I'm curious about astrophotography and MAYBE buying a camera made for astrophotography. If anyone out in MM world has experience, with the photography; or, especially with the cameras, I'd love your input. How limited is an astrophotography camera for other use? How much BETTER is an astrophotography camera than a good DSL when it comes to taking images of the heavens?

Equipment recommendations would be great, as well as anyone who has used equipment that they are wanting to part with.

Thank you.

The Olympus E-M1 Mark III has a built-in feature called "Starry Sky AF" (Auto-Focus) which helps with focusing in the dark.  Explanation of it with photos here:  https://learnandsupport.getolympus.com/ … innovation

YouTube showing Starry Sky AF:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9tidk3GTKc&t=67s

This guy used one to capture the International Space Station fly-by against the full moon.  https://theflore.com/blog-posts/2021/1/ … oon-fly-by

STC Optical has some screw-on as well as clip-in body filters for astro work too that helps with light pollution. I have the STC clip-in Astro Multi-Spectra but they are small and sort of finicky to install in the body, more so if you have big fingers.

https://stcoptics.com/en/astroms/

Even with the above ambient light-blocking filter it's best to refer to a Dark Skies map to see if you have any nearby places that are good for astro shooting.  I'm in CA and the place is so light polluted that any astro work is almost pointless even with the filter isn't much help due to hazy skies due to smog, heat wavers, forest fire smoke, etc.  Best is in Nevada for me - but a 4-5 drive to get there.

Dark Sky map:  https://darksitefinder.com/maps/world.h … 6/-106.304

Also, a star tracker or guider would be of benefit too.  https://www.ioptron.com/product-p/3550.htm  I believe Pentax has a camera that can do a minimal amount of star tracking within it.

The micro four-thirds website has an Astronomy Forum which might help more:  https://www.mu-43.com/forums/astrophotography.125/

There are a lot of articles about astrophotography on Fstoppers.com

Nevada Wier has used an Olympus EM-1 ii converted to IR by lifepixel.com.

I have lost track of an interesting article about IR converted cameras but I have found this:
https://www.lifepixel.com/photography-g … rted-d7200

I'm thinking of having an Olympus EM-1 iii converted to IR and taking advantage of the Starry Sky AF.