Modified NEX6?? Or recs?

I have a NEX6 which I'm not using because I'm using an A7II. I'm thinking about getting the NEX6 modified for Astro. I will be using it with 50, 200 mm lenses and a 8" Celestron scope (my Dad's). Also I'm a beginner.

Plan B is to get used Canon 6D, Nikon 610 or 5500 and get it modified. Of course I prefer to use my camera collecting dust but I don't want to waste money modifying a bad camera.

Thoughts on the NEX6 modified?

Or a good (but used) DSLR recommendation for less then $1000?

Thank you!!

Marcster said:

I have a NEX6 which I'm not using because I'm using an A7II. I'm thinking about getting the NEX6 modified for Astro. I will be using it with 50, 200 mm lenses and a 8" Celestron scope (my Dad's). Also I'm a beginner.

Plan B is to get used Canon 6D, Nikon 610 or 5500 and get it modified. Of course I prefer to use my camera collecting dust but I don't want to waste money modifying a bad camera.

Thoughts on the NEX6 modified?

Or a good (but used) DSLR recommendation for less then $1000?

Thank you!!

Click to expand...

If you are beginner in astrophotography, I would suggest putting off getting any camera modified. There are a number of more important challenges you will need to overcome before that would be of any use. Besides there are many astronomical objects that can be photographed that don't need H-alpha capability.

Some challenges I would place much higher on a beginner's list than camera modification:

• Polar alignment of a tracking mount (tracker or German equatorial)
• Being able to point the telescope or lens at your subject
• Getting tracking spot-on by auto-guiding

All of this can cost a lot of money that is better spent in these areas than in getting your camera modified. Use what you have as far as lenses, telescope, tracking mount, camera. Gain some confidence in producing results with your unmodified camera. As mentioned there are plenty of objects that don't emit principally in H-alpha. So get experience in photographing these ones first. Choose objects that are appropriate for your equipment. Objects are of different angular sizes and brightnesses. These all are best photographed with a certain range of fields of view (that is focal length and sensor size). The dimmer and smaller ones will require longer exposures with the long focal length and resulting less bright focal ratios. This will put large demands on the capability of your equipment to accurately track the object during exposures.

So it's not necessary at this point to add the extra cost of a modified camera. If money is not a problem, it won't hurt to get a camera modified. But in my opinion it's unnecessary at this stage of your development.

Thank you very much Russ. Your comments a very wise.

I'm using an iOptron but it doesn't do well with the weight of my A7II w/canon FD 200 2.8 and doubler. I know it's meant for wider lenses.

What recommendations do you have for great tracker?

Thank you again for your input.

By the way, I have the iOptron Skytracker. Not the nice iOptron iEQ45 mount

Marcster said:

Thank you very much Russ. Your comments a very wise.

I'm using an iOptron but it doesn't do well with the weight of my A7II w/canon FD 200 2.8 and doubler. I know it's meant for wider lenses.

What recommendations do you have for great tracker?

Thank you again for your input.

Click to expand...

Well, Marcster i"ve never owned a commercial tracker other than a couple of equatorial mounts:

• Celestron-5 fork mount (1973) used for film astrophotography
• Celestron-8 fork mount (1981) used for film astrophotography and some digital
• Losmandy G-11 GEM (2008) used for digital astrophotography with my C-8 and C-11

But I do have a tracker that I made - a barn-door tracker. You can read about it here:

Building & Using a Tracking Mount for Astrophotography

If you are handy with tools, one can be made for a lot less than the commercial versions. I've never used mine for telephoto lenses. But I suspect that it would carry one better than most commercial units. The biggest drawback for trackers aside from payload capacity is the lack of auto-guiding capability. Some may have that capability, but most don't.

I hope you have success in your astrophotography, Marcster!

Thank you Russ!!