Photographing with Micro Four-Thirds and Telescope (1 Viewer)

I already asked this question elsewhere, but received no feedback, so I thought I'd try here with some massaging of the question.

I'm planning to get a Micro Four-Thirds camera to replace my old Nikon Coolpix 4500. Been a great camera for digiscoping, but getting camera envy watching the wonderful photos my girlfriend takes with her DSLR.

Am likely to get an Olympus OM-D E-M10, and I already own a Celestron C90 (Schmidt-Cassegrain) that I use for daytime digiscoping (not astrophotography). I'm using the standard Celestron 32mm Plossl, but am considering getting the TeleVue version, I hear it is quite noticeably better even on the C90.

But how should I plan to hook up the MFT camera?

--Like I do with the Coolpix 4500...afocal with an adapter of some sort?

--As a prime lens (without the elbow and plossl)?

There are variations on both techniques, but wanted to ask which technique first, then ask about the details.

ALSO:

--I realize the C90 isn't high-end and Schmidt-Cassegrain produces weird bokeh, etc.

--I also realize there are long-range camera lenses I could use instead of the (tele)scope. But I have the money for a camera, not the other components at this time.

--I've kicked-around various MFT camera ideas (Panasonic GX7, Olympus OM-D E-M5, and various DSLR among others), but my research leads me to believe the E-M10 seems like it'll have the best balance of price, performance, weight, size, etc. Unless there is some show-stopper I should know about, this part is fairly well set in stone.

No eyepiece. Just get the extention tubes you need and a T2 to mFT adapter and hook up. E-M10 is for sure a good choice.

DanC.Licks said:

No eyepiece. Just get the extention tubes you need and a T2 to mFT adapter and hook up. E-M10 is for sure a good choice.

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Thanks for your reply!

I had heard this was the best way to go about it, but I have alot of questions about accomplishing it:

It is my understanding that if one simply connects the camera to the back with a T-adapter that one loses all the magnification from the eyepiece. How does one get the magnification back inherent in a 32mm plossl, for example?

Also, I understand the distance from the rear tube on the scope to the focal plane of the camera is a variable. Is there some standard length of extension tube, or is this going to require experimentation?

I should note I'm not a very good builder/maker, so any solution needs to be off-the-shelf parts.

On refractors, usually 80mm extention is enough. You may just have to get a couple of different lengths and experiment.
Check through the various threads on TNs (telenegatives) and Barlows on this site, There is a lot of usefull information here.
Keep in mind that the C90 is not a blazing fast scope (f13.89!!), and that 1250mm is already very long for terrestial work. Anything in between like a barlow or a TN will increase magnification, but make it still slower.

DanC.Licks said:

On refractors, usually 80mm extention is enough. You may just have to get a couple of different lengths and experiment.

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Here's where my bad luck and lack of mechanical skill usually come into play. If 80mm isn't correct, how will I know? I mean, will it mean I can never get a clean focus? How will I know, for example, if I'm off by only 1-2mm or something?

Or am I just misunderstanding the mechanics here? Sorry if my amateur knowledge is glaring.

Check through the various threads on TNs (telenegatives) and Barlows on this site, There is a lot of usefull information here.

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Out-of-context it's all a bit too much for me. This is a hobby I greatly enjoy, but in a field (photography) that has always been a weakness. I generally count on plug-n-play advice/hardware and all-in-one-place advice.

Keep in mind that the C90 is not a blazing fast scope (f13.89!!), and that 1250mm is already very long for terrestial work. Anything in between like a barlow or a TN will increase magnification, but make it still slower.

Click to expand...

I do this for "reach on the cheap," that is to say to shoot really long distances (because I can't get physically closer) but do it on a relatively shoestring budget (which doesn't account for the long, expensive camera lenses that would do the same thing).

To be honest, I don't even know what you mean by "fast" in this instance.

I know my Coolpix 4500 is taking "acceptable" shots afocally, which is supposed to be about a 42x zoom (and I don't even know if that includes the 4x internal zoom on the camera). I can shoot "decently" out to about 300 meters, at least nice enough for me.

Really I'm just looking for less noise, better low-light, better resolution, better histogram, faster reaction time (from shutter release), and faster shutter speed (things that move).

I figure ANY decent MFT will accomplish that, even with the same scope, yes?

So in that vein...more questions:

--If shooting off the back with a tube extension as you recommended and a Barlow (apparently "telenegative" is just a Meade term for Barlow?), which Barlow would give the same magnification as a 32mm plossl?

--On further reading, maybe I misunderstand...looks like a Barlow is a magnifier used *in addition* to a plossl (does it fit inside?). If so, wouldn't just a plossl be easier in my case?

--What about inversion of the image? Or does a Barlow fix that too?

--On a related note...I understand the elbow to the viewfinder (which also inverts the image) might not be the best for afocal photography. Is there a preferred way to shoot off the back of the scope with an eyepiece and the proper inversion of the image (eyepiece projection)? I've tried looking for the proper gear but the advice is confusing and assumes quite a bit of tribal knowledge.

Half wondering if I should just call TeleVue and get their recommendations. Hate to let a single vendor make decisions for me, but need a sort of end-to-end advice here.

Very grateful for everyone's patience and advice.

Slow means dark, which means high iso in order to get the shutter speeds up where you will need them. IS might or might not work, so you have to plan on at least 1/1600 second to get sharp images, and that is asking a lot from an f14 lens! Don't plan on getting good results in anything but great light.
Don't use an elbow. Just attach the camera directly to the scope and it will reverse the image as it does with any other lens. Try to get the extension length that will allow you to go just beyond infinity. It will be nothing other than a reflector telephoto.