Not digital but 35mm SLR help for a newbie?

[bigastronomy]

I have a Celestron C8 Advanced SGT with a Celestron EP kit, Canon AE1 Program 35mm SLR camera (with a ScopeTronix Max 40mm camera adapter), and use a CG5 equitorial mount. I'm totally new to this but really want to get into astrophotography.

I understand it is difficult to photograph the Moon when full because of its brightness but my pictures still seem out of focus. I've got some ok ones of the moon when it was around half full.

Jupiter so far has been impressive to view but almost impossible to photograph. I've been able to capture some pretty good photo's of Jupiter through an inexpensive digital camera held to the EP but when I mount my 35 mm SLR and take the film to the lab they never come back, so I'm guessing it's too poor of quality? How do I capture a good shot of Jupiter on 35mm?

I've got a book by Michael Covington on the way but am looking for some advice from others who have tried this sort of thing.

One trick I thought I would try was focusing on the edge of the Moon with the Canon AE1 - the focal screen has the matte with the circle in it so I lined the moons edge up so it was perfectly straight then centered on the center of the Moon. Still fairly blurry but I don't know why.

I built a webpage to put all my pics up, can anyone check them out and give some pointers?

My webpage is bigsastrophotography.webs.com. There is a picture at the bottom of the home page with two different shots of Jupiter and one of the moon from the digital camera and the 35mm photos are in the album link. Help anyone?

[mactography]

Page Not Found for your website.


I see its an old post so maybe you have given up on the astro photography?


Is the blur motion blur perhaps, is the mount tracking at right speed?


Also photo labs can often reject dark pictures or blurred or over exposed shots etc. Try having a sem/professional place do them and they will return all shots even the bad ones.



One other thing is to search the net for help on focusing the camera as such. Theres a spot that should show everything in focus from foreground to infinity.

[Carlos_dfc]

Bigastro...

Michael Covington's book should be a HUGE help when it comes.
I have a friend who has recently 'gone digital', but for years was a very keen 35mm astrophotographer.
He regarded Covington's book almost as his 'bible'

And when it comes to processing - if you are having prints done, add a note when you send the film, along the lines of....
ASTRONOMICAL PHOTOGRAPHS - PLEASE PRINT ALL EXPOSURES

Another hint I learned from my friend, is to use slide film....
Buy a scanner that has 35mm film capability (they have a light built into the lid, and backlight the film rather than the frontlight used for scanning paper) and scan at the highest res available.

Kodak Elitechrome is generally regarded among the best slide films for astrophotography.
Better red-sensitivity than most others

[Vinnie]

Check out this site

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[interstellaryeller]

Originally Posted by bigastronomy

I have a Celestron C8 Advanced SGT with a Celestron EP kit, Canon AE1 Program 35mm SLR camera (with a ScopeTronix Max 40mm camera adapter), and use a CG5 equitorial mount. I'm totally new to this but really want to get into astrophotography.

I understand it is difficult to photograph the Moon when full because of its brightness but my pictures still seem out of focus. I've got some ok ones of the moon when it was around half full.

Jupiter so far has been impressive to view but almost impossible to photograph. I've been able to capture some pretty good photo's of Jupiter through an inexpensive digital camera held to the EP but when I mount my 35 mm SLR and take the film to the lab they never come back, so I'm guessing it's too poor of quality? How do I capture a good shot of Jupiter on 35mm?

I've got a book by Michael Covington on the way but am looking for some advice from others who have tried this sort of thing.

One trick I thought I would try was focusing on the edge of the Moon with the Canon AE1 - the focal screen has the matte with the circle in it so I lined the moons edge up so it was perfectly straight then centered on the center of the Moon. Still fairly blurry but I don't know why.

I built a webpage to put all my pics up, can anyone check them out and give some pointers?

My webpage is bigsastrophotography.webs.com. There is a picture at the bottom of the home page with two different shots of Jupiter and one of the moon from the digital camera and the 35mm photos are in the album link. Help anyone?

Try using 1S0 100 and set the shutter 1/250 to start. This should work for the full moon at 300mm. If it still to bright increase the aperature till you get a good picture.