Table of Contents
Foreword
With the different tiers covered in the first part of the series “Starting with Astrophotography” (Equipment Tiers), this part will focus on concrete equipment suggestions based on the there defined Tiers and Levels.
Over the past weeks – and over the past year – I gathered experience and helped a lot of people with equipment suggestions over time, with this article you will benefit from my – and lots of other peers – knowledge. Every suggestion includes the approximate price (calculated with German VAT, which is 19%, you have to factor that in) and each level will have an approximate total cost when buying everything of that level at the same time.
Some suggestions listed here were made based on suggestions of peers and I can tell little about them, but they should perform more than just fine. It is to be noted that some equipment stays the same in between all Tiers and Levels, like DSLRs. For further information, read the appendix “Why the same DSLR?” and “A word about Astro DSLRs“.
Thanks for Windston, Machinza, Frito, Orlet, Polarift and RononDex from Discord for their example equipment images for the banner.
Thanks to everyone who helped me gathering suggestions, proof read this article and gave me feedback on everything. Your help was and is very much appreciated.
Part 2: Equipment Suggestions
This equipment suggestion list will stop at the Pro Level of Mid Tier equipment. If you are that far in the progression you will likely have your own opinion on what is good and what you want to get next. There is also so much equipment to choose from that it gets incredibly hard to give proper suggestions. Setups will vary a lot by that point, which means that every suggestion has to be personalized.
My general suggestion for acquiring equipment is: buy used if you can. Most Astro folks take very good care of their equipment and there’s almost nothing that can go wrong. You can save easily up to 50% or more on each part, which might allow you to get higher Tiers or Levels utilizing the same amount of money. Some equipment I mention is also relatively old and can only be acquired used. The pricing will be based on German prices since those are the ones I know fairly well. The price of each item thus may vary depending on your dealer and where you come from. Keep in mind that all prices include (German) 19% VAT, that includes the conversions to USD.
This guide will only cover Canon or Nikon DSLRs as suggestions. To see why, read the Appendix “Canon and Nikon? No love for Olympus/Fuji/Sony/Pentax/<insert your brand here>?” and “Where are the Mirrorless suggestions?“.
Every Level has entries marked with a (+) sign. This means that this component is a straight upgrade from the previous Level. Every Level or Tier has a link to the appropriate entry in the Starting with Astrophotography Part 1: Equipment Tiers article too.
For a list of retailers, which carry a lot of Astro related equipment, check out the retailer list on my Links page. It’s by far not exhaustive but should get you started. Otherwise consult the search engine of your choice for local retailers. Not all retailers might carry all gear, but some might have equivalents to the gear I suggest here. This is why the General notes for most suggested equipment exist.
There is no need to buy everything from a specific Level of a Tier at once. You can easily progress through various tiers or jump levels. You can mix and match equipment just as you like. The suggestions are just general rough suggestions based on what you want to do and how much money you can spend. This is by far not an exhaustive list of equipment and there might just as well be lenses or scopes that have good value that I am not aware of. If you have comments or suggestions for equipment you see fitting for a specific Level, contact me or drop a comment below.
Before buying anything, consider what way you want to go and what you want achieve long-term. Set a goal and work towards it. Some equipment is going to be replaced in higher Levels or Tiers, so some purchases might be redundant. Eventually it could be wise to save a bit of money and get something from a higher Level or Tier instead.
Low Tier (~200€-1300€ / $240-$1520)
The Low Tier is for photographing ultra widefield up to widefield shots and capture large DSOs. Each level improves on each other and allows you to shoot fainter and smaller DSO. The descriptions of each Level will reflect the differences from the previous Level as well as the scope.
Entry Level (~200€ / $240)
The most basic level of Astrophotography you could do. If you own a DSLR you’re very likely good already to take shots. Even smartphones can produce acceptable pictures if you have the option to shoot RAW images. Tripods are optional, since you can just lay the camera on the ground or prop it up somehow. Intervalometers can help, but if the camera has one built-in they are not necessary.
