Help with Camera And Telescope

[whereismykit]

When I'm hooking the adaptor to the telescope and camera. Do I drop the eyepiece down the adaptor then hook it to the telescope or what. I notice if I hook the camera straight to the telescope I can't get the moon to focus. The manual doesn't tell me anything about hooking up a camera.

When I don't put the eyepiece in the adaptor the moon is out of focus. When I use the Eyepiece I can't seem to ge the whole moon in the picture. I'm using the 26mm (38x) 1.25" Eyepieces. With out the camera adaptor I get the whole moon plus with the 26mm eyepiece.

Can someone help shine some light on this for me.

Here is my set up

Canon 20D the telescope is
DS-2130ATS 5.0"/130mm Newtonian Reflector Telescope (1000mm f/7.7) with Motorized Altazimuth Mount, Autostar Computerized Hand Controller, 9.7mm (103x) and 26mm (38x) 1.25" Eyepieces, 6x30 Finderscope & Tripod you can find it on B&H http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=347243&is=REG

[Turbowolf]

I have yet to do astrophotography, even though I have the equipment. Just never mated the camera to the telelscope.

Anyway, check out this link for more info
http://web.canon.jp/Imaging/astro/index-e.html

[pcasciola]

What type of adapter(s) are you using? On my Newtonian and my friends 8" SCT I use a t-mount to attach to the 20D, and then on my Newtonian I use a 1.25" eyepiece adapter (no lens, just an adapter tube), and on the 8" SCT we use a t-adapter. Either way, the focus is obtained by using the scope's focus mechanism.

[whereismykit]

I am using this adaptor Variable Projection SLR (35mm OR Digital) Camera Adapter for All Refractor & Reflector Telescopes which Accept 1.25" Eyepieces - Requires Camera-Specific T-Mount Adapter You can find it here http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=202793&is=REG

[whereismykit]

Can anyone help with this a little more.

[pcasciola]

What is your setup exactly? Is it camera, t-mount, and then variable projection adapter into the telescope? If so, I am baffled as to why you cannot focus with the telescopes focus mechanism.

This is the t-mount you should be using in addition to the VPA (Either this Meade or the Celestron one):
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=252743&is=REG

[Mark_48]

I haven't tried any serious astro-photography, but have bought a couple of scopes from these guys:

http://www.oriontel.com

The link below will take you to a Universal Camera Adapter page. At the bottom of the page is a instruction sheet for the adapter (PDF) which may help out a bit. At the top of the page there is a link to the Learning Center. Within the Learning Center you can do a search on photography and get alot of info.

One thing I learned browsing around, is that if you're attempting to do prime focus photography (the telescope focuses on the cameras imaging plane), some telescopes may have a short imaging cone which works with a lens for viewing, but may be to short to reach the imaging plane of the camera. I think I saw mention this could possibly be corrected with a Barlow lens.

http://www.oriontel.com/shopping/product/detailmain.jsp?itemID=73&itemType=PRODUCT&RS=1&keyword=photography

Attached file is a moon shot using a Canon G1 handheld to the lens of an Orion 6" Newtonian reflector

[kfong]

Newtonian are known to have little back focus, since they don't need a right angle mirror for viewing.
A D20 has 45mm from sensor to mount.
Your variable projection tube adds another ~60mm.
Total required back focus is over 100mm. This probably too much for any Newtonian focuser.
If you want to do prime focus, find a 1.25" to T male adapter and mount the camera as close as possible to the telescope.
One way to get around this is to used the eye projection method with a magnification of about one. But since the D20 sensor to mount distance is already 45mm, you'll need to find either a 35mm or 40mm eyepiece, and stick it as close as possible to the camera. Basically you are using the eyepiece as a relay lens. But for such low magnification field flatness may be a problem if the eyepiece used is a Plossel.
Other way is to use a Barlow, aka teleconverter. But with this method it is difficult to get the magnification close to 1.

Ken

[Chazs]

Sounds like a similar problem I had this weekend. I finally purchased a T-ring and variable focus adapter (Meade) on the refractor scopes at the shop (Anacortes Telescope and Wild Bird) the images were fantastic. But at home, on my 6 inch reflector I couldn't get anything in focus. The problem is that the adapter is just too long. I need to get the camera closer to the scope (with our without dropping a 25 mm Plossl eyepiece in it). I'm going to try a shorter, non-variable focus adapter later this week.

[Mark_48]

Just a thought to throw out...
To get an idea where the scope will focus with the T-Ring and adapter, hold a piece of frosted glass or something else similiar to use as a focusing screen and attempt to bring an image (the moon is a bright subject) into focus on this. This should roughly approximate the distance where the sensor in the camera should be when the camera is mounted to the T-Ring and adapter. The focal plane of the sensor in the camera is denoted by the circle with the line through it on the side of the viewfinder near the Mode dial.

[whereismykit]

Thank you for the Help next clear night I will have to give some of the things i read a try. If it ever stops raining in Georgia or if we ever get a clear night. Again Thanks for the help.

[elkootcho]

might be of interest:

www.cloudynights.com/lab/astrophotography/rebel.pdf

[Mark_48]

If it ever stops raining in Georgia or if we ever get a clear night. Again Thanks for the help.
I couldn't resist.......

Rainy Night In Georgia
Words and Music by Tony Joe White

Hoverin' by my suitcase, tryin' to find a warm place to spend the night
Heavy rain fallin', seems I hear your voice callin' "It's all right."
A rainy night in Georgia, a rainy night in Georgia
It seems like it's rainin' all over the world
I feel like it's rainin' all over the world

Neon signs a-flashin', taxi cabs and buses passin' through the night
A distant moanin' of a train seems to play a sad refrain to the night
A rainy night in Georgia, such a rainy night in Georgia
Lord, I believe it's rainin' all over the world
I feel like it's rainin' all over the world

How many times I wondered
It still comes out the same
No matter how you look at it or think of it
It's life and you just got to play the game

I find me a place in a box car, so I take my guitar to pass some time
Late at night when it's hard to rest I hold your picture to my chest and I feel fine
But it's a rainy night in Georgia, baby, it's a rainy night in Georgia I
feel it's rainin' all over the world, kinda lonely now And it's rainin' all over the
world

Oh, have you ever been lonely, people?
And you feel that it was rainin' all over this man's world
You're talking 'bout rainin', rainin', rainin', rainin', rainin', rainin', rainin',
rainin', rainin' rainin', rainin', rainin'