What equipment do I need for photography?

[mickh (Michael)]

Hi everyone,
I'm new to the forums, and have never done astrophotography before but would like to start. I'd like to buy an equatorial mount to be able to take deep space photographs (e.g. nebulae). I'd like to get a decent mount, that will last the distance, rather than get a cheapy that I need to upgrade in a year as I get more into the hobby. I was thinking of something like a Skywatcher EQ6-R Pro Synscan.

But to spend more on the mount, I'm wondering if I could get away with using the telescope and camera I already own, so I don't have to spend too much straight away. I've got a Skywatcher 150P dobsonian. If I take this off its dobsonian mount, could I use it on an equatorial mount to start taking deep space photos? I really know nothing about the different types of scopes (OTAs?) like refractors and reflectors and which is better, what aperture to go for, what the focal ratio means etc. I know my dobsonian scope is a 150mm aperture Newtonian reflector with an f/8 focal ratio.
And my camera that I already own is a Canon EOS 600D (DSLR).

By the way, if anyone has a mount they are looking to sell 2nd hand, let me know!

Thanks for any advice that can be offered.
Cheers,
Mick

[The Mekon (John Briggs)]

Mick, anything is possible in astrophotography, but not all is desirable. Your 6" F8 may not be the best instrument to mount on a EQ6, but it could work. Have you even tried to take a moonshot with your Canon and the scope yet?
You may find getting focus is very difficult.

[mickh (Michael)]

I havent taken any shots with the scope yet, because I don't have an adapter to mount the camera to the scope.

[mickh (Michael)]

Is it the combo of this camera and this scope that makes you think focus will be difficult? Thanks

[The Mekon (John Briggs)]

Originally Posted by mickh

Is it the combo of this camera and this scope that makes you think focus will be difficult? Thanks

I suggest you obtain an adaptor and find out. Not all Newtonians can reach focus with DSLR cameras. Hopefully your scope has a 2" focuser, you will need a Canon EOS t ring and the 2" adaptor.
Better to spend $50 at the start than $2000 to find your plans do not work.

[mickh (Michael)]

Thank you, I'll give that a try

[Startrek (Martin)]

Michael,
The EQ6-R is a great mount , I have two of them , the original version 2018 and the latest version with USB2B port , they will carry up to an 8” f5 newt
Mine carry a 6” f6 Bintel GSO newt OTA and an 8” f5 Bintel GSO Newt OTA both have dual speed focuser and both reach focus with plenty of travel without adapters , just a Canon T ring and a Baader coma corrector. I use both a Canon 600D and a new ZWOASI2600MC cooled OSC camera
If your dob 6” f8 doesn’t work on the mount you can pick up a 6” f6 or 6”f5 Bintel newt for $300 but you may have to get a dual speed focuser fitted at extra cost. Skywatcher also do a 6” f5 newt also with dual speed focuser for about $450 to $500 and a DSLR should focus with out adapters etc.. but I prefer the Bintel GSO brand , better build and better focuser
For Astrophotography you will definitely need a dual speed focuser
For a newt f5 a better choice of focal ratio to start off with AP
Good luck and enjoy your journey
Cheers
Martin

[Startrek (Martin)]

Michael
Some additional information
Since you have a Canon 600D you can start off with using a canon RS60E3 remote shutter switch and cord to take your exposures ( I did that for 6 months and drove me crazy standing , manually focusing and taking exposures, ok for an hour but not 2,3 or 4 hours which you will need to do with AP eventually)
So then I decided to get a laptop , sit it on a little fold out table with stool and connect it to the camera with a 5m cable , boy what a difference
I think the best Software for a DSLR is undoubtedly BYEOS from O telescope Canada , costs around $45 and was a game changer , so easy to use , framing , focusing , setting a capture plan ,DSO imaging or Planetary imaging. I also have APT for my OSC cooled , APT also will support DSLR’s but BYEOS is so much better as it was specifically designed for Canon and Nikon DSLR cameras ( models from 2007 to current )
I still use BYEOS with my Canon 600D after 4 years , love it !!

It’s some more information
Cheers
Martin

[mickh (Michael)]

Thanks Martin, awesome info.

This might be an obvious question, but would I need to buy any sort of
attachment to attach the current telescope I have, to an EQ6-R?

I've ordered a T-ring to attach to the EOS 600D, and I am hoping that might be all I need to mount the camera to the Skywatcher scope, after I saw this video on Youtube (from 3:38 into the video).

