Pentax K100D for astroimaging - good or bad ?

[Murray]

I am about to buy a DSLR - been boxed into a corner by a daughter who is desperate to get into real photgraphy - and have a number of old Pentax lenses.

Question:

The Pentax K100D is a 6meg chip - and yet I am told by retailers that there is effectively no noticeable difference between its images and larger format 8 or 10meg chips you get in the Canons.

Has anyone used the K100D for astroimaging.

Have they compared it with the Canon in a straight shoot-off using similar equipment ?

Are there any fundamental reasons why a Pentax is not as suitable as a Canon for night-work ?

Look forward to seeing any feedback,

Murray

[budguinn]

Hi Murray,

I don't do DSLR's but read a ton of their posts....also on the ImagesPlus forum. My only question would be does any major software package support the camera? I know that Mike Unsold is making ImagesPlus able to convert almost anything, but it'd be nice if you can control exposure, focus...etc from a software package......as you can with IP and the Canons and Nikons

[Murray]

Bud,

Thanks for the comments.

Yes - I think that is one of the issues. The software is out there for Canon but not Pentax.

Regards,

Murray

[romeropaul]

More power to ya!

It would be great if somebody supported Pentax with their software. It has the reputation for the most value for the money camera!

but not holding my breath,

Paul

ps Pentax has their own mac or windows software for controlling the dslrs, but I dont know if you can setup a series of preprogrammed exposures. It might also be a good idea to email Pentax with regards to this lack of software for astrophotographers problem.

[AstroImaging_KindaGuy]

Originally Posted by Murray

I am about to buy a DSLR - been boxed into a corner by a daughter who is desperate to get into real photgraphy - and have a number of old Pentax lenses.

Question:

The Pentax K100D is a 6meg chip - and yet I am told by retailers that there is effectively no noticeable difference between its images and larger format 8 or 10meg chips you get in the Canons.

Has anyone used the K100D for astroimaging.

Have they compared it with the Canon in a straight shoot-off using similar equipment ?

Are there any fundamental reasons why a Pentax is not as suitable as a Canon for night-work ?

Look forward to seeing any feedback,

Murray

Murray:

The impression that one can be left with by reading the various responses is that software for controlling the camera is a must have to take images. Though using software to control the camera, focus and such is perhaps desireable by many and certainly one route to consider it is by no means a requirement to take any astro-image with a camera.

I cannot speak for Pentax DSLR cameras but I can speak to their emulsion cameras. Their 1990's film cameras were quite good at doing astrophotography. I would be greatly surprised if Pentax quality didn't also carry over into their DSLR line of cameras. If you buy a different brand of camera other than Pentax you can probably find the adapters to fit your Pentax lenses to the new camera.

I recommend not allowing yourself to get all hung up on the technical bells and whistles or with what everyone else is doing. Do what is best for you so that the hobby doesn't become an endless quality control job that ends up also being an endless money-pit while chasing the "perfect" image.