A one stop channel for everything you need to know astrophotography related topics, scopes, lenses, mounts, software and the list is endless. If I had to choose only one channel to take on a desert island, this would be my number one choice. 👍😁🔭🇦🇺
Thank you Cuiv, very useful information. I have lots of DSLR lenses and I'm starting to use them now with a star tracker - no reason for buying a telescope before I get more experienced. Thanks for the in-depth explanations and the honest evaluation of the use of these lenses. And I agree, star shapes cannot be so important as some depict. I've seen horrible star spikes and shapes even in Hubble Telescope's images and nobody cares about them when they know that it's a Hubble image.
Cuiv, thanks for another informative, detailed, video...your definitely a top go-to source for Astrophotography...no Backyard fluff!!! You deserve more subscribers!!!
Fantastico!!! This a terrific video Kiev. Thank you for making it and posting. Aptly detailed. Logical. But still clear for the rest of us. Very practical too! Gracias. Continued success friend.
Truly EXCELLENT presentation. Bonus points for pronouncing correctly: Nikon (well, at least once), Samyang; and for not yielding any objects to the Earth's gravity. 🙂
Thank you, this has answered my questions and many I did not think of. Explaining things that are mentioned by many of the well known Astro photographers in their TH-cam videos. I have sales that could use as well as telescopes..... think will stick with telescope for most things. Again thanks for a really informative video
Cuiv, you are amazing! On this very day I will be driving to a dark site to image with my 200mm Canon f2.8 (with stop-down ring inserted) and my ASI1600MC. My rig is just as you describe (but long Vixen rail rather than your Telescop Services rings). So much of this vid points directly at me and my requirements for tonight. Amazing! Thank you!
I've had some good results with my Canon 300 f/2.8L IS. Awesome lens, it's so sharp. Biggest benefit of these lenses is the aperture. I just don't have to have such a long exposure when I stop down to f/4 compared to my Skywatcher ED80 which is f/7.5...
The biggest issue with using lens for astrophotography is the short backfocus. There isn't enough space to fit OAG and a filter wheel, for example, with my current set of ZWO cameras and accessories. Great video, as usual.
That's a very good point - although for lenses an OAG would usually be a bit overkill! But at the same time guidescopes can be a pain to mount... there are definitely quite a few compromises!
Those hats on stars look like something i had with Sony SLT , it had a translucent mirror and this was introducing reflections , it looked almost exactly like those star hats . I would look in to filters you are using , they can do that . And it gets worse the more light there is of course , so it may look like its getting better if you stop down , but is actually due to proximity of the filter to the sensor .
Awesome video! Thanks a lot for all the excellent tips. Your heretic comments about the importance of star shape are really brave :-). Regarding zoom lenses, for those wildlife photographers who already have a long telephoto zoom, I strongly recommend trying it for AP. Not perfect but can be very satisfying for light setups like a skyguider or such cheap trackers.
Thanks Come! Yes, I hope I don't get death threats over my comments on star shapes ;) Fully agree, whatever a photographer already owns should absolutely be used!
Outstanding! Could you further explain using the stop down rings. When I tried it I could see the shadow of each stacked ring during post processing. How many to use? Desired final aperture after starting at f2.8. These are the kind if questions I have. Thanks kindly.
Thank you Andy! Did you have any light shining down your lens? And do you have a lens hood? I haven't see such shadows in my processing. To figure out the final focal ratio, just divide the focal length by the smaller aperture number of the smallest stop down ring!
Yeah, I remember when I was trying to find my target by taking test shots and not seeing anything on the laptop... Looked at the lens (Canon 70-200) and it was covered with dew (while the hood was attached). After that night I ordered a 5V usb dew heater and never had any dew issues since.
This is something i am wrestling with right now. I had a DSLR Canon T5 on a Tamron 150-600mm lens. It worked well together. I bought a zwo asi183mc pro and have been trying to get the back spacing right to achieve infinity focus. So far its not been exact. I may have to lower my spacing just a touch to get focus.
Really enjoyed this one. You were recommended by a FB group and as a beginner to Astrophotography with a s%&@ load of Canon bodies and lenses I have got loads of tips from this, so thank you. Never forget about us newbies with 'Normal' cameras. Next purcase - Step down rings. :)
I have a number of camera lenses (Nikon F-mount) that I think would be decent candidates for astrophotography. I think I already know which one you'll feel is the best for astrophotography (the shortest focal length which happens to be the only prime lens I'm listing), but out of the following, which would be a good for a first attempt: Sigma 135mm f/1.8 Art lens, Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 VRII, or Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 Contemporary. The 135mm is definitely the sharpest, but the 150-600mm gives me the longest reach. The 70-200mm seems to be a good compromise between the two when you balance sharpness and reach. I don't have an issue buying a telescope (I have a 660mm Celestron), but I'm a big believer in using what you already have before buying new equipment. Besides, the Nikkor lens retailed new for almost $2,500 when I bought it years ago so I'm hoping its optical qualities match its price when it comes to astrophotography.
The Sigma 135mm f1.8 Art is a known good lens for astro, but there have been lemons as well - glad yours looks like it is sharp! Definitely try the 70-200mm. When stopped down a bit, I am sure it would perform excellently!