With the EQ6-R, I would need to move it outside for each use. And I would like to transport it in the car when I go to the in-laws house (they are out of town, so there are many more stars visible where they are). Is it quite portable?
How long would it take to set it up after transport?
And how long would it take me to polar align it each time I use it, so that the alignment is accurate enough for deep space astrophotographs?

Thanks again

[Startrek (Martin)]

Originally Posted by mickh

Thanks Martin, awesome info.

This might be an obvious question, but would I need to buy any sort of
attachment to attach the current telescope I have, to an EQ6-R?

I've ordered a T-ring to attach to the EOS 600D, and I am hoping that might be all I need to mount the camera to the Skywatcher scope, after I saw this video on Youtube (from 3:38 into the video).

With the EQ6-R, I would need to move it outside for each use. And I would like to transport it in the car when I go to the in-laws house (they are out of town, so there are many more stars visible where they are). Is it quite portable?
How long would it take to set it up after transport?
And how long would it take me to polar align it each time I use it, so that the alignment is accurate enough for deep space astrophotographs?

Thanks again

Michael
Not sure if your existing dob scope is going to work as an equatorial scope as it would have central supports which may obstruct your AP equipment. Also at f8 focal length the tube it’s quite long ( probably 1200mm long ) which makes balancing and guiding a lot harder
For what it’s worth I would keep your visual dob scope and buy a second hand or preferably a new 6” f5 or 6” f6 newt designed for Astrophotography. For $400 to $500 is a small outlay compared to the mount cost to have a good quality scope designed for Astrophotography (and for visual as well if you want )
Personally I’d go for the Bintel 6” f5 or Bintel 6” f6 ( longer focal length for a bit more reach ) As long as they have a dual speed focuser !!!
These come a finderscope and tube rings so all you need is a solid dovetail bar , say a Losmandy 14” DUP and Allen head set screws bolts etc.. to mount on your EQ6-R mount.Later on you will probably have to get a coma corrector for your camera so that your stars are round right to the edge of frame. Newts suffer from coma from f6 down to f3 focal length
Later on you learn how to Autoguide ( more equipment)
The EQ6-R mount is semi portable, I’m 60yrs old 68kg and can lift the mount head and assemble mine ok but mines a backyard stay at home rig so it’s set up usually for 2 weeks at a time. I have a weatherproof cover for it.
It’s hard to put a time on things but an estimate would be -
Set up mount and scope with power , data cabling to camera , misc equipment and laptop 1 to 2 hours
Polar align - 5 minutes to 1 hour ( skill level and conditions dependant )
You would set up in the arvo and polar align as soon as it’s dark

Hope that helps

PS my advice is to read read read , look at YouTube clips etc on Astronomy and Astrophotography. A great on line e book is Jerry Lodriguss “ A Beginners Guide to DSLR Astrophotography” well worth purchasing and reading for the beginner
I’ve been in the hobby for 4 years and haven’t found an easier book to get you started

Warning Warning !!! Astronomy and Astrophotography is not a cheap hobby ( not expensive either ) but you can’t buy your way out of problems , you have to learn and resolve them through experience along the Journey
IIS members are always willing to help !!!!

Martin

[The Mekon (John Briggs)]

Great post Martin. You have really given Michael some good information. I chimed in early even though I am not into AP, but I do know a little of what is good and bad.
Michael, you will need at least a set of rings and dovetail to match the 6" tube to an EQ6. These are not cheap. Please heed Martin's advice, perhaps sell your 6" F8 and go for the faster F5/F6 scope.

[Astronut07 (Ben)]

Martin/John

What a fantastic wealth of information you gentlemen have offered
Excellent


Thank you
Ben

[mickh (Michael)]

I'm new to Ice in Space, but yeah, what a great resource! Thanks everyone.

[mickh (Michael)]

Originally Posted by Startrek

Michael
Some additional information
Since you have a Canon 600D you can start off with using a canon RS60E3 remote shutter switch and cord to take your exposures ( I did that for 6 months and drove me crazy standing , manually focusing and taking exposures, ok for an hour but not 2,3 or 4 hours which you will need to do with AP eventually)
So then I decided to get a laptop , sit it on a little fold out table with stool and connect it to the camera with a 5m cable , boy what a difference
I think the best Software for a DSLR is undoubtedly BYEOS from O telescope Canada , costs around $45 and was a game changer , so easy to use , framing , focusing , setting a capture plan ,DSO imaging or Planetary imaging. I also have APT for my OSC cooled , APT also will support DSLR’s but BYEOS is so much better as it was specifically designed for Canon and Nikon DSLR cameras ( models from 2007 to current )
I still use BYEOS with my Canon 600D after 4 years , love it !!