Camera
Generally: Anything newer than the suggestions will do if already available. If you have a camera already try what you have before buying anything.
- Any smartphone will do, RAW capture possibility strongly preferred
- Nikon
- D5100 (~200€ / $240 used)
- D5300 (~400€ / $470 used)
- Canon
- T3 / 1100D (~150€ / $175 used)
- T3i / 600D (~300€ / $350 used)
Lens / Scope
Generally: 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 (~30-50€ / $35-60 used)
- Included with Camera Kit
Optional: Tripod
Generally: Any cheap tripod will do
- Bower VTSL7200 (~25€ / $30)
Optional: Intervalometer
- Internal Intervalometer of your DSLR up to 30s (Free)
- External Intervalometer (cheapest you can get for your model that allows programming)
- Examples: Neewer, Rollei, QUMOX, etc. (~13-25€ / $15-$30)
Software
- DeepSkyStacker, Photoshop, Lightroom, GIMP
Intermediate Level (~450€ / $525)
Improving the quality of the lens will vastly improve the quality of the images. A tripod becomes a necessity to frame images properly. A sturdy tripod with a detachable ball-head or pan-head is recommended and will be useful for the next level as well. If you are DIY inclined you can build a barn door tracker to follow the sky and take longer exposures. Should you go that route an intervalometer becomes a necessity for bulb exposures over 30s.
Camera
Generally: Anything newer than the suggestions will do if already available. If you have a camera already try what you have before buying anything.
- Nikon
- D5100 (~200€ / $240 used)
- D5300 (~400€ / $470 used)
- Canon
- T3 / 1100D (~150€ / $175 used)
- T3i / 600D (~300€ / $350 used)
Lens / Scope (+)
Generally: Wide lenses up to 50mm with fast focal ratios (a low f number if you are not used to that terminology)
- Canon
- EF 50mm f/1.8 STM (~120€ / $140)
- EF 50mm f/1.4 USM (~290€ / $340)
- Nikon
- AF-S DX 35mm f/1.8G (~180€ / $210)
- AF-S DX 50mm f/1.8G (~210€ / $244)
Tripod (+)
Generally: Heavy duty tripods that can carry up to 10kg of equipment (future-proofing, stability).
- Vanguard VEO 265AB (~120€ / $140)
- BONFOTO 55″ B671C Carbon Fiber Travel Tripod (~130€ / $150)
Optional: Barn Door Tracker
- DIY Barn Door Tracker (~50-80€ / $60-95)
- Nyx Tech Tracker (~$89)
Optional: Intervalometer
- Internal Intervalometer of your DSLR up to 30s (Free)
- External Intervalometer (cheapest you can get for your model that allows programming)
- Examples: Neewer, Rollei, QUMOX, etc. (~13-25€ / $15-$30)
Software
- DeepSkyStacker, Photoshop, Lightroom, GIMP
Pro Level (~1300€ / $1520)
A proper sky tracker allows you to take extremely long exposures. Longer focal lenses can be used, yielding more detail on larger and smaller DSO. This setup will still work just as well for ultra widefield shots and increase the quality of them as well. An intervalometer becomes necessary if you want to shoot longer than 30s. Usable lens selection increases and you can use slower lenses just as well since you can expose for longer. Processing efforts and difficulty will increase to get really good results. PixInsight becomes recommended.
Camera
Generally: Anything newer than the suggestions will do if already available. If you have a camera already try what you have before buying anything.
- Nikon
- D5100 (~200€ / $240 used)
- D5300 (~400€ / $470 used)
- Canon
- T3 / 1100D (~150€ / $175 used)
- T3i / 600D (~300€ / $350 used)
Lens
Generally: Prime lenses up to 200mm. Telezooms (even cheap ones) will also do, but won’t offer the best possible image quality. Mind that large primes can be very expensive.
