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22-11-2006, 08:37 PM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Sale, VIC
Posts: 6,033
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what scope/lens for widefield astrophotography??
I want to get started in astrophotography. I want to start with widefield, but not 28mm camera wide, more like several degrees wide. Would like some advice on scope/lens choice.
Scopes I'm considering are:
1) 66mm f/7 WO apo, which would go down to an f/5.6 with focal reducer / field flattener.
2) Takahashi FS-60C, 60mm f/5.9 apo, f/4.4 with focal reducer
These are both a bit over a $1k, and I definitely would not want to spend more than $1500 on scope+reducer+/flattener. I know next to nothing about camera lenses but are there any within this price range that would be a good alternative to a small scope?
I'm in no rush, and still need to settle on a camera - not to mention raise funds . It will probably be a DSLR of some sort. I really want a scope that is fast and has top optical performance so I don't have to worry about that part of the equation (field curvature, coma, ...). 80mm aperture max.
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22-11-2006, 08:39 PM
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Sir Post a Lot!
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Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Gosford, NSW, Australia
Posts: 36,761
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Quote:
I want to get started in astrophotography
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Wow! Never thought I'd read that sentence.. although I'll really fall of my chair if Geoff says it
What are you going to mount it on?
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22-11-2006, 08:50 PM
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Whats visual Astronomy
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Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Brisbane
Posts: 5,062
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I dont know how the 60mm or 66mm will go with a DSLR..there fine for small chip ccds but not sure if it will illuminate DSLR chip.
The WO only comes with a 1.6" focuser.
Not sure on the Tak but I cant see it being any bigger.
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22-11-2006, 09:02 PM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Sale, VIC
Posts: 6,033
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Quote:
Originally Posted by iceman
What are you going to mount it on?
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One thing at a time Mike.
... but I'll start with my existing EQ mount - no one knows what it is; it's Japanese, about 12 y.o., and a lot sturdier than my old EQ5.
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22-11-2006, 10:08 PM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Melbourne, Victoria
Posts: 3,916
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A 200 or 300mm fast lens (F/2.5-F/3.5) is great for wide field work. Just attach the DSLR, no focal reducers or flatners required. Its the most basic form. You could perhaps use a zoom lens, though would suggest avoiding these. Fixed focal lengths are the way to go.
I would suggest you consider the mount and how you intend to guide. Once biten by the astrophotography bug, you'll want to use a longer focal length or different camera. A good mount will see you through your astrophotography journey.
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22-11-2006, 10:25 PM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Sale, VIC
Posts: 6,033
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jase
A 200 or 300mm fast lens (F/2.5-F/3.5) is great for wide field work.
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Any out there for under $1500 that won't give me awful aberrations, false colour, coma, etc?
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22-11-2006, 10:49 PM
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Moderator
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Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: NEWCASTLE NSW Australia
Posts: 33,160
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Quote:
Originally Posted by janoskiss
Any out there for under $1500 that won't give me awful aberrations, false colour, coma, etc?
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yep the one i just bought, and Rocket boy made me do it too i might add, he twisted my arm , I was writhing in pain but in the end i RELENTED.
I bought the Canon 200mm f2.8 L series 2 lens new about $1100, second hand - i got mine for a tad over $800
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22-11-2006, 11:30 PM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Sale, VIC
Posts: 6,033
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Thanks Houghy.
Another Qn. Can any of the older film camera lenses be used with DSLRs?
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23-11-2006, 07:40 AM
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Moderator
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Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: NEWCASTLE NSW Australia
Posts: 33,160
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Quote:
Originally Posted by janoskiss
Thanks Houghy.
Another Qn. Can any of the older film camera lenses be used with DSLRs?
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depends of the type, generally yes, sometimes with an adapter. Also depends on the manufacturer
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23-11-2006, 11:54 AM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Sale, VIC
Posts: 6,033
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Quote:
Originally Posted by h0ughy
depends of the type, generally yes, sometimes with an adapter. Also depends on the manufacturer
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There are just so many types of lenses mounts and cameras it's mindboggling.
How about Pentax? I'm reading that their DSLRs take many of their old film camera lenses as well as some 3rd party lenses...
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23-11-2006, 11:59 AM
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~Dust bunny breeder~
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Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: The town of campbells
Posts: 12,359
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wheres our steve!!! i want our steve back!!!
