I Shot the Moon

[Doug_Kerr]

Hi, Noel,

Fabulous work. Thanks.

[holderbk]

Hi Noel,

When you're done with the lunar photos can you post a photo of the camera hooked up to the telescope? This sounds very interesting and could be a good summer project for my son and I.

Also, when you focus do you look through the camera(TTL focus)? Or do you have a way to look through the telescope with the camera attached.

Thanks,

[Noel_Carboni]

It's all put away now, but you're right - I should photograph the setup with my other body.

The telescope acts exactly as a huge manual focus camera lens. So I can look through the camera's viewfinder, or use the Live View function (which shows me what's the sensor sees on the back LCD) to gauge telescope focus. I believe there's even a device available now that will allow the camera to report (but not control) when it has achieved focus (i.e., it goes beebeep). I don't have one of those.

In my particular case, my telescope is equipped with a Meade Zero Shift Microfocuser, which means I can tweak fine focus of the telescope electrically, with the control pad. The advantage to this is fine control and the fact that the telescope does not jiggle when I'm adjusting focus.

-Noel

[holderbk]

Thanks again for sharing this with the group

[michaelnotar]

noel
the beep beep feature should be on your camera, as its a mode on the main dial (off/on/beep) or in a CF.

[Noel_Carboni]

Michael, my camera beeps just fine when it achieves focus with an EF lens. I have been led to believe that to get the camera do so when a manual focus lens with absolutely no electrical connection at the lens mount is present requires some kind of trick with the contacts. Have I been mislead by the marketing for the new device?

If I'm wrong here, that would be a useful bit of functionality to enable. I'll go looking for a way to enable it.

-Noel

[michaelnotar]

i think it just uses contrast to determine focus and beeps, i dont think any AF communication is needed. similiar, but different, my mamiya 645 afd (AF camera) does this with both AF and old MF lenses.

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