- All from previous Intermediate Level
- Samyang 135mm f/2 (~550€ / $640)
- Canon 70-200mm f/4 L (~650€ / $750)
Tripod
Generally: Heavy duty tripods that can carry up to 10kg of equipment
- Vanguard VEO 265AB (~120€ / $140)
- BONFOTO 55″ B671C Carbon Fiber Travel Tripod (~130€ / $150)
Tracker / Mount (+)
Generally: Any small star tracker will do, Star Adventurer is my personal preference.
- SkyWatcher Star Adventurer (~400€ / $470 full set)
- SkyWatcher Star Adventurer Mini (~320€ / $370)
- iOptron SkyGuider Pro (~450€ / $525)
- Vixen Polarie (~400€ / $470)
Intervalometer (+)
- External Intervalometer (cheapest you can get for your model that allows programming)
- Examples: Neewer, Rollei, QUMOX, etc. (~13-25€ / $15-$30)
Software
- PixInsight (~270€ / $320)
- (DeepSkyStacker, Photoshop, Lightroom, GIMP)
Mid Tier (~1500€-4500€ / $1750-$5250)
Mid Tier will allow you to capture most, if not all, DSO depending on your equipment level. Some hardware from Entry Tier can be re-purposed, but for images of best quality you will have to change your equipment part after part in the long run. Mobile Power supplies become necessary to be able to shoot from anywhere but home since proper mounts require an external power supply. PixInsight becomes a necessity to properly process your images.
To decide whether you rather want a reflecting or refracting telescope refer to the Appendix “Reflector or Refractor?” for some pro and contra for both telescope types.
While the suggestions for equipment will rank up in terms of FOV (meaning, smaller FOV) during the levels, keep in mind that you can keep using smaller focal length lenses or telescopes with better equipment (especially monochrome Astro Cameras) to get better shots than before as well.
Different DSO will require various focal lengths so there is no “one size fits all” approach. You are free to mix and match. Increasing the scope size and thus weight will need an increase in terms of mount capacity to properly carry the load.
Entry Level (~1500€ / $1750)
The Entry Level adds your first “real” Astro mount with Go-To functionality which allows you to slew to any object you want to capture that night. Small refracting telescopes will give you a smaller FOV and thus more detail in smaller DSO than lenses. Last really usable level for mirrorless cameras, if you use them. First level that will need an external power source like a battery or wall plug. Suggested mounts are really very entry-level and limited by their quality. Consider getting a mount from a higher Level to prevent repurchasing a larger mount to wield larger telescopes later.
Camera
Generally: Anything newer than the suggestions will do if already available. If you have a camera already try what you have before buying anything.
You might consider doing a DIY Astro-Modification.
- Nikon
- D5100 (~200€ / $240 used)
- D5300 (~400€ / $470 used)
- Canon
- T3 / 1100D (~150€ / $175 used)
- T3i / 600D (~300€ / $350 used)
Lens / Scope
Generally: 60-70mm Refractor Telescopes, FPL53 strongly recommended, Triplets recommended
- William Optics ZenithStar 61 (~500€ / $580)
- TS Optics PhotoLine 60mm f/6 FPL53 (~400€ / $470)
- TS Optics PhotoLine 72mm f/5.5 FPL53 (~500€ / $580)
- Omegon Telescope Pro APO AP 66/400 ED OTA (~400€ / $470)
- Samyang 135mm (~550€ / $640)
Mount
Generally: Cheap entry level mount with Go-To functionality
- Skywatcher NEQ3-2 GOTO SkyScan (~560€ / $650)
- iOptron SmartEQ Pro (~550€ / $640)
- External Intervalometer (cheapest you can get for your model that allows programming)
- Examples: Neewer, Rollei, QUMOX, etc. (~13-25€ / $15-$30)
Battery
Generally: There are ready made Power Tanks available by SkyWatcher and other manufacturers, they are comparatively expensive and low capacity, though. A DIY approach is recommended; an article for that will be published in the future.
