Editing What Telescope (section)

===== Deep sky =====
----There are lots and lots of different cameras out there with which to do astrophotography. We tend to recommend second-hand Canon or Nikon DSLRs due to software support and cost savings, but it's up to you to do research on which one is the best for your needs. DSLRs in general are recommended because they have fully adjustable shooting settings, and shoot in raw formats which don't mess with the data before you get a chance to process it. Generally newer cameras will have lower noise and better sensitivity than older cameras, plenty of great things have been done on old Canon 500Ds and it's unlikely you'll reach the limits of the camera for a long while.

* We highly recommend checking out [https://nighttime-imaging.eu/ NINA] for computer controlling your camera. Its a free and open source program created by /u/isbeorn86

* They also have an [https://discord.gg/zyZryN active Discord server] where you can check out the latest builds, leave suggestions, and get rapid support if you have problems with the software, or are just starting out.

Often you'll hear about IR-modded DSLRs. This process removes the IR block filter from the camera, the purpose of which is to block light outside of the visual spectrum for everyday imaging. This filter presents a problem for imaging nebulae, a lot of which tend to emit in IR, so getting an IR-modded camera will really help to pick up these faint objects. You can expect about a 75% increase in sensitivity in these wavelengths depending on the camera.

. If you can find such a camera premodded for sale it'll be worth picking up. Both Canon and Nikon have made their own IR sensitive DSLRs in the past (e.g. Canon 60Da and Nikon D810), but these are regarded as horribly overpriced. It's often cheaper to do the work yourself if you're confident taking your camera to pieces or to have it done by another company or individual.