Hi Cuiv. Excellent video, I have faced a lot of the issues, you mention, in the past, and actually tilt is bothering me as we speak! Let me ask you a question: In a Canon DSLR - Canon Lens setup, connected to NINA, how someone can control focus? You said something in the video about windows programs. Many thanks
The safest bet for live view focusing would be Canon's DPP. You won't get an actual FWHM measurement but between the 10x zoom and the micro-steps for focusing it works quite well. If I understand correctly, Bahtinov grabber could be used on the DPP live view window (haven't tried that). The next best option would be APT which does seem to have some decent support for some canon cameras but beware that canon is really going out of their way to make life difficult for third party development and some cameras don't behave that well with APT (e.g. you could be limited to ISO 100). If you feel really desperate, you can try SharpCap but they really don't care about DSLR users and the Canon driver for SharpCap is a nasty hack that requires some level 58 god intervention to work.
To anyone reading this in 2023: I use QDSLRDASHBOARD to do this. I’m not an astrophotographer, but it works. I use it with my Canon and Nikon cameras and you can use Wi-Fi or USB. Best part is that the software is free , and I believe it’s cross platform for Win Mac and Linux. If you’re a nerd and know how to use the command line (even better if you’re familiar with CGI bin or Node child processes ) GPhoto is equally great. I believe Android has more options than iOS (eg QDSLDashboard has an Android version). Cascable should work on iOS. There are mobile app options, but ultimately desktop is still king due to the less restricted echo system. A final option you can look into are follow focus rigs . They range from 30$ to 200 for budget options, but you can DIY them. They come in manual and motorised configurations.
Hi Cuiv, that's some very useful tips thank you !! Still there's something I don't fully understand... By using step-down rings instead of diaphragm, don't you introduce black circle around the image ? Can you use step-down rings only if your camera sensor is smaller than the image circle created by your lens at focal plane ? For example : APC-S sensor with a Full Frame lens. Thank you
Great video. Telescopius is another great site to let you see what your lens/camera combination will capture. Better than Astronomy tools in my opinion.
Thanks Todd! I need to use Telescopius more, and get to using Stellarium - in a very real well, I am "fossilized" in the tools that I use because I am used to them, and I need to try out more stuff.
Hello Cuiv, i have one 75-300mm EF Lents i would like connect it on asi187mc. Before make it I need understand the size of backfocus tube to instal between my canon EF Lents and this camera. Do you have idea, what about backfocus, size to mount in millimeters? Thank you for your answer. Leo.
As a Canon shooter, I am intrigued by the Astromechanics adapter. The trouble is, if I get a monochrome cooled camera and a filter wheel, things are becoming problematic regarding backfocus...
I used the Astromechanics adapter + 183MM Pro + ZWO EFW with a 200mm f2.8 and it worked perfectly well in terms of backfocus, although that was a while ago!
@@CuivTheLazyGeek if I remember correctly, the 183MM has a backfocus around 6.5mm only. Larger sensors like the 2600mm have 17.5mm back focus, causing difficulties at this use case
Hi Cuiv, I love your videos man. Keep them coming. I learned so much these past few days than I have in the past many years. I was curious about the dovetail plate and the rings you have in this video. What is that configuration? any links to where I can check it out. I plan on buying the eq6-r mount with my canon lenses and zwo camerad. So was wondering if it would give me extra added support with the rings so I can attach the lens and the guiding system. Pls advise.
you mentioned you'd have links to. microfocus solutions ? what would you recommend for a canon dslr with canon 300mm F4 L ? i don't really want to have to use a PC. I managed to get qdslrdashboard to work on android but it's pretty flaky. feels like a basic motor controlling focus ring might work better ?
Amazing learning process from your video. I am stuck at ta point, where I cannot figure out how to adjust the Aperture on my Canon lens with ASI 294MC, without having to use a laptop, if that is possible at all. Hope there is a simple solution to that. I will in any case order the 294 cause it is a dedicated astro camera with cooling and will outperform any DSLR even when used with a camera lens. And hoping there is a way to use a drop in filter with the adapter and aperture control.
Great video. I have been looking onto adapting my ZWO 183MC to some of my rokinon lenses. Do you know of a company who makes a filter drawer for this type of setup?
I don't really know of such a company - what I ended up doing before I had the adapter that I have now was unmounting the M48 filter, as you can see here: th-cam.com/video/MkkhwkXAfOU/w-d-xo.html
Well done video ! Samyang/ Rokinon has long been know for pathetic quality control, I have owned three decent ones, but it literally took seven attempts to get them. All suffered from de-centering which is similar (or maybe the same) as the condition you describe. You don't have to pixel peep to see this haha
@@dawgrules1On paper the lens is amazing, but the design is quite ambitious. F/2 with multiple glass elements for correction is just alot that can go wrong. I dont nessesary think Quality Control might be that bad, its just such a difficult lens that QC, while maintaining that price is difficult. I wonder if the lens was perhaps F/2.8 by default and had a simplified design, the performance might be slightly worse, but atleast they might be able to deliver consistent quality.
I wouldn't say a zoom lens is bad, I use one, it makes it possible to shoot at multiple focal lengths. It has its drawbacks and all but it saves me money so I don't have to get 5 different lenses : ^) If you're on a budget I'd say the trade-off is worth it. The stars look wonky as heck some times but personally I don't mind it. But for god's sake, get a bahtinov mask, it's the best investment ever if you don't want or can not use an auto-focuser.
Cuiv, just again a very nice video. Yesterday my Astromechanics focuser arrived which I bought based on your review. Can you tell me, what kind of pipe clamp you are using here?
