George Gearless

@symmetral ah ok, now it makes sense. I was secretly hoping there was some postproduction involved so I could achieve a simillar result. Oh well, I'll just add the solar scope to the list of things I'll be getting when I win the lottery :).

Really great photo. What kind of sunfilter do you use? Mine makes it all seem bland and white.

I'm currently using a DSLR (EOS 7D Mark I) but looking to upgrade. I have a Skywatcher Evostar 80 Pro ap-refractor and a Skywatcher Mak 180 pro. Both are used on a Skywatcher EQM-35 Pro mount. Maybe you already see the problem here. My Evostar I use for DSO's and the Mak for planets and moon. I may upgrade it all by getting the ASiair and a miniguide-scope bundle at FLO's. But that's a seperate issue. What I am looking for is a camera that can be used both for DSO's as well as planetary/moon photography. A tall order, I know. So the key word here is versatility. Right off the bat, I'm thinking colour camera. I realy would like to avoid fidgetting about with filters and wheels. Uncooled would also be a plus but not a dealbreaker. The fewer cables the better, although I aknowledge the usefulness or even the necessity of cooling. Price is a HUGE issue 😱. But, if I do make the leap, I don't want to buy something pi** cheap that my current DSLR outperforms. Then why do it all, right? ZWO seems to be the natural favorite, if I'm considering the ASiair. Ok, so I turned to the website of my now familiar astronomy pusher, FLO. oh my! So much to choose from. But I think I've got it narrowed down to two candidates. ZWO ASI 385MC USB 3.0 Colour and ZWO ASI 178MC USB 3.0 Colour Camera. Would either of these serve my demands for versatility? Or is that simply a game I'm bound to lose? Also, which of the two candidates would you choose, taking the above into account? Or would you go a third way? Here's hoping for some good inputs.

Hmmm, according to this specification it doesn't . https://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/E7D/E7DDAT.HTM see under "lens and optics". Keep in mind that mine is a mark 1. Maybe the one you found is a mark 2?

I don't think the 7D has digital zoom. Besides, Helen is very subtly talking me into buing the AsiAir 'thingy' and a planetary camera. I suspect she may be on commission from FLO 😜

A perfect example why an amateurs amateur should take great care in reading technical data and thinking he understands them. I see 50 FPS and 30 FPS and go; "Oh, 50 must be better than 30". Numerically it is, but it's only half the story.

I've on occasion seen this advertised and browsed over it, without really knowing what I was looking at. It does seem to be a very cheap way to solve my laptop issue (I only have a tablet with a detachable keyboard). Good tip. Thanks, Helen.

@JamesF Oh, I'll definitely experiment the lens-cap off the 7D. On as many targets and as often as I can. As I said in my initial post, it'll be a while before my budget allows yet another purchase of equipment anyway. I'm just off to an early start 'researching' what, when and where to improve my kit. Regardless of the shortcomings of the 7D, I am sure it will grant me many hours of delightful experimentation, frustration, elation and above all, experience. Yeah, the planets are not presenting themselves favorably right now at my location. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a clear evening or two when next the moon passes over my house at a decent hour. FPS, pixel size, gain, etc. are concepts I've only just started delving into. There is so much to learn before I can confidently place an order at FLO for a camera. I've still got many niggles to work out with regards to a laptop, power supply, cords and what not. As I am writing this, a dual purpose colour camera (guide for DS and camera for planets) seems to be the most versatile option. But it is far too early to call. I may go a completely different way come October/November when I'll be ready to make a commitment to whatever I decide. Thanks for your input.

I feel like I know a celebrity now. Big congrats! Quite an achievement.

Along with making love to Kate Beckinsale, aquire superpowers and talking to Elvis, it is a dream of mine to take a picture such as this. Can you share some details on how you took this photo? I mean, equipment wise?

I just looked up the pixel size for my EOS 7D Mark 1. It's 4,1 µm. I realy have no idea if the difference between 3,75 µm and 4,1 µm is a lot or not. Numerically they look close, but in the AP universe that may be worlds apart. The 7D has either 50 FPS or 60 FPS at HD resolution. I visited a few websites where there seems to be much discussion about this precise topic. Some say that only the Mark2 is capable of 60. Others say that it doesn't matter. In any case, 50 Fps seems to be a safe bet. The 224MC has 30 FPS at maximum resolution. But ofcourse, the FPS increases dramatically as the resolution decreases. It's difficult for a novice like myself to find out what these numbers translate into. But I do think that my EOS 7D deserves at least a few good runs before I rush out and buy myself even poorer on a new one.

I think he means, as did I, at the same time.

Hmm. Hadn't considered that. Once again, thanks.

1. Ugh...I figured. I couldn't quite wrap my head around how the camera would do both at the same time. Not unsurprising, since it can't. 2. I do want to keep my options open. So thanks for that little tip. It would however need to be quite the bit superior to that of my DSLR to justify the extra cost of a colour one. 3. Indeed. I was just wondering how big a problem this is. If at all. I suppose the problem varies according to what scope you are using it with. 4. Power wise I should be ok with the USB-hub. The question was/is if there is a minimum requirement system wise and CPU wise. But if I understand you correctly it is just more convencient to work with a 'real' laptop.

For DS targets I'll be using my Evostar 80. I merely mentioned my Mak180 with regards to understanding the limitations of an OAG.

