camera for night sky
- Thread starter Glaucus
- Start date
I'd get the 18-55 kit lens to start with as it gives you some variety, then have a look around for a 50mm f/1.8 as they can be had for the bargain price of around £40-50 if your prepared to bid on a couple, it will be a little tight on the focal range on a 500d but for the price there's really nothing better imo.
600d will be better then 500d, all depends on how much you can get each one for, I was looking at buy it now complete prices for both the body and kit lens, although I'm sure if you shopped around you might be able to find a bargain.
Soldato
- Joined
- 20 Oct 2005
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D3100 plus kit lens refurbished for £200
Check hukd
Check hukd
Soldato
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- 26 Jan 2003
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I have a fully working 18-55 Canon kit lens that I got with my old 500D that you could have for a few bob - the 500D has a dodgy shutter now so isn't in working order anymore!
They're exactly the same, only difference is the badge and the lack of an EU warranty. If you're not fussed about either of these then go for one, just check the model names against the UK ones towards the bottom of the wiki article to be sure you're getting what you think you are: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canon_EOS
I spent many happy nights doing astro shots though a 1200mm f8 scope with a 40D. Mainly moon, planetary and some star clusters.
If you just want to shoot starfields then anything reasonably sharp will do. If you want to get nebulae or the milky way, then ideally you want to get the IR filter removed (or find a 20Da or 60Da- hens teeth and rare respectively) as it blocks most of the hydrogen alpha wavelengths, which emission nebulae emit. If the camera can pick up H-alpha, it'll really bring out the brightness and texture in nebulae. This does make the camera useless for general photography though unless you fit an IR filter to your lens.
To start off with you don't have to have a tripod, just a bean bag and a remote release (or use a shutter delay), particularly if you're doing wide starfields. As you know, even wide angle, with 20 second+ exposures you'll start seeing star trails, so if you get hooked, consider a tracking telescope mount, or a tripod and astrotrac.
It all depends really on what you want to capture and at what focal length though. You could even consider a scope to hook your DSLR body up to, and you then benefit from visual astronomy too, but that's a whole other conversation....
If you just want to shoot starfields then anything reasonably sharp will do. If you want to get nebulae or the milky way, then ideally you want to get the IR filter removed (or find a 20Da or 60Da- hens teeth and rare respectively) as it blocks most of the hydrogen alpha wavelengths, which emission nebulae emit. If the camera can pick up H-alpha, it'll really bring out the brightness and texture in nebulae. This does make the camera useless for general photography though unless you fit an IR filter to your lens.
To start off with you don't have to have a tripod, just a bean bag and a remote release (or use a shutter delay), particularly if you're doing wide starfields. As you know, even wide angle, with 20 second+ exposures you'll start seeing star trails, so if you get hooked, consider a tracking telescope mount, or a tripod and astrotrac.
It all depends really on what you want to capture and at what focal length though. You could even consider a scope to hook your DSLR body up to, and you then benefit from visual astronomy too, but that's a whole other conversation....
Not yet. Bid on a couple, several d600s and one 500d but didn't win.
Another 500d tonight, so will try again.