Excellent that the adapter arrived, I hope it's working well! I assume you're referring to the rings? Those are from a Japanese manufacturer called Electricsheep, which I believe only sells in Japan... Otherwise, I recommend the ZWO rings and standard lens rings.
Hello friend, could you give me a link of the two adaptors (global truss?) and the foot? (sorry, but I don't know the name in English). In spanish is "abrazaderas" and "cola de milano". I would like to buy this hardware :)
Thanks for an excellent video - lots of useful information! I have a question: is it possible to use narrow band filters together with large tele-lenses? e.g. Nikon lenses have a stick-in filter with diameter 40,5 mm. As far as I know, there are no such dimension among astro-filters. Back-focus is too short to install a normal filter wheel. So, could you recommend any solution? Would be greatly appreciated!
I tried desperately to fit my NB filters in a Gelatin filter mount for my 300mm f2.8 Canon lens, but it always failed, and I wouldn't recommend it. There is enough backfocus after the lens to include a filter wheel with the smaller ASI cameras since they have 6.5mm backfocus, including the 1600MM and the 183MM (which is what I did). Another solution is to unmount the filter, as I did here: th-cam.com/video/MkkhwkXAfOU/w-d-xo.html . Good luck!
@@CuivTheLazyGeek Very good advise and instructive video - I will definitely try this solution! Can I ask where to purchase that device to remove filter locking rings? Thx a lot!
Great and very helpful video! Can you provide a link for the adaptor you mentioned? I looked on OPT, but it only seems to work for one Zwo camera (the 1600), and I was hoping there is a more general one? Thanks as usual!
Wow, this was excellent! Do you have any suggestions re: microfocusers? I'm adapting a 300mm f/4 Nikkor and experience with the recent Jupiter/Saturn conjunction told me I need to get a better handle on focus. Thanks and SUBSCRIBED.
Hi Cuiv. I’ve been using Canon lenses and learnt a couple of things here - thanks! Interested in want you purchased as stop down rings on your 300mm. Would like to do the same on my 300mm
Great video! I’ve just acquired an Astromechanics EOS adapter and am planning to use my Canon 70-200mm f/2.8 L series lens. I have a question about using step down rings with a lens. When using step down rings is it recommended to use the next lowest size for a calculated aperture, would it best to use a ring that corresponds to the calculated aperture for a given focal length?
I tend to be far less precise about that - I just use whatever aperture gives me what I feel is acceptable in terms of star shapes. More of a trial and error type of approach. Your lens should give terrific results by the way!
@@CuivTheLazyGeek thanks! I’m using the Mark II version and I’ve always been really happy with its performance. I’m pretty sure that it will provide some excellent results with the Andromeda Galaxy.
Mmmh I don't know for sure - it's true the Canon 300mm f2.8 doesn't have filter threads at the front. I would probably 3D print a masked Gelatin filter at the back in that case, since it does accept those filters.
Hi Cuiv, second time I watch this video as I have the Canon 200mm f2.8 and are considering the 294 or 533 from Zwo. What is the dovetail and rings you use to support the camera and lens? Thanks! :-)
Hi Cuiv. You have a new subscriber 👍 Very interesting video. I’m Fuji user, my camera is an XT4 and I use the Samyang 135mm f2 for astrophoto (200mm FF equivalent). Do you know Fuji lenses ? They have a white 200mm f2 that is huge price but seems to be excellent. I would like to get infos on this lens cause we begin to find some used items on the market. NB : sorry, I write this before to arrive at 60% of your vid ..... 😀
I haven't tested it... But I hear good things about it. The issue is the IS elements, which can shift since there is no power applied to them. So I would recommend non-IS lenses...
Thanks a lot. Sorry! Sure, I meant the non-is version. although it is extremely hard to find one used here in Germany. Also thought about the Canon 200/2.8 but that lens is sometimes even more expensive than the 300/f4. Advantage for the 200/2.8 that I could use an 1.4 extender for a reasonable focal length
in my opinion , main characteristic to seek after on camera lens for astrophotography is the diaphragm blade numbers. Too low and you have strange and strong diffraction spike on bright stars .
It's one factor, but you can work around the diaphragm entirely by using step-down rings (assuming the lens has a filter thread!), or a 3D printed mask. I personally use step-down rings...
Thanks for the good alternative! I am looking to buy the same setup since I am a newbie. I thought of buying a eq6r pro, rasa 8, 294mc, 120mm guide etc but, then I thought it is too much and wife didn't agree rightly so when starting in astrophotography. I finally settled on buying a good tripod and since I have nikon d7200 a used 300 f2.8 non vr version and a star adventurer with a light filter if available. What tripod are you using?
Michael is right on the money there - but with the StarAdventurer, a Benro tripod would work very well, and is much cheaper. SA+Nikon+300mm should give you great results!! Good luck!
Hello Cuiv, thank you for your very informative video. I use Nikon Z7 full spectrum modification + Nikkor and Sigma lenses for my astrophotography. I would like flesh out one more issue regarding camera lens astrophotography especially photography deep sky objects. Some lenses have aperture control mechanism that is under power during exposure. If is exposure time long (lets say couple of minutes) this mechanism produce heat i.e. infrared light. It could complicate astrophotography if you use astro mod camera or dedicated astrophotography camera. If you want test this lens issue, take dark frames together with your lens, upload this image to Lightroom, Photoshop or Pixinsigt and do basic streching. If your lens produce IR light you will see it very clearly. In this case I recommend taking all dark frames together with this lens for next stacking. If it interesting, you can look at some my astro photos taken camera lens at flickr.com/photos/vladimirmachek or Instagram machek.astrophoto. I am looking forward for your next video. Clear skies.
