EOS 10D and telescopes

[boyhowdy]

I have a Meade 8" Schmidt-Newtonian telescope and want to connect my 10D to it. It is the Lxd-55 series. I know I need a "T" adapter for the EOS but Meade offers two types of telescope adapters. One is for attaching the camera directly to the scope using the scope as the lens without magnification, and the other one has a place for the barlow lenses and then the telescope connects to that so you can get high magnification. I have a set of high quality super Plossel eyepieces and would like to get shots or Mars, etc. Does anyone know if the adapter WITH the barlow capability works well since the camera has to focus on that tiny eyepiece opening, or would the camera direct-to-scope adapter work better even without the magnification capability but larger viewing area?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks,

Patrick

[ChrisNardone]

Connecting the camera directly to the scope is called "prime focus." The field of view is large and the magnification low. It is used for long exposure deep sky astrophotography. The other method you are referring to is "eyepiece projection." This is the method you would want to use to take pictures of Mars. The magnification is much greater. It's very challenging. See the astromart forums for more info.

http://www.astromart.com/messages.asp?forum_id=4

[CyberDyneSystems]

I have tried the direct camera mount,. "Prime Focusing" method with two telescopes,.. both reflectors. It worked amzingly well in both instances. One of them was of extremely poor quality and thus the image was not very good,. but it was the equivelent of a 1000mm lens in magnification. The other was a rather nice one that sells for approx $900.00 I think it was about 2500mm equivelent.

As for the eyepice option? I assume in all cases you would end up with a very small circle of image in the middle of a giant vignette of blackness????

[boyhowdy]

I tried the eyepiece projection tonight by sticking my lens up to the eyepiece and I see what you mean. Lots of vignietting in a black circle with a little piece of the moon inside. I will definitely try the other way but I'm not sure how it will work since I have the Schmidt Newtonian and I can't see anything in the mirror very clearly with the eyepiece off. I don't know if this model can do astrophotography but it says it can. I guess I just have to get the parts I need and see what happens. Thanks for the advice and the forum site.

Patrick

[CyberDyneSystems]

I'm pretty sure I couldn't see anything without the eyepiece,. but the photos came out fine.

Some scopes allready have the male T-mount threads on them,.. most though you will need two pieces,.. the adapter to go from your scope to the male T-mount threads,. and then the Canon Eos T-mount adapter.

I got the EOS T-mount adapter for a mere $15.00 at a local photo shop. The other part came with the crappy used 1000mm reflecting scope I bought. That part is usually specific to the make of telescope you own.

[mattchase]

BoyHowdy,

I have both types of T-mounts, I had purchased the prime focus t-mount first, then the eyepeice projection t-mount second. Come to find out, the eyepeice projection t-mount can also be used as a prime focus t-mount. So if you can get your hands on one before you buy it, check to see if the eyepeice projection one for your scope does both, because at some point in time you probably will want to try both methods.

Also, from what I remember it wasn't much more...I think $25 or $30 is what I paid at a local telescope store. This may vary for you though, since you have a Meade...I have a no name telescope that I bought a no name t-mount for, which I'm sure kept the price lower.

[ChrisNardone]

Eyepiece projection is when you use the camera with no lens, connected to an adapter with a telescope eyepiece inserted in it. You are "projecting" an image onto the film plane of the camera. If you use a camera lens and an eyepeice, it is called afocal coupling. Before you buy any adapters, I recommend buying a good book on astrophotography. I have been out of it for a few years, but the astromart website link is the place to ask for recommendations.

[boyhowdy]

I did get the T mount with the scope so all I need is the Canon adapter. I will check into the eyepiece projection T mount adapter to see if it can do both. I think, for best quality, I will focus on the prime focus T mount since with the 8" mirror, it ought to project beautiful pictures. I just wasn't sure how I am supposed to view and focus the images since it is a reflector...very new at this and don't use the scope very much...

Thanks for all the advise.

Patrick