Orpington Astronomical Society

Astronomy => Technical => Topic started by: Carole on Dec 20, 2016, 09:48:19

Title: DSLR
Post by: Carole on Dec 20, 2016, 09:48:19
Since the demise of my DSLR, I thought I would look out for a 2nd hand one as there are still some uses I might have for it, but don't want to spend too much for occasional use.

What would be a reasonable shutter count for a 2nd hand DSLR?

Things I still want to do:
Milky Way (never yet got a decent image of this).
Antares region, it's gonna take forever to try to do this with a mono camera, i.,e. FOV and opportunities as behind trees at home.
Plus others

Carole
Title: Re: DSLR
Post by: Ivor on Dec 20, 2016, 10:17:11
Speak to Kenny he was looking sell a 450D it might fit the bill.
Title: Re: DSLR
Post by: Carole on Dec 20, 2016, 12:25:20
I don't think Kenny's is modified Ivor, I was aware he was trying to sell it. 

Carole
Title: Re: DSLR
Post by: Ivor on Dec 20, 2016, 12:46:01
As an alternative have you consider buying an adapter to be able to put a camera lens on an astro camera? I've got one for the QHY8L it works well the only constraint with this approach is you have to manual focus and you can't adjust the F stop.

Title: Re: DSLR
Post by: Carole on Dec 20, 2016, 18:03:03
I have thought about that Ivor, but it's almost as expensive as buying a 2nd hand DSLR to buy all the components required.  Plus you can't attach a filter wheel to it so you have to have a separate slide in tray and another set of filters.  Too much palaver I think for only occasional shots.

Carole
Title: Re: DSLR
Post by: MarkS on Dec 21, 2016, 06:31:01
Quote from: Carole
What would be a reasonable shutter count for a 2nd hand DSLR?
Carole

An entry level DSLR should be fine to 100,000 shutter actuations.  I wouldn't buy one with more than 50,000 actuations.

Mark
Title: Re: DSLR
Post by: Carole on Dec 21, 2016, 10:00:19
Thanks Mark,

Carole
Title: Re: DSLR
Post by: Kenny on Dec 22, 2016, 09:16:55
Quote from: MarkS on Dec 21, 2016, 06:31:01

An entry level DSLR should be fine to 100,000 shutter actuations.  I wouldn't buy one with more than 50,000 actuations.


This is consistent with the research I did. Mine (now sold) had 19022 activations but as you say was unmodified.
Title: Re: DSLR
Post by: Carole on Jan 11, 2017, 11:27:33
Well I have managed to acquire a Baader modified Canon 1100D with low shutter count, it is currently on it's way to me.

Also managed to find a buyer for my dead DSLR who just wants the body as he has a modified 450D (with cooling) but no case can you believe it?  And he's been using it like that!!!!   

(https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?ui=2&ik=5913a4187f&view=fimg&th=159896b346b42ae4&attid=0.1&disp=inline&safe=1&attbid=ANGjdJ8mB6swYDSXgVHGqB875z520usnPFQww9HHw1D6AgQ-ghl263oVYDkcieqRqYJZiXX4w7UPZX3eqlexxcokqSfo0st08NEGZf50izE2j0-mUfKjaoVsP7mus2g&ats=1484132922608&rm=159896b346b42ae4&zw&sz=w1330-h611)
Title: Re: DSLR
Post by: julian on Jan 11, 2017, 12:25:50
QuoteAlso managed to find a buyer for my dead DSLR who just wants the body as he has a modified 450D (with cooling) but no case can you believe it?  And he's been using it like that!!!!   

Yes I can believe it as my 450d has no body and is cooled, but  is in a plastic box.
Been like it  for  a few years now, and no I did not buy Carole's camera :lol:
Title: Re: DSLR
Post by: Carole on Jan 11, 2017, 19:15:53
 :lol: :lol:
Title: Re: DSLR
Post by: MarkS on Jan 11, 2017, 19:18:40
Quote from: julian on Jan 11, 2017, 12:25:50
QuoteAlso managed to find a buyer for my dead DSLR who just wants the body as he has a modified 450D (with cooling) but no case can you believe it?  And he's been using it like that!!!!   

Yes I can believe it as my 450d has no body and is cooled, but  is in a plastic box.
Been like it  for  a few years now, and no I did not buy Carole's camera :lol:

That's funny - I had already guessed it was you who had bought it and that Carole was keeping it quiet.  So I was wrong!

Mark
Title: Re: DSLR
Post by: Carole on Jan 11, 2017, 19:43:23
Nope went up to Scotland (today) it's en route.

Carole
Title: Re: DSLR
Post by: Carole on Feb 18, 2017, 10:46:44
The chap who bought my DSLR has managed to fix it instead of using it as a cover for his robotic cooled 450D (see picture above).  It was by no means a simple fix, he quotes:

QuoteI decided that the most likely issue with your camera would be either with the main board or with the power board side and since I was taking the body off anyway I researched how to strip it down into its component parts. I found really helpful videos and walk throughs, mainly concerned with carrying out the filter mod, and I swapped the motherboards over but the issue was still there. As a last resort I dismantled my camera completely and swapped the power boards over - and bingo - a working camera.

I am not sure if he still has a working "cooled DSLR", if he has swapped the power boards over.

Carole
Title: Re: DSLR
Post by: MarkS on Feb 18, 2017, 15:36:16
I see - some kind of power board failure then.  Interesting that he managed to narrow it down.  I certainly didn't see anything obvious when I took it apart.

Mark
Title: Re: DSLR
Post by: Carole on Feb 18, 2017, 15:56:38
Apparently he is just using my 450D now and not using the cooled model which wasn't Astro-filter modded and is finding he is getting much better results.  He lives in Scotland and says it is quite cold up there anyway. 

Was really sorry to see that camera go, but glad its getting a 2nd life. 

I used the replacement 1100D on Wednesday night, it worked fine, but the target I chose was too dim to work in a LP location, so won't be posting up a result, but at least I know the camera and software all work OK, also apparently the shutter count is really low on the 1100D.  I have yet to figure out how to find out the shutter count despite reading it up on line.

Carole m
Title: Re: DSLR
Post by: The Thing on Feb 19, 2017, 10:42:54
Quote from: Carole on Feb 18, 2017, 15:56:38
... I have yet to figure out how to find out the shutter count despite reading it up on line.

Carole m

Carole, connect to it with APT, the log display at the bottom will tell you immediately.
Title: Re: DSLR
Post by: Carole on Feb 19, 2017, 14:14:24
Quoteconnect to it with APT, the log display at the bottom will tell you immediately.
Does it?  I thought I had already tried that, but I'll try it again.

Carole