Someone asked about this so I made this up.
A telescope and a camera combined equals Astro Photography. This breaks down into near space ( Moon ) or Deep Space ( Long exposure for light gathering for nebulas and planets )
Needed: A Camera, a T-Adapter and a Telescope
PS: Photos were compressed for ease of uploading.
The T Adapter for Nikon D5100
T Adapter on Camera with Lens to side
Telescope used for sky viewing
The camera on the telescope ready to go outside
Pictures with Nikon D5100 and 300mm Telephoto
Went out and took this
And this
I like the 2nd one ;) don't know how you all do it? Working with a telescope, but it's awesome!
Ps: thanks for taking pics of the set up, though. Very cool :)
Thank you Ms Stephie
Sarge
Sarge, Three questions: 1. The mount for your telescope looks way more substantial than what I have seen on line -- namely, a telescope mounted on top of a spindly tripod. Does the extra weight of the camera cantelivered out there necessitate a more-sturdy mount? 2. If one has a Newtonian telescope with the eyepiece at the top of the tube, does your setup work as well? 3. For framing and composition purposes, can you see your subject in your camera's LCD? if not, how do you frame your subject? Do you compose the shot with your eyepiece and then mount the camera and take the shot?
charlessmall18 wrote:
Sarge, Three questions: 1. The mount for your telescope looks way more substantial than what I have seen on line -- namely, a telescope mounted on top of a spindly tripod. Does the extra weight of the camera cantelivered out there necessitate a more-sturdy mount? 2. If one has a Newtonian telescope with the eyepiece at the top of the tube, does your setup work as well? 3. For framing and composition purposes, can you see your subject in your camera's LCD? if not, how do you frame your subject? Do you compose the shot with your eyepiece and then mount the camera and take the shot?
Sarge, Three questions: 1. The mount for your tele... (
show quote)
The telescope comes with the heavy stand due to the 'GoTo' computer motor on the top. The dome holds a gps and computer program that will, when set up, automatically GoTo and track a planet,stars etc or a nebua, galaxy etc etc.
I use a spotting scope, seen on top of the telescope to get to a general area and then use the camera viewer for fine movements and framing as the camera with T-adapter becomes the telescope viewer. Moving the telescope tube is the only way to focus as the lens is out of the camera so it's touchy to say the least.
Using the LCD as a viewer for moon is hard as there is a lot of light. I use the camera eyepiece viewer mostly. Make sure your viewer is adjusted as close as you can get it to view better.
For a telescope with the eyepiece at top, I'm not sure where your camera is mounted.
Here's a great site for astrophotogray for ya to visit.
http://www.astronomyforum.net/astronomy-digital-cameras-forum/Hope I was a little helpful
Sarge
Looks much better than mine! Mounted my Olympus on my spotting scope, a 20 - 60, 90mm with adaptor, for wildlife. Pictures were so so, and not sharp. Especially as I would get out to 30 to 40. Had decided that the adaptor was at fault. Maybe I should look in the mirror! Got an electronic shutter control because any movement was big problem, especially with the tripod I was using. Too light for the job!
sarge69 wrote:
charlessmall18 wrote:
Sarge, Three questions: 1. The mount for your telescope looks way more substantial than what I have seen on line -- namely, a telescope mounted on top of a spindly tripod. Does the extra weight of the camera cantelivered out there necessitate a more-sturdy mount? 2. If one has a Newtonian telescope with the eyepiece at the top of the tube, does your setup work as well? 3. For framing and composition purposes, can you see your subject in your camera's LCD? if not, how do you frame your subject? Do you compose the shot with your eyepiece and then mount the camera and take the shot?
Sarge, Three questions: 1. The mount for your tele... (
show quote)
The telescope comes with the heavy stand due to the 'GoTo' computer motor on the top. The dome holds a gps and computer program that will, when set up, automatically GoTo and track a planet,stars etc or a nebua, galaxy etc etc.
I use a spotting scope, seen on top of the telescope to get to a general area and then use the camera viewer for fine movements and framing as the camera with T-adapter becomes the telescope viewer. Moving the telescope tube is the only way to focus as the lens is out of the camera so it's touchy to say the least.
Using the LCD as a viewer for moon is hard as there is a lot of light. I use the camera eyepiece viewer mostly. Make sure your viewer is adjusted as close as you can get it to view better.