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23-11-2006, 12:21 PM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Warrnambool
Posts: 12,453
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Yes Steve The Pentax DSLR dose take all the older type K Mount Lenses, i had a Pentax ist D, and used all the older style lenses, have a cupboard full of them.
They, the older style fixed focus lenses are superb on film cameras but are a bit iffy on the Digital Camera's. lots of chromatic abberation.
I sold mine and went to Canon, superb Lenses, and Camera's, a top lens is the EF 135mm F/2.0 L, if you got one of those and than added the 1.4 extender you would have basically two great Canon Lenses, one at 135mm and one at nearly 200mm.
Cheers Leon
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23-11-2006, 12:32 PM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Melbourne, Victoria
Posts: 3,916
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Nowadays, you can just about mount anything to anything (if that makes sense!). I have a friend with a Canon EOS 1Ds that uses Nikon lenses. Its just incredible. http://www.cameraquest.com/adaptnew.htm has plenty of adapters.
Just another note on the wide field set up you maybe thinking of - don't forget that many DSLRs have a magnification (1.6 multipler) http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tu...dslr-mag.shtml explains this well. If you intend going really wide i.e. fish eye, then you'll need to take this into consideration.
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23-11-2006, 07:02 PM
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PI rules
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Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Sydney
Posts: 2,631
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Quote:
Originally Posted by janoskiss
Thanks Houghy.
Another Qn. Can any of the older film camera lenses be used with DSLRs?
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If it can be mounted on the camera, it can be used. The problem comes if you try to go the other way, ie to mount a dslr lens on a film camera. This is because the cmos sensor is smaller than a 35mm film frame and a lens designed for the small chip may not cover a 35mm frame. However, I don't imagine anyone will want to do this.
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24-11-2006, 08:41 AM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Sale, VIC
Posts: 6,033
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jase
Nowadays, you can just about mount anything to anything
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Hope you're right. Putting the cart before the horse, I just bought a Canon FD 200mm f/2.8 lens off ebay. Cheap, just under $100. Now I just need a camera that will take it.
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24-11-2006, 10:16 AM
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Dazzled by the Cosmos.
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Join Date: May 2005
Location: Brisbane
Posts: 11,709
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Quote:
Originally Posted by janoskiss
There are just so many types of lenses mounts and cameras it's mindboggling.
How about Pentax? I'm reading that their DSLRs take many of their old film camera lenses as well as some 3rd party lenses...
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Steve
I purchased the Pentax *ist DS DSLR a couple of years ago as I had a swag of old K mount lenses, going back to 1976 and they work in manual mode. I love Pentax gear but if you are seriously going to get into DSLR astrophotography, you should buy Canon of Nikon.
Most of the 3rd party accessories and software for DSLR astrophotography provide functionality for Canon and Nikon models, NONE for Pentax.
If you want to operate your camera from a PC, focus via the PC, expose several frames at intervals from a PC, etc. then applications like DSLRfocus and ImagesPlus all cater for Canon and Nikon gear.
I am occasionally frustrated by this lack of support and restricted mode of operation. Using Pentax Remote Assistant SW I can program up to 99 x 30 sec exposures via the Notebook, but otherwise software support is very, very limited.
Cheers
Dennis
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24-11-2006, 08:30 PM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Launceston Tasmania
Posts: 9,019
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Steve, The FD (mount) lens won't fit any of the Canon DSLR's (EFmount) without an adapter. There are adapters available for around $50US (I have one but I can't tell you how well they perform as I haven't tried mine yet). Also the suffix "L" behind the minimum aperture denotes an optically superior lens usually with apochromatic elements.
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25-11-2006, 11:23 AM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Sale, VIC
Posts: 6,033
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Thanks Phil, yeah I figured it's not so simple. I think this one might be going straight back on ebay. I don't expect the lenses in those adapters are too great.
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25-11-2006, 12:30 PM
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4000 post club member
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Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 4,900
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Quote:
Originally Posted by iceman
Wow! Never thought I'd read that sentence.. although I'll really fall of my chair if Geoff says it
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You havent seen my Mercury transit and sunspot pics have you Mike?
I was with Dave last night and he spent most of it playing with a laptop and a DSI
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25-11-2006, 01:46 PM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Gold Coast
Posts: 12
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I have a Pentax*ist DL and a 300mm lense, but not a good mount... Does anyone know of a good cheap mount that I can use for my camera?
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