setup for a Canon 400D

cpc6128 · #1 15-04-2007, 10:39 PM

Hi everybody,

New to this type of forum, I recently purchased a Canon 400d camera with the normal twin lens package (15-55 & 75-300).

Would like to use this camera to capture some planets and stars, what would be the best/cheapest setup - is there an adapter that fits all telescopes? would appreciate any suggestions.

I am located in the west of Melbourne so if anybody know a good telescope/camera shop that i can go to would be great.

Thanks for your time

(edit - obviously i would need to some sort of a tracking device on the telescope if i needed to take some nebula/star shots?)

[1ponders] (Paul) · #2 15-04-2007, 11:34 PM

and

cpc6128

You can try some shots with the lenses you have at the moment. The hard part if focusing. Using your 15-55 you will get around 50 sec of exposure when set on 15mm lense and down to 15 sec for the 55 mm setting, slightly longer if you are pointing near the south pole. Set your f ratio to as fast as possible set it up on a tripod and give it a go.

The problem is unless you have a bulb/cable release the longest you will be able to go for is 30 sec exposure. So set up on a tripod, focus as well as you can on a bright star, set up fo 10 sec timer delay and away you go.

bloodhound31 · #3 15-04-2007, 11:50 PM

I just bought one myself and whilst waiting for a T-Ring from bintel ($35) so I can adapt it to the telescope (I already have the old camera adaptor from my old camera) I have been using the wide angle lens to practice a few milkyway shots with terrestrial based objects to try different effects. I have a shutter release cable so I can hold the shutter open indefinately.

With the larger lens, same as yours, I zoomed all the way in to the orion nebula and got a beautiful result. http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/s...ad.php?t=18568

Check out a basic set-up here http://www.aussiepeople.com.au/asign...otography.aspx

Just play with it heaps and try it out!

Hope this helps.

Baz.

bloodhound31 · #4 15-04-2007, 11:51 PM

BTW, that was a 30 sec shot on ISO 1600 from memory i think....

Baz.

iceman (Mike) · #5 16-04-2007, 06:34 AM

Welcome to IIS!

Head into Bintel in Melbourne. A great bunch of guys that will help you out. The camera (with lenses) will be great for widefield stuff (as long as it's on a tracking mount).

For adapting to the telescope, you won't need the lenses but you'll need the right kind of telescope and mount. What do you want to take pictures of, and what's your budget?

cpc6128 · #6 16-04-2007, 07:06 PM

Heya, thanks for the tips guys,
Iceman - whereabouts is Bintel? would be interested getting into astronomy photography etc.. with a group of people.

My budget is probably too low, but around the 500-750 mark for a telescope that'll just do the job for me until i become fully experienced then go 4 the big ones.. what do you guys reckon?

Would i be better off looking for a second hand one at that budget? I found this link which i find pretty impressive for a canon 400d - somebody managed to take a picture of a nebula and if you keep scrolling down you will see a photo of the 400d connected to a telescope which got my attention..

*edit link somehow doesnt display the page i want to show you - if you do a google for 'dpreview 400d nebula' it is the first search result i wanted to show you.

Ingo · #7 16-04-2007, 10:01 PM

The 1.6x crop on your 400D will bring your 15-55mm lens to a 24-88mm, so be sure to calculate the time you will be able to get no star trails with the 24-88mm and not 15-55mm or you will wonder why you're getting star trails.

cpc6128 · #8 16-04-2007, 11:15 PM

what do you mean by the 1.6x crop? is this a feature on the camera or an adapter?

Sorry i've only just got into digital SLR..

cpc6128 · #9 16-04-2007, 11:17 PM

Hey bloodhound, that photo you took of the nebula - what type of telescope was it? did it have a tracking thingy on it?

Ingo · #10 17-04-2007, 02:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cpc6128

what do you mean by the 1.6x crop? is this a feature on the camera or an adapter?

Sorry i've only just got into digital SLR..

It is not a full frame sensor. It's a cropped sensor which gives 1.6x magnification. Canon has the 5D and 1Ds for Full Frame 35mm like framing.

So every lens you get, you will have to multiply the focal length numbers by 1.6x to get the actually range you'll be getting.

It's nothing bad, but just reminding you so you can do calculations correct on time you can go without star trails.

Also, how did you go 30 seconds at 300mm with no tracking?

bloodhound31 · #11 18-04-2007, 09:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cpc6128

Hey bloodhound, that photo you took of the nebula - what type of telescope was it? did it have a tracking thingy on it?

Matey, it was a Celestron Nexstar11GPS. I was in ALT AZ mode for tracking. Any longer than about 50 seconds in this mode, you get circular star trails.

Until I get this pig called polar alignment perfected, I am limited to short exposures and stacking them.

Baz.

cpc6128 · #12 19-04-2007, 08:30 PM

been practising my 400d. bloody tricky - almost seems to get a milky way - but in photoshop raw looks a bit noisey/artifacts.. wonder if i need to activate noise reduction..

I've tried a 2 min (yes holding the camera down for bulb - might try find a remote of some kind to handle the bulb) and stars etc shows up but a bit of vibrations.. must be a bit of star trails (i was looking directly upwards)

will post my best night shot this weekend and perhaps you guys can tell me if im on the right track..

Astroman (Andrew Wall) · #13 19-04-2007, 09:02 PM

For a remote shutter there are a number of ways you can do it. Buy a Remote Shutter release for the Camera RS-60 I think it is or the RC-80 I think LOL.. Its on the sheet that comes with the camera, with all the Accessory bits. Another way you can do it is via a computer. All you need is a remote shutter control cable like this one >> http://www.beskeen.com/projects/dslr...eSchematic.gif

Which connects to the Serial port or USB/Serial Adapter and is controlled by a variety of software, including DSLR Shutter from http://www.stark-labs.com

Using RAW images will always make the image look noisy, this is where darks and flats come into it to reduce these effects. BUT the in camera noise reduction works great if you are willing to wait double the time before your exposure to finish. You need to NOT touch the Camera whilst imaging is taking place.

The RS-60 is only about $40 from a camera shop.

cpc6128 · #14 21-04-2007, 12:24 AM

Hi again, managed to play around the camera tonight.. here's what i got with a setting of: ISO 800 and 1 minute under bulb mode no remote yet, still held the button with my finger.. hopefully im on the right track here..

I'll try find a remote this weekend

I didnt have the noise function on this photo, didn't know how to until i read the book just now. I've also darkened the background a bit via photoshop.

Thanks for all your help guys!

cpc6128 · #15 23-04-2007, 11:55 PM

a question... the star photos looks fantastic on the viewscreen but when i load it (raw) in photoshop it completely blows it up - bad noises and all - could there be a problem with my photoshop settings?

** edit - i've used the canon software supplied with the camera and the images are fantastic.. so it must be photoshop's settings.. looking for some sort of 'profile' for the 400d for photoshop

Cheers all.