Looking for used telescopes that I can mount my camera on?

Where can I find a good used (less expensive than new) telescope that will take a camera mounted on it? Any good sites you can recommend?

eBay...

chasrich wrote: eBay...

Been there, was looking for used retailer like KEH or something.

I just did that.....we had a telescope for years and for the past 2yrs I have between buying a big ass lens or mounting a scope. Eventually I bought the 50-500. But recently I decided to try and mount the telescope to my camera, so I had to buy a t ring and adaptor......which attaches just fine, but I can't see to get anything in focus. There is no Fstop, which isn't too big of a deal if it means I can reach further, but I can not get in focus. So I'm not sure what I'm going to do now.

crystal wrote: I just did that.....we had a telescope for years and for the past 2yrs I have between buying a big ass lens or mounting a scope. Eventually I bought the 50-500. But recently I decided to try and mount the telescope to my camera, so I had to buy a t ring and adaptor......which attaches just fine, but I can't see to get anything in focus. There is no Fstop, which isn't too big of a deal if it means I can reach further, but I can not get in focus. So I'm not sure what I'm going to do now.

Im guessing it was a Newtonian you were trying that with. Is the focuser on the side of the scope? If yes then you have to move the primary mirror to the Prime Focus position, which is further up the tube. If it has the focuser mounted on the rear then it is a Schmidt/Cassegrain and, is a better astrophotography scope.
To answer your question Kevin there are several telescopes that will work the Newtonians are less expensive but are better for viewing than photographing. If you have a long lens then you can piggy back the camera to the telescope body. The Schmidt/Cassegrains are better for photography but are expensive. I preer to shoot afocally with a Newt, you use a 50mm lense set to infinity and mount it to the focuser with an eye piece in it. It is a more difficult way to shoot but you can get greater magnification. Also you need to have the scope balanced for the cameras weight and a motorized mount doesnt hurt either for tracking the target. In reality it is simpler to get the scope and then a CCD camera for Astrophotography, Sucks I know but astronomy much like photography is a very expensive hobby.

see here...........

www.telescope.com/Clearance-Center/Teles...rB9qkCFUff4AodCUxLhg

www.astropix.com/

Get a lot of info before you shop, this is a huge industry and it will be easy to spend a massive amount of cash............
Also, try to find a star party or visit a local astronomy club for ideas, you WILL get some fine ideas and save money...........

effron wrote: Also, try to find a star party or visit a local astronomy club for ideas, you WILL get some fine ideas and save money...........

That's the best advice. Almost any telescope can take an slr or dslr. You just need a T-mount adapter for your camera.

How difficult is it to get shots of galaxies and such? Let me ask that another way: how much "ummf" would you need to be able to see anything other than craters on the moon?

Completely different subjects. Moon, quarter million miles, galaxies, trillions and trillions of miles. A good 500mm will be great for moon, but you need telescopes and equatorial mounts, etc for galaxies. See my second link above......

crystal wrote: I just did that.....we had a telescope for years and for the past 2yrs I have between buying a big ass lens or mounting a scope. Eventually I bought the 50-500. But recently I decided to try and mount the telescope to my camera, so I had to buy a t ring and adaptor......which attaches just fine, but I can't see to get anything in focus. There is no Fstop, which isn't too big of a deal if it means I can reach further, but I can not get in focus. So I'm not sure what I'm going to do now.

I have kinda the same problem, but different.

I bought a t-ring adapter from eBay and it didn't come with instructions. I've never been able to figure out the settings to make it work...

The difference being, I'm trying to use it with a rifle scope. If I can ever figure it out, I'm considering getting a microscope as well.

Joves wrote:

crystal wrote: I just did that.....we had a telescope for years and for the past 2yrs I have between buying a big ass lens or mounting a scope. Eventually I bought the 50-500. But recently I decided to try and mount the telescope to my camera, so I had to buy a t ring and adaptor......which attaches just fine, but I can't see to get anything in focus. There is no Fstop, which isn't too big of a deal if it means I can reach further, but I can not get in focus. So I'm not sure what I'm going to do now.

Im guessing it was a Newtonian you were trying that with. Is the focuser on the side of the scope? If yes then you have to move the primary mirror to the Prime Focus position, which is further up the tube. If it has the focuser mounted on the rear then it is a Schmidt/Cassegrain and, is a better astrophotography scope.

