Getting Started: Budget Astrophotography

Nothing more to say, buy it, read it, love it!

Overall this is a fantastic book for those who are just getting started in or exploring the possibility of astrophotography.I found that this book offered a very good bridge between those who are experienced in photography (myself) or those who are experienced with visual astronomy and want to cross into astrophotography. The book is based on a premise of operating under a budget which is an excellent feature for people just getting started as most books (including this one) outline the 'optimal' or near-'perfect' setup as requiring upwards of 10K$ at which point most newcomers would run screaming for the hills. This book is very good at showing you how you can capture fantastic images to spark and satisfy the curiosity on a relatively low cost setup. Then when you see how much you enjoy (or perhaps don't enjoy) the field of astrophotography you can decide to expand your supply of equipment as you improve the setup. The book even outlines how some of the elements of the starting set up can be augmented to fill supporting roles in a more advanced setup in the future.This book was written after some of the other similar books by Allan Hall so at times he does reference back to his other books but never in a manner that leaves a reader that doesn't own the other books like he isn't getting all the information he needs. Rather Hall outlines what he wants to outline and suggests checking his other book for more information which typically is for set-ups that go beyond the realm of 'budget' astrophotography.The value of this book is largely determined by the reader. If budgets and prices are significant concerns or if the reader is just getting started and is looking for more understanding prior to the shopping process then this book is a great start. For more experienced individuals in astrophotography or who are not concerned with budgets and just want to find that really great setup the book would offer little help.At a kindle price of 10$ it is chock full of tidbits and information for the beginning astrophotographer and I highly recommend it. Now I am going to try out one of Hall's other books.

This book is great starter. It is clear and easy to follow and includes the entire process. I have several other astrophotography books and this is by far my favorite. I happen to have one of the 80mm refractors Allan Hall uses in the book. It has gone from dust collecting to my goto instrument. I am surprised at the shots I am getting (I live in a mid sized city in the northeast. This book has changed my astronomy and added a lot of fun. The projects section is also interesting. Many of us are tinkerers and the projects are as clearly explained as the photography section. I am going to build the chair. The best thing of all was a total surprise. I had a problem with one software package and Allan helped quickly and graciously. Today I ordered his Long Exposure Astrophotography book. More of a good thing! Zach

What should have been a book with “color” photos, this is a black and white photo copy.What should have been a book about getting started with photo astronomy instead was instead laced with meaningless babble.No, I was not looking to build my own telescope, my own equatorial mount or how to hack an telescope camera.I know this is paper back but come on…… if you can’t give me content regarding the book title at least give me some color pictures to look at.If your looking for a book that explains what equipment to purchase, how to connect and how to capture images look somewhere else.

This is a terrific and thorough book about astrophotography using a range of cameras with an emphasis on DSLR cameras. It covers equipment, types of images, potential targets, software, and a range of do it yourself projects to make rather than buy equipment. For example, there is a good section on making a barn door equitorial mount that is adequate for multiple exposure image stacking. There is another discussion of a couple of focusing aids for stars. There are also references and discussion of software for navigating the sky as well as post processing. Everything is geared to working with a low budget. The book is current - published in March 2014 - and reprinted March 2017. The only flaw is a lack of color images and low quality B&W images.

Excellent book for the beginner in astrophotography who doesn't want to spend a large amount of money on equipment. Both theoretical and practical aspects are well explained in a clear language. The only thing I miss in this book is how to navigate to the location of Autosave.tif using MS-DOS commands in the chapter Conversion. Let's say that the path to the folder (M31) containing this file is C:\Users\Reynir\Pictures\Camera\M31. Then at the command prompt C:\Users\Reynir> type cd Pictures\Camera\M31, press return and there you are! Moreover, I found that the current version of ImageMagick doesn't work as described in the book but an older working version is available from the author's website. These are only minor matters: the book is highly recommended and at only about 10$ (Kindle) it's a real bargain.

I have read several other books on photography and astronomy, but many fall short on how specific or helpful the information is. This book has enough detail to be worth buying, and is great for referring back to later.

Lots of useful information and practical advice in a very readable style. If you're starting out in astrophotography, or just want tips for affordable ways to get better astro shots without spending a fortune, this book is a fine introduction. There are several DIY "projects" that are also clearly laid out and can easily be built from the instructions and specific list of required materials.The instructions in this book for making a "barn door" camera mount are the best I've seen. After reading some other descriptions of how to build one, I decided not to try it, but because of this book's clear step by step process and explanations of how all the parts worked. I'll be building a "barn door" mount for my camera soon based on the this book's project instructions.Highly recommended!

Don't get me wrong it's a good book, even though it is now showing its age,The problem I found is that the print isn't that good and with only black and white images, it seemed that corners had been cut.There are better books out there and more updated with colour images - hence only three stars.

On the whole a good introduction to astrophotography with some useful & applicable information. The author is clearly very proficient in his field but at times it reads more like a word document than a book. The black & white photographs also limit its potential to inspire but if you can look beyond that there are some great tips to get you started.The chapter on DIY modifications was a personal favourite & has inspired me to think outside the box with certain aspects of the hobby.

Great for introduction to the subject. Packed with information. Some diagrams would benefit from colour but it's about astrophotography on a budget and a black & white print reflects that ethos. Buy it.

Not knowing much about the subject this book was a great help, advising websites to use for free software.

Not worth buying unless you want to know what the solar system is