A Space & astronomy forum. SpaceBanter.com

Go Back   Home » SpaceBanter.com forum » Astronomy and Astrophysics » Amateur Astronomy
Site Map Home Authors List Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read Web Partners

Best camera for moon pictures?



 
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old January 28th 05, 08:08 PM
Doink
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Best camera for moon pictures?

Hi all...

As usual, the choices are abundantly confusing....

Any opinions on the best camera choice under $500 for moon pictures? I want
sharp images.

What about best deep sky under $1000?

Thanks for your opinions!

Doink


  #2  
Old January 28th 05, 08:56 PM
David Nakamoto
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Any good SLR is good enough for photographs. It's the other things that could
make it difficult to get consistently sharp images - seeing, scope optics,
tracking, et al.

Same for digital cameras, although I'd add that I recommend a least over 3
megapixels, and 4 for good results.

--
Sincerely,
--- Dave
----------------------------------------------------------------------
It don't mean a thing
unless it has that certain "je ne sais quoi"
Duke Ellington
----------------------------------------------------------------------

"Doink" wrote in message
...
Hi all...

As usual, the choices are abundantly confusing....

Any opinions on the best camera choice under $500 for moon pictures? I want
sharp images.

What about best deep sky under $1000?

Thanks for your opinions!

Doink



  #3  
Old January 28th 05, 10:04 PM
laura halliday
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

???

The camera is almost completely irrelevant, as long as it's
light-tight, and contains something sensitive to light. A decent
focusing screen is useful.

The optics between the camera and the target are another matter
entirely. I've taken my best moon pictures with a 40 year old Pentax
Spotmatic SLR that I bought for 20 bucks. But hooked up to a 5" Synta
achromat, which cost rather more...

Laura Halliday VE7LDH "Que les nuages soient notre
Grid: CN89mg pied a terre..."
ICBM: 49 16.05 N 122 56.92 W - Hospital/Shafte

  #4  
Old January 28th 05, 10:43 PM
Chris L Peterson
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

On Fri, 28 Jan 2005 11:08:14 -0800, "Doink" wrote:

Hi all...

As usual, the choices are abundantly confusing....

Any opinions on the best camera choice under $500 for moon pictures? I want
sharp images.

What about best deep sky under $1000?


That one's a no brainer- the Canon 300D (Digital Rebel). Nothing is
really better without going to a proper, cooled, B&W CCD camera made for
astroimaging. In fact, with the 300D now available for under $700, it is
getting into the price range you proposed just for the lunar camera.

_________________________________________________

Chris L Peterson
Cloudbait Observatory
http://www.cloudbait.com
  #5  
Old January 29th 05, 02:16 AM
JATO
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

On Fri, 28 Jan 2005 11:08:14 -0800, "Doink" wrote:

Hi all...

As usual, the choices are abundantly confusing....

Any opinions on the best camera choice under $500 for moon pictures? I want
sharp images.

What about best deep sky under $1000?

Thanks for your opinions!

Doink



This one was taken with a $1500 Canon 10D
http://www.jatobservatory.org/Galler...oon_3qtrs.html



These were taken with $149 Meade LPI
http://www.jatobservatory.org/Galler...es/Moon33.html
http://www.jatobservatory.org/Galler...s/Moon12p.html

Some Planet pics
http://www.jatobservatory.org/Galler.../Saturn3b.html
http://www.jatobservatory.org/Galler...piter-10p.html

Caution don't try these without a solar filter
http://www.jatobservatory.org/Galler...es/Sun23p.html
http://www.jatobservatory.org/Galler...es/Sun15p.html
http://www.jatobservatory.org/Galler...des/Sun15.html
http://www.jatobservatory.org/Galler...rProm1LPI.html
http://www.jatobservatory.org/Galler...rProm3LPI.html


-JATO
http://jatobservatory.org


  #6  
Old January 29th 05, 02:29 AM
Doink
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

EXCELLENT!!!!! THAT SHOWS ME SOMETHING!!!!! EXCELLENT IMAGES
"JATO @jatobservatory.org" jatoNo-Spam wrote in message
...
On Fri, 28 Jan 2005 11:08:14 -0800, "Doink" wrote:

Hi all...

