Astrophotography advice?
I’m interested in taking up astrophotography but I’m finding it hard to choose a camera as there are so many options!
I know I don’t want to use film so that leaves digital but I’ve heard the chip heats up and noise appears on pictures. Do newer cameras combat this well or is there software to remove it?
The camera will have to be hooked up to a Celestron C8 SGT so am I right in thinking I’ll need a T-ring, a telescope to camera adapter, and a cable release? Is there anything else?
Which cameras would you recommend for less than £400 that have; removable lenses, manual operation, bulb settings, mirror lock up, and a cable release? Is there anything essential features I’m missing? Thanks!
I recommend you begin astrophotography with a webcam and take high resolution images of the planets, the moon and the sun. It is relatively inexpensive, much easier than prime focus photography and the results can be stunning. The picture of saturn I use as my avatar is an image I took with a $60.00 webcam (Philips SPC900) and the software used to capture and process the images are all free.
Once you have conquered webcam astrophotography, then I would recommend a dedicated astrocam (Meade DSI, Orion Starshoot) or a DSLR. I would also recommend joining any applicable Yahoo! Groups that are dedicated to whatever aspect of astrophotgraphy you are interested in. I recommend checking out the QCUIAG site for lots of information on webcam astrophotography. Once you are armed with more information, you will be able to make an intelligent decision about what type of astrophotography you want to pursue.
You will find a plethora of websites dedicated to astrophotography. This is my blog of MY efforts.
http://www.astro-phile.blogspot.com
I am no expert, but I have made all the mistakes one can make and know how to avoid them now. You will become familar with names like Michael Covington, Gerry Lodriguss, Robert Gendler, Russ Croman, etc. They are the masters. Learn from them and the others that have blazed a wide and clear path for people.
It is not a cheap or easy hobby. The learning curve is very hard and unforgiving. For every good shot, I have 10 that are horrible, for whatever reason; human error, bad weather, light pollution, etc. But it is also a VERY rewarding experience and once you have mastered it, you know you have accomplished something most people not only can’t do, but don’t believe can be done by amateurs.
Best of luck to you.
Digiscoping with Celestron Ultima 80 spotting scope
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