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Old 02-10-2013, 06:36 PM
Rogering (Stuart)
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Which specific DSLRs cameras should we look at?

Hi guys,

Looking at getting into a bit of astro imaging with my 10" manual newt dob, just the planets & moon etc. A prime focus DSLR seems to be the way to go.

Which specific brands & models should we look at?

Thanks guys
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Old 03-10-2013, 06:05 AM
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White Rabbit
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If it's just planets your after, then you want something that can record video. A web cam with a bit of modification can do the trick. And will be cheaper. Check the web there are plenty of tutorials showing you how to do this. Or check out the classifieds here, I seem to recall someone selling one just recently.
It's going to be hard without a proper mount tracking the sky for you though. I'd put the money you are going to spend on a camera into a mount and do the webcam thing. Much easier. You can pick up a second hand HEQPro for well under a grand.

Cheers
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Old 03-10-2013, 06:08 AM
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Here is a link to a web cam in the ice trades.

http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/s...d.php?t=110784

http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/s...d.php?t=105472

There are also a few dslr up for sale as well.
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Old 05-10-2013, 01:39 PM
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2stroke (Jay)
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The nextimager and 900nc's are great cam's to start out with and learn from and thats what we used and most people here as a first cam. There are much better cams about but for the price secondhand and at there age they give good results and fun.

For dslr's canon EOS's are the best for new comers as the software support is great with APT and Backyard EOS and the 1100D is probably the best bang for buck ever when buying the body only it can be had for just $250 or less when on special. It only offers 720p but a 600d is going to cost you double or more for 1080p. The 1100D is the best bang for buck dslr camera for astrophotography ever and is tried and proven. It can be modded by yourself for Ha by removing the IR cut and there's no need for a badder IR replacement as the LP filter does the job better then it. I really rap on to much about them though i just love them to death even though i have moved onto ccd, it's like canon made them thinking of ap work and forgetting the photographer which made the price so sweet.

There are many more cams out there though i would say money is a factor as with everyone getting into ap work. The Imaging Source make some A1 planetary cameras though the price is fairly expensive for a new comer and you probably wouldn't see any benefits till you got a tracking mount be it eq or alt/az. Anyhow gl with it

Lol i wouldn't put a 10" on a HEQ5 unless it was in a obs shielded from even a fart and worked of its tits.

Last edited by 2stroke; 05-10-2013 at 01:51 PM.
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Old 07-10-2013, 02:44 AM
lurry
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What's the specs preference?
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Old 07-10-2013, 02:45 AM
lurry
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I guess you could go for possibly 70D
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Old 07-10-2013, 02:46 AM
lurry
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Check out this link for more http://thedigitalcamera.net/canon-eo...he-difference/
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  #8  
Old 07-10-2013, 09:10 AM
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rustigsmed (Russell)
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You can get a canon 600d grey import for $419 (no lens) its pretty handy for video at full HD. zoom in 10x for focus, so easy.
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Old 07-10-2013, 08:40 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rustigsmed View Post
You can get a canon 600d grey import for $419 (no lens) its pretty handy for video at full HD. zoom in 10x for focus, so easy.

I am not a Canon expert but I think the earlier Canon models probably outperform the later ones except in the full frame areas.

I think that is because they have progressively gone up in megapixels for the same sized chip.

1100D I know is good. 550D I think is good. 350D is a legend but perhaps not a lot of megapixels.

Also consider Fuji XE1, or XM1 or Sony Nex series. They can be modified and generally have a higher quality sensor than the Canons. Closer to the full frame Canons than the APSc sized (not really APSc sized its less than APSc).

One way of working it out is to look at dxomark.com who rate camera sensors and give them a score. You can also look at samples at different ISOs at dpreview.com.

Not sure about the lower model Nikons. They are probably very good but not sure about the earlier models. Nikons also tend to have amp glow to some degree in some models and I am not aware of a Canon doing that.

I would check out the 70D before I jumped as that has a split pixel system designed for good autofocus but it may mean its not so great anymore for astrophotography essentially being a smal pixel sensor which usually means more noise.

Greg.
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Old 08-10-2013, 02:52 PM
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Simple.

If you can find one, a Canon 60Da
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Old 08-10-2013, 06:01 PM
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acropolite (Phil)
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Plenty of 60DA's available on eBay, personally I'd forgo the 60DA for a 6D or 5DIII.
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Old 08-10-2013, 07:51 PM
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Be sure to check out von Tom's excellent work using his Canon 600D. Whichever model you end up getting, I'd highly recommend making sure that it has video crop mode (i.e. it records the central 1920x1080 pixels as a video, rather than rescaling the entire field of view).
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Old 10-10-2013, 01:58 PM
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60Da in my opinion was a bit of a disappointment judging by posted images. The 20Da was a hot product back then. I think the small pixels of the 60D made it somewhat unsuitable for astrowork. It would be better than a regular 60D but not as good as a modded lower Canon.

Sony is about to release 2 full frame Nex cameras. A 24mp and 36mp sensor versions. These sensors are likely to be updates of the highest rating DXO mark sensors ever - the ones currently in the Nikon D600 and D800E as well as the 24mp in some other Sony models.

A modded one of them is likely to be the bees knees.

The 24mp model is rumoured to be priced below a 6D.

If you ever used a mirrorless camera you tend not to use your big heavy DSLR much due to weight, size, convenience. So if a mirrorless is full frame there would be very little incentive to get a big DSLR which overworks the Polarie, has expensive lenses, is heavy and not really that portable. I tend to only use my Fuji XE1 for most photography despite having a Nikon D800E which I almost only use for nightscapes.

Sony has the opportunity to gain the market lead as it has by far the most advanced CMOS sensors and has access to even more technology these days though agreements with Aptina (a sensor maker)and even Olympus.

Check out the performance of the Sony ICX694 chipped cameras. Wow. Inconceivable just a few years ago that you'd get 77% QE and 66% QE in Ha from a 4.54 micron pixelled CCD sensor.


Greg.
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