Quote:
Originally Posted by Rex
G'day Mate, for $1K your best bet is something like the system below. It is actually a pretty good system similar to the one I use, although the scope is a different brand, but still good quality. Freight may take you a little over the 1K mark but like I said this system will last her for years if she is interested in astrophotography. I would go with the F5 being a beginner because it is easier to collimate. You will need a T-adaptor and ring to mount the camera and a collimation tool. Other than that, she will have everything she needs to take wonderful photo's. I am not 100% sure but I think Raymo has this sytem. If you do a user search on raymo for all the threads he has started you will see his photo's. Hope that helps.
Link to website: http://www.andrewscom.com.au/site-section-10.htm Just go to the guan sheng section and scroll down to find the scope in the picture below.
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just my 2c...this is not the setup that I would recommend. That setup requires a number of additional items to make it ready for imaging, which will more than double the cost required.
This mount suggested here does not have a drive motor, which is a minimum requirement for astrophotography. For a scope like this a goto mount is really what you want (
this is the minimum i would recommend for the telescope shown in Rex's post). The telescope recommended here (a newtonian reflector) will also require a correcting lens (such as
this), and ideally a guide camera and guide scope (such as
this). You'd also need to have a computer or laptop next to the scope to download your images to and to control your mount. I started out with a setup just like this, so I'm well aware of what's involved.
So even the most basic astrophotography kit quickly adds up in price (more than $2k) if you're looking to use a telescope.
For the budget you've suggested, my recommendation would be to get a couple of Nikon lenses that are suited to astrophotography - older (second-hand) manual focus prime lenses such as the Nikkor 180mm f2.8 AI ED and the Nikkor 300 f4.5 AI ED primes are the best options here, a Nikkor 50mm AI f1.8 prime or a Nikkor 200mm AI f4 prime are also options (I have both of these). Here are some photos that I have taken with my
50mm and
200mm camera lenses. For a "mount" I would suggest a
Vixen Polarie with
ball head, which you attach to a regular camera tripod. Alternatively a Skywatcher EQ3 with Motor drives could also work for you.
These lenses will not need any extra correcting lenses, and one or two of these lenses PLUS the vixen polarie and ball head would most likely still come in under your $1k budget.
Finally I would also suggest you look at getting a remote shutter release for your wife's Nikon (such as
this) - which will be necessary for triggering the long exposures that are required in astrophotography.
Am happy to follow up with any questions you might have.
Regards, Richard