Nikon D7000

[Outcast]

I know this is a somewhat dated camera now but, have the opportunity to pick one up very cheap.

Anyone used one for AP?

Any good, things you liked, things you didn't like?

Thanks in advance

[Ukastronomer]

As a "photographer" when I started out I had one, then the D7100, I have to say that they are, in my opinion very bad for low light, a great deal of noise and never compared with the Canon 60D

[JA]

The D7000 is an older camera, but has reasonably low LONG exposure noise, even compared with some of its more modern brethren. There is an interesting comparison of various sensors, including the D7000, for long exposure noise (very important for astrophotography) on a sensor dB or similarly termed webpage.

Best
JA

[Outcast]

Thanks Jeremy,

I received your PM & have responded. Be keen to continue this discussion via PM.

Cheers

Carlton

[Outcast]

Hi JA,

I will have a look for some sensor noise/dB comparisons, thankyou.

I know it's relatively old but, it would still be a quantum leap in terms of capabilities from the 1100d I currently own.

Cheers

Carlton

[Camelopardalis]

It may not be night and day...the 1100D is relatively well behaved from the noise perspective, although the 7200 may well be more sensitive.

[raymo]

Dunk is spot on. two and a half times the price doesn't mean that your images will jump up a level. The 1100D is surprisingly good noise wise, all these early images that I am currently posting were taken with my 1100D.
I have a 600D which new is three times the price of the 1100D, but is slightly noisier, and doesn't show Ha[red] as well. The 7000 has more features, but almost none of them translate into better astro images. More pixels, but how often is 12Mp not enough. Mirror lock up, handy, but doesn't affect image quality. 14 bit RAW, not earth shattering. On top of that, although things are changing, there is still quite a lot more software for Canon than Nikon.
raymo

[Outcast]

Thanks Raymo,

I appreciate that perspective too from both yourself & Dunks...

The camera I am looking at will cost me $200 (body only) so as you can see, quite a bargain. I am thinking of buying it & then run it off on comparison with my 1100d.

I know you have always been very positive about the 1100d which is why I'm not in a hurry to move it on or anything. What intrigued me about the d7000 as I have been researching is the Sony Sensor that it uses, the IMX071, which is the exact same sensor used in the ZWO ASI071MC pro.

I know this is an advertising spiel but, this is what ZWO has to say regarding the sensor (albeit, in a different package & cooled camera).

Very low read noise: 2.3e @24db gain 3.3e @lowest gain
14Bit ADC: provide real 14bit Dynamic range

I have also been reading a little about this sensor compared with the sensor in the 1100d & it seems to be a little less noisier in comparison.. Again, it's hard to find the truth these days, every article & author seems to have an agenda or brand bias, hard to discern the truth in an unbiased manner.

I've been looking into the software for Nikon vs Canon & you are 100% correct; there is a lot more 3rd party software for Canon than there is for Nikon.

Cheers

Carlton

[Ukastronomer]

Quantum leap definition

A quantum leap is the SMALLEST possible leap/jump

Physics . an abrupt transition of a system described by quantum mechanics from one of its discrete states to another, as the fall of an electron in an atom to an orbit of lower energy.

In other words what you are saying is that it is pointless moving from what you have to the D700 as there really is no significant improvement.

People wrongly believe Quantum Leap means a big leap forward, it does not.

quantum leap. In physics, the movement of an electron from one orbit in an atom to another, sending out or taking on a photon in the process.

;) ;) ;)

[Outcast]

Fair enough.. clearly I should have chosen my words more carefully... :lol:

What I intended was that it seemed like a reasonable step up from the camera I currently possess.. :D

Thanks Jeremy

Edit... Although the Oxford dictionary does say this... (perhaps it's contextual)

https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/quantum_leap

[Ukastronomer]

But they don't say a "large" leap, in reality like many other things we have taken so much out of context and the English language is terrible these days,

How many times have I hears someone say "Have you eaten Paul ?" or whatever name, when it should be, "Paul, have you eaten", in the first you are asking if someone has actually eaten "Paul" :) :)

One of the problems with being Autistic, sorry.

[astro_nutt]

]I've been using a D7000 for AP for a few years and have been pleased with the results. Definitely a good buy for $200
These images were done using the D7000 with a 10" F4.5 newt at prime focus.
241995
241996
241997
Cheers!

[Russj]

Try this site, he mods astro cameras and has a lot of good info on low light camera.
http://www.spencerscamera.com/recommended-cameras-astro.cfm

[Camelopardalis]

Not trying to discourage you, just be aware that it might not be a huge difference. The problem with getting good info is that we are a very small market and somewhat unusual use case.

The 1100D has a 14-bit ADC. I modded mine and it's easily doable (search for Gary Honis' website) and it's quite a dramatic change. I estimate about 1 stop more light gets through to the sensor.

