Skyline

29 minutes ago, alan potts said:

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

Thanks for your input, the 1600 Pro is also a consideration similar to the Atik 383L+, I know the 383L+ is a good solid built camera and since I had one 5-6 years ago (my God time flies), I still regret selling it on. But the price has risen £500+ on a new camera, the reason why the 1600 Pro makes a good contender. Don't know about QC and support from ZWO. It would be nice to hear from someone who has had both types of cameras.

The only thing I don't like about the ZWO cameras is thing of amp glow, sensor cover reflections and gain settings as on the Atik cameras I had in the past I can remember I never needed to set these parameters as these are set automatically without faffing around.

Nadeem.

Hi

Coming from a Astro Modified DSLR camera, which I have had great success over a number of years. I have had numerous Mono CCD cameras mainly Atik, 16HR, 314L+, 383L+.

However having mono ccd cameras I always found trying to complete a full session of LRGB to be problematic due to environmental issues, one I am surrounded by neighbour's trees and also by the time I need to capture the next set of data, the object has fallen behind trees or the weather is not playing ball.

The reason I stuck out with a DSLR camera for so long is due to simplicity and it not needing to worry about collecting individual coloured data sets.

But one thing I would add is time teaches you patience, hence the kindled interest in still buying a CMOS\CCD camera.

I have no interests in doing narrowband imaging apart from imaging Ha.

I only tend to do astro imaging about once in 4 months or maybe twice if I am lucky. So in your replies give this consideration please. Hence why I am leaning more towards colour at the moment !

Also just to state I have also had Spinal Surgery, so I don't know how this would effect me in the long term when I am out on cold nights trying to collect LRGB data.

I know mono is more sensitive, but looking at how cameras with CMOS colour sensors have advanced from companies like ZWO and producing wonderful results from the pictures here on SGL, I am thinking about again moving from a DSLR to a dedicated astro camera.

1. Due to cooling

2. Taking pictures without needed to take breaks

3. Simplicity without filters if buying colour

I would be mainly using the camera on a Skywatcher ED72, sometimes on a 6" f5 Newtonian also on a rare occasion a 4" F9 Refractor if I can still handle it.

Ideally I don't really want buy a small chip, ideally something which matches somewhat like an APS-C size sensor but not sure what cameras would be ideal for my setup and again - Mono or Colour is the question ? 

Any advice is appreciated, thank  you.

I have a 1100d which i have modded myself which is a lot easy to mod then a 550d.

I have no banding on my camera, maybe Martin got a bad one. It is 5.2 microns, depends what you want really and how its going to match your setup.

Nadeem.

This is a beautiful rendition of both objects.

Just shows you what modern cmos astro cameras are capable of now.

This is good news Steve, I wish all your families well.

Nadeem.

I've often thought about a one scope solution, the Force is strong on the Dark Side. I could easily depart from my Reflectors and my SW ED72. But I would find it very hard to depart from my C80ED & C100ED scopes, as you can't buy them new no more and their classics. But having a 120ED again is really tempting. Only if Celestron made a 120ED in Gloss Piano Black with a R&P focuser. Drooooooooooollll. 

Unfortunately one way around this would be buy a IDAS EOS Clip filter, but I am just thinking if I was to buy a Baader Protective EOS T Ring adaptor, then use my 2" IDAS into it, then I would have to use a Lynx adaptor to make the scope for better inward focus using a DSLR with the OVL flattener, as this is my preferred camera for imaging.

I am wondering, would this combination work ?

That's a good adaptor, but might have to adapt this to have an internal 2" filter fitting 

1 hour ago, FLO said:

Some of the comments in this thread suggest a problem with the telescope or its reducer but our experience here at FLO suggests the opposite. 

Since launch the Sky-Watcher Evostar 72ED Pro has been hugely popular, outselling even the long established 80ED Pro. So far we have experienced only two customer returns (one for dust behind a lens element and the other because the customer believed his draw tube was misaligned). As for the 0.85x Reducer/Flattener, only one return. My colleague, Grant, is getting along nicely with his and there are some nice images posted here at SGL. 

From where we sit the telescope and reducer are performing well and owners are pleased. We certainly haven't noticed a need for third-party reducer/flatteners. 

Is it pixel-peeping (the 72ED Pro a £265 doublet) or are we missing something? 

Steve 

No offence was intended Steve ! I also have one as well and quite pleased with the little nipper regardless of the little niggles.

1 hour ago, calli said:

I am happy that I did not order the 72ED. This seems to be a real journey and with all the spacers, flatteners and mounting problems it seems tedious and expensive. At least for imaging.

Carsten

I wouldn't say that - What telescope is perfect? your always going to be fiddling with something as not everyone's requirements are the same.  But saying that I also think SW should have bought out a dedicated reducer for it.

Beautiful Beast, cut it a bit short - otherwise the holiday in April under good skies would have been ideal on the star adventurer.

Thanks for the clouds in Advance.

I think SW need to go back to the drawing board and produce a dedicated reducer for the scope. 

Someone call me lazy if you wish...

ED72 is a F/5.8 Neil

I took this image of NGC 7789 Star cluster, I use a 1.5mm spacer with the 0.85x reducer making it 56.5mm, I think I might have to add another 0.5mm.

I had a result last night using an additional 1.5mm spacing with a canon 1100d, will post later.

I too was guessing around 57-58mm, I know 55mm does not cut it. As I took a image of the double cluster and I had some aberrations in the corners. I post it up later. 

I think with the particular draw tube collar I am using the focus will not be a problem (touch wood), we'll see.

The 1100D has a pixel size of 5.2um

2 minutes ago, moise212 said:

The "dedicated" one with ~60mm backfocus.

Which one is the Dedicated one ? the 0.85x ?

I am thinking of buying some M48 spacer rings so I can test them out with the SW Reducer and a Canon 1100D

Which Flattener did you use may I ask please ?

My setup:

Thats the size of the resolution area

That is a full sensor image of a Atik 314L+

My efforts:

Using 55mm spacing on a skywatcher reducer