Jkulin

1 hour ago, Whirlwind said:

There's a lot of reasons though that people interested in the hobby might not be able to effectively image though and remote imaging can fill a void.

For example:-

If you work night shifts, have very early mornings, work abroad frequently
If your home residence is conducive to imaging (you live in a flat in the city)
You have a medical condition, bad back etc that makes it difficult to do these things yourself anyway
You live in the UK and would prefer your equipment doesn't spend more time as a towel rack rather than imaging
You prefer more science based work (e.g. observing transits etc) where the UK weather is not conducive to this sort of work.
You live in north Scotland and would prefer to image some summer targets
You can use it to top up data you might have missed in the UK (e.g. you managed to get the LRG but not the B!)

I get the point that for some the challenge is to get everything just right, but then some just like to have images to show for it.

I do find the cost for itelescope expensive though.  For the 'lowest grade' (and I say that with some hesitancy) you are still looking at £30 per hour.  A whole night imaging would be close to £250

 

In answer to the above: -

I work most nights until 3 or 4 in the morning and still managing to image, it depends how determined you are.

Your home residence might not be conducive to imaging, but the likes of @souls33k3r and @carastro have really bad skies and manage to produce superb images through perseverance and travelling and even @thelestria24 manages from her balcony in Glasgow, so it depends how much you want you own work or someone else's.

I have a chronic back condition and I'm classified as disabled, but I still manage.

So it really depends on how much you want to achieve your own success or use someone else's skills.

With regards to objects not in our hemisphere, then great, when I get time I shall visit countries with my travel kit and capture them then.

Just to be honest, it rattles my cage when I see images on Astrobin when it is obvious people have captured them in Namibia or Mexico or even Chile but classify it as their own back yard, yet when you look at the kit there is over 100-200 grands worth.

People need to be honest and if you have worked hard to establish your own kit remotely then you deserve the rewards, but to me someone who produces an excellently captured and processed image from a light polluted back garden deserves an even greater pat on the back.

On 12/06/2019 at 00:05, Star101 said:

Do many others use remote imaging by subscription? What is your opinion?

Please understand that you have asked for opinions, but it just isn’t for me as it goes against the grain of my personal feelings about remote imaging.

For me there are a number of classifications: -

1. Those who hire time from downloading images using commercial equipment not owned by them, for me it doesn’t contain any merit.

2. Those that get a company to setup their equipment and maintain it, again to me that contains very little merit.

3. Those that install, setup, configure and maintain their own equipment remotely, this indeed is in my opinion a worthy capture method, although not for me.

So although I appreciate you have still had to process the images it is rather like going fishing, that everything is done for you so that you can pose with the fish after it has been landed.

No insult inferred, it just really isn’t for me

6 hours ago, FLO said:

That ‘is’ true but only because we didn’t do what we should have done - send him one from our stock so he could quietly take his time getting to know the optical design. Instead, because they were in such short supply, we released every one we had to customers

With respect Steve, I have heard from a number of sources that they are not too pleased with the star shapes, I can’t substantiate it so regard it as hearsay.

Indeed, FLO acted correctly with the Esprit issues on first launch, and now they are cracking scopes.

So maybe you will need to offer an ES Reid service for the Redcat until quality levels are guaranteed, but then will it price it out of it’s competitive pricing?

I’d like to see a few other owners results with the RedCat before committing to buying one.

Hi Mark,

I am not optically qualified to comment as to the cause of the odd shapes, all that I can say is if I bought an OTA brand new that produced stars like that then I would not accept it.

It is fairly obvious that there is an issue along the line that is much more noticeable at the edges and on that basis I would not accept it, doesn't mean I know how to fix it or what is causing it.

In my own images I know when I have a guiding problem or tilt and try to work a way around it, not always successfully.

I really was seriously interested in the RedCat and nearly hit the button when I first saw it to buy from FLO, but it has since it's launch been plagued with reports of poor star shapes and even the highly respected Mr ES Reid has had a unit back for a second time to try and fix.

If the problems are resolved then I am truly happy for everyone concerned, but it does need fixing.

3 hours ago, Astroscot2 said:

As Alan mentioned we would need to see an image where we know the RC scope and imaging train is securely fixed,  well guided, well focused, no processing and the image presented uncompressed to evaluate.

Indeed I totally agree.

