topic What DSLR camera and lenses should I buy??? in General Discussion

What DSLR camera and lenses should I buy???

ShockinGoku327 — Tue, 16 Jun 2020 18:18:01 GMT

so I'm a beginner at astrophotography and I want to know what camera below 500$$$ should I buy and what lenses should I get . I currently own a telescope and a low quality camera for telescope and I want to expand my knowledge and beauty of the universe.

So if yall can give me some options that would be great

Re: What DSLR camera and lenses should I buy???

Waddizzle — Tue, 16 Jun 2020 20:40:05 GMT

You did not say what type of camera you currently own. It might be enough. Astrophotography can be an expensive hobby. If you do not have a quality tracking mount for your telescope, I think that is probably more important than a camera upgrade.

You will also want to have image stacking software, too. There are some quality applications that are free. I suggest that you start small with wide angle photos of the night sky, and work your way up to long exposures using your telescope.

Re: What DSLR camera and lenses should I buy???

ShockinGoku327 — Tue, 16 Jun 2020 23:37:17 GMT

Well its a camera for planetary view it can't get the colors for stars or nebulas.

I got the stacking software aswell but yeah I want a wide field camera so I can build myself up, so you got any ideas you could share???

Re: What DSLR camera and lenses should I buy???

ebiggs1 — Wed, 17 Jun 2020 15:41:12 GMT

I doubt $500 will cover it. But if I were starting from square one today and wanted to do sky photos, I would buy the best Rebel (with no lens) I could afford and the Rokinon 14mm F/2.8 Lens. However, that comes in around $750. If you don't get at least adequate gear, you will not like it and get frustrated quickly. Plus the Rebel also makes a great general purpose camera so it will get used a lot more.

BTW, you need Photoshop, not an option.

Re: What DSLR camera and lenses should I buy???

ShockinGoku327 — Wed, 17 Jun 2020 16:09:43 GMT

Oh I got photoshop and I only meant the price of the camera only , imma buy the other gear aswell like a electronic tripod and wide field lenses. Do you think a Canon t7 would be ok???

Re: What DSLR camera and lenses should I buy???

ebiggs1 — Wed, 17 Jun 2020 16:18:08 GMT

" Do you think a Canon t7 would be ok???"

Probably but I would prefer you get the T7i or the new T8i. I have a friend, Tom Martinez, that has many photos published in astro magazines that used a T2i for years. I used an XTi for years, too. Another word of advice, go slowly. Find out just what you need and don't go buy a bunch of stuff until then. Otherwise you will buy twice or buy stuff you don't want or need.

The Rebel and the Rok will get you going! ...and Photoshop.

Re: What DSLR camera and lenses should I buy???

ebiggs1 — Wed, 17 Jun 2020 16:23:23 GMT

I have never owned one of the crippled Rebels, T6, T7 or I guess a T8 so I don't know just how crippled they are.

I had several of them in my DSLR 101 class and they seemed to work well for general photo use.

Re: What DSLR camera and lenses should I buy???

ShockinGoku327 — Wed, 17 Jun 2020 16:40:14 GMT

Well i guess t7i should do the work for now .

One last question can this camera take planetary images??

Re: What DSLR camera and lenses should I buy???

Waddizzle — Wed, 17 Jun 2020 16:41:03 GMT

@ShockinGoku327 wrote:
Oh I got photoshop and I only meant the price of the camera only , imma buy the other gear aswell like a electronic tripod and wide field lenses. Do you think a Canon t7 would be ok???

A T7 can do an adequate job for wide angle shots of the night sky. Canon is having a Faather's Day sale on camera bodies in the Online Refurbished Store. You can pick one up for more than 50% off the regular list price.

A Rebel T7 and the already mentioned Rokinon 14mm f/2.8 full frame lens would be a pretty good combo. Samyang makes the same lens. There is a 16mm version for APS-C bodies, so avoid that one.

All you would need to round out a "starter package" would be a fairly robust tripod. You should expect to spend upwards of $200 for a good one. You want something that will not wiggle and jiggle in the breeze during a longer exposure.

Look for a tripod that supports upwards of 17 lbs. You want something robust enough to support a tracking mount, like those made by SkyTracker.

Re: What DSLR camera and lenses should I buy???

ShockinGoku327 — Wed, 17 Jun 2020 16:43:44 GMT

can you give me the link to their website to check their prices

Re: What DSLR camera and lenses should I buy???

