Most astrophotography guides start at $2,000. That's not a guide — that's gatekeeping. The truth is that a used crop-sensor DSLR, a fast prime lens, and a basic star tracker will get you further than any amount of forum reading.
The Orion Nebula, Andromeda Galaxy, and the Milky Way core are all within reach for under $500 combined, used. Here's the stack that actually works.
The Three-Part Stack
Every astrophotography setup comes down to three things: a camera that can go to ISO 3200 without falling apart, a lens that lets in enough light, and something that keeps the stars from trailing. Get those three right and everything else is optimization.
Why a Star Tracker Changes Everything
Without tracking, your exposure time is capped at around 20–25 seconds at 135mm before stars start trailing. With a tracker, you can run 2–3 minute exposures. That's not a minor improvement — it's the difference between a noisy snapshot and a real image.
The Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer Mini is the benchmark here. It's compact, reasonably accurate, and the polar alignment process — while fiddly the first time — becomes quick after a few sessions.
The Camera Question
You don't need a dedicated astronomy camera. A used Canon EOS Rebel (any generation from T3i onward) or a Nikon D3300/D3400 will do. Buy used. The sensor on a 10-year-old crop body is more than capable for widefield and even moderately deep imaging.
One upgrade worth considering early: have the IR cut filter modified or removed. Stock cameras lose a lot of H-alpha sensitivity. Services like Lifepixel charge around $200–300 for a full-spectrum conversion. Not essential to start, but a meaningful upgrade once you're hooked.