I need help with choosing starting equipment

6 replies437 views
Evaggelos avatar
Hello everyone, 
I want to buy a (used) DSLR as a beginning option for astrophotography. I found the Canon 450D and Canon 1000D both at 150 euros and both come with a 18-55mm lens.
The seller also has available the Canon 1100D, 1200D, 1300D, 2000D and 4000D.
I singled out the first two because from what i read online they might be my best options as a beginner. Also it is my understaning that all the above are unmodified for astrophotography and i am not sure if i have the option to modify the one one I'll buy in the future. So I am looking to buy and use one unomidied and on a budget so that I can learn.

What are your opinions?
Thanks in advance!
Engaging
andrea tasselli avatar
Of the bunch the 2000D will serve your interests best. If too expensive then the 1300D will be my second choice. I'd avoid the 450D and 1000/1100D as far too old.
Well Written Concise
DanRossi avatar
I agree don't get a camera body that's too old. Perhaps keep to one that was released within the last 8-10 years.

The 18-55mm lit lens will work, but in my experience they can cause weird internal reflections on the larger stars. Not a deal-breaker though, you can still get nice images!

The big question is do you plan to do deep space (nebulae, galaxies, etc.) or widefield astrophotography? Answering this question will help us guide you further.
Well Written Helpful Respectful Concise Engaging Supportive
AC1000 avatar
I have in use both the Canon EOS 1100D and 1300D. The latter has a rare screen with higher resolution which is better when focusing at a bright star with live view and high magnification. Also the sensors are different. Here is a detailed comparison between both:

https://www.apotelyt.com/compare-camera/canon-1100d-vs-canon-1300d

I have no experience with the other models you have listed but in the web there are lots of similar comparisons between different camera models which can help you on your decision. If I had the choice between two models I would go for the younger one because they usually have advanced technology inside.

Cs Harald
Helpful
matthew.maclean avatar
Yes, as expressed already, most of those cameras are quite old. In general, getting the newest model possible would be better as there were generational improvements in noise, dynamic range, iso-invariance, etc. But do realize that many of us on Astrobin are now imaging with dedicated astronomy cameras that are far superior to any of those old DSLR models. I have a 1000D and an 1100D that were used to take a few of the oldest images in my gallery. They were useful for initial learning, but I quickly moved on as I gained some experience.

I purchased each camera used for around $50(USD) on Ebay; that was for the camera body only, so you may be able to find something for less than €150 with a little patience searching on auction sites. I did perform the astro-modification myself on both cameras, which involves taking it apart and removing the filter that reduces the red-sensitivity. There is some risk of damaging the electronics or sensor of course. There are some companies who still perform the modification service, but it probably wouldn't be worth the invested cost on an old camera like those. It is not essential to do the modification, but the un-modified cameras will have very reduced sensitivity to any objects consisting of hydrogen emission.

The 18-55mm lens will be the kit lens that the camera was probably originally sold with. The optical quality will not be great, but anything is useful to learn with. Just be aware that the focal range will be useful only for large regions of the sky or Milky-Way scale shots. Even the largest individual deep-sky objects will typically need a focal length in the 100-300mm range to resolve them with much detail - for example, the Samyang/Rokinon 135mm lens is a popular one for wider-field deep-sky astrophotography.

You also did not mention a mount, so we will all assume that you would be starting with a simple photography tripod. It is fine to start that way, but just be aware that you will be limited to around 5-15 seconds of exposure time before star trails start to become evident. Some kind of tracking mount is needed to take exposures for much longer than that. For any deep-sky objects, most of us are taking individual exposures of several minutes in length with tracking.
Helpful Engaging
Evaggelos avatar
Thanks to everyone that responded! You helped me a lot with your insight and suggestions.
I will indeed be using the camera to learn and it will be the first piece of equipment that I'll buy, meaning I don't own a mound nor a tracking device etc so I will be using a regular tripod for the beginning. 
Also to answer the question of @DanRossi. Both seem very intresting to me but I feel the widefield astrophotography seems less demanding on the hardware equipment side, correct me if I am wrong. 

Again thenks for your advice.
DanRossi avatar
No problem! One thing I would say is that widefield may have a lower barrier of entry, but it certainly still has challenges. 

The biggest challenge is light pollution because the wider the FOV, the more apparent are its effects of washing out faint objects, and it's harder to mitigate in post-processing. Dark skies will be your best factor for success. 

If you don't plan on getting a sky tracker, then your kit lens may hold you back a bit. It's slow (high) f-ratio will limit your signal on each 2-3 second exposure, so you'd probably have to invest in a faster (lower) f-ratio lens.  The Rokinon 14mm and Canon EF 50mm lenses are good budget options, and I'd recommend looking Astrobin photos captured with these lenses. Astrobackyard also has a good article about these on his website.

Lastly, if you go ultra-wide field (probably 50mm or lower in focal length) learning how to properly incorporate foreground subjects (trees, landscapes, buildings) could be something you dive into once you have more experience, but that's not important to get started.
Well Written Helpful Engaging
Related discussions
Hello from Canberra, Australia!
Hello all! My name is Lachlan and I am a 16-year-old (very) amateur astrophotographer (as you might have figured). I started this hobby nearly 2 years ago when I received a telescope from a school fete and got bored by looking at stuff in the sky. Al...
DSLR equipment selection relevant to beginner astrophotographer's journey
Sep 6, 2021
Decent DSLR Lenses under £100.00 for Astro Photography ( just starting out )
Hi i'm just starting out and what to try astro photography, I have picked up a 2nd hand Canon EOS 2000D and now need a lens or 2 , As i'm just starting out and money is low at the moment , im looking for recommendation's of lenses that wi...
Beginner DSLR and equipment selection on tight budget; highly relevant.
Feb 25, 2021