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Entry level EOS suggestions?


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Looking for recommendations for entry level EOS camera and lens.

 

This is for a very simple sky mapping project, so advanced features don't really matter, except USB control via EOS. Removing IR filter is something I don't need, etc.

 

Sensor can be small.  Standard lens, with zoom. Nothing fancy.

 

I'd like live preview and perhaps video.

 

And I'd like threaded lens cap. (Why? Because I want to thread on some adapters. Generally, I'm told these are 58 mm?)

 

I don't know the EOS camera line at all, but want to be sure I get one that BYE works with and that is currently part of Canon's product line (i.e. not discontinued) and relatively modern so it may continue to be available for some time.

 

Any suggestions on an entry level camera and lens?

 

Thanks!

 

Tom

 

 

 

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Aaron, I have also been happy with my 1100D and used it for my first year in astrophotography, the change to the 650D was only a very marginal improvement and as stated earlier a dissapointment as far as planetary is concerned.

 

I was merely saying that the noise generated by mine is worse than that produced by my 650D. I have recently read a comparison review between the new 70D and 7D mk2 and even though they use nominally the same sensor the 7D mk2 has a better noise performance when compared like for like. I guess this is an example of one gets what one pays for. I would like a 7D mk2 but will have to save my pennies for a lot longer to afford one compared to a 70D. I do like the swing out and rotate live view screen on the 650D as it is much easier to use at what ever wierd angle the camera is at to point at the target in the sky. This is most useful when manually focusing using a Bahtinov mask as I don't need to drag my laptop outside or perform contortions to see the screen. The disadvantage apparently is that it is much more difficult to maintain a weather proof seal compared to a fixed viewer screen and it is alleged this is why the 7D mk2 has a fixed screen.

 

Jim

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Remember:  The LiveView Display of Frame&Focus or Planetary Modes of BYE give ALL supported Canon's the equivalent functionality of a Swing-Out Display (and on a lot larger LCD, too).  Even the Imaging Mode Displays - Thumbnail, Regular, Zoomed, or Full-Screen - beat the Daylights out of the Playback Display on the Backside of the best Canon 7DmkII.

 

Now, the choice of an Upscale DSLR will help with Noise Control.  But one can regularly overcome any Disadvantage of Lower-Priced Models with appropriate use of Darks and Flats and Bias Calibration Frames (and - sounding like a cheerleader - BYE will help there, too).

 

I think that the biggest Deal is to have a decent Canon DSLR to Use, decent Optics and Mount, and a Highly Functional AP Imaging App to Capture the fruits of your Efforts.

Oh, and Good Skills and Great Skies definitely help...

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Thanks to all for your input.

 

I plan to buy the Rebel T5i. Not because of any specific specs, but because it's in production, and low end, and is supported by BYE.

 

Question:  will BYE allow me a live preview window of the T5i on my laptop?

 

Question: I'd like to capture a series of images that end up in a specific folder on my laptop, in as close to real-time as possible.  Is that something BYE can do for me? In other words, each 1/2 second, it captures an image and saves it to a laptop folder.

 

Thanks, all for your help.

 

T.

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Question:  will BYE allow me a live preview window of the T5i on my laptop?

Yes, that is the purpose of BYE.  Your computer monitor becomes your back camera LCD screen... and much more.

 

 

Question: I'd like to capture a series of images that end up in a specific folder on my laptop, in as close to real-time as possible.  Is that something BYE can do for me? In other words, each 1/2 second, it captures an image and saves it to a laptop folder.

Yes, all images are downloaded into a user selected folder.  The default is "My Pictures\BackyardEOS\" but you can change it.

 

It will take more than 1/2 second though.  Depending on your computer the can be between 5 to 20 seconds after an exposure for an image to show up in your download folder.

 

 

Regards,

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Thanks to all for your input.

 

I plan to buy the Rebel T5i. Not because of any specific specs, but because it's in production, and low end, and is supported by BYE.

 

Question:  will BYE allow me a live preview window of the T5i on my laptop?

 

 

T.

 

It would be worth confirming with someone that has the T5i (700D) that it does not suffer with the low frame rate in Planetary mode that the T4i (650D) does.

 

Jim

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Friends,

 

Thanks to everyone's input and suggestions.

 

I purchased the T5i yesterday and am looking forward to using it.

 

I appreciate the help you provided me.  It made the decision easy (especially because my needs weren't high, so I wasn't anxious to get the very, very best camera!)

 

Regards,

 

Tom

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Friends,

 

Thanks to everyone's input and suggestions.

 

I purchased the T5i yesterday and am looking forward to using it.

 

I appreciate the help you provided me.  It made the decision easy (especially because my needs weren't high, so I wasn't anxious to get the very, very best camera!)

 

Regards,

 

Tom

 

Congrats on the new camera, you'll be very happy with it :)

 

 

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If PRICE is a consideration, Hurry and find one of the last 600D/T3is (recently Discontinued but still available at some retailers).

If it MUST be a model that is to be in Production for at least another year, then go for the 700D/T5i.

 

The EOS M/M2 and 100D aren't supported with Features necessary for BYE.

The 1200D/T5 is supposedly able to be supported, but no one seems to have yet reported complete success.

 

btw:  The "Threaded Lens Cap" requirement should really be expressed as a "Threaded Lens Filter Ring", because that is going to be an element of the Lens that you select (separate from the choice of Camera Model - but even the common Canon 18-55mm EF-S Kit Lens has it).

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The 100D / SL1 is supported in 3.0.3 and higher/

The 1200D is supported in 3.1.

 

The EOS M/M2 is not supported in any versions.

 

Basically any good deal you can get on a 450D or later model will yeild good result if you are on a budget.

 

Regards,

 

 

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The 100D / SL1 is supported in 3.0.3 and higher/

The 1200D is supported in 3.1.

 

The EOS M/M2 is not supported in any versions.

 

Basically any good deal you can get on a 450D or later model will yeild good result if you are on a budget.

 

Regards,

 

I would avoid the 650D as it is only capable of 10 fps in planetary mode. I will be replacing mine in the not too distant future for either a 70D or 7D mk2. I like the pull out and rotatable viewer as opposed to the fixed one on the 7D, so can't make up my mind. That said, my 650D generates a lot less noise than my 1100D when comparing like for like frames, though this is comparing only a sample of 1 in each case :^)) Jim
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