I knew I needed a new or different camera for astrophotograpy. The Nikon D60 (10.2 MP) DSLR I had at the time was not going to work for several reasons. The D60 is an entry level camera and while it was a good camera for shooting the kids and vacation stuff it was not very well suited for astrophotography. So the question to me was upgrade the DSLR or go with a dedicated astrophotography camera. The most economical and versatile choice was to go with a DSLR.
Most astrophotographers use Canon DSLRs rather than Nikon but having already been a Nikon consumer I felt it better to go with the Nikon. Having amassed lenses and accessories from that manufacturer, not to mention already being familiar with Nikon’s software and menu structure, it just seemed logical to stay the course. Looking back on it that decision, it might not have been the best plan as most clip in filters are only available for Canon.