No need for OTA any longer?

[RobF (Rob)]

At least not for hi res lunar imaging. Just whack a small telephoto on your iPhone and zoom in! How hard could it be?!

https://luxhd450.com/LuxHdZoom-ww/in...985&SID=LRww11

[Saturnine (Jeff)]

Seems I've been going in the completely wrong direction . If I just get one of these clip on telephoto lens, then I can replace my 127 triplet, ZWO 290, 550d, 200mm newt, HEQ5 & tripod, etc, etc . Certainly easier to carry around. This is too good to be true, I want one.

[baileys2611 (Simon Bailey)]

Funny.

[skysurfer]

Originally Posted by Saturnine

Seems I've been going in the completely wrong direction . If I just get one of these clip on telephoto lens, then I can replace my 127 triplet, ZWO 290, 550d, 200mm newt, HEQ5 & tripod, etc, etc . Certainly easier to carry around. This is too good to be true, I want one.

Indeed.
For the Moon it can be used, but that's it.
Such devices lack Aperture, and that is what we, stargazers, need.
The ad says "outperform DSLR". This is only right in the sense of portability.
When such devices were really better, the DSLR was already dead and pro photographers would use such equipment, instead of lugging several kilos of EOS-1dX with 400mm f/2.8L and other stuff.

[Emc2 (Jon)]

Lol I am sure some people buy the marketing speach.

My favourite is the comparison table where we can see how poorly Zeiss, Leica, Canon and Nikon are doing.

[RobF (Rob)]

Yes, I missed that bit. My phys chem lecturer would have loved that one. No title or explanation what's being compared. I guess Nikon, Canon etc only make one lens?

It is amazing the quality of photos you can get with a mobile these days in the right lighting as skysurfer says. I'd think you'd need a pretty stable surface at those higher zoom levels. Perhaps the iPhone 9 will do native image stabilisation anyway.

[Emc2 (Jon)]

Who needs to know what's being compared!
Can't you see the chart?! one ticks all the boxes the others simply can't compare!

But in all seriousness it is amazing to see the scale of the progress that has been made in mobile phone camera quality. For everyday photos they really are fantastic especially given their form factor.
There are some smartphone adapters out there allowing people to use their smartphone as a basic astro imaging device. While the results cannot compare to more advanced equipment, the simple fact of being able to do that and get pretty decent results is quite incredible when you think smartphones are barely 10 years old.

[RobF (Rob)]

I've also noticed that binoc to tripod adaptors now often include a mobile phone mount. It would be feasible if using one on your binocs or small refractor to also include a lens like this and perhaps have some sort of decent moon or even milky way pic??

Might just make astrophotography a little more accessible to the masses.....

http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/s...d.php?t=129837
https://www.myastroshop.com.au/guide...ile-finder.asp

[Somnium (Aidan)]

i actually had someone ask why i needed a telescope, "isn't there an app you can get and zoom in on objects with your phone" ... forehead slap

[RobF (Rob)]

Originally Posted by Somnium

i actually had someone ask why i needed a telescope, "isn't there an app you can get and zoom in on objects with your phone" ... forehead slap

Had a very similar experience with my teenage nephews many years ago. Asked if they'd like help setting up their 2.5" family refractor one night, and I could also bring a scope over.

"No need Uncle Rob" - and proceeded to show me Stellarium which negated the need to outside at night

[Atmos (Colin)]

Originally Posted by RobF

Had a very similar experience with my teenage nephews many years ago. Asked if they'd like help setting up their 2.5" family refractor one night, and I could also bring a scope over.

"No need Uncle Rob" - and proceeded to show me Stellarium which negated the need to outside at night

Why should Uncle Rob bring over a telescope when high resolution full colour images are just a few keystrokes away

[Wavytone]

That's why I don't do AP. At all. Ever. There's no point.

[sil (Steve)]

Originally Posted by Emc2

Lol I am sure some people buy the marketing speach.

My favourite is the comparison table where we can see how poorly Zeiss, Leica, Canon and Nikon are doing.

Yep, that page is full of misinformation. Doesn't address the elephant in the room holding a sniper rifle, every try to hold a monocular or similar to a compact camera or phone to take a long distance photo? Ever succeed in finding your target or taking a crisp photo?

[RobF (Rob)]

Originally Posted by Wavytone

That's why I don't do AP. At all. Ever. There's no point.

[astronobob (Bob)]

I experience mailing my iPhone4 photos to myself to process them in photoshop, sometimes, and while the pic looks great on the phone screen, have you ever seen them in photoshop, disgraceful, , , - mind you, not sure what the latest phone image quality's are like, , in PS,