Canon 20DA image from AUS

[westsky]

Ok a couple of people have asked me to post this image taken with a 20DA
This was not my image it was taken by a visiting Japanese friend who happens to own the number 1 20DA produced by Canon.Here was here for a weeks astro imaging as he does every year, it was taken at a dark sky site
details are
The shot was a single 6min exposure in Jpeg format
Lens Nikkor 180mm/2.8ED
hand guided.
Image was processed in Maxim DL by a very well known US astro imager, total time for processing around 1 min.
background was darkened, and a small adjustment to brightness and contrast
was all the processing needed.
the original image is around 5.4 MB so it's quite a reduction to fit it in the forums guidelines.

enjoy
David.

[h0ughy]

noo way, that is absolutely fantastic oh you got to email me the original that is soo good! Looks like I will have to save my pennies for a 20Da....... :love: :love: :love: :D

[Astroman]

Awesome image, and satellite too. Colours look great.

[westsky]

If you take a carefull look there are two satellite's,
here's another one from the same bloke/camera.
same details as the previous except the exposure was 10mins, I think it may have been a few mins too long, but it is hard to get the central part of M42 without overexposing it.
There is no processing done in this shot, none at all this is just a reduced Jpeg
I love the bottom left hand corner, and the amount of neblosity the camera has picked up between the Horsehead and M42.

cheers
David.

[h0ughy]

was he taking them all night. that wasn't up far enought to do much with I thought! Just saw it around the 4-5am mark before going to bed! was that on the friday/sat night when if was frosty :D

[westsky]

This was taken on our last night 07/08/05, at around 4.30- 5.00am,the temp was around -2 quite warm for leyburn at this time of year. he tried all week to get this shot but the weather and seeing coditions stopped him.also it was moving into the path of a large tree so he only had a small amount of time to get it.

David.

[westsky]

If anybody wants to see the full size image of Antares go here
http://members.iinet.net.au/~westsky/AUG27JR.JPG
be warned its over 5mb.

David

[h0ughy]

Dave,

can you post an image of the now famous astrophotographer, and yourself !

[[1ponders]]

Those shots are nothing short of amazing for single shots. Damn I was thinking of upgrading my Losmandy GM-8 to a G-11, but it looks like I'll have to rethink that.

Questions: How many are Canon releasing and are they definately not being release in Aus. Oh and what's the current going price. :(

Oh and "g'day David" Long time not hear. How the hell have you been.

[westsky]

Houghy here's a shot of Ikufumi Makino and myself standing next to a fellow members mount, I,m the ugly one on the right:-))
this is taken with the 20DA no IR filters where added to the lens ( first reports I read where that you had to place a IR filter on the lens for daytime this is not the case )

Paul how you doin, you have been busy taking images I see,
I have been busy at work and home since we got back from NZ,working most weekends and late nights so I haven't been around too much.

I am in the process of building an observing shed out at Leyburn, using 4" cold room panels, should be good in summer :-))

I don't know when or if the 20DA will be released in Aus, Ikufumi got the first one in Japan and now he and around 10 others are writing reports to Canon about how well the camera works,

Tony (Striker ) should be able to tell you the cost of his 20DA but he did buy from the US, I think Canon policy is to keep the price the same worldwide.
My best guess is around $3000.00 AU.
The 20D body sells for about $2700 AU this should be some sort of indication.

cheers
David.

[iceman]

Wow, that's some looking setup.

Also nice to see you back David, it's been a while! Don't be a stranger!

Incredible shots too.

[Striker]

Paul,

Definetly not being released in Australia....Photo continental in Brisbane spoke to Canon Australia on my behalf asking if they could bring the 20DA into australia...they said NO...unless they change their mind the answer is NO....

Cost everywhere is $2199 USD body only.

2500 camera's were pre-sold before the US release date about 2 weeks ago.

[westsky]

Hi Tony , looking around the web the cost is starting to vary, I have seen most place's at $2199 us but there are a few at $2499 us there is a Canadian place selling them for $2499 C which is closer to our $ this would put the price delivered here to about $2700-2800 Au allowing for GST and duties.

Hi Mike the old mount is an Australian built Samson, these where built in the 80's by a Sydney man, sadly no longer availible, they are a good mount, the large gear in the shot is also Aussie built, it's about the equivalent to a Byers gear, also no longer produced, the control box is home made :-)).
Ray who owns the mount made most items you see on it and it does a great job, he mostly does widefield imaging with this setup but at times he puts a 8" Wright/Schmidt camera on it.
cheers
David.