I'm currently windowshopping for guide cameras. It'll be a while until I can actualy buy one, because I just spent the next many months budget on a Mak180 and some dewstraps. But I guess my eventual purchase will be all the more informed, if I start researching it now. Somewhere down the road to poverty, I'll propably also be buying an actual AP camera for the picture taking. But to start it all off, I'd go for just the guide camera and use my DSLR for the picture taking. So I figured FLO's website was a good place to start. Fairly quickly I realized that I might not have fully grasped even the basics. And so I turn to the SGL forum to pester its members with ignorant questions and 'what-ifs' 😉. 1. You have guide cameras, regular cameras, and cameras that can do both. So, can a dualpurpose camera both guide AND take pictures at the same time? Or can it just do either operation, depending on whether you place it in the guidscope or main scope? 2. It seems to me that there is a very wide pricerange for a camera which sole purpose is to send adjustments to the mount. So, what can a €600 guidecamera do that a €100 guidecamera can't? I mean, where would the difference be noticed, were I able to run them side by side? 3. Because of weight issues, I plan to use an off axis guider. I realize that if I use this option, I will be limiting myself in choice of guidestar. Especially if I use it on my Mak180. But apart from that, are there any pro's and con's that you think I should be aware of? 4. I don't have a lap top per say. I have a tablet with detachable keyboard. The USB's do not supply enough power to operate an external HD. So I've solved this by using an externaly powered USB-Hub. The question is if the programs that I need for operating the guidescope are more CPU demanding than my tablet can provide? Is there a minimum requirement (system, CPU, RAM, etc.) that I can check? I'm sure I'll come up with more questions before my actual purchase. But I think this is enough to be getting along with.

Just on a side note: I have a Nikon D40x and it doesn't have video/film capability. That's pretty much essential if you want to photograph planets or the moon. Sure, you can take single shots of the moon. But they'll lack very much in quality compared to a stacked film. Also, it does not have live preview. Focusing through the finder is quite a challenge even when your telescope is not at an awkward angle. And if it is (which is often the case) it's damn near impossible. Without having checked, I am guessing the D40 has the same above mentioned drawbacks as the D40X.

Looks really good. Too bad I only use PC/Android.

If my neighbour didn't have two big trees covering the immediate southernly direction, I could've had a shot at Jupiter or Saturn. They'd be really low over the horizon, so photography was not going to be an option regardless. But I would have loved to have a good look. I've never had a telescope with this much power before. So I am really excited about what I get to see. By the way; what is that program you are using? Star Safari?

Update: So, I got the 180 Mak from FLO and immediately set about dry-training with it. Once balanced, the EQM-35 Pro mount handled movement seemingly without struggling even the slightest. I'll admit I let out a small sigh of relief. Due to constantly overcast skies, I hadn't been able to test it properly until yesterday. The night sky didn't offer much to look at and I only had a small window of opportunity before clouds once again would be rolling in. But I quickly confirmed the optics to be as I have come to expect of Skywatcher Maks; really great. I could have used a bit more cooldown time though, to get the really crisp images. But it was a spur of the moment thing so I just dragged everything outside without being able to plan for cooldown time. Many have pointed out that you really should get a focuser for this Mak. I've found that a clothes-peg fitted on the standard focuser knob, serves as a way to gear the whole thing down. Works great. So great that I've even abandoned considering buying an extremely costly focuser altogether. I genuinely don't need it. And now for the final test for the EQM-35 mount: Astrophotography. I added the couplings, 'noses' and DSLR and focused on Arcturus. You know, just to have a clear target to test. My polar alignment was quick and dirty so I was readying myself for trails beginning at 1½ minute or so. I was delighted to see that the star was a solid dot on my screen even after 2 mins. I was unable to test further because of clouds rolling in. So, no wobbling back and forth in the field as I had feared. It seems that the EQM-35 mount is perfectly capable of handling this weight and type of telescope. In fairness, it should be said, that I don't think it leaves much room for 'growth'. But for now, I am happy as can be. Now I am only wishing the moon or one of the planets would hurry up and present themselves at a viewable hour. That's going to be the ultimate test for my mount and my new Mak 180.

I was in the market for some heaterstraps for my newly purchased Mak. Just placed an order on two straps and the dual control box after I saw your post.

With only 6X2.5 mins, I don't think you can ask for much more. With my equipment I'd be thrilled to get a picture like yours, even with many more subs. Thanks for sharing. And yeah, it's "OK" to post. With a picture like that, I'm pretty sure it's a law that you have to 😁

Wonderful if you've got it all sorted. However, if you're anything like me, you are likely to run into many more forehead-slapping mistakes in the future. Forgot to tighten clutch. Infuriated that the mount wouldn't track properly. Powercord not insertet properly in powertank, so it would occasionaly lose power but immediately come back on. Rage tantrums could be heard several blocks away. To name but a few. "Live and learn" is the creed by which many an amateur astronomer lives by.

I can get around 3 mins with EQM-35 pro, which for all intents and purposes is a 'lesser' mount than yours. I use a Skywatcher AP 80 Evostar. If I am even a little bit careless in the polar alignment, I am lucky to get 1 min. With a lot of practice I am now able to polar align precisely enough for 2½ mins 'precision' within 6 or 7 mins. I usualy set up my polar alignment without counterweights or scope. But I always check when I have fitted the scope and counterweights, if I'm still good. Quite a few times I've had to re-adjust after adding weight to the mount.

As others have said you do need a T2 ring. My scope is of a different build so I'm not sure the same applies to yours. But mine also has a direct T2 coupling directly onto the scope. But if I want different magnifications, I need the nose and distance piece to contain the different eyepieces. Yours may be the same. So without the nosepiece/distance piece you may only get 1x magnification. For planetary photos you will need magnification. I started with a Nikon DX40. I am not sure how different that is from the D40. If there's any difference at all. Mine cannot take video. The capability to take video is pretty much essential for planetary photography. Check if yours can. Your post doesn't say as to what mount you have. But for deepsky targets a motorized mount is pretty much essential. Just my to cents.