Cheap ultra photo

I see petrochemist has used a telescope, to attach to his camera. Just how do you do that. Where do you buy an adapter to attach such a thing to the camera.

In a previous stint-at-photography life, many eons ago, I used to make my own adaptors and fine-focusing-adjuster goodie bits for macro, microscopes and telescopes. But that requires access to suitable materials and engineering equipment, which alas, I don't have now.

It was fun and too challenging to forget and this time around in the digital age I feel the urge creeping again, and from what I gather from mild researching things seem to have standardised for the better, with the availability of adapters like this:
http://www.adorama.com/LNTMPX.html
I suspect your local camera supplier wherever you live, or eBay, whatever, would have similar goods.

However I remain gravely suspicious that it doesn't stop at the T-mount, meaning another large black-hole to keep throwing wads of money into for more this's and thats... just to get a handful of long distance pics that so many others have done a thousand times before anyway.

Others here currently into that field might be able to provide us both with more details. I hope so.

Meanwhile I'll read on here:
http://tinyurl.com/3xy6vsw

.R.

The type of adapter needed will depend on the scope. For scopes with interchangable eye pieces there are T2 nose pieces made to fit the camera instead of an eyepiece, as well as eyepieces that have T2 threads for the camera and a whole host of other options (with/without the eyepiece fitted)...

Perhaps the cheapest way is to just hold the camera to the eyepiece and photograph the image created by the scope. I've seen some excellent bird images done this way with compact cameras (which don't mount to T2 threads easily)

My £50 Tasco spotting scope actually came with the T mount for a Miranda, so it had all i needed to fit a PK-T2 mount (which I already had)

If you google 'Digiscoping' or perhaps 'astrophotography' you'll get lots of advice on linking cameras & telescopes.

Mike

I bought a t2 adapter on E-Bay for NZ$9.00.

Now looking for a suitable telescope to mount on it.

Any suggestions. Cheapest possible, dont wnt to start an astronomical black hole of cash outgoings.

May have been cheaper to get a 1000mm cheap lens.

My wife wont be happy. While I was looking for a telescope, I came across a 500mm Mirror lens, (Samyang) selling new from Poland 90 UK Pounds, with free shipping. Probably not very good quality, but still worth a try and a bit of fun.

Anyone had any experience of these?

E-bay generally has loads of second hand scopes from people who got them to view the stars & then found it too cold/too much hassle/disappointing images etc.

In general avoid those which claim enormous magnifications these are generally unrealistic.
For use as a telephoto lens a spotting scope is probably a better bet than an dedicated astro model.

Pentax make some excellent scopes! But they fail on your cheapest possible criteria (and are out of my price range too)

You'll find the objective diameter has a huge influence on the price, my £50 budget model has a 60mm objective and is barely adequate for my k100d. Even with a camera with better low light performance I wouldn't recommend going below this. 80mm would be much better.

If your patient with e-bay you can get people relatively local (in the UK at least) selling larger scopes where they've marked them as pick up only - you'll often have less competition in these auctions.

If you check the completed auctions you'll get a reasonable idea of what the prices near you (NZ?) are like.

Good hunting

Mike

Should have read the reviews on the Samyang first before presssing the button. Bit of a cheap lens it appears. Nevertheless, a bit of fun, may work out a use for it, or sell at a loss again. Live and Learn.

Have received the Samyang 500mm, today. Good fast delivery from Poland to New Zealand. Looks like a half decent lens. Am looking forward to trying it out over the next week.

Will report back on how it goes.

Any News?

From what I've read the Samyang 500mm is a good mirror lens, but with the inevitable compromises of a mirror lens such as the doughnut bokeh. I would guess that you have the f8 version for that price rather than the f6.3, so the viewfinder might be a bit dark.

http://www.srb-griturn.com/camera-adaptors-306-c.asp
They will make bespoke adapters too I believe.

Have tried it out handheld so far. A little soft, but understandably so due to hand held mode. Depth of focus is so very small that it takes some work to focus just right. Waiting for a really fine sumnny day to attach to the tripod.