Great videos on your channel, Cuiv! Thanks so much for the enthusiasm you put into your content. It's inspiring. I was wondering if you've ever tried a catadioptric lens coupled with your camera for astrophotography. On paper, they seem great: smaller and lighter than many zoom lenses, and able to get to very high focal lengths. But, I can't seem to find many astrophotographers (using cameras) reviewing these lenses, so I'm a little leery about trying one. Thanks again for all the great content!!
Those lenses are kind of rare! I've never used such a lens, but I know of some who use them as guidescopes (but not as primary scopes). My guess is that since they're at best F6.3, simple refractor-style lenses just make more sense...
@@CuivTheLazyGeek Thanks so much for the reply. I finally found some commentary today at B&H Photo and I think there were several things that would make them poorer choices for astrophotography: As you said, they're slow, they seem to have something called 'bubble-bokah' at certain times (?!), and they seem to have a softer image than some other telephoto lenses. Thanks again for the input!
@@gregerianne3880 I have used a Zeiss Mirotar 500/8 with a speedbooster on m4/3.The speedbooster made the lens look like 350/5.6 which was more manageable, but still much slower than I can handle without autoguiding. The donut effect you mention only applies to out-of-focus highlights, and does not affect starry pics. The main advantage of mirror lenses is their inherent lack of CA, which can make stars appear sharper. The Zeiss is the sharpest I have used, followed very closely by the Olympus OM 500/8. I wouldn't recommend any of the others.
@@aleckennedy6513 Thanks so much for taking the time to relate your experience with that type of lens, Alec. I was totally unfamiliar with using this type of design for a camera!
Funny to see you don’t even own a dslr or mirrorless camera. You don’t take pictures in everyday life except astrophotography? :) Thanks for the information very helpful! Just bought a skywatcher staradventurer, owning a telezoom plus dslr looking into astrophotography.
In the end I bought a Pentax DSLR for its Astrotracer function :) I have a pocket camera for traveling (Lumix LX100), even got one of the pics I took with that camera featured on National Geographic!
That is true for equal focal length, but the used market for lenses is extremely active and that's where great opportunities are. Also it so happens that many already own lenses, so trying them for astro doesn't hurt :)
It absolutely does!! To some extent it's the right thing to do (they're usually a symptom of lower than optimal SNR), but it can get downright nit-picky :)
A one stop channel for everything you need to know astrophotography related topics, scopes, lenses, mounts, software and the list is endless. If I had to choose only one channel to take on a desert island, this would be my number one choice. 👍😁🔭🇦🇺
Hahaha, thanks so much Shevill! :D
Thank you Cuiv, very useful information. I have lots of DSLR lenses and I'm starting to use them now with a star tracker - no reason for buying a telescope before I get more experienced. Thanks for the in-depth explanations and the honest evaluation of the use of these lenses. And I agree, star shapes cannot be so important as some depict. I've seen horrible star spikes and shapes even in Hubble Telescope's images and nobody cares about them when they know that it's a Hubble image.
One of the most comprehensive and easy to watch videos that I have found on using camera lenses for astro.
Thanks!
Great tips Lazy Geek. You touched on many areas. Some I did not know especially about focus. Great Job Cuiv!
Cuiv, thanks for another informative, detailed, video...your definitely a top go-to source for Astrophotography...no Backyard fluff!!!
You deserve more subscribers!!!
backyard fluff?
so much useful information packed into this video, Thank you.
I love the use of the step down rings for stopping down the aperture. Thanks for that.
My pleasure, glad this was helpful! :)
Fantastico!!! This a terrific video Kiev. Thank you for making it and posting.
Aptly detailed. Logical. But still clear for the rest of us. Very practical too!
Gracias. Continued success friend.
Glad it was helpful!
I’m learning so much about optics from the Astro community. That aperture hack has my mind blown.
Glad it's helpful!
So much info, tips and enthusiasm in every single of your videos Cuiv.. your channel is kind of "the astrophotography academy"! Thanks for so much..
Hahaha, maybe I should rename the channel "Cuiv's Astro Academy" ;) Thanks for the feedback, and glad it is helpful!!
Great presentation! Very easy to understand and very informative! definitely a sub!
Thanks Edgar!
Truly EXCELLENT presentation. Bonus points for pronouncing correctly: Nikon (well, at least once), Samyang; and for not yielding any objects to the Earth's gravity. 🙂
Thanks Michael! I didn't drop anything recently, I must be sick or something :D
Finally a channel I can really learn from!
Ah finally ^-^ thank you again for another wonderful video 📹 ❤
My pleasure :) Thanks for watching!
Thank you, this has answered my questions and many I did not think of. Explaining things that are mentioned by many of the well known Astro photographers in their TH-cam videos. I have sales that could use as well as telescopes..... think will stick with telescope for most things. Again thanks for a really informative video
My pleasure Mark, glad this was useful!
Cuiv, you are amazing! On this very day I will be driving to a dark site to image with my 200mm Canon f2.8 (with stop-down ring inserted) and my ASI1600MC. My rig is just as you describe (but long Vixen rail rather than your Telescop Services rings). So much of this vid points directly at me and my requirements for tonight. Amazing! Thank you!
