Pixel 3a Smartphone vs DSLR

[Mark.Tanner]

I own a Pixel 3a smartphone, which has a pretty good inbuilt camera. For astrophotography, how does this camera compare to roughly a $200 DSLR?

Some general specs of the rear camera are: 12.2 MP (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pixel#Megapixel) (1.4 μm) with f/1.8 lens, Dual Pixel Phase autofocus, optical and electronic image stabilization (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image_stabilization) 1080p (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1080p) at 30/60/120 fps (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frames_per_second), 720p (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/720p) at 30/60/240 fps, 4K (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/4K_resolution) at 30 fps

*Specs info from Wikipedia

[that_guy]

No contest. DSLR.

[mswhin63]

I am not completely sure ,but to have a lens looking into another lens may never be the best option. Age has crept up now and a term I have used so many time eludes me.

Someone else work it out for me.

DSLR is the better of the two option as long as you can remove the DSLR lens.

[astro744]

Afocal or Digiscoping.

See https://www.televue.com/engine/TV3b_page.asp?return=Advice&id=85

I would tend to agree that prime focus is the better option but there are some surprisingly good images being captured by the afocal method.

[mswhin63]

Prime Focus, that's it, maybe I haven't said it enough to remember.

[Startrek]

See if you can find a second hand Canon 600D DSLR
A very good, low to medium budget cost, all round APS-C sensor DSLR for prime focus Astrophotography
I borrowed my wife’s 600D which she didn’t use much ( stored in a cupboard for 3 years ) and it got me started into Astrophotography
I still use it , great camera just ask Raymo a fellow IIS member

[Zuts]

I started off with a second hand 350d and got some great photos at prime focus with my ed80, without tracking. A good way to start IMHO.

That cost me $250 about 13 years ago. As Martin said a 10 year old 600d is a great entry to prime focus astronomy, on ebay body only can be found for two to three hundred dollars.

The Pixel 3a has a pixel size of 1.2 microns far smaller than the Canons 4.39 microns; and of course for astro the pixels stabilization is not useful.

[mswhin63]

Still using my Canon 450D for the last 11 years.