Waddizzle — Wed, 17 Jun 2020 16:46:09 GMT

There are several models that are more than 50% off. This is just one of the offers for just one model that is on sale.

https://shop.usa.canon.com/shop/en/catalog/refurbished-eos-rebel-t7-ef-s-18-55-with-ef-75-300mm-4-56-iii

You will also need a memory card. I recommend a SandDisk Extreme 32GB full size memory card. No micro-SD cards with an adapter, because the adapters are too unreliable.

Re: What DSLR camera and lenses should I buy???

Waddizzle — Wed, 17 Jun 2020 16:49:57 GMT

@ShockinGoku327 wrote:
can you give me the link to their website to check their prices

I recommend that you visit the B&H Photo Video web site for the Rokinon lens, and a memory card. Sorry, but I cannot post link to the lens or the memory card.

They sell tripods, too. Beware of the tripod kits for under $200, not unless it one that is on sale that normally costs over $200. Avoid the inexpensive travel tripods, too.

Re: What DSLR camera and lenses should I buy???

ShockinGoku327 — Wed, 17 Jun 2020 16:55:51 GMT

This is useful information thanks
So the discounts start on fathers day or are happening now??

Re: What DSLR camera and lenses should I buy???

ebiggs1 — Wed, 17 Jun 2020 17:20:02 GMT

"One last question can this camera take planetary images??"

If you mean the rings of Saturn, than no. But that is the lens not the camera. I had use of the 30" telescope at the Louisburg (now Powell) Observatory. Impressive!

"Well i guess t7i should do the work for now"

If you can swing it, I still would prefer you get it (T7i) over the T7. I am going to assume you will put the T7i to more use than just night sky. The T7i has more useful features for that. As for the tripod thing, here is another point, I made earlier, you don't know what you need. Go slowly. At this point the best option is a "good" steady photographic tripod. It does not have to be very expensive to do WA night sky stuff. Almost no photographic tripod will work as a real dedicated astrophotography tripod.

We have a fantastic astro guy on the web site. If he sees this, he can help you a great deal. His name is Tim Campbell.

Re: What DSLR camera and lenses should I buy???

ShockinGoku327 — Wed, 17 Jun 2020 17:35:05 GMT

Alright thanks for the help

Do you know when they would be more offers and discounts???

Re: What DSLR camera and lenses should I buy???

Waddizzle — Wed, 17 Jun 2020 18:20:17 GMT

@ShockinGoku327 wrote:
Alright thanks for the help

Do you know when they would be more offers and discounts???

The discounts are available now. One or more items are likely to sell out before Father's Day. If you see an item that you like, then I suggest that you may not want to wait. The most attractive always sell out first, of course.

There is no predicting what item will go on sale next. We can only make educated guess as to when stuff will go on sale, base on when past sales have been offered. Canon typically offers a sale in June with a graduation theme, but this year it seems to be a Father's Day theme.

BTW, the T7i is a better camera than the T7, and I would have recommended it, if not for your budget. It is currently on sale for under $500. This item is likely to be one of the first to sell out at any moment.

Re: What DSLR camera and lenses should I buy???

ShockinGoku327 — Wed, 17 Jun 2020 18:34:00 GMT

Oh is it can you link me to it because I tried looking for it I cant find it

Re: What DSLR camera and lenses should I buy???

RobertTheFat — Sat, 25 Jul 2020 22:27:20 GMT

@ShockinGoku327 wrote:
Oh is it can you link me to it because I tried looking for it I cant find it

You need to learn to use Google. Canon won't let us post, in this forum. links to most non-Canon sites.

Re: What DSLR camera and lenses should I buy???

RobertTheFat — Fri, 19 Jun 2020 20:19:16 GMT

@ebiggs1 wrote:
"One last question can this camera take planetary images??"

If you mean the rings of Saturn, than no. But that is the lens not the camera. I had use of the 30" telescope at the Louisburg (now Powell) Observatory. Impressive! ...

You bring back memories, Ernie. I first saw the rings of Saturn through the 15" refractor at the University of Mississippi, when my mother was getting her Master's Degree there. That was almost 70 years ago.

Re: What DSLR camera and lenses should I buy???

ShockinGoku327 — Wed, 17 Jun 2020 22:21:16 GMT

The generation of today have alot of resources and ways to see Saturn's rings , i own a 5" telescope and what I see is incredible thats way I want to do astrophotography to spread what I see so that other people get to see it