For a telescope with the eyepiece at top, I'm not sure where your camera is mounted.
Here's a great site for astrophotogray for ya to visit.
http://www.astronomyforum.net/astronomy-digital-cameras-forum/Hope I was a little helpful
Sarge
quote=charlessmall18 Sarge, Three questions: 1. T... (
show quote)
Cool Beans, Sarge.
Is that a 4 inch CST? Who is the mfr?
Just started following astronomy forum after getting the "Astronomy" magazine special on astrophotography for Christmas. Looking up prices of the instruments used -- esp for deep space objects -- has given me vertigo.
The scope is an iOptron R-80 SmartStar GoTo. Comes with built-in GPS Receiver ( model 9801 and 9802 ) Refractor 80mm. Has a hand controller and comes with eye pieces 10mm and 25mm & tripod included.
GPS Controller when turned on has many options once orientated South at your location. You can pick Moon from menu and ' shazam ' the whole telescope rotates to the moon based on your gps location and the date. Same with planets, nebulas etc. I'm still learning and have not used the telescope to do the moon yet. Too cold outside for long episodes of learning.
Sarge
Mark Bski
Loc: A sleepy little island not far from Seattle
Sarge, How does this set up work for long exposure photography? The "go to" mounts that I have seen are typically on altitude-azimuth while to track stars requires an equitorial mlount. My understanding is that images will turn, or rotate in the viewfinder, while tracking with the alt-azimuth. And for photography this just makes a big blur.
Oh, and I have the same adapter. I got very good results when I first used it ten years ago with my old film camera. I used it once with my D-90 and the results were not so good, but I think I need to give it a bit more effort.
Mark Bski wrote:
Sarge, How does this set up work for long exposure photography? The "go to" mounts that I have seen are typically on altitude-azimuth while to track stars requires an equitorial mlount. My understanding is that images will turn, or rotate in the viewfinder, while tracking with the alt-azimuth. And for photography this just makes a big blur.
Oh, and I have the same adapter. I got very good results when I first used it ten years ago with my old film camera. I used it once with my D-90 and the results were not so good, but I think I need to give it a bit more effort.
Sarge, How does this set up work for long exposure... (
show quote)
Mark, the GPS unit has 2 axis motors. And if you like, you can change the 5 programmed slew speeds built in. It has a data base of 10,000 clestial objects including all of the more famous galaxies, nebulae, star clusters - not to mention planets. You just use the menu and after orientation, you just pick what you want, press the enter button and watch the unit move to put your subject in the telescope line of sight.
Sarge
Mark Bski
Loc: A sleepy little island not far from Seattle
sarge69 wrote:
Mark Bski wrote:
Sarge, How does this set up work for long exposure photography? The "go to" mounts that I have seen are typically on altitude-azimuth while to track stars requires an equitorial mlount. My understanding is that images will turn, or rotate in the viewfinder, while tracking with the alt-azimuth. And for photography this just makes a big blur.
Oh, and I have the same adapter. I got very good results when I first used it ten years ago with my old film camera. I used it once with my D-90 and the results were not so good, but I think I need to give it a bit more effort.
Sarge, How does this set up work for long exposure... (
show quote)
Mark, the GPS unit has 2 axis motors. And if you like, you can change the 5 programmed slew speeds built in. It has a data base of 10,000 clestial objects including all of the more famous galaxies, nebulae, star clusters - not to mention planets. You just use the menu and after orientation, you just pick what you want, press the enter button and watch the unit move to put your subject in the telescope line of sight.
Sarge
quote=Mark Bski Sarge, How does this set up work ... (
show quote)
Sarge, that sounds like a nice unit. I have a telescope like that in my future, but here in the Pacific Northwest we have so many cloudy nights, it makes astrophotography a tough hobby.
It would be great if you could post some of your shots, I really would love to see them.
LOL - The Northwest weather ?
It's been in the low teens here and you ain't catching this ole fart out there getting photos.
I'll post them when the porch reaches operating temperature.
Sarge
Mark Bski
Loc: A sleepy little island not far from Seattle
Sarge, it's not the chilly weather out here, it's cloudy all winter. We can go weeks, sometimes months without seeing the sun.
Good luck!
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