Last time I mentioned that I was considering purchasing a DSLR for imaging and had narrowed the field of candidate models to a short list.
The winner is the Canon T2i. I was able to pick one up on eBay for $183. (Here's hoping that it arrives in good shape and performs as well as the seller says it will.)
Here's how the T2i compares with the other candidates:
The 40D (introduced in 2007) has a sturdier build valued by professionals but lacks the video capability of the T2i that can be used for solar system imaging. The 40D is considerably larger and is 10.3 oz. heavier than the T2i; after imaging with the ST-8300M+FW8 tandem I'll appreciate the difference in weight and bulk. The T2i's pixel size is much smaller (4.3 vs. 5.7 m) making it a better match for my AT65 and TV-102. It's reported that the T2i's sensitivity is 2 f-stops better than the 40D.
The XSi (2008) is one model more recent than my XTi and has a large number of owners doing astrophotograpy. I suspect this is because it was the first consumer-class Canon camera with LiveView and USB one-cable operation. The XSi lacks video, and the T2i is said to be 3 f-stops more sensitive.
The T3i (2011) has slighter less noise than the T2i (2010), but it lost the crop mode video capability that helps with solar system imaging. The T3i adds the tilt-out display that's useful when the camera is used without a laptop but this feature is of little value to me. It also costs more to purchase being a year newer.
The T2i has a better display screen for focusing than either of the earlier models.
Assuming that the purchased camera checks out okay I'll be sending it off to Gary Honis for his Baader modification.
Two Rivers Spring Star Party Update--- It begins in three days and the weather forecast for the party is terrible: Every night mostly cloudy with a 40-50% chance of rain. Ugh.
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