Need some Odd DSLR advice....

After pondering the vaious Astro-photo options, I've decided the easiest way
to get what I'm after is buy a reasonable DSLR camera. I want good results
but am not looking for Hubble Quality. In fact, I really don't even want
color images---I want BW images but with some detail. I will do a lot of
lunar work, some solar too. I would like to capture DSOs as they appear in
the eyepiece with a decent telescope---and perhaps a better but color is not
important. Oh sure, I might occasionally play with color but really color is
not important. The reason for DSLR is that I do not want to drag a laptop
outside and all that is attendant with that mess. I now have a GM-8---the
tracking is excellent. Can you point me to website with some BW examples?

So---is there a DSLR that would achieve this without costing over $1,000 and
not needing to be modified? Minolta would be great as I have a TON of
Minolta stuff---all film.

Thanks for the help,

Doink

On Sun, 26 Mar 2006 14:22:14 -0800, "Doink"
wrote:

So---is there a DSLR that would achieve this without costing over $1,000 and
not needing to be modified? Minolta would be great as I have a TON of
Minolta stuff---all film.

There is the Konica-Minolta Maxxum 5D. Unfortunately Konica-Minolta
is getting out of the camera business.

Unmodified, 2 year old Canon 300D's can now be had for $400 or so.

I know, I just sold one.

Hutech modified, 2 year old Canon 300D's can now be had for $600 or so.

I know, I just bought one.

Keep an eye on Astromart.

:-)

For black and white, you can simply greyscale the image.

-Stephen

"Doink" wrote in message
...
After pondering the vaious Astro-photo options, I've decided the easiest
way to get what I'm after is buy a reasonable DSLR camera. I want good
results but am not looking for Hubble Quality. In fact, I really don't
even want color images---I want BW images but with some detail. I will do
a lot of lunar work, some solar too. I would like to capture DSOs as they
appear in the eyepiece with a decent telescope---and perhaps a better but
color is not important. Oh sure, I might occasionally play with color but
really color is not important. The reason for DSLR is that I do not want
to drag a laptop outside and all that is attendant with that mess. I now
have a GM-8---the tracking is excellent. Can you point me to website with
some BW examples?

So---is there a DSLR that would achieve this without costing over $1,000
and not needing to be modified? Minolta would be great as I have a TON of
Minolta stuff---all film.

Thanks for the help,

Doink

SP---
What does the modification get you? Do you have a website with images taken
with your unmodified camera?

Doink

"Stephen Paul" wrote in message
...
Unmodified, 2 year old Canon 300D's can now be had for $400 or so.

I know, I just sold one.

Hutech modified, 2 year old Canon 300D's can now be had for $600 or so.

I know, I just bought one.

Keep an eye on Astromart.

:-)

For black and white, you can simply greyscale the image.

-Stephen

"Doink" wrote in message
...
After pondering the vaious Astro-photo options, I've decided the easiest
way to get what I'm after is buy a reasonable DSLR camera. I want good
results but am not looking for Hubble Quality. In fact, I really don't
even want color images---I want BW images but with some detail. I will
do a lot of lunar work, some solar too. I would like to capture DSOs as
they appear in the eyepiece with a decent telescope---and perhaps a
better but color is not important. Oh sure, I might occasionally play
with color but really color is not important. The reason for DSLR is
that I do not want to drag a laptop outside and all that is attendant
with that mess. I now have a GM-8---the tracking is excellent. Can you
point me to website with some BW examples?

So---is there a DSLR that would achieve this without costing over $1,000
and not needing to be modified? Minolta would be great as I have a TON
of Minolta stuff---all film.

Thanks for the help,

Doink

Doink wrote:
After pondering the vaious Astro-photo options, I've decided the easiest way
to get what I'm after is buy a reasonable DSLR camera. I want good results
but am not looking for Hubble Quality. In fact, I really don't even want
color images

Hi:

Do you not want color images as in..."can live without them," or as in
"don't like them"? If the latter...look at an SBIG ST402 or one of the
other integrating, cooled color cameras on the market.

IMHO, the main reason for going the DSLR route is to get color in a
reasonably easy fashion--no filters and filter wheels.

Oh, and for the Moon, just get a Toucam...it will do a better job than
just about anything else.

Peace,
Rod Mollise
Author of _Choosing and Using a Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope_
and _The Urban Astronomer's Guide_

Like SCTs and MCTs?
Join the SCT User Mailing List.
http://www.groups.yahoo.com/group/sct-user

See my home page at
http://skywatch.brainiac.com/astroland/index.htm
for further info

For Uncle Rod's Astro Blog See:
http://journals.aol.com/rmollise/UncleRodsAstroBlog/

RMOLLISE wrote:
or one of the
other integrating, cooled color cameras on the market.



