back to article Canon reaches for stars with DSLR refresh

Canon sent its latest DSLR into orbit today with the launch of the EOS 60Da, a high-res snapper designed for astrophotography. The Canon EOS 60Da - essentially a refresh of the 20Da - packs a modified infrared filter and low-noise sensor, which along with a "heightened hydrogen-alpha sensitivity", makes it an ideal candidate …

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  1. Code Monkey

    I see the pound's took another hammering against the Galactic Groat.

    1. AndyS

      on the rear you'll find a 3in LCD...

      How many Wales is that?

      1. Code Monkey
        Headmaster

        Re: on the rear you'll find a 3in LCD...

        The Wales, as a unit of area, is not applicable. The screen should correctly be described as 0.5443 linguini.

  2. Nick Ryan Silver badge

    "heightened hydrogen-alpha sensitivity"

    Oh dear, initially it sounds like some marketing drones from cosmetic companies have found a new job at Canon spouting pseudo-science...

    However hydrogen-alpha is a specific frequency of the spectrum - point this at the sun with some appropriate filters and you could get some interesting photos.

    1. Jnemo
      Alien

      Re: "heightened hydrogen-alpha sensitivity"

      ...or point it at a nebula. Most of the brightness in a nebula tends to be in the h-alpha emission line, which happens to be right on the edge of the UV/IR passband in a typical camera, causing you to lose most of it. As a result, a stock DSLR is significantly less sensitive than it could be in capturing many "feint fuzzy" objects.

      There is a very active secondary market for modified DSLRs and modification services to swap out the UV/IR filter (that sits right on top of the sensor) with one that moves the passband slightly into the IR region to fix this problem.

      You can also buy the filter and do it yourself, if you're a masochist. I've done it myself on an older model Canon DSLR, and I can't say I recommend it. It involves getting out a soldering iron and dealing with the tiniest connectors you've ever seen.

  3. Robert Heffernan
    Boffin

    About time!

    Ooh, it's about time the astro model dslr got an update. Might have to get me one :D

  4. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Good HA filters..

    are notoriously expensive...Probably accounts for the price increase over a standard body..

    Would like to see if it has any effect on any other aspect of it, seing as it has preset scene modes.

    1. BristolBachelor Gold badge
      Boffin

      Re: Good HA filters..

      I didn't read it as it having a Halpha filter. I read it that the IR blocking filter now has a better pass characteristic for Halpha. Therefore, the camera is more responsive to Halpha.

      I'm afraid that the camera still has a bayer colour filter over the sensor. If you are really into your astronomy, you use a monochrome sensor and take different exposures with a different filter for each exposure.

      1. Jnemo

        Re: Good HA filters..

        "I didn't read it as it having a Halpha filter. I read it that the IR blocking filter now has a better pass characteristic for Halpha. Therefore, the camera is more responsive to Halpha."

        Yes, that's exactly what they did; they did the same trick with the 20Da.

      2. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Good HA filters..

        @BristolBachelor - I think you are forgetting cut filters and pass filters are both filters. The OP does not need correcting, we knew what was inferred by his generic 'filter' by reading the article.

        And I agree somewhat on the bayer but this is still an everyday camera not a specialist Astro only. It would be nice to have clip-in removable filters fitted somewhere, maybe behind the mirror, so that you could change the usage.

  5. NeilMc

    Damn that is expensive even by Canon's standards

    If this is a replacement for the 20d, where does that leave the 30d, 40d, 50d and 60d all of which have been around for a good while now.

    At this price point this cannot be a regular DSLR and therefore really only appeals to Astrologers, anyone looking for a regular Canon DSLR will go for a regular 60d or one of the 1000 range, and certainly not this.

    Best of luck with this niche market turkey Canon..........

    1. Steve Ives
      Paris Hilton

      Re: Damn that is expensive even by Canon's standards

      "If this is a replacement for the 20d, where does that leave the 30d, 40d, 50d and 60d ..."

      It isn't - it's a replacement for the 20Da

      "At this price point this cannot be a regular DSLR"

      Well done - you kept up this far.

      "and therefore really only appeals to Astrologers"

      ...keep going...

      "anyone looking for a regular Canon DSLR will go for a regular 60d or one of the 1000 range, and certainly not this."

      Congratulations - you've worked out that this camera is different!

      "Best of luck with this niche market turkey Canon.........."

      Amongst astrologers, the 20Da is highly respected, so it probably will be.

      Might go and post a comment in a story about a new SSD that this can't be a normal hard drive and that people who want a tradional hard drive will look at tradional hard drives and that at this price, it'll won't appeal to people who value cost/gigbyte over performance.

      Sorry - not much patience today...

      1. Nick Ryan Silver badge
        Holmes

        Re: Damn that is expensive even by Canon's standards

        If our (make believe) astrologer friends like this, I wonder how astronomers feel about it?

        :p (and it's not even a Friday)

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