DSLR for Moonshots

[mo76]

I am looking for some advice re purchasing a DSLR. I am about to upgrade from my old digital camera and I own a 10" GSO Dob. I would like to be able to attach the camera to the telescope take photo's of the moon, I have no capability to track so not interested in DSO's at the moment.

I have read that there are problems bringing a DSLR to focus in a Dob but thought i would ask here if anyone knew of a sub $900 camera that could actually do the job without modifying the OTA?

[mill]

Doesnt matter what dslr you buy, you will have to bring the mirror up on a standard dob :(

[BlackWidow]

:thumbsup:Hi MO76.. this subject has been talked about alot on this forum. Most people will advise that the best option is a Web cam to take video. Then use Registax (free version) to process the video for you into a single image.,. It's very easy to do and will give you far far better results than even with an exspensive DSLR.. Having you own a DOB the Webcam option is even better for planatary photo,s.. The Philips Toucam or the Philips SC900.. series is the best if you can find one on E-Bay..


Cheers
Mardy

[cookie8]

My DSLR focuses through my 12" Dob when using a 2X Barlow but would not focus without one.

[mo76]

Thanks for the replies, I already have a Neximage camera, I'm buying the DSLR anyway for general photography and i was just hoping i might be able to get one that could do attach to a dob for getting quick images on the fly instead of setting up the laptop. Lazy i know but sometimes thats how it goes.

I'll give it a crack through the barlow then when i purchase the DSLR.

Cheers

[Omaroo]

As the song goes.... "It ain't necessarily so..." ;)

It depends entirely on what you wish to image. If you want magnification, then shooting with a planetary or web video camera typically equates to viewing with a 6mm eyepiece. This allows tight fields of view and will perform well when imaging craters or other smaller features. Only major issue when imaging with webcams is their completely paltry resolution - a necessary evil in order to maintain the frame rate. 640x480 or even 1024x756 - not really stupendous.

Even an cheaper entry-level DSLR will, with the aid of the appropriate barlow, give great whole-moon or part-moon vistas. Single-frame captures at ISO100 (or as low as your camera allows) are possible because the moon is incredibly bright - even in partial phase. Given the far greater resolution, far more detail is available to you, even in colour. If the seeing conditions are good enough and your optics sharp and flat, single frame images of great quality are not difficult to render.

Here are a couple I've done, some with an 8" newtonian and others with a 102mm refractor and barlow. I've used the same camera here in all the shots - a cheap entry-level Nikon D40 DSLR. Almost a giveaway on eBay these days. Each image is a single frame - no stacking involved - just a nice still night with good seeing.

Added in is a single-frame (repeat - single) shot of Jupiter through my 102mm refractor and the same Nikon D40 6Mp DSLR.

A half-resolution version of the first shot: http://www.macastro.org.au/home/index.php?option=com_g2bridge&view=gallery&Itemid=123&g2_itemId=3566&g2_imageViewsIndex=3

Have fun with the moon - it's a fantastic target and is always changing. Just don't try and do much at full moon - you have far less contrast to play with.

[mo76]

Thanks Chris, they are great and just the kind of results I would be looking to try and achieve.

Thanks for the advice!

[mswhin63]

Hi Mo,

I have been using DSLR for a while and it is tricky but possible, I just finished processing a close-up moon capture only 30 minutes before typing this, took a long time and is not clear only due to very poor seeing. So far my best captures though are from the webcam but the full moon and barlowed moon 1/4 moon work well with a DSLR.

For most part full moon and 1/4 moon shot I do with DSLR, The webcam is primarily used for 1/4 to close up.

I use Live View capture from Astro Photograhy Tool (APT) to capture a few low FPS close ups and hope to capture more in better seeing.

Attached is the image, but not to give this one approval as it was captured with very poor seeing. I also believe my Barlow is not really suited for this kinda photography.

[bartman]

Just curious Chris, what settings did you use on the camera for the Jupiter shot? and did you use a barlow?
Cheers
Bart

[Omaroo]

Hi Bart

I used ISO800 and the shutter was open for 1/4 sec. This was taken through my Tak FS-102 with a rather average 2" GSO 2X barlow and additionally piggybacked with a decent Televue 5X PowerMate. The seeing was pretty good that night, so that helped.