No, you are completely wrong on the models of the telescope I have. I have a Tasco. It's a cheapo. My husband and I picked it out of a book which he was allow to choose a gift for his 5yr anniversary at work. We used to have a Meade telescope years ago...but lost that in the garage fire.

I know how to use the telescope. As a telescope it works just fine, but once on the camera, I only once got it a tad in focus. In focus enough to know what the subject was, but out of focus enough to delete the picture.

The Time Capturer wrote:

crystal wrote: I just did that.....we had a telescope for years and for the past 2yrs I have between buying a big ass lens or mounting a scope. Eventually I bought the 50-500. But recently I decided to try and mount the telescope to my camera, so I had to buy a t ring and adaptor......which attaches just fine, but I can't see to get anything in focus. There is no Fstop, which isn't too big of a deal if it means I can reach further, but I can not get in focus. So I'm not sure what I'm going to do now.

I have kinda the same problem, but different.

I bought a t-ring adapter from eBay and it didn't come with instructions. I've never been able to figure out the settings to make it work...

The difference being, I'm trying to use it with a rifle scope. If I can ever figure it out, I'm considering getting a microscope as well.

Yup, I bought a Celestron T ring and t adapter, hoping it's all I would need. I figure since I have this telescope, I might as well use it. I guess I just need to play with it more to get it in focus. Or I'll just have to shit $ to afford a scope.
I know what I have will work (I hope)....as I read reviews from people who have the same brand telescope and it work for them.

The Time Capturer wrote:

crystal wrote: I just did that.....we had a telescope for years and for the past 2yrs I have between buying a big ass lens or mounting a scope. Eventually I bought the 50-500. But recently I decided to try and mount the telescope to my camera, so I had to buy a t ring and adaptor......which attaches just fine, but I can't see to get anything in focus. There is no Fstop, which isn't too big of a deal if it means I can reach further, but I can not get in focus. So I'm not sure what I'm going to do now.

I have kinda the same problem, but different.

I bought a t-ring adapter from eBay and it didn't come with instructions. I've never been able to figure out the settings to make it work...

The difference being, I'm trying to use it with a rifle scope. If I can ever figure it out, I'm considering getting a microscope as well.

Erm, I've never heard of using a T-mount adapter with a rifle scope! Rifle scopes typically have the eyepiece permanently attached, not removable. So, instead of a T-mount, you need to cozy the camera, with its own lens fitted normally, up to the scope's eyepiece. As already described in the post by Joves -

... you use a 50mm lense set to infinity and mount it to the focuser with an eye piece in it ...

Of course forget the bit about the focuser, that is also an integral part of the rifle scope. Keep the space between the camera lens and eyepiece as small as is practical, without them actually touching. For very distanct targets both the camera's lens and the scope should be focused at infinity. For closer targets use the scope to adjust focus, leave the camera lens at infinity.

Kelly Cook

Thank you.

crystal wrote:

Joves wrote:

crystal wrote: I just did that.....we had a telescope for years and for the past 2yrs I have between buying a big ass lens or mounting a scope. Eventually I bought the 50-500. But recently I decided to try and mount the telescope to my camera, so I had to buy a t ring and adaptor......which attaches just fine, but I can't see to get anything in focus. There is no Fstop, which isn't too big of a deal if it means I can reach further, but I can not get in focus. So I'm not sure what I'm going to do now.

Im guessing it was a Newtonian you were trying that with. Is the focuser on the side of the scope? If yes then you have to move the primary mirror to the Prime Focus position, which is further up the tube. If it has the focuser mounted on the rear then it is a Schmidt/Cassegrain and, is a better astrophotography scope.

No, you are completely wrong on the models of the telescope I have. I have a Tasco. It's a cheapo. My husband and I picked it out of a book which he was allow to choose a gift for his 5yr anniversary at work. We used to have a Meade telescope years ago...but lost that in the garage fire.

I know how to use the telescope. As a telescope it works just fine, but once on the camera, I only once got it a tad in focus. In focus enough to know what the subject was, but out of focus enough to delete the picture.

OK so you have the Tasco Pefractor, it doesnt have enough focus rack of throw for photography. They also make Newtonians but they too are are the bottom end of the scale.