Excellent!! I hope the night went well!
Thank you soo much for this video! Appreciate getting so many important tips and things to know!
Glad it was helpful!
I've had some good results with my Canon 300 f/2.8L IS. Awesome lens, it's so sharp. Biggest benefit of these lenses is the aperture. I just don't have to have such a long exposure when I stop down to f/4 compared to my Skywatcher ED80 which is f/7.5...
Excellent video. Thank you!
First class video! Covered the things to know and beware of brilliantly.
Wow, well done and a lot of good information . Thanks.
The biggest issue with using lens for astrophotography is the short backfocus. There isn't enough space to fit OAG and a filter wheel, for example, with my current set of ZWO cameras and accessories. Great video, as usual.
That's a very good point - although for lenses an OAG would usually be a bit overkill! But at the same time guidescopes can be a pain to mount... there are definitely quite a few compromises!
Those hats on stars look like something i had with Sony SLT , it had a translucent mirror and this was introducing reflections , it looked almost exactly like those star hats . I would look in to filters you are using , they can do that . And it gets worse the more light there is of course , so it may look like its getting better if you stop down , but is actually due to proximity of the filter to the sensor .
Awesome video! Thanks a lot for all the excellent tips. Your heretic comments about the importance of star shape are really brave :-). Regarding zoom lenses, for those wildlife photographers who already have a long telephoto zoom, I strongly recommend trying it for AP. Not perfect but can be very satisfying for light setups like a skyguider or such cheap trackers.
Thanks Come! Yes, I hope I don't get death threats over my comments on star shapes ;) Fully agree, whatever a photographer already owns should absolutely be used!
Outstanding! Could you further explain using the stop down rings. When I tried it I could see the shadow of each stacked ring during post processing. How many to use? Desired final aperture after starting at f2.8. These are the kind if questions I have. Thanks kindly.
Thank you Andy! Did you have any light shining down your lens? And do you have a lens hood? I haven't see such shadows in my processing. To figure out the final focal ratio, just divide the focal length by the smaller aperture number of the smallest stop down ring!
Yeah, I remember when I was trying to find my target by taking test shots and not seeing anything on the laptop... Looked at the lens (Canon 70-200) and it was covered with dew (while the hood was attached). After that night I ordered a 5V usb dew heater and never had any dew issues since.
I had that experienced too :D Dew heaters are magic!
This is something i am wrestling with right now. I had a DSLR Canon T5 on a Tamron 150-600mm lens. It worked well together.
I bought a zwo asi183mc pro and have been trying to get the back spacing right to achieve infinity focus. So far its not been exact. I may have to lower my spacing just a touch to get focus.
Yep, 44mm isn't a lot of space to work with... Good luck!
Really enjoyed this one. You were recommended by a FB group and as a beginner to Astrophotography with a s%&@ load of Canon bodies and lenses I have got loads of tips from this, so thank you. Never forget about us newbies with 'Normal' cameras. Next purcase - Step down rings. :)
I am interested in the adapter you mentioned about attaching a lens to a dedicated astronomy camera. Where can I find one of those?
I have a number of camera lenses (Nikon F-mount) that I think would be decent candidates for astrophotography. I think I already know which one you'll feel is the best for astrophotography (the shortest focal length which happens to be the only prime lens I'm listing), but out of the following, which would be a good for a first attempt: Sigma 135mm f/1.8 Art lens, Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 VRII, or Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 Contemporary. The 135mm is definitely the sharpest, but the 150-600mm gives me the longest reach. The 70-200mm seems to be a good compromise between the two when you balance sharpness and reach. I don't have an issue buying a telescope (I have a 660mm Celestron), but I'm a big believer in using what you already have before buying new equipment. Besides, the Nikkor lens retailed new for almost $2,500 when I bought it years ago so I'm hoping its optical qualities match its price when it comes to astrophotography.
The Sigma 135mm f1.8 Art is a known good lens for astro, but there have been lemons as well - glad yours looks like it is sharp! Definitely try the 70-200mm. When stopped down a bit, I am sure it would perform excellently!
Great job on explaining a bit complicated subject. 👍 Thanks.
Watching with pop corn on a fascinating yet time-consuming subject: lens for astrophotography
Amazing video, thank you so much!
Thank you Alessandro!
Hi Cuiv. Excellent video, I have faced a lot of the issues, you mention, in the past, and actually tilt is bothering me as we speak! Let me ask you a question: In a Canon DSLR - Canon Lens setup, connected to NINA, how someone can control focus? You said something in the video about windows programs. Many thanks
Unfortunately NINA doesn't support it - some software do implement it, but which one escapes me right now. The SDK is apparently a nightmare though...
The safest bet for live view focusing would be Canon's DPP. You won't get an actual FWHM measurement but between the 10x zoom and the micro-steps for focusing it works quite well. If I understand correctly, Bahtinov grabber could be used on the DPP live view window (haven't tried that). The next best option would be APT which does seem to have some decent support for some canon cameras but beware that canon is really going out of their way to make life difficult for third party development and some cameras don't behave that well with APT (e.g. you could be limited to ISO 100). If you feel really desperate, you can try SharpCap but they really don't care about DSLR users and the Canon driver for SharpCap is a nasty hack that requires some level 58 god intervention to work.
