Deep Sky Astrophotography Equipment
As I began this journey under the stars I was unsure what equipment to get, and I only wanted the best! I quickly realized that the best is not always the best option for a beginner. More advanced astrophotography setups, or “Rigs” as they are commonly known, are not only extremely expensive but require a lot more skill in how to operate them. I did a lot of research and asked a lot of questions until I got a solid idea of what would be best to start out with.
My Deep-Sky Astrophotography Setup
• Tripod: Andoer Professional Video Tripod
The tripod I use isn’t exactly ideal for AP, but it gets the job done. It’s well built and solid, but a bit heavy. I wouldn’t recommend it for long travel by foot, but it does fold up and comes with a nice quality carrying bag. The only downside to this tripod is that it has an adjustable fluid head. The fluid head can be removed but would need some modification to be able to attach the mount. Though this is a con, I haven’t had any issues with the fluid head moving or anything, it’s rock solid.
This being said, I highly recommend picking up the tripod intended for this sky tracker.
• Mount: Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer Pro Pack
The Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer, or SWSA, is a small multi-functional sky tracker. You simply polar align it to Polaris, turn it on and it follows the rotation of the night sky. This allows you to take longer exposures without star-trails. By the time I got around to using the SWSA, Sky-Watcher had come out with the 2i version, which has built-in wifi – a very nifty feature, but not mandatory. You can find a used SWSA (first version) for a decent price.
• Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T4i
I figured that I would want a cheaper DSLR that is still decent enough to be relevant, e.g. firmware support still exists. The T4i is an 18 Megapixel camera with a pop-out viewer screen. This is especially handy for astrophotography, as you don’t have to bend into an awkward position to look at your shot.
Extra tip: If you pick up a Canon DSLR, look into Magic Lantern. This firmware unlocks a ton of features like an internal intervalometer, reduce video noise to help frame your shot, and a lot more! You can pick up a used T4i body for around $300, or even cheaper if you know where to look.
• Lens: Samyang 135mm f/2.0 Lens for Canon (also available for Nikon cameras)
I originally was using the kit lens that came with the camera, which was an 18-35mm and a 75-300mm zoom lens. The 18-35mm was alright for wider landscape-type photos, and shooting the Milkyway. The 75-300mm was decent at best for Deep-Sky Objects (DSO’s) but didn’t do a great job.
After some research, I found that the Samyang 135mm f/2.0 is an amazing lens and comes highly recommended for astrophotography. The lens has excellent seeing quality at f/2.0 and goes all the way to f/22, and comes with a removable lens shade. Another option is the Rokinon 135mm f/2.0 – which is the same lens but under another company name. Both are excellent for the SWSA.
As I become more experienced with this setup, I will eventually move on to building my real rig. More to come on this in the future, stay tuned!