imaging Source DMK CCD camera for imaging DSOs and was quite surprised. Even though the camera is not made for long exposures, it is still capable of producing pretty good results. I have yet to try a 5 or 10min exposure with the camera so I am unaware of its potential. TIS cameras are suited better for Planetary imaging.
If you are getting a 40D I would strongly suggest you also get the TC-80N3 remote for it as well. This will allow you to set the camera to bulb and then dial your exposure time (up to 99 hours from memory) and number of images at that exposure into the remote. Hit start and basically walk away. I use one with my 20D and it is a god send. The instruction manual is very easy to follow and after one night's use you really don't need the manual.
You really don't need the timer if you are using the camera with a laptop computer. The camera comes with a utility program which allows all camera controls including bulb long exposures and timming to be controlled via a single USB connection. Exposures out to 10 minutes are easilly taken as long as you take dark frames and subtract in one of the stacking programs.
The 40D does a great job and makes control and focus easy.
It turns out the 40D was beyond what I could afford. But I finally bit the bullet and bought a new Canon EOS XTi 400D. My T-Ring, T-Adapter, and remote shutter control should be here this week some time.
I'm really excited!!
The Mac software that came with the camera does let me control it from my laptop, but not in Bulb mode. But that's OK. I plan on giving it a go by holding the shutter open manually and will probably purchase the TC-80N3 in a month or 2.
Have I said how excited I am?!!
Anyway, I have a question. I notice on many DSO photos the photographers will say, "auto guided" or "unguided". I'm not sure what unguided means? Can you take a long exposure "unguided"?
Thanks to everyone for their help and suggestions!
ImagesPlus or other camera control software is good for controlling the camera until you get a TC-80N3. You will not have much luck holding the shutter open by hand - the shake of your hand will blur the images. Best off using a $20 infrared remote and use that to start/stop your exposures.
Unguided means the mount is tracking on it's own, but not receiving guiding commands from software, that calculates where to go based on input from a guide scope/guide camera.
Guiding is when you are using a guidescope/guidecamera.
Hi Kirkus,
For widefield work, piggy backing your new 400D with a camera lense on your mount you should be fine doing unguided as long as you stick with short focal length lenses like 24mm, 50mm and maybe 135mm for 5 min or more if you are well polar aligned but through your scope you most likely be limited to like 30 sec or a minute unguided. Periodic errors etc in your drive train on your mount will most likely cause star trailing and movement as everything gets magnified through the scope with only the very best and most expensive mounts being able to do longer unguided exposures....
Most of all have fun with your new toy and I would recommend doing a little widefield work with your standard lense first then when you have got the hang of that, do some prime focus stuff.
cheers Gary
Iceman: I wasn't very clear. Sorry. I meant I'll manually control the shutter with a remote until I can get the TC-80N3. I think the remote I bought will make it necessary for me to actually hold down the button to keep the shutter open (one one-thousand, two one-thousand, three one-thousand... )
Thanks for the explanation about guided/unguided. That makes perfect sense! Even though my mount "tracks", the camera's not being "guided" unless I'm using software that controls the mount, right? Which I have but haven't had a reason to learn to use it... yet. Tracking is not as accurate as guiding.
Gary: I did piggyback my camera on my mount the first night I had it and did some 30 second exposures (the longest I can do outside of bulb mode) with the 18mm - 55mm lens that came with the camera. I got a very nice 'gray-fuzzy' of M13 (and did a happy dance, just because).
I'll take your advice and work on widefield stuff in the beginning (after I do a couple prime focus things just to give it a go. ).
Thank you all so much for the words of wisdom, education, and encouragement.
How do you do this in EOS Utility? Set it to do a number of exposures at a set time? I could never figure that out.
This isn't an answer to your question (don't you hate that? ), but I noticed in the manual that came with EOS Utility specifically says it can control the camera "except for bulb mode". So I'm assuming, for me anyway and possibly you, Ingo, that it has to do with the model of camera. Tamtarn was giving me advice on a 40D, which I ended up not buying.
How do you do this in EOS Utility? Set it to do a number of exposures at a set time? I could never figure that out.
This is very simple.
When you have opened the EOS utility there is a button to push. See image 1
It brings up the second screen. I have it set to take 4 images of 5 min duration every 5 mins and 10 secs. Just push start and it works. Simple
This is very simple.
When you have opened the EOS utility there is a button to push. See image 1
It brings up the second screen. I have it set to take 4 images of 5 min duration every 5 mins and 10 secs. Just push start and it works. Simple
Thank you very much!
When I get my laptop back working I can stop pressing the button every time I want to take an image