Opinion on DSLR while my camera gets repaired

[TheButcher]

Hey all,

I am in a little bit of a dilemma here. I was all set to go had my new 1600mm-Pro with 8 pos wheel and Astronomik filters with the 3 - 6nm NB. The problem happened when the OIII filter was throwing out weird kind of flats no matter how I took them. Anyway long story short, it wasn't the filter since they sent me a replacement and it is the Camera causing it. So now it is taking a nice little vacation to China for a couple of months.

Now with that said, I didn't mind sending it back last week since I have to have eye surgery for cateracts very soon on both eyes and will put me out for about a month. But come Late December I should be ready to go but no Camera (Most Likely) SO I am expecting it to arrive around the end of January, and Will miss what I have been waiting for since I got into DSO AP the Orion Belt area at least with my backyard view. I do still have my 290mm but for what I want I would have to make a large mosaic.

I know I will be itching to get out after Christmas, So I want to be prepared to have a back up solution until it comes, but don't want to just wasted money so I was thinking about Getting a DSLR unmodded. I figure it would keep me occupied until I get my camera back I can still use it for other things after, like piggybacking and taking other types of photography with it, since it was part of my Major in college but never really pursued it that much. Now for the price range $300-$400ish I was looking at the Nikon D5300? Any suggestions, oppinions? Or should I go for a Astro-Modded one used for around that range, but only if I could take normal photos with it as well. Also what stock DSLR's pick up more of the Ha Spectrum even if its little bit more money then the 5300? My max I would pay is $500 for now.

Thanks,

[Arsene37]

Hello !
I use an un-modded Nikon D5300 for a long time now. I made some pictures with my Dobson or my Perl-Vixen, like the Moon or the Sun, but not for long exposure (until now ! ) :

and I use it for daily/holidays photography, like monuments in Paris :

Hope this will help.
Arsène

[yobbo89]

All i can say is mirrorless? Sony have some sensitive cameras out, and cannon has the best software support, nikkon is ok too.

I've done two repairs to china, pretty speedy turn over, 3-4 weeks max, not sure how it will be nearing the end of the year, i suspect it will take alot longer.

So an early xmas gift for you ?

I have a Sony a7, very good low light camera, produces good astro images, the thing is that a very sensitive dslr unmodified is still going to suffer with collecting ha in average or worst skys, it works a charm in good skys.

[Juno16]

Hi Butcher,

I have a D5300 I bought off Ebay several months ago for $259 in pristine condition.
The unmodded D5300 does okay on Ha nebula even in “okay” skies. I almost never have “good” skies.

Below is M16, the first dso I imaged with it in September Mississippi heat. I only got 30 minutes because thick clouds moved in.

Below is M20 with about two hours of integration.

Both shot in Bortle 6 skies with no filters and unmodded. Fair images, but you can get the idea.

I am pretty sure that I can set a custom white balance on the modded D5300 so that i can shoot daylight photography.

I have had decent enough results using the D5300 on Ha nebula, but I want more. My D5300 has just been Ha modded and is due to arrive tomorrow from Lifepixel. Of course, bad weather is supposed to arrive too!

Hope that this is of some use to you.

Thanks,
Jim

[TheButcher]

Thanks guys and nice images Jim and Arsène. I like the $250ish price tag for 5300 used. And the Sony A7 I saw for around $450-$500 used. I guess it comes down to how much I can scrape up and trying not to play it out as an early Christmas present to my family (Hence I better purchase quick so it doesn't get categorized as an Early Christmas present but more of a get well soon present) I have other ideas brewing up for a Christmas present in the Telescope field

[Juno16]

Thanks guys and nice images Jim and Arsène. I like the $250ish price tag for 5300 used. And the Sony A7 I saw for around $450-$500 used. I guess it comes down to how much I can scrape up and trying not to play it out as an early Christmas present to my family (Hence I better purchase quick so it doesn't get categorized as an Early Christmas present but more of a get well soon present) I have other ideas brewing up for a Christmas present in the Telescope field

Haha!

You sound like me. Very good strategy!

Jim