Astrophotography and Chamonix 45N-1

[AlexHanson Photos]

Hey all, so I ended up getting a Chamonix 45N-1 to add some 'excitement' to my photography. Honestly I picked up a month ago and have not yet used it. I was going to use it for my maternity photography. However I think I may use this for astrophotography. My father use to take photos of the stars. As kids we would lay in the field next to him as he took photos of the dark sky's. He had a number of cameras he used, one I remember was a Brownie! For the life of me I can't remember if he had anything like my Chamonix 45N-1. So I started reading on astrophotography tonight: https://www.photographytalk.com/begi...-for-beginners Now in this article, they are talking about modern DSLRs and other gadgets that are electronic based. So my Thursday night question is if astrophotography can be done with my Chamonix 45N-1? I know I'm not going to mount it on a star tracker, but seriously, how did they take photos back in the day?

You all are so helpful, thank you again for all your help!

[Pfsor]

Do yourself a favour and buy this book - http://www.willbell.com/ccd/widefieldast.htm It will tell you in practical terms all you need to know to take pictures of night sky. The author is an accomplished astrophotographer.

[Nodda Duma]

Assuming you want pinpoint stars and not star trails..

My optics background got me interested in astrophotography long ago. Astrophotography is the hobby that (ironically) got me interested in regular photography. Not the regular path one takes. Anyways, I have a big Bausch & Lomb aerial reconnaissance lens ( 24” f/6 , similar to Kodak’s Aero-Ektar 24” f/6 for 9” format) mounted in a huge aluminum tube, the back of which is mounted a Burke & James press camera back that 4x5 film holders can be mounted in. Mounting the tube onto my autoguided german equatorial mount in place of my normal astrophotography telescope will allow me to take 4x5 astrophotos like what was done in the past. Being able to maintain alignment with the night sky as the earth rotates during the exposure is key, which I accomplish with the mount and star tracking ability.

Normally I use a digital SLR camera on the back of a telescope. 15 years ago, before I set aside my astrophotography hobby for many years, the camera I used was an Olympus OM-1 mounted on the back of a telescope, manually guided. I would shoot film such as Provia 400F, E100, tech pan, or a handful of other obsolete films with good reciprocity and response to the H-alpha spectral emission line of nebula. The exposures were typically 1-3 hours long with my f/6.3 system.

If you want to do astrophotography, you may want to pick up some Acros since that film has the reciprocity characteristics required for the necessarily long exposures and the deep red response you want for nebula.

[Fred L]

^^ what has been said before.

star trails are simple with large format as long as you have a good tripod for the hours long exposure. I've used my 8x10 to photograph star trails and one thing to remember was to pre focus on infinity beforehand, and depending on conditions where you are, you may need some form of dew control. my wife has heater straps for her telescope optics (tube and eyepieces) but hand warmer heat packs will work.

tracked photos will require putting the camera on an equatorial (eq) or accurate motorized alt az mount, or piggy backing on a telescope that is tracking.

[AlexHanson Photos]

Do yourself a favour and buy this book - http://www.willbell.com/ccd/widefieldast.htm It will tell you in practical terms all you need to know to take pictures of night sky. The author is an accomplished astrophotographer.

Will do, found that book on Amazon too! https://www.amazon.com/Wide-Field-As...trophotography

Good tip, thank you!!

[AlexHanson Photos]

Thank you thank you everyone!!


Nodda Duma are you still photographing the stars?

[Nodda Duma]

Yes! When I get the chance to, which hasn’t been since the fall.

[Pfsor]

Will do, found that book on Amazon too! https://www.amazon.com/Wide-Field-As...trophotography

Good tip, thank you!!

You will enjoy the book more than you know - take my word for it! Good luck!

[barnacle]

tracked photos will require putting the camera on an equatorial (eq) or accurate motorized alt az mount, or piggy backing on a telescope that is tracking.

Don't tracking alt/az mounts cause the image to rotate, over long exposures? They point at the right bit of sky, but that pesky earth will insist on spinning on its axis.

Neil

[Nodda Duma]

They do, however an equatorial wedge will fix that.