350D.. Finally!!!!!! hehe .. a few Q's.

EzyStyles (Eric) · #1 15-08-2006, 12:07 AM

Hi Guys,

My birthday is next week and i found out that im getting a 350D!! yayy!!! . I've been telling my gf about the canon 350d for astrowork (should have told her about the SBIG's

) and she decided to organise with my friends to get one.

I don't think im planning to mod it .. not just yet but was wondering what rings/adapters will i need to mount to camera on my 2" focuser? also what software cables etc etc.. and how to go by with the setting up process.

thanks

A happy man finally.

h0ughy (David) · #2 15-08-2006, 07:25 AM

well congratulations, no stopping you now!

OneOfOne (Trevor) · #3 15-08-2006, 07:29 AM

So now you will have to start all over again!

Merlin66 (Ken) · #4 15-08-2006, 08:14 AM

A 2" to T ring thread, a T ring to Cannon adaptor and recommend DSLR focus software and the serial cable to control long exposures... Thats a good starting point.

EzyStyles (Eric) · #5 15-08-2006, 02:43 PM

start all over again from ETA onwards

cheers Merlin . I forgot to mention what about my 1.25 inch filters? or do i have to get a 1.25" T ring thread?

thanks.

Striker (Tony) · #6 15-08-2006, 03:33 PM

With a DSLR you use 2" filters..1.25" will be too small...all accessories will need to be 2".

Merlin66 (Ken) · #7 15-08-2006, 06:15 PM

Strikers 100% right, to get the maximum field coverage you need to use 2" filters ( 48mm thread, I think??!!) However if you're like me you probably have a box of 1 1/4" filters for visual work ( they work OK for me with the mod web cam!)
A good question, how CAN they be made to fit? Forget the vignetting for a moment.... is there a 24mm to 48mm adaptor etc?????????

Geoff45 (Geoff) · #8 15-08-2006, 07:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EzyStyles

Hi Guys,

My birthday is next week and i found out that im getting a 350D!! yayy!!! . I've been telling my gf about the canon 350d for astrowork (should have told her about the SBIG's

) and she decided to organise with my friends to get one.

I don't think im planning to mod it .. not just yet but was wondering what rings/adapters will i need to mount to camera on my 2" focuser? also what software cables etc etc.. and how to go by with the setting up process.

thanks

A happy man finally.

You will need some way of cotrolling the camera. This can be as simple as using a remote release (canon part RS-60E3) and timing exposures manually. You can also run things from a computer using something like ImagesPlus. You'll need a long usb extension cable and if you want to take exposures longer than 30 seconds, you need a cable from here http://www.hapg.org/astrocables.htm Alternatively,(and I haven't tried this but I have ordered the stuff) you could get a Canon TC-80N3 camera controller modified for digital Rebel XT (350D) from here http://www.sciencecenter.net/hutech/canon.htm This allows an entire exposure session tobe programed in, for example, 20 exposures of 4minutes each with a pause of 10 seconds between each frame and then you don't need a laptop in the field (as long as you have a decent sized memory card). You could also by pass the limited camera battery storage by getting a DC adapter from Hutech, which you can use with a 12v battery (Again, I haven't tried it, but I have ordered one). Bintel sells T rings and adapters.
Geoff

UniPol · #9 15-08-2006, 09:54 PM

Hi,

I use a Seagull brand right angle finder which slips on the 350D viewfinder nicely, sure beats lying on the ground (at times) trying to get the focus right. I suppose Canon make one but it would be pretty expensive. Good luck with the camera, I think you will get a lot of use out of it, not only for astrophotography but lots of happy snaps. I owned a 300D before the 350D and it gave perfect service over a two year period. When it was sold the counter showed over 10,000 firings of the shutter, I doubt whether many film cameras would go this distance save for professional ones. One more thing, definitely use the mirror lock up feature particularly at the faster shutter speeds, it certainly makes a difference to the quality of astrophotos.

Cheers, Steve.

davidpretorius · #10 15-08-2006, 09:56 PM

you have answered my question from another thread, congrats ezy!!! you lucky bugga!

Shawn · #11 16-08-2006, 05:42 AM

I made my own serial adapter, I used an opto isolator or optocoupler, whatever you call em in this country. chip , with a red and a geen LED for on off for open and closed, helps with port troubleshooting, all stuffed into a 9pin clamshell..all parts easilly available from dicky smith and there ilk..
pretty easy to assemble too,

Shawn · #12 16-08-2006, 05:46 AM

PS, some of the T,rings that you can get are crap, they have 3 tiny screws that hold the inner ring in place just loose enough to rotate on the outer ring, but the screws themselves are too short to maintain a desent thread on the outer ring when nipped up , the result being Mr 350D takes a tumble, mine nearly did, the neckstrap got caught on the balance rail,,,,,Whew !!!!

Merlin66 (Ken) · #13 16-08-2006, 03:43 PM

maybe Striker can answer this one....
If the 1 1/4" filter were place literally inside the T ring adaptor ie just outside the body of the 350D would there really be significant vignetting of the CCD chip????

Striker (Tony) · #14 16-08-2006, 04:12 PM

It will definetly be reduced..may not get rid of it all but surely most of it will be gone...worth a try.

Shawn · #15 16-08-2006, 04:14 PM

I for one would say no ,,,to any vignetting at all, unless its a really really short Focal length scope , and nothing else adjusting the optical path of the light, ie EP projection or FF/FRs the chip on the 350 is just too small...but in saying that how would achieve that. just curious..
Ezy Im all ears, got a similar dilema myself..

Merlin66 (Ken) · #16 16-08-2006, 04:38 PM

I'll make up a prototype filter holder at the weekend which will fit inside a T ring adaptor and hold a 1 1/4" filter central.... just to check it out! If it works I'll post details. I'll also check the size of the chip v's input focal ratio ie angle of the entry light beam through the T-ring.

Merlin66 (Ken) · #17 17-08-2006, 07:22 AM

Based on a clear filter diameter of 30mm, positioned 50mm in front of the CCD chip and a chip size of 22.2 x 14.8mm

F6.5 system will give an unvignetted diam of 15mm
F12 system will give a diam of 22mm
and to give a completely unvignetted coverage of the whole chip ( 27mm diagonal) you would need to use f33.

Conclusion: Minimum focal ratio F12, best F33.

What do you find???

EzyStyles (Eric) · #18 17-08-2006, 06:30 PM

apologise for not replying, but im just trying to get some sense in me what you guys are talking about

keep going keep going

EzyStyles (Eric) · #19 17-08-2006, 06:33 PM

in regards to geoffs post, i was thinking of the shoestring adapter to control the exposures. If i use the USB cable, i can save all taken images onto the laptop instead of the memory card? do i have to order from hutech with the 12v constant power? or i can get that locally from eg: ted's camera etc? Is it that much of a difference with a modded 350 than an unmodded one? Besides the colour difference from what i have seen around here, anything else?

thanks for the help so far guys.

Striker (Tony) · #20 17-08-2006, 06:42 PM

Eric, we are talking about the actual size of the 1 1/4 filter and how this will affect your image using a 350D..you have to remember the DSLR chip is a lot bigger then your DSI 2 so when you image through such a small filter not all the light is going to hit your chip specialy around the edges...this is vignetting

This will produce bright center going to dark outer edges...how severe this will be is what we are discussing.

I personaly would ditch the 1 1/4 filters for use with a DSLR and image with 2" accessories such as Canon EOS t-Ring and the orion 2" prime focus adapter which you can thread 2" filters into once you get some...this will slot straight into 2" focuser....just dont use filters if you dont have any 2" atm.