Looking at the quality of your images on Flickr you are far more likely to identify a resolution to the odd shapes than me.

BTW some lovely images on there and perfect star shapes 🙂

1 hour ago, Davey-T said:

Did you see the centre of mine a few posts up ?

Haven't seen it Dave as having major broadband problems, so when it picks up then I can browse properly

42 minutes ago, symmetal said:

That's just the jpeg artifacts causing the stars to have unrealistic hard edges in the image.

Its not just the edges, the stars are horribly shaped. I have never experienced that with any of my stuff, guiding errors yes but not shapes like that,

This is the centre which should be perfect but isn't, I agree better, but I still think that WO needs to revisit the quality: -

Sorry @melsky absolutely no reflection on you, just the scope.

Problem is that I would have bought the Redcat to use full frame with my Sony, but with stars like that I won't go near it.

Sorry but at 100% the stars are truly awful

Bottom Left

Bottom Right

Top Left

Top Right

Hi Adam, I have heard nothing but praise about the MGEN, indeed I am aware of the ASIAIR, but it's not the direction I want to go down and I'm not sure it will support the Sony either.

The only problem with going down the MGEN route is the cost, thus why I am looking at alternatives.

With the Sony you have a live view, so that ticks my first box, the MGEN would probably only be controlling exposures of probably up to 5 mins, I just want to keep things as light and fuss free as possible adding extra's will only escalate the problem with my spine, but thanks for your suggestions.

2 minutes ago, Adam J said:

I would not touch stand alone guiders. Too temperamental and insufficient control. 

The point is Adam, that is exactly what I want, I don't want to use a laptop for widefield out in remote locations, I have no intention of it replacing my PHD2/OAG/Guide Scopes at home, only when using my Sony AR7III DSLR

Thanks Maurice, some interesting thoughts.

I've used my Nikon D800 and My Leica previously with the SA and used my Samyang 14mm on the Nikon and my 11-23 on the Leica, on the Nikon I guided for 450 secs, this was unguided, but I stupidly didn't adjust the ISO high enough, there were other things wrong as well, but this was a 450sec sub unguided on the SA with the Samyang 14mm: -

I've not done anything with this apart from a light stretch.

I had a look at the Star-Aid but without dithering it's a waste especially with Musk's latest escapade with all those Satellites.

I plan to try and get more images this summer with the SA using the 14mm and Samyang 135mm and possible later in the year with Orion as I can't get it properly from my home setup

2 hours ago, ollypenrice said:

Probably worth a punt in that case. I'd just check that the one you go for will allow single axis guiding.

Thanks Olly, indeed that would be my main concern with the SA, not so much a problem if I go for a newer mount that will guide on both access, so that is something I have to make sure of.

8 hours ago, ollypenrice said:

The standalone guiders may seem like a painless way into guiding but all your eggs are in one basket and if it plays up you might wish you could change baskets! Personally I think they solve a problem which doesn't exist and risk introducing new ones which do. Reading the threads over the years some people find they work fine, others struggle.

Personally I'd just go for a finder-guider, ST4-equipped camera and PHD2 on the laptop (assuming you have the necessary USB ports.) PHD2 will auto calibrate and you can refine this by using the Guiding Assistant after that. You'll need to disable the Dec guiding facility or it will refuse calibration, but that's in the 'Brain' section of PHD.

Olly

Hi Olly, thanks for your thoughts, I'm not looking for a replacement for my main imaging, as PHD2 works very nicely, I'm looking for an option to guide without my laptop for widefield with my SA and Sony A7RIII with a few lenses, I could use the 500 rule and go unguided, or like I did a couple of years ago where I got 450sec subs with no guiding and hardly any discernable trails, but I would like to keep things simple when travelling and really without a laptop would be a blessing due to my bad back.

Thanks Sean, appreciate your thoughts.

Just a little confused with regards to the MGen as the Bumf says it comes with a camera, so the idea for me is just for using in portable mode.

I indeed have no plans to replace PHD2 on my main setups, only for widefield or travelling, that's why it appealed to me as I don't need to set up my laptop, though will probably anyway for PA.

I bought some time ago a QHY Mini Guide Scope, so that would be perfect weight wise.

Have you any experience or thoughts on the SW autoguider?

