alan potts

No not at all, interesting reading Win and Steve, not sure I understand it but interesting. Let me push you further then, if the camera we talk of are basically mono sensors with a matrix then can we actually make mono images with use of filters as I shot a black and white image the first I ever did, before I understood how to make it colour. Alan

I forgot to order it and sadly the corner shop out here has sold out, one on the way soon Sir. Alan

As Peter pointed out, every problem I ever had with either the HEQ 5 Pro or my AZ EQ 6 were because of battery, I now use mains and never have a problem. Until now I have said that. Alan

I have to say with me I want a large chip and the 071 or indeed the 1600 were just more affordable without being stabbed by the wife. I liked the look of an Atik model 16200 and still believe they are better quality. I would have liked their camera with APS H sized sensor, but at near to 3.5 grand I could hear knives being sharpened, then one of the members on site sold one for about half price the day after i bought the 071. Alan

I went for the one shot colour option, though I must confess I didn't find it easy but I am next to hopeless with IT. I feel the Mono option is something I will want to play with at a later date. I also went for cooled cameras, in the shape of Zwo 071 and 183mc pro. In real terms from what I understand going for mono here with the 1600pro and filters may have been cheaper as it's pixel size falls somewhere around the middle of these two cameras, so one camera may well have covered my range of scopes which are between 330mm and 1000mm. I don't see Mono as beyond me but there is a lot to learn and trip you up after using a Canon fairly well for 2 years. Alan

Dropped 365 a line, sadly FLO can't help with this one I have already asked. Alan

I will see what I can do, kind of you search out this option, probably cheaper than a 68mm filter. Alan

I do know how to do star masks and many other things but just didn't bother as I was so disappointed with the fact I got the orientation completely wrong, this would have been OK if I had the reducer fitted which I can put int by have no way that I can see to get a IR/UV filter in the mix. I feel Steve with his PS plug-in gave the image a real boost and your efforts greatly improve my half hearted attempt at, I may turn the camera round and try it again. Alan

I actually bought the 183mc for the Borg as I really like wide field and whilst I guess I could use the )&! and get a result with the decent skies I get here thought it was worth the outlay to have a camera aimed at short scopes, whilst the Borg it not quite as short as the Red Cat it's not far behind and is meant to be very high quality from what read. I am trying to understand how you would use a barlow or powermate on a camera, just screw on the end and you have a different sleeve to slot into the end like an eyepiece? Alan Alan

Ha ha I bought my wife one of though in London last year, she frightened to use it. Yes I will run it from a laptop I have a few of those, forgot the cable though and I don't have a usb to RS232, though I do have anold Dell model from 7 years ago with RS 232 port but it is running on Win XP, maybe get my nate to perform some magic. Errr Stash old, I dodn't give updates I just have problems that people like you help me out of, pointing now on the AZEQ6 is absolutely spot on, I don't need pointcraft. Alan

Just the basic one which I also think can achieve high percision, I am sure it is good enough for me. One thing I do seem to have covered is guiding, only took a year, the AZ EQ 6 is performing very well, seems a shame to move it really. I have been hacing a play at removing the backlash and generally tightening things up on it, could maybe use some grease on the worms, but I have no idea where to get it. Alan

Oh I don't know, I would have thought Steve would have noticed he is very good, I would have thought most in AP know the 071 is only a colour camera, maybe your right but it seems to do live view in binning mode but B&W. Alan

Can any one point me to, or explain in dimwit language what Binning is please, I have two camera now that I believe will do this but when does one Bin? I have an 071 and 183 both cooled models. I got the 183MC for the Borg 77EDll which has a focal length of 331mm so fairly short and widefield. I also have a scope at 420mm which whilst it is not in the same class it is meant to be ED, so should at least be useable. Alan

Dave, there always seems to be something that goes wrong, could have saved myself time and everyone else trouble if I had report the APT crash, just didn't see it as playing a part at the time. This now I feel turned off the Anti Dew, we will never know of course but the further I go the little bits I am picking up, learning the hard way though. Alan Yes it seems to perform better now, probably even better with more data on things, just pleased to be getting some results. I find it hard to use though compared to the Canon, as everything was so much more visible on screen. I hope my mate is bring that plug-in part later but at least I am aware of this now. Alan and all the other, don't go away, I have a183MCpro to cause a whole new bag of problems for you all😀. Alan