- 10Ah 12V Deep Cycle AGM Battery (DIY) (~50€ / $60)
Software
- PixInsight (~270€ / $320)
Intermediate Level (~2500€ / $3000)
The first :evel where actual Astro cameras come into play. Uncooled Astro CMOS will give you a true raw image compared to the previously used DSLR cameras. Consider getting a cooled color Astro camera if you want to stick with OSC. This Level will require a Laptop that will care for guiding the mount and to possibly control your camera (strictly necessary for Astro cameras) or mount as well. Alternatively stand-alone guide systems can be used if you don’t want to use a Laptop and stick to a DSLR or Mirrorless camera. Mind the cost increase of using a stand-alone guide system, though. Correctors or Flatteners for the scope become a necessity to get the best possible images. The mount will be able to carry a smaller refractor or reflector without issues.
Camera (+)
Generally for DSLR: Anything newer than the suggestions will do if already available. If you have a camera already try what you have before buying anything.
Astro-Modified! DIY Astro-Modification can be done for less than 30€.
- Nikon
- D5100 (~200€ / $240 used)
- D5300 (~400€ / $470 used)
- Canon
- T3 / 1100D (~150€ / $175 used)
- T3i / 600D (~300€ / $350 used)
Generally for Astro Cameras: A somewhat large-ish sensor, uncooled, OSC. Cooled preferred if you choose to keep it for a while for better results.
- Astro Cameras
Scope (+)
Generally: Telescopes up to 8kg weight to not overstretch the mount loading capacity. For Newtons f/5 or f/4 is recommended. If f/4 take the suggested Coma Corrector from Pro level. Newtons will offer more focal length than Refractors but for the cost of more effort (Collimation). Don’t take anything without a dual-speed focuser.
- All from Entry Level
- Newton
- SkyWatcher 5″ PDS f/5 (~250€ / $290)
- SkyWatcher 6″ PDS f/5 (~310€ / $360)
- TS-PHOTON 6″ f/5 (~250€ / $290)
- GSO 6″ f/5 (~250€ / $290)
- Refractor
- TS Optics Photoline 80mm f/6.25 FPL53 Triplet (~ 1100€ / $1280)
- TS Optics Photoline 102mm f/7 FPL53 Triplet (~ 1850€ / $2155)
- SkyWatcher Espirit ED80 f/5 FPL53 Triplet (~1200€ / $1400)
- SkyWatcher Espirit ED100 f/5.5 FPL53 Triplet (~1900€ / $2215)
- William Optics FLT-98 f/6.3 FPL53 Triplet (~1900€ / $2215)
Correctors / Flatteners (+)
- Newton Coma Corrector
- Baader MPCC Mk1/Mk3 (~160€ / $185)
- Refractor Field Flattener
- Heavily depending on the telescope, check suggestions on the site where you buy it (~100-200€ / $120-230)
Mount (+)
Generally: Heavier computerized Go-To mounts which carry up to 12kg of equipment.
- SkyWatcher HEQ5 / Orion Sirius (~1100€ / $1280)
- SkyWatcher AZ-EQ-5 (~1300€ / $1500)
- Celestron AVX (~1000€ / $1150)
- Technically outclassed by the other mounts in the category
- iOptron CEM25 (~1300€ / $1500)
Guiding with Computer Assistance (+)
Generally: Small sensor camera with high QE. Colored sensors also work. Guide Scope should be fast and at least 180mm focal length.
- Camera
- QHY5L-II-M (~240€ / $280)
- ZWO ASI 120 MM (~170€ / $200)
- 50mm or more Guide Scope faster than f/4 (~150€ / $175)
- Laptop, see: Computer Automation
Alternative: Guiding without Computer Assistance (+)
- M-GEN (~700€ / $820)
- Also takes over camera bulb shutter control
Intervalometer (not recommended)
- External Intervalometer (cheapest you can get for your model that allows programming)
- Examples: Neewer, Rollei, QUMOX, etc. (~13-25€ / $15-$30)
- Not possible with an Astro Camera!