Its been a while since I have used my SW Adventurer, but I am yearning this summer for some widefield images and I rather like the sound of using an Autoguider with it.

The LACERTA M-GEN Stand Alone Autoguider pops up fairly regularly as does the Sky-Watcher Synguider Autoguider II

What else is out there and how good are they in comparison to a guidescope with PHD2? I know with the SA that I can only guide using the ST4 port on the RA, but sometime in the future I will probably upgrade my remote setup to include a small iOptron mount whilst maintaining portability but with the ability to guide on both axis.

Probably the longest focal length I will use with it will be my Esprit 80 - 400mm FL, but much more likely to be with my 14mm and 135mm with the 200mm thrown in for good measure.

Some of the claims really do sound exceptional, so I'd be interested to hear from who uses one and how good are they?

Thanks as always for your input 😎

Dave, quick question, won't the power lines/telephone cables cause diffraction spikes on your images, the reason I asked is that I had a single twig sticking up 4 foot a couple of years ago and until I had finished imaging I didn't realise the damage it had done to my image

Thanks Mike, Much appreciate your reply, hopefully will give it a test this week.

Thanks Mike, I've set it up on my laptop now and will give it a try, just a quick question I want to reduce down the refresh and captures to about 5-10s minimum, where can I do that in the settings and I want to make the camera more sensitive. I've not used a CMOS camera before so all new to me as I usually use a CCD.

Thanks once again.

Hi, Downloaded and have spent the best part of the evening to try and get it to work, I have re-installed it 4 times and tried the 32bit and 64 bit.

Your uninstall routine leaves comments all over the registry that really didn't please me.

And I constantly get this error coming up out of the blue and no matter how hard I look I cannot find anywhere to restore all the settings to a default: -

I've attached the log files if they help.

Can I suggest two things, firstly always have a reset configuration option as that would have saved me keep re-installing and installing.

Please make sure when you uninstall that it leaves absolutely nothing left in the registry or hidden anywhere.

So my question is how do I reset the configuration?

I am using an ZWO ASI 120MC Camera

So far I have not been able to capture a test image whatsoever, but I have have checked the camera is fine by reunning it up in sharpcap.

Thanks for your assistance.

NB. Finally got it to work, it refused to use the Ascom drivers for the camera, insisting on using its own, I changed a few of the other settings as well and that removed the error, so now I will set it up on my laptop and see if it will work, I didn't wish to be ungrateful and if it works nicely then will make a donation to your cause., Thanks.

AllSkEyeLogProcessing.txt AllSkEyeLogAcquisition.txt AllSkEyeLogGeneral.txt

Here's your CCD Inspector images: -

Yep I think you are right Dave, especially after looking at the CCD Inspector images.

I just had a look and whilst the centres were reasonable this is from the Top left, horrendous star shapes: -

Bottom Left: -

Bottom Right

Top Right

Middle

Sorry Scott, but I really think you have got a real problem with that OTA and I woudln't waste any more time with it.

I will most definitely not be buying one until I see some consistency with the quality

I have Dave and there really is some weird stars shapes, I know R3tr0 has the correct back focus as I have had a chat with him on that and all seems good, but you are right the stars are bad all over the image, if it was tilt it would be in one corner predominately.

Personally after reading so much about bad star shapes and not flat fields for this new OTA, I think WO needs to recall them all and get them checked before selling any more.

Its looks a lovely OTA and is a good FL for travelling, but I would rather use my cameras 200mm F4 focal length than have stars like that.

I've had a good look and to be truthful, your stars are really out of shape, this was from the middle: -

And this from the left hand bottom corner: -

It looks like it is coma, but can't be 100%, I don't think it is guiding as the right hand side of the stars are flattened.

Personally I would return it for a full refund as I would never accept that for a brand new OTA.

Its all in the manual: -

https://www.ioptron.com/v/Manuals/7400_CEM40_Manual.pdf

" STEP 2. Set up tripod The tripod top is 120 mm in diameter with 2x M6 holes 103 mm apart for mounting. Two additional M6 holes are for the Alignment Peg (the one on top of a leg is for high latitude use; the other one between two legs is for low latitudes). Thread the Alignment Peg into the correct M6 hole. Insert the Accessory Tray through the center rod and secure the setup by tightening Locking Knob from underneath."

HTH

I'm biased CEM120EC all the way