I am not totally sure dave, The back space onthe reducer info states 55mm to the sensor. This is as you know I am sure is taken up with Zwo 21mm and 16.5mm spacers but doing this there is no way I believe I can get a IR/UV filter in the light path . The front of the reducer is a large size way over 2 inch filters, I think it is M68. On the other end is the normal M48. Now as the Zow 16.5mm part is the only one of the 2 that has M48 thread I guess it's the filter thickness minus the 21mm sleeve. In truth this isn't really a solution as I don't look at a filter and think That's Solid I imagine I really need a purpose built filter draw or wheel ( where does ones stop, RGB&L filters, 1600pro etc) I don't really see an easy option Dave. Alan

Thank-you Steve I will give it a try but don't be surprised if you hare on the news aircraft were re-routed by an unknown force. Alan

Steve, You know me I thought I had done this, maybe it was with the Canon, The scope is 805mm F7, there is a lot in C-du-C to mess with, I tried to turn on one of the catalogues last night but nothing seemed to happen, still I'm having fun that's the main thing. I have Photoshop CC but not this plug-in. I do have a focal reducer which I would like to use but with the 071 I require a 6mm spacer which FLO do not stock and I don't want to use other outlets that do so the reducer is on the shelve. It is the 3 inch one, it should have been a Riccadi really but I was not wanting to pay 700 euros. Alan

I spent a few hours out last night trying to prove the camera worked OK as I have been having a few problems, mainly caused by me. Now I would spend more time on this 22 frame at 4 minutes if it were not for the fact I believed the orientation of the camera as shown on C du C, this suggesting the whole of the Soul Nebula fitted very nicely into the field of view of the 071. Maybe I can change it some how. Anyway reasonable effort I guess and could have been better had I looked harder, seem one of the down sides of the difference between the Canon and this, with the Canon it would have been easy to see after the first image, never mind Feel free to rip it to bits I know it is not processed well. Alan

Well I slowed everything down as Grant had advised me to do and made triply sure the Anti Dew was ticked and took a few subs of the area near Sadr, just because this is overhead and a fair test of the focuser holding, which I always feel it does. The other night I did forget to report that APT crashed partway through the imaging plan, about where subs nose dived I would say from memory. I feel this, having to re-start APT and not being able to turn the other off, then un-ticked the Anti Dew box, as it has not been staying on from one session to another. I believe here was the problem, one yet again caused by me, though it was not me not being able to focus, well that badly anyway, I'll work on it. So here are 15 4 min subs with setting at minus 5, Darks are not matched they are taken at zero, I dare say Flats are wrong too as I had the camera off the rig to check for fogging. I have not checked the images but I know one has a wobble as I kicked the tirpod, me and my plates of meat. Thank so much to all that offered advice, difficult telling from just a shot or two but between everyone we seem to have made something of an improvement, would be even better if I did not kick things, Alan

They need to be charged with electricity for tricks like that Rainer. Alan

I have a AZ EQ 6 and that is rated at the same as the CEM60, I don't believe the SW would perform so well with 18 kg on board for Astro Photgraphy, I think so much of it is the type of scope, if it's a long scope the max weight may well be 13-14kgs or leas. Alan

I have the lynx cable for the AZ EQ 6 and that stopped working, everyone on site chipped in with ideas to no avail, Grant scratched his hear and also came up with nothing. Turned out it's common fault here caused by the electric system. The daft thing was it wouldn't guide or operate manually through the PHD controls but worked perfectly using the exact same wires in the cable with Eqmod, nothing wrong with the EQdir but FLO sent me another, Cable failure King am I. Alan

M70 is very low Mark, had the scope on here from the observatory but is only about 13/14 degrees high, will be a tester in England, Alan

Well I have taken delivery of a CEM 60 and the mid priced mount which I am very impressed with. Of course I have not used any of it yet but the tripod is a good as any I have ever seen, really stable and solid. The mount too is a cut above the quality of my AZ EQ 6, very smooth and so light. Difficult to believe it will take 27kg plus counterweights, which could easily be another 19kg. Mine is sitting here in the basement with a Borg 77EDll on which weighs all of 2kg I guess. Lets hope when I move it out into the observatory it performs as well as the claims. FLO only shipped this Monday night and I had it at 12 today here in Bulgaria, sadly being out here I did over look the Lynx computer control cable which I would very like, one big downside of living abroad with no dealers here, still keeps the couriers in business. Talking od which the cost of FLO shipping 55kg in 5 packages was 55 quid I think, the cost of shipping a Televue zoom from here to Finland 37.50, weighing in at 300g I would love to hear an explanation of that costing. Lunchtime, clouds were on the mountains to the south, looking friendly, they have come to see me. Alan

Tree dodging, would you like the loan of a chainsaw. Alan