[westsky]

I may as well throw these in here they where not taken with the 20DA, but the old fashioned way with Kodak E200 slide film,
Exposure 15mins
scope C11 @ F6.3
autoguided with the Meade DSI and Robby's Star-Mate
through a 4" F10 refracter


cheers
David

[h0ughy]

Film, whats that! very nice pictures David

[astro_south]

Great pictures David. I like your Lagoon one. You have captured the dark globules in the fainter parts nicely. Also - thanks for the pic of yourself - I was starting to forget what you looked like :D

[Striker]

David,

List the canadian website so they can check them out...

[westsky]

will see if i can find it again Tony,

david.

[[1ponders]]

Don't wanna check 'em out!!! Don't wanna check 'em out!!! Don't wanna check 'em out!!! Don't wanna check 'em out!!! :(

[h0ughy]

Now now Paul, we all can't afford a 20Da! thats why Striker will buy them for us and discount them when he passes them on after a few weeks! :D

[[1ponders]]

:doh: :thumbsup: :D You're Right!!!! I forgot about that. Dibs! Dibs! :lol:

[dhumpie]

Very nice David. Your shots are getting very very good. Now for the digital revolution :)

Darren

[atalas]

Some nice looking shots David love the rich colour these cameras can achieve .

Louie :thumbsup:

[CometGuy]

Guys,

If you can't buy the 20Da directly from Australia, another option is to buy the Hutech 350D for $1350 US.

Nices pictures though!

Terry

[westsky]

Thanks Darren, I think the digital revolution is catching up with me quicker than I hoped it would :-))
Hi Louie, yes the 20da gives very nice natural colour, thats what I like about this camera.

Hi Terry, I got the chance to compare a Hutech 350D at the same time as the 20da, really its no contest, the Hutech is around 5% more sensitive than the 20da but it lacks the noise suppresion system of the 20da.also you still need to process the 350D images a fair bit to bring the best out, the 20Da needed little processing.
You also need to purchase a filter if you wish to take daytime shots, from Hutech these are not cheap around $299.00 US, I think there are other filters you can use but I,m not sure which ones or the cost of these filters.
With the 20Da you can take day and astro shots without adding any filters.
So add the cost of the filter and the price starts to climb.You can not use the Canon EF-S lens with the Hutech 350D when using the daytime filter, the filter fits between the Lens and camera body.
At around $1000.00 AU difference in price between the two cameras I think its worth the extra to buy the 20Da.
cheers
David.

[CometGuy]

Westsky,

I finally downloaded the full size Scorpious image and all I have to say is WOW - I am guessing there are 17th magnitude stars in there! I had a 20 minute shot (4 x 5 min) taken with my modified 300D and there is no comparision (although it was from a suburban sky).

Terry

[westsky]

Hi Terry,The Scorpious image is just,well unbelievable it's amazing what the 20da can do in 6 mins, I have tried on many occasions to get this area with film and after 60mins still have nothing to show for it.
I have seen some fantastic images in this forum from the 300d and 350d.I think that the 20da takes a more natural colour shot, certainly it comes at a price. A $1000.00 price difference is a lot of money but it does allow for good images straight from the camera, take a look at the M42 widefield shot and then remember this is unprocessed
I think that the dark sky site helped with this shot ,I didn't get a chance to try the 20da under light polluted sky I think it may well do a very reasonable job as Tony (striker) is showing.
I think Canon got it right with the 20da but it seems you can't please everyone.there are owners in Japan who want Canon to change the filter they use to allow more HA
through as the Hutech cameras do.
The fact that Canon have released the camera in the US makes me think that there won't be too many major changes but my Japanese friend is telling me to wait before buying.If Canon do make any changes this may well put the 20da out of reach of many buyers.
cheers
David.

[anthony2302749]

Hi Guys

I got the same answer from Canon Australia when I spoke to them. But don't worry the camera can be purchased from Centre.net.au for $3199.
http://centre.net.au/Canon_EOS_20Da_Digital_SLR_Camera_B ody_Only_000642.html

Anthony

[LT_Ng]

David,

These images are simply very amazing. Will 350D perform very close to 20Da?

LT

[westsky]

Hi LT, we got the chance to compere the 20DA with a modified 350D, Hutech who do the mods say that the 350D is around 5% more sensitive than the 20DA this really didn't show in the shots that where done. But the cameras where used in two different ways
the 350D was used with a 18" F2 astrograph and the 20DA was used with lens so to be fair it was not a real comparison as the equipment was different.
I would like to see exact same gear used on the same object on the same night to get a fair comparison. For what it's worth I could buy a 350D now but I prefer to wait for a 20DA.
After seeing the camera in action I believe it is the best choice, The modified 350D does perform very close to the 20DA.

David.