Lens Advice Needed

[EshD]

Its my first thread here.

The Lunar eclipse is tomorrow and I don't have a telephoto lens to capture it.I realize its a bit too late to order one but I was wondering which lens I should buy. My budget is >$300.I have a Canon T1i and I already have the kit lens EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM.Iprefer a lens by Canon however I will also look into good quality lens from other manufactures . Thanks for the help.

 

[TCampbell]

Do you have a local camera store that rents lenses?

The EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM is the only decent lens in your price range, but the moon will be a bit small. To mostly fill the frame you'd need about 1000 to 1200mm focal length (which would be a ludicrously expensive lens and the reason I plan to use a telescope with my camera instead of a telephoto lens.)

 

[EshD]

Thanks T! How can you use your telescope with your camera?

 

[TCampbell]

Thanks T! How can you use your telescope with your camera?

You need a "nosepiece" for your camera to fit the telescope. My refractor (which is what I'd use most of my imaging) telescope accepts both 1.25" and 2" eyepieces and I prefer to use the 2" for the camera. The nosepiece slides into the eyepiece receiver (just like an eyepiece). You can get 1.25" and 2" versions. With a "full frame" camera you really should use the 2" version. I have e few friends who only have 1.25" versions and they claim they do not have vignetting with an APS-C camera.

The nosepiece has a "T-ring" designed to mate to your specific camera lens mount type. For example, since you have a T1i you would use a T-ring mount intended for Canon EOS mount.

Here is just one example:

http://www.amazon.com/Celestron-93625-Universal-1-25-inch-T-Adapter/dp/B0000665V6

Notice how it has a normal eyepiece barrel to slip into the telescope. But the back side is threaded. Those threads are called "T-threads" and they are an industry standard size.

Next you'd need an adapter that fits those threads, but provides the bayonet mount that your camera needs.

Here is an example:

http://www.amazon.com/Celestron-93419-T-Ring-Canon-Camera/dp/B000237C9M

You can optionally get the nosepiece and t-ring in a single unit:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00T4IRJPI

These are all examples of 1.25" nosepieces. I only use the 2" diameter (I have some full-frame bodies in addition to an APS-C body and I don't want vignetting (dark corners) in my images caused by using a small diameter nosepiece.

And of course there are versions of these to fit other camera mounts as well.