Largest CCD on back of my Astro Physics...

Taken back in 2006 when the STL11000 cameras were out. This one is a Phase One P25 back on the Astro Physics 130EDT. Quite windy that night as I was trying to do a mosaic of the Chicago skyline. 22mp, medium format shots per frame.

Wouldn't mind trying the 50+mp backs.

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Another view of the beast.

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Relative size of the chip compared to one of my Ducati cards.

Kinda big.

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Wow that's a huge chip. And that's one amazing OTA. I'd love a look that beauty under dark skies, or any skies for that matter. Awesome gear, maybe in my next life.

The new "+" series from Phase One makes it viable to do astro work. The one pictured here was not the "+" series, though it does give you an idea of what I was after.

Leaf also makes some nice medium format back, but they are limited to 30 seconds. Phase One + series can go for 20 to 30 minutes with no problem.

you disgust me.

really.

Someone asked me how to do this a while back, thinking that a medium format back was "affordable". I told him it would be about 30 grand, before any adapters. He quickly changed his mind.

The back itself was about 25 grand. Camera (Mamiya 645AF) adds a few grand.

Telescope, field flattener, adapters, close to 7 grand itself.