I think the pressure of missing out on imaging time under clear skies adds to your frustration. Try to take the positives out of a frustrating night. If you learn one new thing each time your set your telescope and camera up under the stars, you are making progress. Astrophotography with a DSLR and telescope is challenging, frustrating and daunting. What’s the best advice you can give to someone brand new to astrophotography?Ī. The best advice I can give a newcomer to this hobby is to be persistent. When you compare the price of an entry-level modified DSLR (Such as the Canon T3i) to a CCD camera, you quickly realize that a DSLR is a fantastic deal.
The good news is, entry-level DSLR’s from Canon and Nikon are more than capable of producing incredible astrophotos. If you are serious about astrophotography, you are going to have to consider purchasing a dedicated astrophotography DSLR. (I shot with a stock camera for 3 years!) Stock cameras are missing out on a wealth of detail for many deep-sky objects. The difference in the amount of data that can be acquired with an astro-modified DSLR vs. Should I modify my DSLR for astrophotography?įor the record, I think that you should definitely modify your DSLR for astrophotography. Gary Honis offers fantastic advice as well as his services here. It is possible to retain the daytime functionality of the camera by replacing the IR cut filter with a clear filter, and/or compensating for the modification with a custom white balance. My IDAS lps EOS clip-in filter protects the sensor from the elements. This is considered a “ full-spectrum” modification, or “naked-sensor” mod. This renders the auto-focus function of the DSLR useless and voids the Camera of any existing warranty. Because I use my Canon T3i for astro-imaging exclusively, I removed the IR cut filter and did not add any additional filters or glass to protect the sensor. If I modify my DSLR for astrophotography, will it ruin it for regular daytime use?Ī. Soaking more time into an astrophoto is always a good idea. By stacking more exposures and capturing a minimum of 15 dark and 15 bias frames, the horizontal banding should subside. This type of noise is an artifact that shows itself by stretching the data captured with your camera past its limits. In this instance, the astrophotographer aggressively stretched under 20 minutes worth of exposures. Horizontal banding noise in an astrophotography imageĪ. Yes! This type of horizontal banding noise looks very familiar. Q: Is it normal to have horizontal banding noise in my stacked image?
#BACKYARDNIKON VS BACKYARDEOS SOFTWARE#
What astrophotography software do you recommend for beginners?.How do I take Bias Frames for stacking in Deep Sky Stacker.How do I take Dark Frames for stacking in Deep Sky Stacker.
How do I take Flat Frames for stacking in Deep Sky Stacker.How do I stack different sets of light frames over multiple nights in Deep Sky Stacker?.What’s the best advice you can give to someone brand new to astrophotography?.Should I modify for DSLR for astrophotography?.If I modify my DSLR for astrophotography, will it ruin it for regular daytime use?.Is it normal to have horizontal banding noise in my stacked image?.My complete beginners guide to DSLR astrophotography Astrophotography Questions – Table of Contents Which software should I use for image processing?.Do you really leave your gear out in the cold?.How do you power your setup in the field?.How do I focus my camera and telescope?.What is the right backspacing for my camera and telescope?.Where can I buy used astrophotography gear?.Do I need to modify my camera for astrophotography?.Should I use a refractor telescope or a camera lens?.
In the following video, I answer these questions: I decided that it was time to dedicate an area of this website to group all of these common questions so that we can all learn from each other. I receive a lot of questions about astrophotography each day by e-mail, and through my social media accounts. Frequently Asked Questions In this section, I hope to offer answers to some of your beginner astrophotography questions.