- Only necessary if you don’t use Computer Automation or don’t use the MGEN
Alternative/Optional: Computer Automation
- Laptop with long lasting battery, 4GB RAM and a semi-strong CPU. Battery power wins out. (~400€ / $470)
- Recommended Software: NINA (Capture), PhD2 (Guiding), Cartes du Ciel or Stellarium for more advanced mount control and slewing, PlateSolve 2 or local Astrometry for platesolving
Battery
Generally: There are ready made Power Tanks available by SkyWatcher and other manufacturers, they are comparatively expensive and low capacity, though. A DIY approach is recommended; an article for that will be published in the future. If going with a cooled camera the typical power tanks might not last a night.
- 20Ah 12V Deep Cycle AGM Battery (DIY) (~70€ / $80)
Software
- PixInsight (~270€ / $320)
Pro Level (~4500€ / $5250)
Cooled monochrome Astro cameras will yield the best possible detail possible due to the missing Bayer matrix. The suggested mounts will be able to carry heavy scopes, giving you more focal length to work with. A stand-alone computer for image capture becomes absolutely necessary. Strongly consider getting LRGB filters to be able to take images with colors instead of just monochrome lightness. A larger battery is necessary to keep the cooled cameras and mount working.
Camera (+)
Generally: Cooled monochrome CCD or CMOS camera. Larger chips due to FOV preferred but smaller chips can be chosen as well to get a smaller FOV. CCDs are harder to use and require longer exposures than CMOS. For starting out with Astro Cameras the CMOS work just as well and will give very good results.
- CMOS
- ZWO ASI 1600 MM Pro (~1580€ / $1800)
- ZWO ASI 183 MM Pro (~1200€ / $1400)
- Atik Horizon (~1800€ / $2100)
- CCD
- Atik 383L+ (~1900€ / $2215)
- Atik 490Ex (~2500€ / $2915)
- Moravian G2-8300 (~1900€ / $2210)
- QSI 683s (~3000€ / $3500)
Scope (+)
Generally: Telescopes up to 12kg weight to not overstretch the mount loading capacity. For Newtons f/5 or f/4 is recommended. Newtons will offer more focal length than Refractors but for the cost of more effort (Collimation). All Newtons will be faster, larger and cheaper than Refractors. Refractors can offer superior image quality, though. Don’t take any scope without a dual-speed focuser.
- All from Intermediate and Entry Level
- Newton
- SkyWatcher 8″ PDS f/5 (~380€ / $450)
- TS-PHOTON 8″ f/5 (~340€ / $400)
- SkyWatcher 8″ Quattro f/4 (~530€ / $620)
- TS-PHOTON 8″ f/4 (~430€ / $500)
- Refractor
- TS Optics Photoline 107mm f/6.5 FPL53 Triplet (~1900€ / $2215)
- TS Optics Photoline 130mm f/7 FPL53 Triplet (~1900€ / $2215)
- APM Super APO 107mm f/6.5 FPL53 Triplet (~2150€ / $2500)
- Explore Scientific ED 127mm f/7.5 FCD-100 Triplet (~2100€ / $2450)
- SkyWatcher Esprit 120ED Super Apo f/7 FPL53 Triplet (~2700€ / $3150)
Correctors / Flatteners
- Newton Coma Corrector
- Skywatcher Aplanatic Quattro Coma Corrector / TS Optics Aplanatic (~270€ / $315)
- Refractor Field Flattener
- Heavily depending on the telescope, check suggestions on the site where you buy it (~100-200€ / $120-230)
Mount (+)
Generally: Go-To Mount with at least 18kg carrying capacity
- SkyWatcher NEQ6 / Orion Atlas (~1350€ / $1580)
- Celestron CGEM (~1750€ / $2000)
- Quality control can be hit or miss for this mount, be vary of that. Get it only if used and much cheaper than the other mounts in this level.
