Telescope Reviews: Recommend a DSLR camera for occasional astrophotos

Hi Jim,

First off, welcome to the DSLR forum. DSLRs are a great way of getting your feet wet in astrophotgraphy without breaking the bank, since you can justify their use for daytime photography as well (as you note).

Your current setup (the NP101 and CG5) is more than adequate to get started (though as many will tell you, astrophotos are only as good as the mount used to take them).

You'll find the Canons most popular due to their reputations for low noise and relatively light weight, though apparently Nikon and others are now comparable.

I'll admit I don't know much about Olympus DSLRs, but I do believe that T-ring adapters exist for them, and so they are very likely workable as astrophoto cameras. Having said that, a used Canon XT can be found quite cheaply now, and these have an excellent reputation for low noise and decent sensitivity.

If you do buy an Olympus, try to find one with a Live View function -- setting good focus is much easier with this tool.

I wouldn't recommend modifying your camera to remove the IR filter until you get comfortable with general DSLR imaging. It's not that it's difficult per se, but rather that there are many other variables to consider first. However, to answer your question, it is possible to use an IR-modified camera in daylight by using custom white
balance settings and/or a compensating IR lens filter.

Another important consideration, as with visual astronomy, is the darkness of your skies. If you intend to image from the city or suburbs, you'll quickly see benefit from a broadband light pollution filter (e.g. Orion Ultrablock, IDAS LPS, etc). These can cut out low-to-moderate sky glow, but are no match for bad urban l.p. or the full moon. They also will significantly increase the exposure time required to get the same signal result (roughly double).

You haven't mentioned your budget, but I'll assume for now that you want to find a dual-use camera that can be used with your old Olympus lenses. If so, perhaps the best route would be buying a basic Olympus DSLR (ideally with Live View) for now, and if you decide to invest more, purchase a modified Canon XSi or 40D (both with Live View) down the line (or even the vaunted 50D MkII, but that's *much* more expensive).

Let us know how your search goes!

Cheers,
Adam

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Adam

TMB 130SS / WO 66 Triplet
QHY9 for sale (PM me if interested)
STL-11000M (new to me!)
Modified Canon 450D
SkyWatcher EQ-6 Pro
Urban backyard roll-off observatory
One small but fearless dog (observing companion)