Re: [APML] Astrophotography 2004 - Price Shock Horror

["Stuart Heggie" <stuart.j.heggie@sympatico.ca>]

Chris, I read all the replies to your post (so far) and my take is this: I agree - with everyone.
This is about what pushes each person's buttons personally. I love struggling (emphasis on
struggling) to get a good picture in either format with the least expensive equipment, most bought
used, I can find. You accomplish as much with film as anyone and it must be hugely rewarding. What
our friends on the list shooting ccd with expensive rigs are proving is that amateurs can literally
touch the sky - recall Rob G's photo of The Cone Nebula being compared to the Hubble's shot of the
same in S&T awhile ago? The difference in the images wasn't worth $1Billion to me I'll tell you.
That is so cool. Just different from film. When Richard Crisp posts one of his exotic line filter
shots of an obscure galaxy I just marvel but I don't feel lessened by it because I've got an old
G-11 and some beater Nikon cameras. I just get excited and want to get out and do more of what I am
trying to accomplish. It is definitely the journey not the destination that keeps me at it
(luckily!).

So, big sympathy with your viewpoint but it seemed funny coming from you - you are one of my
inspirations so I was surprised to hear you feeling down about the craft and its direction.

Stuart
http://www3.sympatico.ca/stuart.j.heggie/Stuart.J.Heggie/
Flesherton, Ontario, Canada

----- Original Message -----
From: "Chris Schur" <comets133@yahoo.com>
To: <astro-photo@seds.org>
Sent: Wednesday, June 02, 2004 4:35 PM
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 ?
>
>
>
>
> __________________________________
> Do you Yahoo!?
> Friends.  Fun.  Try the all-new Yahoo! Messenger.
> http://messenger.yahoo.com/
> _______________________________________________
> Astro-Photo mailing list
> Astro-Photo@seds.org
> http://seds.org/mailman/listinfo/astro-photo
>

_______________________________________________
Astro-Photo mailing list
Astro-Photo@seds.org
http://seds.org/mailman/listinfo/astro-photo