To anyone reading this in 2023: I use QDSLRDASHBOARD to do this. I’m not an astrophotographer, but it works. I use it with my Canon and Nikon cameras and you can use Wi-Fi or USB. Best part is that the software is free , and I believe it’s cross platform for Win Mac and Linux. If you’re a nerd and know how to use the command line (even better if you’re familiar with CGI bin or Node child processes ) GPhoto is equally great. I believe Android has more options than iOS (eg QDSLDashboard has an Android version). Cascable should work on iOS. There are mobile app options, but ultimately desktop is still king due to the less restricted echo system. A final option you can look into are follow focus rigs . They range from 30$ to 200 for budget options, but you can DIY them. They come in manual and motorised configurations.
Hi Cuiv, that's some very useful tips thank you !! Still there's something I don't fully understand... By using step-down rings instead of diaphragm, don't you introduce black circle around the image ? Can you use step-down rings only if your camera sensor is smaller than the image circle created by your lens at focal plane ? For example : APC-S sensor with a Full Frame lens. Thank you
Great video. Telescopius is another great site to let you see what your lens/camera combination will capture. Better than Astronomy tools in my opinion.
Thanks Todd! I need to use Telescopius more, and get to using Stellarium - in a very real well, I am "fossilized" in the tools that I use because I am used to them, and I need to try out more stuff.
Hello Cuiv, i have one 75-300mm EF Lents i would like connect it on asi187mc. Before make it I need understand the size of backfocus tube to instal between my canon EF Lents and this camera. Do you have idea, what about backfocus, size to mount in millimeters? Thank you for your answer. Leo.
Great video! Would you be able to link me those camera/lens rings/dovetail that you have mounted? Thats one of my issues I suspect
😀 this is my hobby I want to get into and
Stage Lighting and love photography
👻
As a Canon shooter, I am intrigued by the Astromechanics adapter. The trouble is, if I get a monochrome cooled camera and a filter wheel, things are becoming problematic regarding backfocus...
I used the Astromechanics adapter + 183MM Pro + ZWO EFW with a 200mm f2.8 and it worked perfectly well in terms of backfocus, although that was a while ago!
@@CuivTheLazyGeek if I remember correctly, the 183MM has a backfocus around 6.5mm only. Larger sensors like the 2600mm have 17.5mm back focus, causing difficulties at this use case
15:15 will heating the lense not cause air disturbances in front of it and worsen the seeing?
Hi Cuiv, I love your videos man. Keep them coming. I learned so much these past few days than I have in the past many years. I was curious about the dovetail plate and the rings you have in this video. What is that configuration? any links to where I can check it out. I plan on buying the eq6-r mount with my canon lenses and zwo camerad. So was wondering if it would give me extra added support with the rings so I can attach the lens and the guiding system. Pls advise.
you mentioned you'd have links to. microfocus solutions ? what would you recommend for a canon dslr with canon 300mm F4 L ? i don't really want to have to use a PC. I managed to get qdslrdashboard to work on android but it's pretty flaky. feels like a basic motor controlling focus ring might work better ?
Amazing learning process from your video. I am stuck at ta point, where I cannot figure out how to adjust the Aperture on my Canon lens with ASI 294MC, without having to use a laptop, if that is possible at all. Hope there is a simple solution to that. I will in any case order the 294 cause it is a dedicated astro camera with cooling and will outperform any DSLR even when used with a camera lens. And hoping there is a way to use a drop in filter with the adapter and aperture control.
Great video. I have been looking onto adapting my ZWO 183MC to some of my rokinon lenses. Do you know of a company who makes a filter drawer for this type of setup?
I don't really know of such a company - what I ended up doing before I had the adapter that I have now was unmounting the M48 filter, as you can see here: th-cam.com/video/MkkhwkXAfOU/w-d-xo.html
Well done video ! Samyang/ Rokinon has long been know for pathetic quality control, I have owned three decent ones, but it literally took seven attempts to get them. All suffered from de-centering which is similar (or maybe the same) as the condition you describe. You don't have to pixel peep to see this haha
I bought one and it could not reach infinity focus. Returned and got a new one recently but haven't been able to test yet.
@@CaptainZuul Yep, they are VERY hit or miss. All good if ya keep your expectations low and are willing to go through the necessary monkey-motion haha
@@dawgrules1On paper the lens is amazing, but the design is quite ambitious. F/2 with multiple glass elements for correction is just alot that can go wrong.
I dont nessesary think Quality Control might be that bad, its just such a difficult lens that QC, while maintaining that price is difficult.
I wonder if the lens was perhaps F/2.8 by default and had a simplified design, the performance might be slightly worse, but atleast they might be able to deliver consistent quality.
I wouldn't say a zoom lens is bad, I use one, it makes it possible to shoot at multiple focal lengths. It has its drawbacks and all but it saves me money so I don't have to get 5 different lenses : ^) If you're on a budget I'd say the trade-off is worth it. The stars look wonky as heck some times but personally I don't mind it. But for god's sake, get a bahtinov mask, it's the best investment ever if you don't want or can not use an auto-focuser.
Completely agree - work with what you have!
What is that mount mr. Cuiv? Looks very interesting and portable
Cuiv: what adapter do you use to connect cannon lenses to Color ZWO, like the 553MC Pro
I use the Astromechanics adapter: astromechanics.org/
Any leads where I can get the telescope rings your using on the lens?
What is the mount you show in this video?
