Help with Nikon DSLR and Scope.

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radiostationx
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Help with Nikon DSLR and Scope.

Post by radiostationx »

Hi ,
I wonder if any member may be able to help.
I am very keen on aircraft photography ,I own Nikon DSLR cameras.
At the moment I have been using 400mm f5.6 tokina lens which on dslr gives 600mm aprox focal length, but its not close enough for me..
I have to crop picture to get anywhere for a usable photo.
I am in the north west England and local to busy high level transatlantic air routes.
I am keen on purchasing a skywatcher skyliner 200p (8 inch) or gso gsd200c scope.
I am a little confused as to how the Nikon will focus at infinity when liked to the scope.
Nikon cameras have a different reference distance (sensor to lens mounting flange distance) than canon.
It differs by around 1.5mm.
I am told that when a Nikon is mounted on the scope there may be problems as there will not be enough inward travel from the focuser to get infinity focus.
What is done to overcome this problem ?

This is the reason why canon users can use nikkor lenses with a straight adaptor ring in manual mode but Nikon owners cannot use canon lenses without an adaptor which has a glass converting element inside.
These are usually very low quality and effect image quality.

I have heard that some changes have to be made to the Barlow lens or its physical length in some way. :roll:
I am considering also a 2x ed glass Barlow lens which seems very similar to soligor 2x Barlow used by skystef some time ago at the bottom of his very informative page here

http://www.skystef.be/scope-setup.htm

Unfortunately for me, skystef had a canon camera !


Current equivalents to the Barlow he used are feautured below.
It appears they are made by GSO,and it appears that soligor was indeed a gso clone.

http://www.telescopehouse.com/acatalog/info_BC010.html

it seems the same one as this

http://www.amazon.co.uk/TS-Optics-Barlo ... B004ORX50C

Are there any photographers here who use Nikon cameras,and if so could they perhaps post a few photographs of their setup particularly the camera to scope attachments.
This would be extremely helpful to me as I would not like to purchase scope and find it will not work with my camera.

Searching the internet reveals very little indeed, canon is king it seems !
I do not wish to change camera as I have used Nikon for 30 yrs.
There must be someone out there using Nikon for contrail photography.

At the moment my shopping list is :

200mm dobsonian scope
2 inch ed Barlow.
T ring.
Nikon dslr ring/t adaptor.

I did try extreme and the guys there are very helpful but most again use canon.

The best I can muster up at the moment is something like this with my Nikon d90 and 400mm tokina. Not good im afraid but here goes....


D-AIMA, DLH400,Lufthansa A380

Image

4X-ELC , Elal 747-400.

Image

Any advice or photos of your Nikon dslr to scope setup would be most welcomed.
Please pm me on this forum if you want to send pics or information direct.

Nice forum and great information from skystef..

Many thanks in advance for any advice fellow contrail toggers ! :D
Skywatcher Dobsonian 200p,2 inch Revalation ED Barlow + Too Many Nikons.
RTL Dongles (x2)

placebo
Posts: 1
Joined: 27 May 2012, 13:21

Re: Help with Nikon DSLR and Scope.

Post by placebo »

Hi,

Not sure if your questions have been answered, but I got the same situation.
I have a Nikon D80 and I bought a 6" Skywatcher with Barlow.
I can't get any decent pictures of airplanes with my cam mounted on the scope during daytime (only black)..... however, when I use it for photographing the moon at night, the pictures are very good (I even could photograph Saturn last night.... somewat fuzzy, but a start...)

So: I don't know what the problem is and my question remains:

What are the appropriate settings for contrail photography with a Nikon D80 that is mounted on a 6" Skywatcher Dobsonian?

Thanks!

User avatar
contrailwatcherUK
Posts: 501
Joined: 31 Aug 2005, 00:00
Location: dorset, england

Re: Help with Nikon DSLR and Scope.

Post by contrailwatcherUK »

Hi,

I dont think anyone on this forum uses a nikon, I only know of canon users on here, however there are some folk who use the nikon setup on this forum: http://translate.google.co.uk/translate ... md%3Dimvns

If you look to the left of the page you'll see a list of their equipment, someone on there uses nikon d3100. Many of the users on there speak polish but also some have good english and might be able to help you out if you message them, or you can post in the technical forum on there.

Also I have seen pics from this guy who uses Nikon D80 + 1.7 teleconverter with some very nice results: http://www.planespotters.net/Member/kha773/photo.search

Perhaps you could message him.

Regards,
James

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