Welcome to the Pentax DSLR Astrophotography Group!

please introduce yourself here

High school teacher in Quebec, Canada. I just got a CPC11 and since I have a K100D well I started some astrophotography experiments. I find my wife a lot easier to understand now compared to all the details you have to take into account with this hobby. I hope to try my pentax with a Newtonian setup and see the difference from an SCT, if anybody has info on that I sure would appreciate.

My name is Bob Post, and I have been doing astrophotography since 1985 (starting with Comet Halley.) I used Pentax cameras in the film days but evenutally picked up a Canon Digital Rebel... and then another one modified for enhanced Hydrogen Alpha (red) sensitivity. I eventually also tried the Pentax K110D (didn't like) and own a couple of istD's, having intended to try modifiying one for enhanced H-alpha. But finally I bought a Pentax Kx. I am MOST pleased with it as a DSLR for astrophotography: decent H-alpha red sensitivity right out of the box, extraordinary sensitivity versus what I have had previously (I use ISO 12,800 a lot.) I will post some examples to show you. I am also intrigued with the High Dynamic Range features and hope to explore them further. I will admit some serious annoyance with certain features.
But all in all, I LOVE the Kx for astrophotography. You'll see why when I get my pictures posted.
Bob

Kx annoyances: : IR-only remote operation forced me to buy a different automated shutter release timer. Inability to defeat the noise suppression (dark frame subtraction) means you have to take two full-duration exposures for every single frame you get, except sometimes in cold weather. The external power jack was replaced with an expensive "dummy-battery" AC adapter. So far, I have just been using NiMH batteries.

Greetings from Scandinavia.
My name is Jorma Mantyla. I have been doing astrophotography with Pentax dslr's since 2006. Currently I'm using K110D and K-x.
Some photos are here:

http://www.kaapeli.fi/~jmantyla/tkuvat.html

Here is antother Finnish web-site which might be of interest to Pentax users:

http://www.kolumbus.fi/jkald/

After warm & sunny summer here in the arctic nights are finally longer. I'll post photos and commentaries soon.

Jorma Mantyla
Kangasala
Finland

I think you mean the IR/red-sensitive bw-photo ? Is it real (decent) or just an artistic imitation of IR-photography created by software in Pentax k-x?
Most dslr-cameras have built-in IR/red filters to avoid too red pictures. CCD- and CMOS-sensors "see" the world in a different way than human eyes. They are too sensitive for red. To make the photos look more "normal" these filters are placed in front of the CCD/CMOS-sensor.

Jorma M.
Kangasala
Finland

Hi All,
I'm just joining this group. I purchased a used Pentax *ist DL that I plan to use with my Celestron C8-NGT Newtonian telescope using a 2" t-ring and a 2" adapter.
Does anyone mount their camera to a Barlow as part of their primary focus?
Regards, Ed

Hi All,
I'm new here and I'm interested in purchasing the Pentax Kx for Astrophotog.

My name is Bob and I live in Syracuse NY. I built my home observatory and I use to play with hypered film years ago.
I thought I hang out here and see what I could learn.
Thanks,
Bob

Hi All. Just purchased the new Pentax K-r. Slick machine! I'm glad Pentax has kept the lens mounts consistent. Planning on using my old telescope ring adapter from my old K-1000 to hook the K-r up to my Skywatcher 5" Newtonian. Any tips would be appreciated!

Hi, all. I've been on the Forums for a couple of months, but only just found this group. I am using a Pentax ISD-DL for my astrophotography.

I get a kick out of the references to the new KX model. I still have my old 1976 KX in mostly serviceable condition. You'd think that with 676 2-letter combinations, it would be a century or two before they had to re-use model designations. Next, I suppose Ford will be announcing the 2012 Model T.