New telescope or camera first?

[Robp]

Hi all,

Its the time of year where I consider my upgrade over Christmas and I could do with some help on deciding what to get first. I image DSOs (mainly nebula) and want to add the option of a wider field of view to my current setup.

Ultimately I want to end up with a Star 71 scope and a Atik 383L mono camera whilst retaining the 130pds and Atik 314L+ I use at the moment.

I can only afford to get them one at a time and I don't really want to part with my 130pds or Atik 314l+ if I can help it

So which one do I go for first?

I can afford to purchase the Star 71 now. The 383L would have to wait a while longer if I wanted to get that first.

I've also considered other scopes around this price bracket, but the star 71 seems to be the one go for?

The reason why I am leaning towards the scope first is that I can afford to buy it now and getting the Atik 383L to play nicely with the 130pds seems like it will require a lot of work. Scope then camera seems the easiest route to take but I am unsure if the Atik 314L+ can be used with the Star 71 at 3.82"x3.82" per pixel, is that pushing the camera a little to far?

Thanks all,

Rob

[christhebrit]

Hi,

I agree, getting a telescope first is the better option.

• You can get used to the new setup.
• Use current equipment on the new telescope (which may be enough to satisfy through an improvement).
• Different cameras may be available when you look for a camera at a later date.

Looking from the other side, you could have the camera you want now, but you'd not be using the whole potential you like to.

The choice is yours, either way it's the right one :-P

Chris

[Alien 13]

The Star 71 will work fine with a DSLR in your sig so I would get that first.

Alan

[Robp]

I don't really want to return to imaging with a DSLR, I'd rather just use the Atik 314L+, 130pds and produce mosaics.

Its mainly due to bad light pollution I get in my back garden.

In fact the only DSLR image I have taken since I purchased the Atik 314L+ was with my 1100D and of the partial solar eclipse, not used the modified 450D at all

[MartinB]

Don't worry unduly about the sampling rate, the Star 71 and the Atik 315L+ sounds like a very good match

[Robp]

Thanks Martin,

I could always sell up my current gear and get both but I have become quite attached to my 130pds/314 combo.

[ollypenrice]

I wouldn't panic over 3.84 arcsecs per pixel either. There are dozens of APODS taken at around this rate. When I started I took my first workable images with the original Atik 16HR (285 chip) and a focally reduced WO ZS66. It looked like this (with very 'newbie' imaging skills!  )

https://ollypenrice.smugmug.com/Other/Nebulae-and-clusters/i-dvjGSRg/0/X3/NORTHAMLCE%20copy-X3.jpg

The 383 will make more use of the astounding flat field of the Star 71 (Yves is covering full format with his) but, since you don't need to invest in adapters to control chip distance with this quadruplet, why not just get cracking with the present camera?

Olly

[Robp]

Thanks Olly,

I think I have made my mind up to go ahead with the scope.
Looks like stock levels are a little low at the moment, hopefully I get one of the good ones