- Higher end
- SkyWatcher AZ-EQ-6 (~1900€ / $2215)
- SkyWatcher EQ6-R (~1550€ / $1800)
Optional (but recommended): LRGB Filters
Generally: More expensive LRGB filters will also do, size depends on sensor size of the camera. Recommendation of 31mm and up for Micro 4/3rds sized sensors. Necessary for color capture.
- Baader LRGB filters (depending on size, ~350€ / $400)
- Optolong LRGB filters (depending on size, ~300€ / $350)
Optional (necessary with filters): Filter Wheel
Generally: Motorized and possible to automate from a computer. Manual filter wheels not recommended. Filter wheel size should be according to filter size. At least 7 filter slots for LRGBSHO (future-proofing).
- Atik EFW2 (~550€ / $640)
- StarLight Xpress (~400€ / $470)
- ZWO Asi EFW Mini (~240€ / $280)
- ZWO EFW (~370€ / $430)
Guiding with Computer Assistance
Generally: Small sensor camera with high QE. Colored sensors also work. Guide Scope should be fast and at least 180mm focal length.
- Camera
- QHY5L-II-M (~240€ / $280)
- ZWO ASI 120 MM (~170€ / $200)
- 50mm or more Guidescope faster than f/4 (~150€ / $175)
- Laptop, See: Computer Automation
Computer Automation (+)
- Laptop with long lasting battery, 4GB RAM and a semi-strong CPU. Battery power wins out. (~400€ / $470)
- Recommended Software: NINA (Capture), PhD2 (Guiding), Cartes du Ciel or Stellarium for more advanced mount control and slewing, PlateSolve 2 or local Astrometry for platesolving
Battery
Generally: There are no ready made battery tanks with that sort of capacity. You will have to DIY or buy a used tank from someone who already made one. A DIY approach is recommended; an article for that will be published in the future.
- 40Ah (or more) 12V Deep Cycle AGM Battery (DIY) (~110€ / $130)
Software (Postprocessing)
- PixInsight (~270€ / $320)
Finishing Thoughts
So, this was a lot of hardware listed. As you might have seen the smaller the objects are that you want to shoot, the more you will have to pay to get proper detail and a good picture.
I myself did not follow this Levels and Tiers system fully and I would suggest for you to not do it either. If you want to see my personal progression check out my Timeline. I would suggest for you to get a heavier mount as soon as possible and stick with it. Stick to your DSLR, if you start out with one, as long as possible as well because the only real upgrade is a monochrome cooled camera.
If you are heavily budgeted or don’t see yourself spending a lot of money for Astrophotogrpahy either, stick with the Low Tier. The Pro Level of that Tier will be able to create extremely beautiful images of space already. The Entry Level of the Intermediate Tier will be more comfortable and allow you to shoot more DSO for a similar price, though. If you go up to the Pro Level of the Low Tier, I would recommend skipping the Entry Level of the Mid Tier, though.
I hope those suggestions will help you to start out your journey into Astrophotography and paint you a picture of how much you actually have to invest to get good images. Most of you will already have some of the equipment so the total cost won’t even be as high as you might expect.
With you hopefully fully geared up, stay tuned for Part 3 of the Starting with Astrophotography: Capturing and Processing your first Astrophoto.
Appendix
Why the same DSLR?
Why is that? The answer is simple. This article is focused on suggestions for Astrophotography only. The benefits of getting a DSLR camera more powerful than my suggestion is comparatively low. All equipment posted here marks in my opinion the best value for the specific equipment type.
Value is also the reason why I will not suggest getting a full frame DSLR for Astro either. The cost is extremely high and while the benefits for Astro are there, they do not warrant the price difference to a cropped APS-C sensor. If you have a full frame DSLR already you can disregard the equipment suggestions for cameras fully up to the point where DSLR completely fall out of the list of suggestions. Another reason against full frame DSLR is the difficulty of getting a properly corrected star field and illuminate the full sensor.