I think Cuiv said it was the Skywatcher AZ-GTi:
th-cam.com/video/xJmntIr50lk/w-d-xo.html
Absolutely correct, the SW AZ-GTi :)
Cuiv, just again a very nice video. Yesterday my Astromechanics focuser arrived which I bought based on your review. Can you tell me, what kind of pipe clamp you are using here?
Excellent that the adapter arrived, I hope it's working well! I assume you're referring to the rings? Those are from a Japanese manufacturer called Electricsheep, which I believe only sells in Japan... Otherwise, I recommend the ZWO rings and standard lens rings.
Hello friend, could you give me a link of the two adaptors (global truss?) and the foot? (sorry, but I don't know the name in English). In spanish is "abrazaderas" and "cola de milano".
I would like to buy this hardware :)
Thanks for your tips.
My pleasure Suwat, glad this is helpful!
Thanks for an excellent video - lots of useful information! I have a question: is it possible to use narrow band filters together with large tele-lenses? e.g. Nikon lenses have a stick-in filter with diameter 40,5 mm. As far as I know, there are no such dimension among astro-filters. Back-focus is too short to install a normal filter wheel. So, could you recommend any solution?
Would be greatly appreciated!
I tried desperately to fit my NB filters in a Gelatin filter mount for my 300mm f2.8 Canon lens, but it always failed, and I wouldn't recommend it. There is enough backfocus after the lens to include a filter wheel with the smaller ASI cameras since they have 6.5mm backfocus, including the 1600MM and the 183MM (which is what I did). Another solution is to unmount the filter, as I did here: th-cam.com/video/MkkhwkXAfOU/w-d-xo.html . Good luck!
@@CuivTheLazyGeek Very good advise and instructive video - I will definitely try this solution! Can I ask where to purchase that device to remove filter locking rings? Thx a lot!
very good video, how can you control canon lens aperture with zwo camera?
The Astromechanics Adapter lets you control the aperture and focus
Great and very helpful video! Can you provide a link for the adaptor you mentioned? I looked on OPT, but it only seems to work for one Zwo camera (the 1600), and I was hoping there is a more general one? Thanks as usual!
www.astromechanics.org/ascom.html here it is!
@@CuivTheLazyGeek I guess this doesn't work for us here in the U.S. I'll keep looking, thanks!
@@BRP42 They do ship to the US afaik
That or the site is down for a bit. :)
Wow, this was excellent! Do you have any suggestions re: microfocusers? I'm adapting a 300mm f/4 Nikkor and experience with the recent Jupiter/Saturn conjunction told me I need to get a better handle on focus. Thanks and SUBSCRIBED.
The Teleskop Service one works pretty well, as long as you don't try to motorize it.
Do you have a link to the smart Canon mount lens adaptor that you mentioned?
astromechanics.org/
Stephane Lucas Thank you! :)
Hi Cuiv. I’ve been using Canon lenses and learnt a couple of things here - thanks!
Interested in want you purchased as stop down rings on your 300mm. Would like to do the same on my 300mm
Awesome! Enjoy!
Great video! I’ve just acquired an Astromechanics EOS adapter and am planning to use my Canon 70-200mm f/2.8 L series lens. I have a question about using step down rings with a lens. When using step down rings is it recommended to use the next lowest size for a calculated aperture, would it best to use a ring that corresponds to the calculated aperture for a given focal length?
I tend to be far less precise about that - I just use whatever aperture gives me what I feel is acceptable in terms of star shapes. More of a trial and error type of approach. Your lens should give terrific results by the way!
@@CuivTheLazyGeek thanks! I’m using the Mark II version and I’ve always been really happy with its performance. I’m pretty sure that it will provide some excellent results with the Andromeda Galaxy.
Hi. Is it possible to get step down rings for Canon 300mm f2.8 ?
Mmmh I don't know for sure - it's true the Canon 300mm f2.8 doesn't have filter threads at the front. I would probably 3D print a masked Gelatin filter at the back in that case, since it does accept those filters.
does anyone have a link to the lens adapter Cuiv is using please?
Sorry, here it is: astromechanics.org/
cheers Cuiv!
What’s the best mirror lense
Hi Cuiv. What rings are those? I'm thinking of doing something similar, but want to securely mount my kit to the EQ6-R
They're from a Japanese company called Electric Sheep
@@CuivTheLazyGeek thanks! I've been in touch with them, they have some nice kit :)
Hi Cuiv, second time I watch this video as I have the Canon 200mm f2.8 and are considering the 294 or 533 from Zwo. What is the dovetail and rings you use to support the camera and lens? Thanks! :-)
The rings are actually only available in Japan! It's a small local company that makes them...
Hi Cuiv. You have a new subscriber 👍 Very interesting video. I’m Fuji user, my camera is an XT4 and I use the Samyang 135mm f2 for astrophoto (200mm FF equivalent). Do you know Fuji lenses ? They have a white 200mm f2 that is huge price but seems to be excellent. I would like to get infos on this lens cause we begin to find some used items on the market. NB : sorry, I write this before to arrive at 60% of your vid ..... 😀
Welcome to the channel JB! Unfortunately I've never used Fuji lenses so I really can't say... Is that a lens you could try renting? Good luck!
Cuiv, The Lazy Geek Yes ..... that could be a good option .....
Any idea about the Canon 300 f/4 L IS USM?
I haven't tested it... But I hear good things about it. The issue is the IS elements, which can shift since there is no power applied to them. So I would recommend non-IS lenses...
