Astrophotography has exploded in popularity, thanks to incredible advancements in the best camera technology, such as improved sensor ability and astro-specific autofocus. Some of the best cameras for astrophotography from brands like Sony, Canon, Fujifilm and Nikon offer stunning low-light performance perfect for capturing the wonders of the night sky. But what if you don’t have the latest gear? Can you still get good results with an ancient DSLR?
I went out with a Canon EOS Rebel T3i (Canon 600D in Europe and Asia) and was pleasantly surprised by what I was able to capture with my 14-year-old DSLR. For anyone just beginning with astrophotography, using an older, more affordable camera is a fantastic way to learn the ropes without breaking the bank.
My Setup
My setup cost around $500 and consisted of a basic beginner’s tripod, a Canon EOS Rebel T3i and two Canon lenses. The first lens I used was a Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II, a kit lens that I planned to use for wide-field shots of constellations and star fields. I also used a telephoto zoom lens, the Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM, for closer, detailed shots of the moon.
This setup, while basic against the best lenses of today, proves that you don’t need a top-of-the-line kit to start your astrophotography journey. You can often find a used camera and lens for a fraction of the cost of a new mirrorless setup.
Constellations
Best mirrorless under $1000
Another great budget mirrorless camera is the Nikon Z fc, which features a 20.9MP APS-C sensor and decent low-light capability. We gave it four and a half stars for its easy usability and great sensor. Grab it now for $956.95.
Despite a lack of the latest sensor technology, the 18MP APS-C sensor on board the Rebel T3i managed to capture some relatively sharp images of constellations. Combined with the 18-55mm lens, I photographed some classic constellations in the night sky.
In the photo above, you can see the W-shaped Cassiopeia and the Alpha Persei cluster with the brightest star in Perseus, Mirfak. For the eagle-eyed, if you zoom in to the top right of the frame, you can see the very faint smudge of the Andromeda galaxy (M31). I wasn’t expecting to capture a galaxy on this camera but you never know what’s possible until you try it.
The classic Big Dipper asterism in Ursa Major was another easy target, with all seven points of light appearing clear against the night sky despite some light pollution over the city. The image also manages to pick out the star pair of Mizar and Alcor in the handle of the Big Dipper.
The Northern Cross asterism in Cygnus stood out in this photograph with the fainter constellations of Delphinus and Sagitta beneath the left arm of the cross and Lyra with bright star Vega under the right arm. There is a stronger density of stars along Cygnus but I wasn’t able to make out a strong image of the Milky Way core. Bear in mind that I shot this during the light of a gibbous moon, so a darker night might have yielded better results.
Cheap mirrorless
We recommend the Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV for basic astrophotography. It has a 20MP micro-four-thirds sensor and has 121 autofocus points. It is one of the cheapest mirrorless cameras available and is currently selling for $729.99.
Although quite a few stars were clear in my landscape images, a major challenge with an older camera like the T3i is a weakness in high ISO noise handling. Pushing the ISO up to capture fainter objects introduces noticeable grain. Some of the stars also start to show slight trailing when you zoom in on the image due to needing a longer exposure.
Getting perfectly pinpoint stars can be a struggle from the lack of low-light autofocus and struggles with faint objects in the optical viewfinder. One remedy I had for this was to focus on a bright star like Vega and then point the camera at my target constellation. Whilst this is not as accurate an approach as using a mirrorless camera, it can still be exciting to see what you have captured and identify constellations in your photograph.
The moon
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The moon is an amazing target for any astrophotographer and is relatively easy if you are confident with a camera’s manual settings. The moon is bright enough that you can keep the ISO low and mitigate the issues of high noise.
I strapped a 70-300mm zoom lens onto the Rebel T3i for shooting some lunar shots. I got a series of detailed shots of the moon during different phases, where shadows highlighted different lunar features.
One night, I photographed a waning gibbous moon and features like the bright Copernicus crater, the Oceanus Procellarum and the dark Mare Serenitatis were all easily discernible. Shooting raw helped during editing in Adobe Photoshop and helped to bring out more depth in the texture of the lunar surface.
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During a different moon phase, I captured a beautiful waxing crescent moon with Mare Crisium and Mare Fecunditatis clearly visible. For these shots, I used a maximum focal length of 300mm, which helped with getting more detail on the surface. Even when cropped so that the lunar disc filled the centre of the frame, the shots remained in detail with sharp contrast.
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Thanks to the image stabilisation on the EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM lens, I was able to take these lunar shots handheld. This made it easier to manipulate focus and exposure settings to use the camera in a more creative way.
By varying the focus either on the background or the foreground, I was able to take some artistic shots. In one, I have silhouetted a tree branch onto the bright disc of the moon and another has the moon in sharp detail with a branch blurred against the surface.
If you are a beginner photographer, getting an older camera model will help you get to grip with exposure control, manual settings and focus without needing to spend big bucks.
Verdict
Pros:
✅ Affordability: An older DSLR camera is a great, cheap entry point with reliable technology from well-known brands.
✅ Versatility: It can still capture a variety of shots, from wide-field constellations to detailed moon shots, depending on what lenses you have.
✅ A Great Learning Tool: Using older equipment forces you to master the fundamentals of astrophotography, from manual focus to exposure settings. It makes learning astronomy fun, too, as you map out all the stars on your own photos.
Cons:
❌ Noise: The weak ISO performance means you will have to deal with more noise when trying to capture faint objects.
❌ Manual Focus: Relying on an optical viewfinder makes manual focusing on stars a real challenge.
❌ Lack of Modern Features: You’ll miss out on modern advancements that make astro easier, like low-light autofocus and electronic viewfinders for amplified real-time views of the night sky.
So, can you still capture good astrophotographs with a 14-year-old DSLR?
Of course! There are significant limitations that come from the camera’s noise handling and the difficulty of manual focusing on faint objects. However, these challenges do not make astrophotography a chore and offer you a chance to really get to know the ins and outs of your camera. DSLRs rely on an optical viewfinder, which doesn’t amplify light like a modern electronic viewfinder (EVF). This makes manual focusing on faint stars incredibly difficult. I got a somewhat blurry picture of Auriga, the Pleiades, and Taurus with Aldebaran, which served as a good lesson in the importance of precise focus. It’s not impossible, but it requires patience and a good eye.
Gear prices add up fast and saving money on a camera will allow you to spend more money on extra accessories that can get you better shots like an astrophotography lens, tripod or star tracker. Pairing an older DSLR with a modern star tracker would be a game-changer, allowing for longer exposures at lower ISOs.
Using an older camera is a rewarding way to get into astrophotography. It proves that passion and skill are more important than the latest tech. So, if you want to try shooting the stars on a budget or if you already have an old DSLR knocking around, it is a worthwhile experience using it for some astrophotography!
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