A word about Astro DSLRs
At some point you might have considered buying a DSLR specifically made for Astrophotography. Both Canon and Nikon offer you pre-made DSLR for Astrophotography usage. My suggestion here is: don’t. To make it clear, I am exclusively talking about DSLR made by Canon or Nikon that come “Astro modified” from stock.
The reason is relatively simple: the price. Astro DSLR don’t do much else but remove or interchange the IR-Filter with something that allows more light bandwidth to pass through and might add some firmware features. Given their exorbitant price you will be better off with a (cooled) OSC Astro Camera like the suggestions for the Mid Tier / Intermediate Level, if you want to capture the skies. Or buy a cheap DSLR and mod it yourself. It is not hard to do and will give you approximately the same results as an Astro DSLR but for a fraction of the price. Either will give you better (cooled OSC Astro Camera) or very close to same results (modded DSLR).
So when should you buy an Astro DSLR? Maybe, and that’s a big maybe, if you don’t want to use a computer for capture (OSC Astro Camera) or don’t feel confident enough modding a cheap DSLR. Or if you need a DSLR that does both Astro and normal Photography you could think of going that route as well. But it’s not optimal. Given the price of those models you would be better off buying a cheap DSLR for Astro and mod it and buying a more expensive DSLR for normal photography. It would still come out cheaper.
Reflector or Refractor?
This is a relatively difficult topic, but in the end it boils down to personal preference. Let me try to make a small comparison with the pro and contra for both types. In this case reflector is always referring to a Newtonian telescope.
Should you decide to a reflector don’t forget to get proper collimation tools. I would advise against – especially cheap – collimation lasers. A good cheshire eyepiece goes a long way and doesn’t cost a ton. At f/4 collimation is crucial and needs specialized tools. More on that in a different article at a later point.
Refractor
- Pro
- No recollimation necessary
- No star spikes
- Available in also very small sizes for large FOVs
- Aren’t affected by wind as much as Newtons
- Contra
- Expensive for the aperture
- Cheap Refractors will have chromatic aberration
- Typically slower than Reflectors for the same aperture
Newton
- Pro
- Very large aperture for the price
- Way cheaper for the same aperture
- Available in very large apertures (200mm and up)
- No chromatic aberration
- Contra
- Not available for small apertures and large FOV
- Regular collimation necessary
- Star spikes
- Wind-Catchers due to large and hollow tube
Canon and Nikon? No love for Olympus/Fuji/Sony/Pentax/<insert your brand here>?
Yeah. Sorry. The issues with those cameras is mainly the SDK support. Since I suggest best value to use the camera for as long as possible without needing an upgrade, all of those manufacturers just disqualify based on software support. At some point you will want to move to computer aided image capture and then neither of those cameras will do.
Nikon and Canon are the only two manufacturers that are reliable for image capture. Should you already have a camera of a different manufacturer you can just keep using it. The issue here is mainly that at some point you can’t progress and you make yourself your life harder than it should be. That’s why I don’t suggest anything but those two DSLR manufacturers.
Where are the Mirrorless suggestions?
Well, plain said, I don’t have personal experience utilizing Mirrorless cameras for Astrophotography. That is why I won’t suggest anything I have absolutely no experience with. For all I know several Mirrorless cameras, especially the Sony series past the A6000, have some aggressive noise reduction, which results in “holes” in stars and blotchy background. The so called star-eater phenomenon (And yes the new A7R/S are affected as well, and no there is no real work-around for that, and yes the A7RIII is affected, too).
Furthermore there is no real software support for Mirrorless cameras – or at least no usable SDKs I know of – so proper computer assisted capture becomes difficult. Computer assistance is key in higher tiers of Astrophotography, which is also a reason why I left the Mirrorless camera suggestions out of this list as well. Another reason would be battery life, since Mirrorless cameras are very heavy on permanent battery usage, even more so than DSLR.
This should not dissuade you to try out your own Mirrorless camera for Astrophotography. It will most definitely work, as you can see with the super cheap camera suggestions I did for the DSLRs. For all I know your specific camera might be even more expensive and might have a better sensor, with the caveats above.