Hey everyone my name is Rafal here with OPT, and in this video we're going to be
covering the main differences between DSLRs and dedicated astrophotography cameras.
But before we get into any of that if you guys are enjoying the content and don't
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it really does let us know that you guys are enjoying these videos. But without further ado,
let's get into the main differences between
these two types of cameras and why one might be more useful to you than the other.
Chances are you or someone you already know owns one of these cameras DSLRs are the camera that
most astrophotographers start with because well they already own one. Most DSLRs are
either full-frame aps-c or micro four-thirds sensors, which means they fit perfectly with
most telescopes and lenses alike. They come with their own power source which can last
several hours on a full charge, but if you want to remove that worry of losing charge during your
imaging you can buy dummy batteries instead which will give the camera non-stop power all night.
DSLRs can store all the images you capture on their own memory cards and
you have the option of changing the camera settings either through the camera itself
through an app. If your camera supports bluetooth or wi-fi or through a computer,
as long as you have the right driver installed for that camera and you can
see all the settings you're changing through the lcd monitors that most dslr cameras have.
And of course DSLRs are cameras for every aspect of photography as well. You can take incredible
deep sky images first and then some awesome photos of star trails with the same camera.
But what are some disadvantages from using them first and foremost. Noise yes, one of
the largest factors to producing a good astro image is minimizing that nois. But when you're
using a camera that isn't specifically created for low light photography then you're gonna
get a lot of noise in your images, especially if you're shooting during those warm summer nights.
Yes, that noise can be removed in post but then we're talking about
eating up more processing time and you're gonna lose some of those fine details.
It's best practice in astrophotography to have your image look as clean as possible
before you start processing. DSLRs also need to take dark frames, flat frames and bias
frames for every imaging session if you want to get the best out of your image,
and that's because the temperature of their sensor changes during every session.
Now one other thing to think about with DSLRs is that they are usually larger and heavier
than astro cameras. Because these cameras come with everything you need built in,
they have more hardware inside and therefore produce more heat and more weight. If you're
working with lighter mounts you might want to be careful that your
camera isn't coming close to the maximum payload capacity your rig can handle.
And then there is the sensor itself. Most DSLR sensors have infrared filters installed
on them to block out those wavelengths but this is astrophotography - you want
those wavelengths especially for deep sky targets like nebulae.
Can you remove this filter - yes, but those are modifications that can get pretty expensive and
yeah sure there are some YouTube tutorials that show you how to do it yourself,
but unless you know exactly what you're doing you shouldn't open your camera.
Also, once you take that filter off it won't shoot
the same in the daytime anymore and your colors will be slightly off.
So unless you plan on using your camera just for astrophotography we don't recommend it.
Finally, if you want to use a light pollution filter or other filters with your DSLR,
you don't have a lot of choices. Clip-in filters are usually the best option
but getting them to sit properly can be tricky and they only exist in a few brands
You could get a filter slider but then you're adding more weight onto your image train.
So now let's cover dedicated astro cameras and right off the bat you can
see how different these cameras look. There are no buttons no screens no slots nothing
just a sensor on the front and a couple of plugs on the back and
that's because astro cameras are designed to be completely controlled from a computer.
You normally hold a dslr when you're taking a photo,
so it makes sense to have all those controls at your fingertips,
but with an astro camera they need to be connected to a computer in order to change the settings.
Now most astro cameras have this gap right here and that's to split between the sensor
and the cooling fan which is one of the biggest differences between dslrs and astro cameras. These
cameras come with built-in cooling systems to keep the temperature of the sensor as low as possible.
And that is how important it is to keep your camera's temperature low. And while
we're on the topic, astro camera sensors are designed differently depending on what target
you're trying to capture - so if you're trying to image small bright targets like
planets or clusters then you'd want to go with a smaller sensor and smaller pixels.
Otherwise if you're looking to image deep sky objects like nebulae or galaxies then you'd
want larger sensors with bigger pixels so that way you're gathering as much light as possible.
So I mentioned with DSLRs that getting filters to cooperate with them isn't a stroll in the park,
but with astro cameras you have a ton of options to choose from and most of them
either come with one and a quarter inch or two inch nose pieces that are threaded for filters,
or they will have a connecting ring attached to the front of the camera
which is also threaded for filters. And since most filters are designed for similar
cameras there's less to worry about when making sure they are compatible together.
So yes, astro dedicated cameras can definitely help you get better images
but what are some of the downsides to using them? Number one these are specialty cameras
only designed with one purpose in mind so don't expect to get a decent shot of the spiral galaxy
during the night and then some cool portraits with the same camera - it just won't work.
And finally like I mentioned, astro cameras are designed to be plugged into a power source
so you'll need an external battery to run them - but obviously if you're looking at
dedicated astrophotography cameras then you've already taken all that into consideration.
Either way both types of cameras are useful for capturing some epic shots of the night sky,
and the good news is that if you have any questions on things that
we may have missed in this video give us a call.
Number is right here - we have experts that are ready to answer anything you're confused about.
Otherwise, that just about wraps it up for this comparison. We do know there's a lot that goes
into the pros and cons and specs between the two, but we just decided to focus on the main ones.
Let us know what you guys thought of this video in the comments below, and last but not least
if you haven't done so already hit that subscribe button and ring the
bell for notifications because we have videos coming out every week!
And we want you guys to be the best astronomers you can be! So thanks again for watching guys,
my name is Rafal here with OPT and we'll see you in the next video. Clear skies!