It’s some more information
Cheers
Martin

Hi Martin,
I wonder if there is an option to control a new EQ6R with a laptop remotely? E.g. Bluetooth or other? So the laptop could sit inside your living room. Or do they always need to connect by a physical cable?

[Astronovice (Calvin)]

Originally Posted by mickh

Hi Martin,
I wonder if there is an option to control a new EQ6R with a laptop remotely? E.g. Bluetooth or other? So the laptop could sit inside your living room. Or do they always need to connect by a physical cable?

If you have a wifi network at home controlling Skywatcher mounts remotely is easy as long as the mount is within your wifi network range. Skywatcher sell a wifi module that plugs into the mount which has all the functionality of the handset control via an app. The app is free to download and can be on your laptop connected via your wifi network, or can be on either your mobile phone or IPad, which means you can control the mount locally just as if you are using the handset. It also facilitates connection via a number of programs e.g. Stellarium, APT, Skywatcher 6 etc.

[xelasnave]

Hi Michael
May I say welcome.
Wingham ...I spent my early years there..lived in the residence attacted to the Court House...that building ( no longer a Court House) next to the Police Station.

I hold hope that you can get your current scope to work and 900 mm fl is pretty handy.
I just purchased a new eq6 and have it now permanently mounted but what I noticed was with its handle it is rather easy to manage..and I am 74 (I think) with crook legs.
If you find you need another scope either the 6 or the 8 inch will keep you happy...don't be put off by talk that they require adjustment..it's easy.

Your camera will let you take 30 second exposures continuous and that works early on...I still do it in fact when I use my DSLR rather than my zwo camera..the advantage is you can just let it click away and 30 seconds won't show up a poor polar alignment..in fact it will give you a dithering effect..go for over 100..150 and cull out the crook ones and stack 120 really good ones..thats an hour.....Look into polar alignment as everything "turns" on having it perfect...one thing you can start doing is putting your camera on a tripod and taking long time exposures of the celestial South Pole...you will get an appreciation for where it is and get some nice star trail/ circle photos...there are many ways to align your mount to point at the CSP but remember this..whether your camera alone or thru your scope a time exposure is a great way to align your scope...your polar axis and scope need to be in line but once they are with your mount in home position a time exposure will show star circles..you get the center in frame and you are reasonably polar aligned...in time I would get a pole master..some say just use Sharpcap or other software but having a camera and system just for polar works well for me...but good polar is so much of the game...read up on it..I have perfect alignment and can take five minute exposures that look ok near the pole..say LMC or SMC...I tried Orion and it was passable but 3 minute would go unguided I expect.
When you get your mount spend time just using your camera (no scope) and whatever lens you have..wide fields are great and rewarding..plus polar alignment is not so critical..plus 30 sec captures stacked will surprise you.
Now you can do fine work with a DSLR but you may as well realise even now that you will want a dedicated astro camera...and probably want to auto guide so start putting away the cash...I am learning narrow band which is great particularly what you get with Ha..Martin's one shot colour zwo is tempting and I am wavering between a osc or another narrow band ( I want to run two imaging set ups) Narrow Band is time consuming but the results are not bad at all.
Get your mount and start with just the camera and any lens you have..mount it on a piece of ply or timber as that will work unless you have some alluminium you can fashion..as I did..but ply will work...bang out some 30 sec stuff, get Deep Sky Stacker and learnt how to do that..easy as...and get StarTools or at least Gimp..that should get you there.
Alex

[Startrek (Martin)]

Originally Posted by mickh

Hi Martin,
I wonder if there is an option to control a new EQ6R with a laptop remotely? E.g. Bluetooth or other? So the laptop could sit inside your living room. Or do they always need to connect by a physical cable?

I’m old school , what’s the point of being an astronomer and staying indoors all night , there’s so much up there to gaze and wonder

My rig is semi auto , I still have check it every 30mins , still have to manually meridian flip etc...
I suppose there is merit in a fully automated system if you work weird hours and must get to sleep before midnight or
your nights are -10C in winter and summers in the tropics with infestation of mosquitoes etc
Many folk just put up with a bit less sleep or the conditions as they have a passion for the hobby whether it’s visually observing or astrophotography
Each to their own !!

So can’t help you with a fully remote automated system

Sorry