Imaging Hardware - my past history

Initially, I had planned to use film-based photography for the first year or so after getting into astronomy, since my Nikon Coolpix 950 digital camera was limited to a timed exposure of only 8 seconds.  I purchased my Nikon Coolpix 950 in 1999, and since then several generations of digital cameras have emerged. 

Canon 7D digital SLR camera.  This camera revolutionized what was achievable with dSLRs, since it could shoot high definition video in 1080 at 30p.  Canon also completely redesigned the auto focus systems and a viewfinder that provides 100% coverage of the field-of-view.

Canon EOS 50D digital SLR camera.  This Canon dSLR represented a significant improvement in sensor technology and camera design over the 30D. The image size was larger, and the colour depth using RAW format went from 24 bits to 36 bits, which really helps with astrophotos.  The big benefit was in usablity, since the 50D had Live View, which meant focusing the optics to achieve pin point starts became very easy. Automatic sensor cleaning also meant I really had no need for flat frames anymore, unless I was using an optical system with significant vignetting.

Canon EOS 30D digital SLR camera.  This Canon dSLR represented a significant improvement in sensor technology and camera design over the 300D.  It had a much improved 3" LCD display screen on the back, and had a magnesium body, versus the ABS (plastic) body on the 300D.  Mirror lockup was a feature on this camera which allowed me to improve my results, since long exposures are seriously affected with the vibrations setup by the camera's mirror flipping up for each exposure.

Canon EOS 300D Digital Rebel digital SLR camera.  This was my first Canon camera, and it came highly recommended by astrophotographers around the world since Canon used the best low noise CMOS sensor currently available at the time for this camera and its bigger brother the 10D.

I used this camera for Prime Focus photography on my LX-90 telescope.  The dRebel's CMOS sensor produced superb, low noise images, which incorporates noise reduction while the single shot is taken.  ISO sensitivity is 100 to 1600, and image resolution is 6 megapixel.  Images can be saved in Canon RAW mode, giving 48 bit dynamic range to the colour images, instead of the 24 bits used by the standard jpg or tiff formats.

See my Dark Frame Tests using the Canon 300D Digital Rebel

See Attaching a Canon 300D Digital Rebel to a Meade LX-90 - depending on the field of view you need, three methods of attaching the 300D to the LX-90 are illustrated.

Meade Lunar Planetary Imager (LPI) - a Lunar/Planetary Imager produced by Meade.

The LPI is essentially a webcam which Meade has customized and packaged with the Autostar Suite software:

This is a lightweight unit, suitable for mounting prime focus on the LX200R (for lunar or planetary images) or the ETX-60AT (for solar images).

Meade Deep Sky Imager (DSI) - a deep sky imager produced by Meade.

The DSI is an excellent companion product to the LPI, since it sports a much higher sensitivity CCD imager chip.  Mead has also designed the CCD to run cool without external cooling gear, which keeps the cost down and reduces the complexity.

See my Dark Frame Tests using the Coolpix 4500.

DigiSnap 2000 - an electronic shutter release or intervalometer produced by Harbortronics.

In order to electronically control the long exposures often required for astrophography.  a programmable electronic shutter release is required.  This allows precise long exposures as well as multiple exposures, which is essential for stacking images.

I have adapter cables to use the DigiSnap with my Canon EOS 300D Digital Rebel digital SLR, and for my Nikon Coolpix 4500 digital camera.