Nikon Coolpix P900 question: I am thinking of purchasing a coolpix p900. does any one know of a way to attach this camera to a telescope for celestial photography? I have an adapter...

colinc1 Loc: Goleta, California

I am thinking of purchasing a coolpix p900. does any one know of a way to attach this camera to a telescope for celestial photography? I have an adapter for a D5100 which works fine but with the non-removable lens of the P900 any adapter would have to fit at the front of the lens. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

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TucsonCoyote Loc: Tucson AZ

P900 is a telescope in itself is it not? :roll: 8-)

ebbote Loc: Hockley, Texas

That looks cold Colinc.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

TucsonCoyote wrote:

P900 is a telescope in itself is it not? :roll: 8-)

:thumbup:

warrior Loc: Paso Robles CA

TucsonCoyote wrote:

P900 is a telescope in itself is it not? :roll: 8-)

2000mm

greymule Loc: Colorado

colinc1 wrote:

I am thinking of purchasing a coolpix p900. does any one know of a way to attach this camera to a telescope for celestial photography? I have an adapter for a D5100 which works fine but with the non-removable lens of the P900 any adapter would have to fit at the front of the lens. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Chilly-Willy

Jaylee Loc: Englnd

colinc1 wrote:

I am thinking of purchasing a coolpix p900. does any one know of a way to attach this camera to a telescope for celestial photography? I have an adapter for a D5100 which works fine but with the non-removable lens of the P900 any adapter would have to fit at the front of the lens. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

I wouldn't think it was necessary, these were taken hand held, not perfect but I was impressed. The camera really comes into its own with birds and wildlife, it's definitely going with me to Namibia next month

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smknlzrd

The bigger issue for me is having a longer exposure than 15 seconds. No bulb setting on this camera seems incredibly shortsighted. (to me, anyway). Thinking using a star tracker and using the star trails mode; convert the .mov to .jpg for a nice Milky Way saturation. (?) Comments?

Bobspez Loc: Southern NJ, USA

There are brackets on ebay that attach to the telescope eyepiece, and the camera tripod screw, for about $20-$30. Just search for camera telescope adapter. Most are for cell phones but some are for point and shoot and bridge cameras a s well. I don't know if they would be as solid a connection as you get when you mount a dslr directly to the scope.
If your telescope is stationary (not using a tracking motor) I would try just holding the camera up to the scope with a tripod. If you get light leaking into the pic you can wrap a small black cloth around the connection with rubber bands on the eyepiece and camera lens. I would use the self timer or remote to take the pic to avoid introducing vibrations to the camera or the scope.
You could also check the astrophotography section on UHH to see if any others have gone this route with a bridge or P&S camera, and what results they have gotten.

colinc1 wrote:

I am thinking of purchasing a coolpix p900. does any one know of a way to attach this camera to a telescope for celestial photography? I have an adapter for a D5100 which works fine but with the non-removable lens of the P900 any adapter would have to fit at the front of the lens. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

trovoni21

Did you figure it out?

DavidPine Loc: Fredericksburg, TX

My issue with the P900 is that it does not shoot RAW. I returned mine and purchased a Canon SX60. I wish I had kept the P900.

Bobspez Loc: Southern NJ, USA

The Coolpix B700 shoots raw but in a format that has to be converted with Nikon Capture NX-D free software. However, comparing the B700 jpgs with the B700 raw files, I found the jpgs were actually much better, so I don't use the raw option.

DavidPine wrote:

My issue with the P900 is that it does not shoot RAW. I returned mine and purchased a Canon SX60. I wish I had kept the P900.

rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

Bobspez wrote:

There are brackets on ebay that attach to the tele... (show quote)

I would think focusing would be an issue. Wouldn't you have to focus the eye piece, then put them together, then focus the camera?

Bobspez Loc: Southern NJ, USA

No. When you have a camera attached to a telescope you focus the telescope to give a clear image in the camera (either lcd screen or laptop if you are using a usb telescope camera). If the camera has a lens you just need to set the zoom. The focusing is done with the telescope. (It works the same way with a microscope.)

rehess wrote:

I would think focusing would be an issue. Wouldn't you have to focus the eye piece, then put them together, then focus the camera?

rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

Bobspez wrote:

No. When you have a camera attached to a telescope you focus the telescope to give a clear image in the camera (either lcd screen or laptop if you are using a usb telescope camera). If the camera has a lens you just need to set the zoom. The focusing is done with the telescope. (It works the same way with a microscope.)

but the camera will focus, and if there is a mismatch ...