Adventures In Astrophotography

a reply to: eql612

After you've clicked on the down arrow and get the sub menu, you should see a menu item that shows a small cloud and says "upload"

Click on that. It will take you to a page to upload picture files, and will show you what you have uploaded, so you can click on that image to either embed in a post or link to it.

a reply to: eriktheawfulOk I'm with you so far. All its showing is a clean slate like I haven't uploaded anything. I'm way new here so it may be some restriction in place. I'm also using my phone to  upload so there may be a browser issue. I'll keep working with it.

I may actually have this. These were done as a test of the camera. Once the weather cooperates, I'll seek out some darker skys and really put it and me to task

pic 1

pic2

a reply to: eql612

Okay, I can see your pics when I click on the link (Good pics of the Moon and Orion).

Hrrrrmmmmm........It may be that you have to have 21 posts first before you can upload pics. Don't quote me on that. I do know that the owners of ATS have it set up with you're using an ad blocker you can't upload pics.

Ok, guess I need to post more instead of lurking. Lol. Thanks for the encouraging reply

We haven't had a clear night for the last 2 weeks at this part of the globe, cloudy, rain and wind. Hope you guys had better weather.
Well what do you do than?
Let's make a focus mask
It's not always easy to get good focus during the night so decided to make a Bahtinov mask.
Eventually I made these 3 masks to fit the 200mm lens.
2 Bahtinov's and 1 Hartman.

The large one is to fit on the lens cap and the small ones are can be screwed on the front element of the lens 77mm.
Here are some tests I did with them.
Hartman out of focus


Hartman in focus


Bahtinov out of focus


Bahtinov almost in focus


Bahtinov in focus


They look a bit sloppy but it seems they work from the indoor tests I did.
Now just wait to get a clear night and test them in the fields

a reply to: intergalactic fire

OUTSTANDING!!!



Love to see home made things like this!

Thank you for sharing with us!

a reply to: eriktheawful

Thx Erik, it's a fun little project to keep you busy when the weather isn't cooperating

How's it going with the 500mm? Any decisions on a star tracker?

Just saw you posted some more in the other thread, looking good!

a reply to: intergalactic fire

Well the method I use focus one way then the other till you think you have shsrp focus then use focus magnifier setting on camera to fine tune focus.

a reply to: eriktheawful

Quick question . Would the nikon coolpix p900 be a good starting point . If not what would you recommend around the same price .

originally posted by: hutch622
a reply to: eriktheawful

Quick question . Would the nikon coolpix p900 be a good starting point . If not what would you recommend around the same price .

Any DSLR with a APS-C sized sensor, that sensor is around 23x15 mm the P900 is a 2/3" sensor look at this chart (8.8x6.6mm)

Sensor Size

The p900 sensor on bottom left the smaller the sensor the more noise in night shots. DSLR sensors are larger and you can get good crops from them for example this jet was over 25,000 ft and a few miles down range from my house.



a crop from the image



The p900 has the huge zoom range 83x (24mm-2000mm) but the max magnification is just over 40x at 2000mm the shots above were from a 70-300 mm zoom on my camera.

a reply to: wmd_2008

Any DSLR with a APS-C sized sensor, that sensor is around 23x15 mm the P900 is a 2/3" sensor look at this chart (8.8x6.6mm)

Not trying to be funny but can you do that in english . Just looking at entry level medium expensive and i amnowhere near close to understanding many of the things mentioned on this thread . Is it good for star shots or is it more of a day to day scenery / plane shots . I can see some lessons might be a good idea .

originally posted by: hutch622
a reply to: wmd_2008

Any DSLR with a APS-C sized sensor, that sensor is around 23x15 mm the P900 is a 2/3" sensor look at this chart (8.8x6.6mm)

Not trying to be funny but can you do that in english . Just looking at entry level medium expensive and i amnowhere near close to understanding many of the things mentioned on this thread . Is it good for star shots or is it more of a day to day scenery / plane shots . I can see some lessons might be a good idea .

In English, is that the P900's sensor is very small. For the same kind of price, you better off buying a DSLR (such as Canon or Nikon) and some telephoto lens to go with it. Just search Amazon for "DSLR", or even go to your local digital/camera shop and ask to see some DSLRs.

Bridge cameras try very hard to look semi-professional and crammed with features, but they're still compact digital cameras at the core. A DSLR is definitely the better choice when you start taking photography seriously.

Just ordered this for my wife. it's a few levels down from mine but a decent start and way up from a pocket camera.

Nikon D3400

a reply to: wildespace

Just did the conversion and i am looking at 530 or so dollars US , maybe stretch to 600 , any tips .

a reply to: hutch622

I would not recommend it: You can't change the lens out.

It's a bridge camera, not really a DSLR.

Can it work? Sure, you can go down to 24mm for a wide angle shots and then zoom quite a bit for the telephoto shots. It has a manual mode to allow you to change your exposure time (which you'll need long exposure times for star shots).

However, there are plenty of cheaper DSLR cameras out there that will also let you do what this camera will do, and you can actually change the lens on it.

IMO: this camera is for those that simply want to point and click, and get a great shot, but that's not how astrophotography works, you have to go to manual and do your own settings. Since that's the case, I would not buy this camera for that only. I would look into some of the older and cheaper DSLRs.

Just my 2 cents.

a reply to: eriktheawful

Thanks for that , as i asked wildspace above have you a recommended camera . The whole astrophotography thing has me very interested but dont want to go in to deep to early . If i go to the parents place i can be in a spot surrounded by low hills and the nearest light would be miles away and that would be a farmers outside light at worst .

a reply to: hutch622

Canon EOS Rebel series. I personally use a T3 (1100 D), you can get the T5 for under 400 USD now.

One of the best for astro pics is the Canon 6D, but it's got a 1,400 USD price tag, heh.

a reply to: hutch622

Nikon d7000 16mpix dslr you can easily pick up one for under 400$ + it saves you some cash to get a 35 or 50mm prime lens.
I've seen some deals on the bay for a d7000+18-200mm a bit over 500$

I shoot Nikon for over 20 years now, so sry have no recommendations for other brands.
I know Canon sells modded dslrs for astrophotography, so that's a cool feature. Nikon I believe only has one, the D810a but the prices for his one goes over 3500$

a reply to: eriktheawful

One of the best for astro pics is the Canon 6D, but it's got a 1,400 USD price tag, heh.

Not going to happen.lol. T5 leaves me some room for extras , 130 to 200 hundred to spend , any hints . Mind you i live in Australia so the prices may not be that helpful , but i guess i can always order from the US ,