RE: [APML] Astrophotography 2004 - Price Shock Horror

["Scott Hammonds" <shammonds@creatorsview.com>]

Hi Chris,
As a relative newcomer to this hobby, late 1999, I was stunned at that point
at what people were spending on gear. It has only gone up since then. My own
spending on this hobby has increased waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay more than I could
have imagined. However, as I often tell my wife, I don't spend money on a
boat, expensive cars, motorcycles, etc., but for some reason that argument
doesn't fly!


I agree with Steve, there are guys still doing excellent work with
inexpensive gear. Look at the awesome planetary shots with $150 web cams.
There are a lot more people in this hobby now than a few years ago, and that
drives the demand for better and better gear. At least the nice thing about
something like an AP mount or scope is that it doesn't depreciate very much
if at all, as opposed to something like a car or boat. High dollar CCD
camera's, well that's like a computer, it ain't worth much after a few
years.


Scott Hammonds

-----Original Message-----
From: astro-photo-bounces@seds.org [mailto:astro-photo-bounces@seds.org] On
Behalf Of Chris Schur
Sent: Wednesday, June 02, 2004 4:35 PM
To: astro-photo@seds.org
Subject: [APML] Astrophotography 2004 - Price Shock Horror

Hi all,

The all too depressing financial reality set in for me this weekend at the
RTMC from the current trends I am seeing in the amateur skyshooters options.
A decade ago, you could take a home made mounting, a less than a hundred
dollar 35m SLR, and a 3 buk roll of film and with a lot of care and
patience, get stunning images that could rank up there with the best
astrophotograhers, and get those images published in the magazines.  
Now all of that has changed.  Exept for mine, all of the talks this year
were centered on digital or CCD imageing.  Must-have gear includes the $4000
to $8000 ccd cameras, a new $12K mount because that mount that worked so
well with film isnt good enough anymore, and of course a complete digital
darkroom wtih the software alone costing more than the 35mm SLR was.  
Dont get me wrong, I do like to see the hobby advancing, but to now the
playing field is no longer level - highly skilled astrophotographers can no
longer compete on the world playing field without being very well to do
financially as well.  This was painfully apparent when most of the old time
friends, which were the best of the best film photographers only what seems
a short while ago simply can no longer afford a fraction of the gear needed
to show off thier SKILLS.  

The trend that seems to be geling is that most imagers of today must be both
competent in both making money as well as have the rudiments of sky shooting
skills. 

I love change, but is this really fair? 

Any comments ?


	
		
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