As usual, the choices are abundantly confusing....

Any opinions on the best camera choice under $500 for moon pictures? I
want
sharp images.

What about best deep sky under $1000?

Thanks for your opinions!

Doink



This one was taken with a $1500 Canon 10D
http://www.jatobservatory.org/Galler...oon_3qtrs.html



These were taken with $149 Meade LPI
http://www.jatobservatory.org/Galler...es/Moon33.html
http://www.jatobservatory.org/Galler...s/Moon12p.html

Some Planet pics
http://www.jatobservatory.org/Galler.../Saturn3b.html
http://www.jatobservatory.org/Galler...piter-10p.html

Caution don't try these without a solar filter
http://www.jatobservatory.org/Galler...es/Sun23p.html
http://www.jatobservatory.org/Galler...es/Sun15p.html
http://www.jatobservatory.org/Galler...des/Sun15.html
http://www.jatobservatory.org/Galler...rProm1LPI.html
http://www.jatobservatory.org/Galler...rProm3LPI.html


-JATO
http://jatobservatory.org




  #7  
Old January 29th 05, 04:20 AM
RMOLLISE
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default


Doink wrote:
Hi all...

As usual, the choices are abundantly confusing....

Any opinions on the best camera choice under $500 for moon pictures?

I want
sharp images.



Hi:

The "best" is highly subjective...but I'll tell you what I use, and
what has been highly effective on the Moon for me, the Meade LPI (with
K3CCD Tools v2 as the control program).

Peace,
Rod

  #8  
Old January 29th 05, 04:28 AM
Doink
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Been struggling with SAC7 or LPI...

Thanks Rod

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

Doink wrote:
Hi all...

As usual, the choices are abundantly confusing....

Any opinions on the best camera choice under $500 for moon pictures?

I want
sharp images.



Hi:

The "best" is highly subjective...but I'll tell you what I use, and
what has been highly effective on the Moon for me, the Meade LPI (with
K3CCD Tools v2 as the control program).

Peace,
Rod



  #9  
Old January 29th 05, 01:47 PM
Larry Stedman
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Great Moon pictures can be taken with just about any digicam, although
ones that allow you to set the shutter speed to fast, fraction of a
second, times are better. Even handheld shots *can* come out well.

The crucial ingredients to good Moon pictures are mostly non-camera
related. You certainly don't have to spend $500, or even $300, to get
good shots. One key factor is a secure camera-to- eyepiece attachment
(think Scopetronix digicam adapter that directly mates the two).
Another important element is sharp focusing (tweak the scope's eyepiece
just so) (here bigger LCDs can help, or camera out to monitor). Also be
sure to take pictures on nights of better seeing and at the appropriate
magnification. Otherwise, you're setting yourself up for blurry shots.

You don't need to worry about the megapixels either-- unless you want to
blow your picture up to huge dimensions.

Heck, I even have some decent handheld snapshots taken with a $50 Palm
Pix--- the now discontinued, very low-res add-on to Palms. If they can
turn out okay shots, just about anything can.

Larry Stedman
Vestal
 




Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
World's most powerful infrared camera opens its eyes on the heavens(Forwarded) Andrew Yee Astronomy Misc 0 January 25th 05 03:08 AM
Digital Camera as Sky Meter -- Ongoing Report Tony Flanders Amateur Astronomy 49 September 14th 04 01:29 AM
Novel Camera Set to Produce the First Direct Images of Exoplanets Ron Astronomy Misc 2 June 23rd 04 03:41 PM
Pictures of Mars (digital camera) Phil Wheeler Amateur Astronomy 3 August 15th 03 05:10 AM
World's Largest Astronomical CCD Camera Installed On Palomar Observatory Telescope Ron Baalke Science 0 July 29th 03 08:54 PM


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 09:42 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.6.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004-2024 SpaceBanter.com.
The comments are property of their posters.