What’s the better budget setup for deep-sky astrophotography: telescope on a tracking mount or telephoto lens on an AstroTrac?

Question

I want to photograph deep-sky subjects such as galaxies and nebulae with a Nikon D700 (full-frame). I’m comparing two approaches:

1. A small telescope on a very stable tracking mount, with the camera body attached directly to the telescope.
2. A 300–400mm prime telephoto lens with good aperture and sharpness, used on a tracking system such as an AstroTrac mounted on a regular tripod.

The lens option seems more versatile for non-astro use, but I’m concerned it may be less stable than a telescope setup. I already have a Manfrotto tripod with a 496RC2 head.

For good image quality at a reasonable cost, which approach makes more sense for deep-sky astrophotography?

user7777 · Answer

I'd add a third option. Get a dedicated CCD camera made especially for astrophotography. Visit the astronomy forums around the net, and you can get a good sense for what people are using and what their results are. Most of the deep space photos that I've seen are with a dedicated astronomy camera.

On the other hand, if you want to use an existing lens or purchase a lens for dual-purpose, I'd look at something like this:

http://www.astrotrac.com/

On the other hand, if you want to use an existing lens or purchase a lens for dual-purpose, I'd look at something like this:

http://www.astrotrac.com/

What’s the better budget setup for deep-sky astrophotography: telescope on a tracking mount or telephoto lens on an AstroTrac?

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