Thanks a lot. Sorry! Sure, I meant the non-is version. although it is extremely hard to find one used here in Germany. Also thought about the Canon 200/2.8 but that lens is sometimes even more expensive than the 300/f4. Advantage for the 200/2.8 that I could use an 1.4 extender for a reasonable focal length
I had such good luck with a zoom 55 to 300 lense but it’s only good when it’s at 55 or 300 it has pin point stars it’s only 300 bucks
Very informative.
Glad it was helpful!
in my opinion , main characteristic to seek after on camera lens for astrophotography is the diaphragm blade numbers. Too low and you have strange and strong diffraction spike on bright stars .
It's one factor, but you can work around the diaphragm entirely by using step-down rings (assuming the lens has a filter thread!), or a 3D printed mask. I personally use step-down rings...
@@CuivTheLazyGeek Clever but you loose how many stops ?
bro👍 great work
Thank you!
great video, cuiv
Are mirror lenses good
That guide scope looks like a Geiger counter hotdog probe.
I like to be stylish while doing astrophotography :D
@@CuivTheLazyGeek Who doesn't?! I own a Ludlum 12 unit with a variety of sensors. Came in handy during an Iodine 131 treatment.
Thanks for the good alternative! I am looking to buy the same setup since I am a newbie. I thought of buying a eq6r pro, rasa 8, 294mc, 120mm guide etc but, then I thought it is too much and wife didn't agree rightly so when starting in astrophotography.
I finally settled on buying a good tripod and since I have nikon d7200 a used 300 f2.8 non vr version and a star adventurer with a light filter if available. What tripod are you using?
TH-camr_007, I think it is the expensive Sightron Japan carbon fiber.
Michael is right on the money there - but with the StarAdventurer, a Benro tripod would work very well, and is much cheaper. SA+Nikon+300mm should give you great results!! Good luck!
I have a 300 mm f5 lense it’s a beautifull lense it has perfect pinpoint star shaped
Hello Cuiv, thank you for your very informative video. I use Nikon Z7 full spectrum modification + Nikkor and Sigma lenses for my astrophotography. I would like flesh out one more issue regarding camera lens astrophotography especially photography deep sky objects. Some lenses have aperture control mechanism that is under power during exposure. If is exposure time long (lets say couple of minutes) this mechanism produce heat i.e. infrared light. It could complicate astrophotography if you use astro mod camera or dedicated astrophotography camera. If you want test this lens issue, take dark frames together with your lens, upload this image to Lightroom, Photoshop or Pixinsigt and do basic streching. If your lens produce IR light you will see it very clearly. In this case I recommend taking all dark frames together with this lens for next stacking. If it interesting, you can look at some my astro photos taken camera lens at flickr.com/photos/vladimirmachek or Instagram machek.astrophoto. I am looking forward for your next video. Clear skies.
Oh wow, I had no idea about that! Thanks for pointing it out!
Great videos on your channel, Cuiv! Thanks so much for the enthusiasm you put into your content. It's inspiring. I was wondering if you've ever tried a catadioptric lens coupled with your camera for astrophotography. On paper, they seem great: smaller and lighter than many zoom lenses, and able to get to very high focal lengths. But, I can't seem to find many astrophotographers (using cameras) reviewing these lenses, so I'm a little leery about trying one. Thanks again for all the great content!!
Those lenses are kind of rare! I've never used such a lens, but I know of some who use them as guidescopes (but not as primary scopes). My guess is that since they're at best F6.3, simple refractor-style lenses just make more sense...
@@CuivTheLazyGeek Thanks so much for the reply. I finally found some commentary today at B&H Photo and I think there were several things that would make them poorer choices for astrophotography: As you said, they're slow, they seem to have something called 'bubble-bokah' at certain times (?!), and they seem to have a softer image than some other telephoto lenses. Thanks again for the input!
@@gregerianne3880 I have used a Zeiss Mirotar 500/8 with a speedbooster on m4/3.The speedbooster made the lens look like 350/5.6 which was more manageable, but still much slower than I can handle without autoguiding.
The donut effect you mention only applies to out-of-focus highlights, and does not affect starry pics.
The main advantage of mirror lenses is their inherent lack of CA, which can make stars appear sharper.
The Zeiss is the sharpest I have used, followed very closely by the Olympus OM 500/8. I wouldn't recommend any of the others.
@@aleckennedy6513 Thanks so much for taking the time to relate your experience with that type of lens, Alec. I was totally unfamiliar with using this type of design for a camera!
Funny to see you don’t even own a dslr or mirrorless camera. You don’t take pictures in everyday life except astrophotography? :) Thanks for the information very helpful! Just bought a skywatcher staradventurer, owning a telezoom plus dslr looking into astrophotography.
In the end I bought a Pentax DSLR for its Astrotracer function :) I have a pocket camera for traveling (Lumix LX100), even got one of the pics I took with that camera featured on National Geographic!
Camera lenses are more pricy then refractory lenses by 2 to 5 times. For a given focal lenght.
That is true for equal focal length, but the used market for lenses is extremely active and that's where great opportunities are. Also it so happens that many already own lenses, so trying them for astro doesn't hurt :)
The whole astrophotography community focuses on star shapes...LMAO!
It absolutely does!! To some extent it's the right thing to do (they're usually a symptom of lower than optimal SNR), but it can get downright nit-picky :)
first again!
Woohoo again :D
After three minutes I didn't feel like I was learning anything basic. :(
Skill issue