Digital SLR Users: Focusing Tips

[Legion]

Any tricks that I can use to get better focusing?  I thought I had some ok photos of M45 and when I looked at them they were crap.  My M42 pics looked awful, but turned out to be the best.  I am soooo confused.  

Camera in question id the D300 (rebel).

Also if anyone has some post processing guidlines that would be great as well.  I need to get into stacking if these pictures are ever going to see the light of day.

[Jake]

You didn't say if you were photographing through a telescope, or with piggyback lenses.

If through the telescope, the easiest way to get going is to make a hartmann mask out of cardboard.

Do a google search for "Hartmann mask" and you will find several how-to references.

Also, I always do a couple test shots at 1600iso for about 30secs, and then check the image fully zoomed in the LCD screen to make sure focus is perfect before starting your exposures.

-Jake

[Jean-Yves]

After fighting for months to focus with my 300D, I purchased DSLRFocus ( http://www.dslrfocus.com/ ), it works very well.

Cheers

Jean-Yves

[Legion]

DSLR focus looks like the best option, but I dont have a computer I can use outdoors.  So that one may be a problem.

The hartmann option looks doable.  I guess I need to research the distance and diameters for the circles I will be cutting.  I found how too for a 8" LX-55.  That may transfer just fine to an 8" LX90.

Thanks for the tips.

[lzagar]

I have found that the most accurate focusing method is the STI Stiletto focuser.  It does not require a computer and it is very quick and easy (just as described on the STI website).  It's not inexpensive ($180 and up), but as far as I am concerned it can't be beat for accuracy and simplicity.

Here are a couple of the first images I took using my Canon 300D  and the Stiletto for focusing.

Lee

http://www.astrohbg.org/gallery2/album02/M42_11_2_04

http://www.astrohbg.org/gallery2/album02/M13_9_10_04

[Legion]

I was reading about using the mask to focus.  It seems simple enough, but they dont mention what eyepiece to use.  Is there something I am missing?