Shopping for new DSLR, Help

[aljo2345]

Hi Everyone, I am looking at purchasing a new DSLR for deep sky astrophotography, something around the $1000 mark. Currently, I am considering the Canon 80D. My main scope is a LX90 8". I would be grateful for any advice or recommendations.

Thanks

Alex
:D

[casstony]

For a few years now the equivalent Nikons have had less noisy sensors than Canon. I've got a Nikon D5600 that I'm happy with so far, much less noisy than our Canon 600D.

The D5600 is light weight and relatively cheap too.

[Merlin66]

What about a modded Canon 450 or 1000D?
These are well used and supported for AP.

[aljo2345]

I was thinking the 80D, as it is advertised as 24mp, as having low noise CCD, live view and tillable rear LCD screen (thinking easier focusing). I want to avoid modifying if possible as the wife wants to use it as a general shooter as well. So I'm thinking best unmodified cam. I am also looking a canon camera body only, I still also want to use my canon lenses.

Sill, I would reconsider all the above based on advice.

thanks.

ALex

[aljo2345]

Hmmm, the Nikon does look good!

[leon]

Alex you cant go past the Canon 5D although a few years old it will give perfect images with extremely low noise.;)
When they were first on the market they cost $5000.00 body only, now one one can get one for under $500.00 and they still do the same job.
I have 3 and use them all the time, well not all at once of coarse

If you want a good second hand one send a PM :thumbsup:

Leon :thumbsup:

[miki63au]

Well, get two :D


I bought a full frame 6D with prime lenses and some zooms.



The second one is a 1100D .... bought it for $150.
Took the risk and 'butchered' it. Full spec mod... screen removed and in the opening installed a 2-stage Peltier cooler.

With BackyardEOS, no need screen.


My 2c.


Mick

[Fernando]

Just got a Canon 6D to replace my "10 years old and tired":lol: Canon 50D. Planning to shot with it + SW Esprit 120 ED this coming weekend.


Regards, Fernando

[aljo2345]

Canon 6D, Nice! Which version?

[aljo2345]

Is the for sale the Mark II version?

[raymo]

Whatever you choose, make sure it has an articulated LCD screen, worth
its weight in gold.
raymo

[aljo2345]

Is a full frame DSLR essential, if the resolution is the same with smaller DSLR ccd sensor?

[aljo2345]

Thanks, agreed!

[Startrek]

Have a look at Roger Clark's review of the Canon 7D mark 11 ( clarkvision.com )
One of the best Canon APC-C DSLR's for Astrophotography
Low dark current, good Ha response, high sensitivity
Only drawback is its quite heavy at 910grams and they are not cheap at around $2000 new

When my 9 year old 600D finally gives up, the 7D mark 11 will be my next camera

[cometcatcher]

Don't need an articulated screen if you use a HDMI cable and hook up a monitor. That's what I did to my modded 1100D in the observatory. Not quite stand alone anymore though.

[OzEclipse]

If two cameras, one full frame, one APS-C have 24Mpx sensors, the full frame will have much bigger pixels. the pixels are not as packed, so the full frame will, as a general principle, run cooler and be more sensitive.

Canon have not made the advances in their sensors that all the other brands have over the past 10 years.

Check out this page and pay special attention to the sports column.
https://tinyurl.com/y94j443w

Sports rating is the ISO at which the noise is -30dB at a standard low light level used for this test. The higher the ISO, the lower the noise.

The Canon 80D released 2016, rates ISO1135. Compare this to the Pentax K5 released 2010 which rates a little higher at ISO1162.

The 5D full frame mentioned elsewhere is getting pretty old now, only rates ISO1360, about the same a brand new $1000 NIKON APSC DSLR.

There are a swathe of recent release APSC DSLR's in your price range that are much lower noise than any of the new Canon APS DSLR cameras in your price range.

