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Telescope photography - Printable Version

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Telescope photography - Mac.j - Sep 28, 2016

Has anyone tried using a spotting scope to photograph the moon?
Using an csc should I somehow link the camera lens to the telescope eyepiece or
Remove the eyepiece and the camera lens and mount the camera onto the scope body.
Looking on the Internet,  I can only find the afocal method which requires 2 tripods and aiming the camera lens down the telescope lens. As the subject, the moon, moves the telescope and camera need to  be released aligned. Not easy.
This is best done with a compact using a special mount that clamps onto the telescope lens. 
I don't want to use this method, I want to use my Lumix gx7.
Cheers Mac

RE: Telescope photography - EnglishBob - Sep 28, 2016

Haven't tried a spotting scope, have used a friends telescope with a special adapter to link my old Digital rebel to it. Without a motorized mount it's hard to get sharp detail shots if you are zoomed in too far.

RE: Telescope photography - Mac.j - Sep 29, 2016

(Sep 28, 2016, 17:21)EnglishBob Wrote:  Haven't tried a spotting scope, have used a friends telescope with a special adapter to link my old Digital rebel to it.  Without a motorized mount it's hard to get sharp detail shots if you are zoomed in too far.

Thanks Bob, did you leave the camera lens and telescope eyepiece on? That is the information that I am looking for.
cheers Mac Wink

RE: Telescope photography - GrahamS - Sep 29, 2016

Type "digiscoping" into google........

Maybe this will help:
http://srb-photographic.co.uk/digiscoping-1550-c.asp

RE: Telescope photography - john21wall - Sep 29, 2016

I tried using an adapter on an orion telescope... but was having trouble. I could see the moon clear on my camera's screen, but when I clicked the shutter, the picture came out black. the iso was up and all of my settings seemed fine. I had my camera on manual. It's a Nikon d5100. If anyone has any input, I would appreciate it!

RE: Telescope photography - EnglishBob - Sep 29, 2016

(Sep 29, 2016, 02:15)Mac.j Wrote:  Thanks Bob, did you leave the camera lens and telescope eyepiece on? That is the information that I am looking for.
cheers Mac Wink

No Lens on the camera, just the adapter, and if I remember correctly it slotted over the scopes eyepiece. Has been a few years and it was my friend's adapter and scope.

RE: Telescope photography - Mac.j - Sep 29, 2016

(Sep 29, 2016, 05:49)GrahamS Wrote:  Type "digiscoping" into google........

Maybe this will help:
http://srb-photographic.co.uk/digiscoping-1550-c.asp

Thanks Graham, it could work with a compact.
Its a pity I'm retired now, I could have made one of those. Smile

RE: Telescope photography - Mac.j - Oct 2, 2016

(Sep 29, 2016, 07:04)john21wall Wrote:  I tried using an adapter on an orion telescope... but was having trouble. I could see the moon clear on my camera's screen, but when I clicked the shutter, the picture came out black. the iso was up and all of my settings seemed fine. I had my camera on manual. It's a Nikon d5100. If anyone has any input, I would appreciate it!
First of all for my problem, did you have both the camera lens and the scope eyepiece on? Or was one or both removed.
Your problem, you probably need a low iso.  I don't know your camera but live view  should show if your exposure is correct. If you take the camera lens off, there should be a menu setting no lens or something similar. I hope that helps

RE: Telescope photography - Dougson - Oct 5, 2016

Hi Mac
I use a Pentax K5 and I use an adapter that fits in the lens mount which then fits into another adapter to allow you to use the telescope lens
The exposure for the moon shouldn't be to long
Try ISO 400 f8 1/125 sec you are better off using Registax and taking multiple shots and stacking them.
I also use a Pentax K3-11 which has a function called Astrotracer which allows the chip to track the sky for near 5 mins. I will post some photos from this system and from a iOptron sky-tracker mount

RE: Telescope photography - Dougson - Oct 5, 2016

Here is a Photo of Langness Lighthouse on the Isle of Man taken under a full moon with a photo of the Cygnus Rift in the Milky Way taken at the same location but before the Moon rose , both photo's Pentax K3-11 f5 ISO400 59sec 18mm, Star field f9 300sec ISO 1600 18mm  Tamron 18 - 200 Di11 XR lens

RE: Telescope photography - Mac.j - Oct 5, 2016

That's a very good photo, thanks for sharing it.
So you used an adapter on your camera to link with the telescope lens. Was that the telescope body or the eyepiece. 
Thinking about it, it must be to the telescope body because of the low magnification. Am I right with that. 
I need to find out if my spotting scope uses a time mount or a Christmas mount. I'll  get there in the end.
Many thanks, Mac