Looking to get into . . . astrophotography

K

Kalvaer

Expert Member
Joined
Nov 8, 2004
Messages
3,855
Reaction score
4
Location
Geneva, Switzerland
Pooky said:
I was looking at was the Olympus E-510: http://www.google.com/search?ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&sourceid=navclient&gfns=1&q=olympus-e510
Click to expand...
Same for me! If I had a choice it would be one of the new olympus Evolt range camera's. But support seems to be a problem in SA. I still have an old Olympus OM1 that I use for Astro-photography and its still awesome. The Zuiko Lenses are still some of the best in the world IMHO. There is a reason why most medical lenses and equipment are still made by olympus

Canon however seem to have a pretty decent support system and I think thats another major factor as to why there are so many here in SA.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Kalvaer said:
Same for me! If I had a choice it would be one of the new olympus Evolt range camera's. But support seems to be a problem in SA. I still have an old Olympus OM1 that I use for Astro-photography and its still awesome. The Zuiko Lenses are still some of the best in the world IMHO. There is a reason why most medical lenses and equipment are still made by olympus

Canon however seem to have a pretty decent support system and I think thats another major factor as to why there are so many here in SA.
Click to expand...

Oh this is awesome. I'm glad I won't be the only astrophotographer here. Which telescope do you have?
 
Currently using a Skywatcher 8" Newtonian, with a older 2" refractor as a guide scope, on an E5 equatorial mount. Only digital astro I've taken though so far is with a webcam that I modified. Getting Decent Film is also a problem in SA, So I haven't done any work in a while.

My Wife is actually the big on into Astronomy though :( She is the treasurer for ASSA-JHB. I just love taking photo's when she gives me a chance.

EDIT: Oh as to what ya need.. A camera, and a Telescope :) The set up can get really pricey though. If your doing digital you more than likely have to modify your DSLR as most DSLR wont pick up the "Red Alpha spectrum" of light, and then you need all sorts of Adaptors and motor drives to make sure the Telescope tracks right, or all you'll get is blurry images (at least with film) What a lot of people do now days though is take short exposures and take ALOT OF THEM. Then they use programs to stack the images together.
 
Last edited:
Last edited:
marine1 said:
How much would a Telescope cost for this?
Click to expand...

There are a number of different telecopes that you can get. The most affordable ones are the Dobsonians. You can check them out at www.skywatcher.com or shop.technopro.co.za . Refractors are betting for viewing planets but they are flippin' expensive. Cassegrains are even more expensive. You basically get three different kinds of telescopes - Newtonian reflectors(uses mirrors to reflect light to eyepiece. eg: Dobsonian telescope); refractors uses powerful lenses; Catadioptric(Cassegrains) uses both reflectors and refractors to deliver stunning, sharp images. I have, however, heard from people that refractors are much, much better for viewing planets.
 
Last edited:
mercurial said:
http://shop.technopro.co.za/skywatcher-305mm-12-f1500-parabolic-trusstube-dobsonian-p-873.html

Edit: Do you attach your refractor in place of the finderscope?
Click to expand...
I have this one from skywatcher http://www.skywatchertelescope.net/swtinc/product.php?id=64&class1=1&class2=104

I know the guys at technipro quiet well, so I can let you know though, that they have also just got the agency for skywatcher SA so watch that space fro some really good deals to come soon. The SkyWatcher mirrors are all basically made by Synta, who also make all the Mead and Orion mirrors. So its really good to do some good research before you buy, as you might get the exact same scope for half the price just by changing brand. (Some parts are worse though.. Like I've replaced my original focuser with a GSO 2" dual speed crayford focuser)

With regard to the refractor.. I have it strapped on top my scope along with the finderscope. I have a Laser illuminated EP which throws cross hairs into the FOW, Because I shot on film, my tracking has to be very very accurate. So I use the old refractor to monitor the scope while its tracking, and manually adjust it, as and when is needed to make sure my drives dont skip up. Nothing worse than doing a 2 hour exposure to find your had slip on a drive :eek:
 
Last edited:
Oh and if you guys want.. I did a PDF document the other day where I stripped a cheap logitech Webcam and photographed the whole thing showing how to convert it to be used as a direct EP on a Telescope.

Works really great for getting into astrophotography quickly and allowing everyone to see whats going on around a laptop.

Oh and for some really great Film Astrophotgraphy website check this out http://www.petesastrophotography.com/ This guy is really good and actually in SA right now. Still trying to get him to do a lecture for everyone. He has some great info on how guidescopes work and he also uses and old OM1 for all his photo's. This one is really nice.. but a standard DSLR wont be able to pick up that red colour

Horsehead-LG.jpg
 
Last edited:
mercurial said:
I have, however, heard from people that refractors are much, much better for viewing planets.
Click to expand...
All depends on your lenses to be honest. I've seen some really decent telescopes with crappy lenses and and dob kicks thier but.

