Canon EOS Ra Review
In late December 2019, Canon USA reached out to me to test their new astrophotography camera, the Canon EOS Ra. The "a" in the name of this camera stands for astrophotography. That is because, unlike the regular Canon EOS R, this camera is 4X more sensitive to the h-alpha wavelength of the visible spectrum (656.3 nm). This helps collect the important deep red hues of many nebulae in the night sky. As Canon puts it, "positioned in front of the CMOS imaging sensor, The EOS Ra's infrared-cutting filter is modified to permit approximately 4x as much transmission of hydrogen-alpha rays…
Building a Deep Sky Astrophotography Kit
I am often asked for my opinion on the best route to take when it comes to building a deep-sky astrophotography kit for the first time. A popular option for many night sky enthusiasts is to start with a DSLR camera and telescope, and I can understand why. Building an astrophotography setup that revolves around a user-friendly, entry-level DSLR can reap some impressive results. Modern-day hobbyist/beginner digital SLR cameras such as the Canon EOS Rebel T7i or Nikon D3400 provide the least-steep learning curve when it comes to deep-sky imaging in a very technical and sometimes overwhelming h…
10 Light Pollution Filters for Astrophotography in the City
If you shoot your astrophotography images with a color camera in the city, there is a good chance that light pollution filters can make your life a little easier. How? By ignoring specific wavelengths of light in the visible spectrum associated with artificial light sources such as a streetlamp. The best way to test if a particular filter is a good fit for your skies is to review examples taken by others from similar conditions. A quality light pollution filter will allow the important colors and light emitted by your astrophotography subject to reach the camera sensor, without th…
The Gear Behind My Best Astrophotography Images
In this post, I'll share my 10 best astrophotography images of the year, and the complete list of gear used to take them. I completed roughly 40 projects this year, and it was difficult to choose my favorite 10 images from the bunch. The selection process involved remembering why each photo was so special. Why each one of these astrophotography images made me say "wow" as I opened the picture files on my computer. You may find it useful to see the exact imaging configurations used for each photo, as the gear used was deliberately selected to best capture each deep-sky object. …
ZWO ASI533MC Pro (First Look)
The ZWO ASI533MC Pro is a one-shot-color (OSC) dedicated astronomy camera designed for deep-sky astrophotography. Over the past 8 years, I have had the pleasure of testing many astrophotography cameras, from entry-level DSLRs to cooled, monochrome CCD's. The camera you choose for astrophotography will determine the types of subjects in the night sky that you will photograph. In the case of the ZWO ASI533MC Pro, the subjects will likely include deep-sky objects including large nebulae. ZWO reached out to me directly with an opportunity to test an early version of the ASi533MC…