I meant "monochrome," of course. Anyway, to expand on my other post, I
think you'll find obtaining good quality monochrome images considerably
easier with a "real" CCD cam than a DSLR. If you need color, then
things shift the other way. Also, the SBIG (or a Starlight Xpress, or
one of the other entry level astro cams) will be considerably more
sensitive than the DSLR.

If price is a problem, look at the Meade DSI Pro or DSI Pro II. These
are monochrome cameras that do not cost a whole lot, but can do a very
good job. Maybe just the thing.

Peace,
Rod Mollise
Author of _Choosing and Using a Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope_
and _The Urban Astronomer's Guide_

Like SCTs and MCTs?
Join the SCT User Mailing List.
http://www.groups.yahoo.com/group/sct-user

See my home page at
http://skywatch.brainiac.com/astroland/index.htm
for further info

For Uncle Rod's Astro Blog See:
http://journals.aol.com/rmollise/UncleRodsAstroBlog/

Hi Rod---

I want to get away from hauling a computer out. I have a Meade LPI and I'm
very pleased with what it can do but it's a pain hauling the laptop out.
The DSLR is self contained. That's really what I want. Color doesn't
matter and I have thought about the Meade DSI Pro but I really want to get
away from hauling out the laptop....

Doink

"RMOLLISE" wrote in message
oups.com...

RMOLLISE wrote:
or one of the
other integrating, cooled color cameras on the market.



I meant "monochrome," of course. Anyway, to expand on my other post, I
think you'll find obtaining good quality monochrome images considerably
easier with a "real" CCD cam than a DSLR. If you need color, then
things shift the other way. Also, the SBIG (or a Starlight Xpress, or
one of the other entry level astro cams) will be considerably more
sensitive than the DSLR.

If price is a problem, look at the Meade DSI Pro or DSI Pro II. These
are monochrome cameras that do not cost a whole lot, but can do a very
good job. Maybe just the thing.

Peace,
Rod Mollise
Author of _Choosing and Using a Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope_
and _The Urban Astronomer's Guide_

Like SCTs and MCTs?
Join the SCT User Mailing List.
http://www.groups.yahoo.com/group/sct-user

See my home page at
http://skywatch.brainiac.com/astroland/index.htm
for further info

For Uncle Rod's Astro Blog See:
http://journals.aol.com/rmollise/UncleRodsAstroBlog/

RMOLLISE wrote:
Doink wrote:

After pondering the vaious Astro-photo options, I've decided the easiest way
to get what I'm after is buy a reasonable DSLR camera. I want good results
but am not looking for Hubble Quality. In fact, I really don't even want
color images


Hi:

Do you not want color images as in..."can live without them," or as in
"don't like them"? If the latter...look at an SBIG ST402 or one of the
other integrating, cooled color cameras on the market.


I think he said up front that he didn't want to have a computer in the
loop .. though I may be confusing this with another thread

Phil

On Sun, 26 Mar 2006 14:22:14 -0800, "Doink" wrote:

So---is there a DSLR that would achieve this without costing over $1,000 and
not needing to be modified? Minolta would be great as I have a TON of
Minolta stuff---all film.

The Canon DSLRs seem to do the best in terms of S/N. You can get a new
300D for around $500 these days. No DLSR does a very good job with
color, but since you want to do B&W that shouldn't be a problem. You can
get the camera modified to increase its QE in the red, although if you
convert to B&W that is less of an issue. The modification does make the
camera a little less friendly for ordinary use, assuming you had that in
mind.

I've used my 300D for some limited astroimaging, and I generally convert
to B&W. While it doesn't compare with a proper cooled camera, it still
does a pretty good job. I don't think you'd be disappointed. And for
that matter, it is a super camera for ordinary imaging, too, if you
don't mind swapping your Minolta glass for Canon.

_________________________________________________

Chris L Peterson
Cloudbait Observatory
http://www.cloudbait.com

Chris L Peterson:
...No DLSR does a very good job with color...

??

http://tinyurl.com/nvgff M57
http://tinyurl.com/ooxwk Orion
http://tinyurl.com/pu7sa M45
http://tinyurl.com/q85uv M31
http://tinyurl.com/75ptk NGC 6992/95

I thought these -- among thousands of other color DSLR astrophotos
available on the WWW -- looked OK. Low standards on my part, no doubt.

Davoud

--
usenet *at* davidillig dawt com