If you guys are really interested though, I could try organise a viewing evening at the JHB observatory to go and have a look through the 26" Telescope refractor, Its one of the oldest of its kinda and you have to go up a lift to get to the EP to see which in its own its pretyy cool. ASSA-JHB usually have meetings every 2nd wednesday of the month and if you all ask nice enough.. I can try get them to open up the scope for a MYADSL viewing:)
 
Kalvaer said:
All depends on your lenses to be honest. I've seen some really decent telescopes with crappy lenses and and dob kicks thier but.

If you guys are really interested though, I could try organise a viewing evening at the JHB observatory to go and have a look through the 26" Telescope refractor, Its one of the oldest of its kinda and you have to go up a lift to get to the EP to see which in its own its pretyy cool. ASSA-JHB usually have meetings every 2nd wednesday of the month and if you all ask nice enough.. I can try get them to open up the scope for a MYADSL viewing:)
Click to expand...

:eek:

Legend...

I haven't been to an observatory since I was 10 !!!!!

Would be cool.

Can any camera fit a telescope?
 
bwana said:
There's no rule that you have to get the super-duper quality lenses - there are plenty of less expensive ones that are of good quality.

Ask yourself - do you want to take the picture or do you want your camera to take it? If you dont think you want to get into the fiddly aspect of it then there are some more decent point and shoots available.
Click to expand...
Couldn't agree more. Remember the thing with the SLR is you view through the lens.. So you get to see the image you want to take. Not a computer generated on on an LCD.

It might seem complicated but its really easy to pic up. Its how you have basically been taken photo's your whole life really if you ever used a film camera. The nice thing about SLR's is that you have the choice. You can get a standard lens that can do everything, but if you want to take something special, you only have to use / buy a new lens instead of a whole new camera.

I use a "Normal" Digital for all my underwater photography, but SLR for anything else... But even Normal can give you some great shots underwater, and saves me having to make sure the shots are great. Yes 100's of them come out duds.. but Its just more fun than having to battle underwater. If I ever enter a comp underwater.. I'll go SLR though
 
Last edited:
iDenTiTy_CRiSiS said:
:eek:

Legend...

I haven't been to an observatory since I was 10 !!!!!

Would be cool.

Can any camera fit a telescope?
Click to expand...
Yeah.. you can even use your cell phone. For astro through a telescope you get 3 basic kinds, Piggy Back, Prime Focus, Afocal

Piggy back you just strap the camera on to the back of the telescope, and take photo's you would see by eye. Its the same as using a tripod.. but usually you use the telescope to track the movement. The nice thing about this, is the camera picks up light, your eye normally cant.

Afocal is pretty much juse holding the camera to the eyepiece. Cheap and nasty, as its just holding the camera to the lens. Some people make up brackets to hold the camera in place. Here is a photo on FB taken with a Cellphone :gasp: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=148905&id=586356466

Lastly is Prime Focus and is the expensive part due to the other things you need. Basically here though, you dont have a lens on the camera. The telescope becomes your lens. So it is now a HUGE MOFO magni - lens. But its not easy to get focus. You generally always need an SLR for this and then adaptors to get all your camera to be part of the Telescope can be price. It gots me US$600 to import adaptors for my camera.... And Now I hardly used them. But when I do... The ou come is incredible. Its like have a MASSIVE zoom lens as the telescope is now your lens and the image from the telescope is captured directly on your film plane
 
Last edited:
Kalvaer said:
All depends on your lenses to be honest. I've seen some really decent telescopes with crappy lenses and and dob kicks thier but.

If you guys are really interested though, I could try organise a viewing evening at the JHB observatory to go and have a look through the 26" Telescope refractor, Its one of the oldest of its kinda and you have to go up a lift to get to the EP to see which in its own its pretyy cool. ASSA-JHB usually have meetings every 2nd wednesday of the month and if you all ask nice enough.. I can try get them to open up the scope for a MYADSL viewing:)
Click to expand...

Dude who do I have to pay?????
PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEZ
 
Great stuff Kalvaer. The focal length of my scope is 1500mm. Imagine the views I could get with it :) I can't wait to give it a try. You're very clued up about this and I'll be happy to learn a few tricks from you. Do you have a preference whether to use CCD or CMOS SLR cameras for astrophotography? It's one thing I've been trying to establish. Also, I wanna get a few Lumicon filters for seeking out nebulas. Any advice? I'm looking at the Oxygen III filter, the Deep Sky filter as well as the Ultra High Contrast filter. It's a pity I'm in Cape Town. I so badly wanna have a look through that 26" refractor :eek:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X