Smartphones and astrophotography

[gregbradley]

I wonder how long it will be before you can use a smartphone to take a decent nightscape or perhaps even a deep sky image?

There are already adapters to attach lenses to some smartphones.

Greg.

[Atmos]

I think it'll be quite some time. The cameras in phones are now and will likely for the foreseeable future be quite noisy. I know this'll be wrong but the latest iPhone has something like a 12mm F/1.2 lens which seems to work well enough for most purposes in daylight, it won't hold up against a very low end DSLR and cheap wide angle.

[leon]

That would be sad day, :sadeyes: but a pretty light pack up and go arrangement i expect ;) :lol:

Leon :thumbsup:

[JA]

Here you go Greg ......

https://www.dpreview.com/news/1929459569/the-yongnuo-yn43-is-a-four-thirds-smartphone-clip-on-camera-with-canon-lens-mount

Only using the smartphone display for control, etc, not the sensor (too small)
Best
JA

[silv]

it's being done already. I came across that just yesterday.
At the end of his blog, Andrew Symes shows beautiful Saturn and Mars stacked images from videos. https://canadianastronomy.wordpress.com/2013/03/04/smartphone-astrophotography-how-to-photograph-the-moon-planets-with-your-phone/
Here's a passionate interview with him: https://www.awesomeastronomy.com/tutorials/planetary-imaging/54-smartphone-astrophotography-how-to-photograph-the-moon-planets-with-your-phone

For iPhones in particular, Keith''s Image Stacker does what Linkeos or Registax do for planetary imaging. http://keithwiley.com/software/keithsImageStacker.shtml

As I understand it, the wonderfully small pixel size - iPhone 4s and 5 have 1.5 um - is an advantage in planetary imaging. Advantageous over using DSLR -and since everybody owns a smartphone anyway, it's also a advantageous compared to ZWO cams and such which are very expensive.

The 4s offers no manual control over the camera and a simple moon filter is needed to reduce the brightness of the planet in the video footage.
Newer smartphones than the 4s have manual camera controls and hence can be operated without filter.

[silv]

Sorry for hijacking the topic for my own thread http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?p=1373259#post137325 9
Can anyone explain to me why my iPhone sees the obstruction in my tele mirror lens but my normal camera can "look around" it?

Handheld and out of focus still image from a Venus video capture

[silv]

This Astrobin user shows Saturn and Jupiter images stacked from LG Nexus 5 videos. The Nexus 5 came out in 2013.
The smartphone is mounted on a C90 Mak through a 8-24mm zoom eye piece. On a tripod, no tracking. https://www.astrobin.com/users/johnqevil/

That's a really cost efficient setup for planetary imaging. Ideal for beginners to venture into astrophotography - achievable with a 90mm Mak and even in city light pollution?

[JA]

Hello Silv ,

The smaller the sensor for a given focal length the smaller the field of view, which means that the central obstruction, the mirror, will take up a greater proportion of the view and make its presence more pronounced, especially when focused closer than at infinity, such as in your image. A diagram would make it more clear, but unfortunately I'm on an iPad now.

Best
JA