Which camera do I buy and why?

I've been considering buying either a Canon 6D, Canon 5D Mark III, Nikon D800 or a Nikon D600. I know this is a Canon forum, so don't cut my head off just yet. lol. I did some comparing on http://snapsort.com/co​mpare and the Nikon D600 has the best rating out of the four cameras listed and is also the cheapest. Between the four cameras I think I've narrowed it down to two: Canon 5D Mark III and Nikon D600. Here's the details between the two cameras. http://snapsort.com …5D-Mark-III-vs-Nikon-D600. I want to really start shooting night time scenes like the Milky Way and star trails. Why should I buy one over the other and why? Please try not to have a biased decision and be as fair as possible. Thanks for everyone's help!

You're probably going to get more comments on the Canon selections you're looking at.

I can say this... Canon makes some fine camera bodies. I love my 5D Mark II and my 40D. I also own a Nikon D90. I use the Canons more frequently than I do the Nikon. I use the Nikon for family get togethers and such mostly because I don't trust my great-nieces and nephews around my Canon equipment. I have more money invested in the Canon stuff. So Nikon is for Family events.

That being said, if you're looking to save a little money, The older Canon 5D Mark II is a great camera. You won't go wrong if you can find a brand new one under $2,000. It's excellent in low light and perfect for family portraits, weddings, etc. It's just a really great body.

Canon accessories are much easier to find if you get deeper into Astrophotography. A big expense will be in the lens department. In the future you may have a dedicated astro camera, and you will want the same brand so you can interchange lenses. If you have much light pollution you may need a light pollution filter. Asrtonomiks makes filters that clip into the body of the EOS cameras (not hthe 5D Mark II). They only make these for Canon. They are nice because the filter is in the camera, so you can switch lenses or to a telescope. It all depends on what all astrophotography you get into. The 60Da is a semi-modded camera from Canon. You can use it for daytime photography and it also picks up the red (Hydrogen) that is in lots of nebulae. Watch out because astrophotography addictive and you may get further in to it than you plan. You may go from a tripod to a telescope and tracking mount, then a CEM, the there's autoguiding, software, power supplies, laptop, modded cameras ..... you get the idea.

Are you looking to convert it to be HA sensitive? I am wanting to buy a 5DC and convert it to use.

CameraMan,
Thanks for your reply, but to be honest the 5D Mark 2 isn't an option for me and this is why. http://www.uncagetheso​ul.com …/best-canon-night-camera/ If I'm going to spend a couple thousand dollars on a camera I want the best bang for my dollar. The link I posted is a great comparison between the four cameras and to be honest the Canon 5D Mark 2 has substantially more noise at higher ISOs than the 5D Mark 3. I've budgeted $3,500 for a camera and that's right where the Mark 3 is priced.
Toxic Coolaid,
I appreciate your concern for an addictive hobby, but I think I was addicted to the stars as a small child when my mother used to bring me outside after sunset to stargaze. Only problem then was I didn't have the money. I already plan on purchasing an equatorial mount (Orion Atlas or similar), probably a refractor telescope and a few other goodies, but for now it's one step at a time. I have to walk before I can run. Thanks for the help but I still didn't find the answer I'm looking for.

i just ordered a 5d mark III kit with the 24-105mn f4.0 L from mellowdigital.com us code sale35 and get 35% off order. price was around $2,400. hope its not a scam...

cjdroadglide wrote in post #15584736
i just ordered a 5d mark III kit with the 24-105mn f4.0 L from mellowdigital.com us code sale35 and get 35% off order. price was around $2,400. hope its not a scam...

Hate to break it to you....
They're not on this list:
http://www.usa.canon.c​om …anonAuthorizedD​ealers.pdf

And this doesn't look good:
http://www.resellerrat​ings.com/store/MelloDi​gital

i just bought a 5d markIII kit with 24-105mm f4.0 L from mellowdigital.com. use the code (sale35) to get 35% off your order. i dont know how long the code is good for. i bought camera for around $2,400. hope its not a scam. i have ordered batteries in thr past from them, they do try bait and switch but told them i just want caon batteries and thats what i received.

i guess i'll see what happens

If you have the money you could get a
Celestron CGEM mount ($1400), an Astro-Tech 6" or 8" F/4 imaging Newtonian optical tube ($500), and a Canon ($300 or $500). With that setup you could get wonderful photos. The Sky-Watcher PRO 80ED APO Refractor OTA ($650) is wonderful but pricey.