If your partner wants to use it for normal shooting then that probably rules out all of the mirrorless and electronic finder Sony's assuming she wants an optical finder but still leaves Nikon D3300, 5500, 7500. The D7500 is the pick of these for astrophotography ISO1480 available for about $1150.

Canon need to invest less in advertising and buying endorsements from professional photographers and more into product development. Ten years ago they were the obvious choice, now they trail the pack at most price points.

If you already have a bunch of good Canon lenses then it probably makes sense to go Canon and compromise on performance. But if brand is open, look at the specs at your specific price point.

cheers

Joe

[glend]

The Nikon D5300 is a bargain but gives you a great APS-C and produces wonderful 24mb photos. Good low light performance, the sensor does not heat up the way many DSLRs do.

[aljo2345]

Thanks for the great advice Joe.

[aljo2345]

Hi Glen, looks promising, have you any examples (pic) using the camera. Would be great to see?

[axle01]

Have a look at the Sony A7s and a really good cheap camera for astro that doesn't have to be modded is the Fuji XT-1

Al

[JA]

That's a very good point. Some (not sure if it's most?) of the Fuji APS-c sensors have a very strong Ha transmission (~43% for the X-Pro1 / X-E1 - see attached graph), which is considerably higher than the typical Canon, Nikon, Sony etc... sensors, typically in the 18 to 25% range, except for their specialist astro models like the older Canon 20Da or Nikon D810a. That is approximately double the transmission in Ha, hence allowing for a reduced Ha exposure time or lower noise for comparable exposure, all else being equal.

The only issue with some of the earlier Fuji APS-c cameras is their lack of adequate tethered USB control. That's not the case for all their models and some new software has been developed, which is backwards compatible, for certain nominated models, and maybe if you chance it, may even be OK with some of other non-designated models - Not sure.

Then of course there are all of the other excellent choices: Sony, Nikon and the later Canons (say 5Div and 6D, etc..), etc.., depending on your existing lens collection, or even in spite of it, if you decide to jump ship.

Best
JA

[Merlin66]

Hmmm,
That’s interesting....
How do they balance the colour in “normal” images????

[JA]

Good question Ken. I wondered the same thing myself and compared web based test images on the Fuji XE1/ Xpro versus other cameras and didn't see that much of a difference.

Then again perhaps in ordinary (terrestrial) photography there is not that much in the way of Hydrogen alpha present as such a narrow spike as there is with astrophotography, so its absence or presence may be less obvious then say in astro, unless you're looking at 650 odd nm lasers here on earth that is :D. Even if the wavelengths corresponding to Ha wavelengths are present as part of a broader band source, as they are in say an incadescent lamp, then an increase in transmission over such a comparatively narrow band may not be that noticeble - hidden amongst the all the orange/red as it were. Our eyes are less sensitive to light in this region, so whilst it may visually fool us, this approx 1 stop difference should not fool the sensor :D

Best
JA

[Merlin66]

We really need to see at transmission curve for the camera........

[JA]

Hi Ken,

Yes I agree. I posted the transmission curve for the Fuji X-Pro1 / X-E1 in my earlier post above. What I don't recall is whether this was for the filter only or the camera system.

EDIT: I just looked for the details - It was for the internal filter only, not the whole camera system, but it's still illustrative of the difference between the 2 Fuji Cameras mentioned (other Fuji models?) and the other makes and models listed, albeit a few models/years back see....
https://kolarivision.com/articles/internal-cut-filter-transmission/

Best
JA

[Merlin66]

Ahhh, missed that...
I can't find the data curve I was looking for but the attached for the 10D and 20D show about 27% transmission for Ha (10D) whereas the Fuji is about 35%....

[JA]

I make it about 43%, but what's a few % :D

Best
JA

[Merlin66]

:thanx:

[TerryC]

I'm a little late getting onto this thread but thought I would post the link below which has the Canon 80D as one of two recommended "high-end" DSLR's (the other was the Nikon 810a).

So going back to thread #1, I thought you made a wise choice ;)

http://www.astropix.com/html/i_astrop/cameras.html