tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1233073253115884208.post3925392005264680211..comments2024-02-15T03:29:16.280-07:00Comments on Dan’s Diary: Astrophotography for the Rest of UsDan Schroederhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13437237801383466177noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1233073253115884208.post-82350838772359569502009-11-08T07:00:29.474-07:002009-11-08T07:00:29.474-07:00Hi Dan,
Yes, my DSLR is unmodified. I wanted it t...Hi Dan,<br /><br />Yes, my DSLR is unmodified. I wanted it to be universal for normal terrestrial photography. <br /><br />I like your type of imaging with scenery in the foreground. You have created some beautiful shots! I'll have to check back later to see some of your other work. Ray ShoreRay Shorehttp://www.astrophotography-tonight.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1233073253115884208.post-58982462547827174572009-11-07T09:05:26.248-07:002009-11-07T09:05:26.248-07:00Hi Ray, thanks for your comment. I just found your...Hi Ray, thanks for your comment. I just found <a href="http://www.astro.shoregalaxy.com/" rel="nofollow">your web gallery</a> and looked through some of the nice images there. It's always interesting to see what can be done with certain specific equipment and techniques. Are you using an unmodified DSLR (with factory filter in place which removes most of H-alpha)?<br /><br />Even though I'm a geek who would enjoy stacking subframes, my main interest for the time being is in shots that include foreground scenery--so this technique isn't really an option. Maybe in a few months I'll have some better shots to post here...Dan Schroederhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13437237801383466177noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1233073253115884208.post-77735069616043708152009-11-07T06:06:04.414-07:002009-11-07T06:06:04.414-07:00Hi Dan,
Nice blog you have going here! I have had...Hi Dan,<br /><br />Nice blog you have going here! I have had some success using a Canon Digital Rebel DSLR both on the telescope and by itself (but attached to the telescope mount to utilize the drive motor). To help reduce some of the noise, I stack many subframes. In fact, the software program I use lets me set up a custom shutter control routine along with processing of the subframes into a final composite image. I still have a long way to go to catch up with the likes of Jerry Lodriguss and others, but I'm still amazed with my results through the Digital Rebel! <br /><br />By the way, very nice photos of the constellations over Ogden’s mountains!! Ray ShoreRay Shorehttp://www.astrophotography-tonight.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1233073253115884208.post-86868018868221818542009-09-30T20:59:18.821-06:002009-09-30T20:59:18.821-06:00Hi Shane,
I got the cheapest Canon, the Rebel XS....Hi Shane,<br /><br />I got the cheapest Canon, the Rebel XS. So far I have only the kit lens, 18-55 mm f3.5. (Multiply focal length by 1.6 to compare field of view to 35mm film or full-frame digital.) From Lodriguss's descriptions I don't see much advantage in going to a more expensive 1.6x DSLR, so the next serious step up would be a full-frame DSLR which would cost a few thousand. Even then, I think the only significant advantage would be field of view. If I decide to invest more, my next purchase will probably be a faster wide-angle lens. Of course, if your camera is going to track the stars, you don't need a particularly fast lens because you can just use longer exposures. The downside is that you then blur any foreground scene.<br /><br />Be sure to read what Lodriguss says about the standard built-in filters that block most of H-alpha. If emission nebulae are your thing you'll want to modify the camera to remove this filter, and that'll create headaches during daytime use. One more reason to just use film if you're on a budget.Dan Schroederhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13437237801383466177noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1233073253115884208.post-84699719839701195672009-09-30T20:26:40.239-06:002009-09-30T20:26:40.239-06:00Hey Dan!
I've been looking into this for abo...Hey Dan!<br /><br /> I've been looking into this for about a month now. I'd been shooting photos with my point and shoot, but wanted to be able to do longer exposures. I was inspired to start by investigation about constructing a tangent arm drive, and discovered some commercial ones (like the one from AstroTrac). So now I've been researching DSLR cameras -- what did you settle on?<br /><br />-- ShaneShanenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1233073253115884208.post-47691572498272324942009-09-30T18:04:25.166-06:002009-09-30T18:04:25.166-06:00Hi Charlie,
Depends on what you mean by "thi...Hi Charlie,<br /><br />Depends on what you mean by "this".<br /><br />For long exposures of star trails, a manual film camera is still better because you don't have to worry about battery life. But if you don't want the stars to trail and the Milky Way to blur, you have to limit exposure times to about 15-30 seconds (with a wide-angle lens--otherwise even shorter) and therefore you have to use high ISO. I've never tried films faster than Ektachrome 400 so I really don't know what kind of results you'd get with, say, ISO 1600 print film. It would be easy enough to try, and perhaps I should. My impression, though, is that the <a href="http://astropics.com/" rel="nofollow">professional scenic night photographers</a> have all gone digital.<br /><br />Of course another big advantage of film is that you can get an old manual 35mm film camera with a fast wide-angle lens pretty cheap these days, I should think. <br /><br />If I can find the time, I'll try to post some of my scanned slides from two decades ago.<br /><br />The reason I bought the DSLR was partly because I knew (from others' experience) that it would produce good results, and partly for convenience, and partly because I wanted to learn to use such a camera so I could help students who have them. Another thing you can do with a DSLR is computer-controlled sequences of hundreds of shots to make <a href="http://www.theskyinmotion.com/" rel="nofollow">time-lapse movies</a>. I haven't tried that yet but I intend to.<br /><br />There's a great comparison of film vs. digital <a href="http://kenrockwell.com/tech/filmdig.htm" rel="nofollow">here</a>, though it doesn't discuss night photography. Professional astronomers went digital back in the 1970's, and have always been in the forefront of digital sensor development. For a comparison aimed at serious amateur astronomers (which I am not), <a href="http://www.astropix.com/HTML/I_ASTROP/FILM_DIG.HTM" rel="nofollow">click here</a>.<br /><br />The title of my article, remember, is Astrophotography <i>for the Rest of Us</i>. As Ken Rockwell says, most people will get better results with digital. That's especially true of night shots where a beginner can easily waste several rolls of film before getting any decent images at all. For beginners, the immediate results of digital are an all-important factor.Dan Schroederhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13437237801383466177noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1233073253115884208.post-12670101150944127452009-09-30T10:49:30.766-06:002009-09-30T10:49:30.766-06:00you make it sound as if only a digital camera make...you make it sound as if only a digital camera makes this possible, dan --- is this the case? Or do digital cameras just make the follow-up process easier? ctrentelman, film fotograferctrentelmannoreply@blogger.com