Close to Ordering Hardin 8" Dob

It sounds like a great starter scope. I've read tons of reviews and it sounds like the best for the money. My only problem is the fact that I love to take photos with my digital camera. The cameras I have now- Canon G2 and Canon Pro90IS can only do an 8 sec. exposure. I'm not going to be doing serious astrophotography with these cameras, but would like to take shots of the moon and planets. Can I use a Dob for these types of photos? I would get an adapter for my cameras.. Here's a recent shot (Sunday Night) of the moon with my Pro 90IS and a 1.7x B300 Teleconverter. 1/20 sec. exp. http://home.swfla.rr.com/tarpon6/Img_0982b.jpg

If you have any recommendations.... please do...

You can take astrophotos with a undriven DOB but it is a bit of a challenge, the sky moves pretty quickly when trying to get the magnifications necessary to get good detail. Focusing is always and issue.

But my suggestion is that if this is your first serious scope, forget about photography and concentrate on visual observing. Photography is time consuming and quite tedious.

Rather than getting side tracked trying to take photos, take this time to learn the sky and just relish the joy of discovery.

The cost of doing photography right is high and there is not other scope that offers the visual capabilities that this 8 inch DOB does at the $300 price point.

jon isaacs