The D7000 has the anti-aliasing filter that was removed on later models (D7200 onwards?), and it will still retain the Nikon LPF which will impact the Ha response compared to the ZWO camera.

I have a Fujifilm camera with this sensor also and it IS a little more sensitive compared to the 1100D, but noise-wise it's not going to light the world on fire in QLD. Fujifilm also use a very mild LPF filter, so the Ha response is actually pretty good. I don't have a Nikon as a frame of reference.

[RyanJones]

The problem with criticising people's use of the English language is that you have to be sooooooo careful that you're not screwing it up your self :P:

[JA]

It appears as though a touché might be in the offing.:D

Best
JA

[Outcast]

Nah, not taken that way at all Dunks.. all good information.. sometimes it's hard to filter all the technical talk in the reviews through my analogue brain.. so, it's always good to have someone who knows a little bit more & has probably been this route themselves with various cameras.. I may end up just trying to be patient and wait on an astro modded camera to pop up somewhere at a decent price..

I'm not good with patience to be honest:P

I've been weighing up doing the mod to the 1100d myself.. I've read a few tutorials.. I'm a bit nervous about doing it and turning my perfectly serviceable camera into a brick... I'd also like to make sure it can still come to focus in autofocus should I want to use it with the kit lenses although.. I have a little Sony RX100 which is my goto camera for most terrestrial stuff these days.. it's a gem of a camera...

Cheers



Thanks Russ, I had a look.. some good info there.. some of it I actually understood.. some of it not so much.. :rofl:

Cheers




Nice shot's astro nutt; just out of curiousity is what size dob & do you have tracking or not?

I have a deposit down on one of Mental4Astro's 12 inch marana's.. no tracking but, does have encoders and nexus dsc.. I just have to provide the motor function myself (mandraulic so to speak). I'm not buying it with AP in mind but, it'll be interesting to see what I can do with it... I always like pushing boundaries...

Not sure what I'll do about the D7000, I like shooting tethered, actually, I love shooting tethered to my android tablet & it looks like that option is a complete PITA with the D7000 & Nikon's in general.. may end up sticking with Canon's I think.. simply for ease of obtaining 3rd party software.

Cheers

[astro_nutt]

Hi Carlton. The scope is a 10" truss newt on a split ring mount. As for the images The Comet and NGC 5128 were from a single 30 second exposure and the Moon at 1/250 second using the mirror up/2 sec delay setting.
Cheers!

[xelasnave]

Carlton.
Just buy it.
If nothing else you can have one camera on a scope and another mounted taking widefields...you cant have too many cameras either..but work towards a cooled zwo and seven filters☺ after you have spent the money it will be gone so dont worry about it..and on your death bed do you think you will lay thete repeating over and over..if only I had not bought that gear.....I am just so impressed with what it can do and I have not even started....if you cant use more than two of everything you are letting down our way of life..I hope you have a tv in every room☺.
Alex

[Outcast]

I'm picking up what you're putting down Alex.. LOL

No TV in every room but, we do have two..

Cheers

[Outcast]

Thanks Astro Nutt,

good to know.. I won't have the dob until probably October & will have to get my head around setting that up, collimation & digital setting circles.. then seeing how long things stay in FOV.. then start pushing boundaries... :)

Cheers

Carlton

[raymo]

If you are using Live View for focusing an articulated screen is a godsend
with most types of scopes, its the only thing that I'm thankful for with
my 600D.
raymo

[Ukastronomer]

This is the problem I had a 60D and should never have sold it, the screen alone being a PROPER articulated screen was a boon NOT just what people call articulated and in fact are just TILTING screens one direction.

Nikon have lost out a lot on this, forget touch screens I just want articulated

[raymo]

Yes the 600D opens out 180 and rotates 180.
raymo

[Ukastronomer]

Yes proper articulated screen not a stupid one that just goes up and down

[JA]

Hi J,
FWIW, the Nikon D5100 (see image below) was a contemporary of the Canon 60D (around the start of 2011) and had an articulated screen of similar fold out and tilt design to the Canon 60D. All of the Nikon D5XXX series cameras since then (2011) continue this type of fold out/tilt articulated screen design, right up to the current day D5XXX model, the D5600.

The Tilt up only screen design is used on some of Nikon's other camera models: D850, D7500, D750, D500 etc,....

Best
JA

[Outcast]

Thanks to everyone who ventured an opinion, personal experience or links to very useful comparisons & articles on both this and other cameras.

After extensive research, I've decided not to purchase the camera... it's not like I really need it & after seeing what Raymo used to produce with his unmodded 1100d (I own one) & already possessing a small ZWO planetary camera I don't think I really need to be in a hurry to buy something else just now.

I will be starting up another thread shortly regarding moderately priced, fixed focal length lens suitable for my 1100d for widefield use...

Cheers All