Yes, within the past month, i've sold my modded 350D, then sold my modded 20D and now sold my modded 40D (as expected by some). Alot of people have asked what am i getting next? well nothing for the time being. Going to take a break from imaging unless another "apprehension" comes up. maybe tomorrow maybe next week or even next year.. but i highly doubt i will get myself a CCD. Why?
- Location: doesn't permit me using one (red zone light pollution with power lines crossing the optical plane from east to west. About 10 power lines from night time to morning)
- No observatory: will take me ages to setup a CCD with dangling cables everywhere. Easily takes me 1-2 hours just to setup mount/scope/DSLR for the first image per imaging session. will probably takes me double that time frame and by then, time for bed for work the following day.
- Also want a camera which can do daytime shots
So yes, my next astro cam will still be a modified DSLR. Those are probably the main factors why i wouldnt lean towards a CCD for the time being but you never know with me i guess i do unexpected things.
Thanks Clive, i'll try not to relax too long no worries Steve worth a try. Or i can wait for more people with modded 40d's later down the track. I don;'t think the 40D front filter will fit the 450D as it has different groves. thanks for your kind words.
Eric, there's a simple answer and that's to buy 2 cameras and use one for day and one for astro use, that way you have no outlay for additional filters etc and you can buy a cooled DSLR a la h0ughy.
I'm with Phil.
Unless the daylight needs are extreme, then a used or new 350D/30D/whatever would be perfect, heck I love my old 20D.
Then get whatever spins your wheels for astro use, and mod the begeezers out of it. I have always thought that trying to do top notch imaging both during the day and at night is difficult with just the one camera.
Your tireless effervescence had to take a holiday at some stage. Take some time, recoup, and I am sure you will be back with a vengeance.
Eric, I agree with all the comments re your "respite period." Observing your fantastic results and noting some of the posts wherein you detailed aspects of your routines that produced those images; I couldn't help seeing a kindred characteristic.
I'm a professional visual artist, my work is in my blood and when I'm on an exhibition project or commission it becomes an absolute mania: working long hours, going to bed late and laying there thinking about different processes/possibilities, nodding off and re-awakening later to re-commence the mental processes that refuse to switch off - well, that's how it gets to me in the middle of these activities!
People need to regenerate, divert or whatever: after these periods I sometimes drift quite aimlessly as I recharge - or I re-awaken old, long ignored wishes. For me this was the catalyst for my re-entry into active AA with equipment etc after a year and a half of the former manic overdrive.
Good luck with whatever, and I'm sure we'll enjoy your work again (I can hear it bubbling there, just under the surface still!)
Best wishes Eric, perhaps you need a bit of time to relax. You've produced so much excellent work and have been an inspiration to newbies like me. Stay in touch with your friends on IIS, we're all looking forward to seeing what you do next!
Get a good night's sleep Eric!
All will look better in the morning...
Although I'm amazed that a so-so experience with a DSLR would dampen your enthusiasm for imaging! Especially after such a prodigious and inspirational output. Could it be that you think you've hit the glass ceiling in terms of what you can produce with your gear and ANY dslr - modded or otherwise!? And, the monetary jump to CCD is just too large accompanied by the problems at your location? No easy answer eh!?
I would suggest the Rob Gendler model perhaps (not the remote imaging side). http://www.robgendlerastropics.com/AdvancedMosaics.html
You've shown us what you can do with that C10 on an EQ6 - imagine combining some of your Eta pics for example (the CCD challenge comes to mind!!!!!) into a huge widefield mosaic of the whole region??
No, No and No. Youll be back, sooner than you think.
You say youll be back with a DSLR, but you cant stand a 40D?. In that case forget DSLRs, youll go backwards. Ppl (and you) keep bringing up this old hory story of the cam needing to be for happy pics too. Bull and you know it, astros in yr blood, use the 350D for happy snaps, who cares.
The QHY range of CCDs look awesome for the price. And your wrong, astro CCDs are made for the job, so they are easier to set up than DSLRs with the right tools, they are designed to be.
OK, you need to take subs thru several filters on a mono CCD which itself takes longer, or you get a colour CCD which doesnt.
If you go mono, then Narrowband allows top imaging in an urban enviroment.
I understand your frustration, but it just doesnt make sense, you have produced increadible images with oridinary gear, so you have the patience to do what it takes to set up with precision.
I think you have hit a brick wall, time to take a quantum leap, start again, and do it properly with a CCD, you will find it a cathartic experience and it will invigorate you, that will be your recharge, I predict the results would be outstanding and put you in a whole different class altogether.
Stop crying and get on with it Eric, or its an unusual wasted talent.
Eric, i hope you keep going. When ever i think of DSLR imaging your name is at the top of the list.
I like very much what the Qhy8 combined with a C8 Hyperstar V3 is producing. Perhaps this might be the setup for you.
Its not much more than a modded 40D. And you can always pickup a used or refurbished dslr for daytime imaging. Regardless of the path you take i am sure you will succeed.
This may sound silly, but, if you were a few years younger you would have started your imaging career with a 40D and definately would have produced some great images, the equal if not better than what you produced with the 350D.
My imaging skills are not in your class, but I recently moved up from a a 400D to a SBIG 2000 XCM. Initially it was a pain, i couldnt focus and it took me two months to come to grips with the software, focus, hardware etc. Now I can focus, but it's still a pain so I am getting a robo-focus.
Anyway, you say you already spend 90 minutes setting up, so do i. So i decided tp spend a bit of money to shorten this. After all we are out there to take photos not to practice our polar aligning and focus skills.
If you reckon DSLR focus is good then focus max etc is even better. There is so much software and hardware dedicated to astro cameras is not funny (just expensive ).
What am i trying to say, well, once you feel better get a QHY8 and stick with it for a bit, look around and see what average people can do with it and then imagine what after a few months of getting used to the camera you could produce.
At the moment obviously, a 350D is better for you, but a 40D is a better camera. If you want to image then i dont think you can do any better than what you have done with a DSLR, so rest for a bit, get a CCD and come baaaaaaaaaaaaack and go up to the next step.
Thanks guys, i'll try to get my imaging back up and running, hopefully not too long. I guess as what Ric said, i still have my trusty DSI II to play with need a guider though.
Looks like the 450D might not be a go either. Seems like the low pass filter cannot be removed at all !! have to wait and see from other users.
yepp. Here we goo againn.. I felt "naked" without a DSLR so today i grabbed myself a secondhand 20D. Planning to modify it myself with a UV/IR filter just to get a hang of things. I know ive had a modified 20D 2 weeks ago but regret selling it to Leon and now Paul.
and most importantly, DSLR Focus supports it! woohoo!
I know there are other capturing/focusing software available which supports newer type cameras, but i like my comfort zone at this stage. . Function wise not as difficult as the 40D with all that bells and whistles, more like the 350d i had previously. 20D ISO 800 matches close to the 1D. will be shooting in RAW from now.
Fingers crossed on the modification. Hope i dont stuff it up although looking at mod tutorials, doesnt look overly too hard.
cheers.
ps. few people have asked me why did i get that 5x barlow, wouldn't mind doing some planetary work .. still sourcing on a toucam.