Astrophotography Cameras Summary
For your average astrophotography hobbyist, you will not final digital cameras advertised as a “night time imaging” camera. These are the same digital cameras used for everyday photography. The astrophotographer will have to look for specific features that are known to work well with night sky imaging.
The following is a is a list of desirable camera features to look for that make night sky imaging easier.
There is no one size fits all all, but at least it gives an idea of what to look for when buying a digital camera for night sky imaging. It will be easy to get overwhelmed by all the choices.
A DSLR camera will naturally have most of these features, but it will be wise to check. The beginner who wants to use a point-and-shoot camera will find this very helpful.
1. A threaded camera lens- Cameras that have interchangeable lenses will often have threaded lenses.. This allows the T-adapter to be attached to the camera and then attached to the telescope eyepiece.
2. 5+ megapixel resolution- This resolution will give quality close-up details of the moon, planets, globular star clusters, and bright nebulae.
3. Manual setting control options- Full manual control over the aperture and exposure settings will help give better images for a wider variety of celestial objects.
4. Exposure range of at least 60 seconds- With the point-and-shoot cameras, this is generally the maximum light-gathering power setting available. This increases the ability to photograph deep sky objects lid nebulae and globular clusters.
5. Optical Zoom at 10x to 12x- Useful for imaging close-ups of the moon’s cratered terrain and for enlarging the planets enough to get better results. This will also help reduce “vignetting” somewhat since it enlarges object s enough that t the tube-like” effect is no longer visible.
6. Ability for noise reduction- Noise means the graininess in a photo. In regular photography this can happen when it is enlarged too much. With astrophotography, a noise reduction setting will help to take out the “graininess” that is often found at higher ISO settings. With night sky imaging, noise can be caused by sky glow, light pollution, and internal camera electronics to name a few.
7. ISO maximum sensitivity range of 400 to 800 ISO. This allows for sharper details on some of the fainter celestial objects such as star clusters and nebulae.
8. Large LCD screen- Easier to preview and better focus any celestial object prior to taking the photograph. The closer to 3.0 inches the best.
9. Quick Time movie or video settings up to 32 frames per second – This is pretty much a standard feature these days. It is great for “stacking” images of the moon and planets in order to help bring out incredible detail.
10. Remote shutter cable release or a Self Timer- Reduces the slight movement or vibration that often comes in the camera and also with the telescope when the shutter of the camera is tripped.
11. Camera lens with a small diameter- When using a telescope, it avoids “vignetting.” The smaller the lens diameter, the less “vignetting”will occur. This is when the photograph’s image makes an object look tubelike, or as if it been seen through a straw.
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