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Heart Nebula with D810a
In mid-2015 Nikon introduced an “astronomical” version of its pro-level D810 camera, called the D810a, with special features to appeal to astrophotographers. What does it offer and how well does it perform?
I put a D810a to the test, using a camera on loan from Nikon Canada. To check its advantage over a "stock" camera, I shot various celestial sights taken the same nights for direct comparison with a Nikon D750.
Amateur astronomers often have their DSLR cameras modified by after-market suppliers. To compare the D810a with such a camera, I also shot with a Canon 5D MkII, long a favorite camera of astrophotographers, and modified by AstroHutech. I was interested to see how Nikon’s factory-installed “mod” would compare to an after-market modification.
Just what gets modified? And why? First, some background.
Modifying DSLRs
In theory, DSLR cameras shouldn’t work for long exposures of astronomical objects. In long exposures a blizzard of electronic noise from a num...

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Alan Dyer
Alan Dyer
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Alan Dyer is one of Canada’s best-known astronomy authors and astrophotographers. He has been shooting the sky since the dark-age days of High Speed Ektachrome film, and now with successive generations of DSLR cameras. He currently serves as associate editor of Canada’s SkyNews magazine, and as a contributing editor to Sky and Telescope. He has co-authored several best selling guidebooks for amateur astronomers, including The Backyard Astronomer’s Guide, and most recently the ebook How to Photograph and Process Nightscapes and Time-Lapses, available exclusively through the Apple iBooks Store. (see http://tiny.cc/z4goqx). His astrophotos have appeared in publications such as National Geographic, Smithsonian Air and Space, and on websites such as Astronomy Picture of the Day, The Guardian, CBS News and NBC News. His own website, www.amazingsky.com, provides several video tutorials and pages of tips and techniques for shooting the sky. Asteroid 78434 is named for him. He can be reached through the contact page on his website.  http://www.amazingsky.com
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