You don't need, or always want a FF sensor.
http://www.cloudynight​s.com …lapsed/sb/5/o/a​ll/fpart/1

link to DSLR section of Cloudy Nights forum. You may ask here about model pros and cons.
http://www.cloudynight​s.com …list.php/Cat/0/​Board/DSLR

As far as Canon vs Nikon the numbers would have to say Canon. Otherwise most people would be using Nikons. The camera is not the most important part of astrophotography. I know I'm not answering your specific question, I'm just suggesting the consideration of different options. A mount, scope, and EOS would get you started of with wonderful pictures. You can piggyback a camera with a lens on the telescope. You can use the mount for other scopes in the future. You get an idea of targets and see what kinds of focal lengths your will need. When I drive out to the dark and image for the night I often have 1 camera with the scope (500-800mm), 1 piggybacked shooting widefields (50-100mm), and another on a tripod shooting with a Tokina 11-16mm.

Some of my pics
http://mophopix.smugmu​g.com/Astronomy
http://www.astrobin.co​m/users/Toxic_Coolaid/

I have also loved the sky and stars since I was a child. I actually enjoy freezing in a field under the stars getting images then spending hours processing them. Unfortunately when I started out I didn't know who to ask about what I should be considering. I first purchased a Meade LX90 and quickly found the limits of it as far a photography. Focal length, mount type, tracking precision, ability to add autoguiding... all wrong. I de-forked it and use the scope on my CGEM from time to time. If I'd known I could have gotten a great setup from the beginning. I did get a T2i and then bought a Canon XS for $150 and modded myself.

Sorry to ramble, It's great fun and so amazing what is there to be captured with nearly any camera. This is with a point and shoot http://mortenoen.blogs​pot.no/
Whatever you decide it's wonderful fun even when just using your naked eyes.

Mo

If you are planning on buying a mount and a refractor, I would think that you'd want a camera suited to astrophotography and IMHO, that means that it's capable of capturing H-alpha. That means either modifying whichever you choose from above or having a second body. To me, a second body is the only rational choice if you are shopping in that area for your prime camera.
For the number of cameras and support products available for astrophotography, the overwhelming majority is for Canon. On that basis alone, buying a Canon as your astro camera and therefore buying a Canon as your main camera makes sense.
For shooting wide angle milky way and star trails, I don't think that there's much between any of them. Pretty much any camera can do them and it simply comes down to low noise at high iso. I don't think that there's a decision maker there.

NavyDiver911 wrote in post #15583596
I've been considering buying either a Canon 6D, Canon 5D Mark III, Nikon D800 or a Nikon D600. I know this is a Canon forum, so don't cut my head off just yet. lol. I did some comparing on http://snapsort.com/co​mpare and the Nikon D600 has the best rating out of the four cameras listed and is also the cheapest. Between the four cameras I think I've narrowed it down to two: Canon 5D Mark III and Nikon D600. Here's the details between the two cameras. http://snapsort.com …5D-Mark-III-vs-Nikon-D600. I want to really start shooting night time scenes like the Milky Way and star trails. Why should I buy one over the other and why? Please try not to have a biased decision and be as fair as possible. Thanks for everyone's help!

What type of astrophotography are you planning? For Milky Way widefields, you really want a tracking mount. For startrails, just a tripod.

For either type of photography, you will likely apply dark frames and this will reduce the noise. Personally, I think all of those cameras are overkill, but I'd take the 6D for the WiFi. Otherwise, a used, modded T1i if you don't need the full frame. This way, you'll pull the red nebula out of the milky way. H-alpha makes the milky way shots. But a non-modded camera blocks it.

As far as high iso noise performance, it's not very important at all for astrophotography. You want to shoot at your cameras unity gain iso. That is where your SNR ratio will be optimal. Then you will use calibration to remove the noise.

Footbag wrote in post #15586997
modded T1i if you don't need the full frame.

The reason I suggested the T3i is because it has the flip out and swivel screen. It can be very helpful when the camera is at some of those crazy, upside down, backwards positions. Also it's 18M vs 15M, has lower noise and higher sensitivity. Mainly because of the flip out screen.

Toxic Coolaid wrote in post #15587056
The reason I suggested the T3i is because it has the flip out and swivel screen. It can be very helpful when the camera is at some of those crazy, upside down, backwards positions. Also it's 18M vs 15M, has lower noise and higher sensitivity. Mainly because of the flip out screen.

Makes sense; I'd probably have picked a T2i, but that swivel screen is a bonus. I wish I could mod one as well, but I just don't have the money.

The swivel screen could be helpful on the T3i. I tend to ignore that feature because I bring my laptop out with me. Some like the Crop mode on the T2i for planetary. Like I said, I use my laptop, so this is a moot point for me.

My overall point was that you don't need a top of the line camera for astrophotography. In order of importance, the mount is the most important, optics are also important. But any of the current Canon's would be more then adequate.

It's the reason I'm using a $300 Canon XS with over $10k of telescope equipment. Upgrading my camera just never seemed like it would improve my images.