Simon Pepper

I don’t have this camera but I follow a lot of people that do and they have all had it. As Russell states this pretty much an inevitable with this camera but as he shows an east fix. ZWO I feel could do a bit better though the generic response is not good enough in my opinion and I am a ZWO fan boy!

First light tonight with ES127ED thanks to some members here was able to get the OTA together. Unbelievably it’s clear and moonless so I thought I would go OSC (didn’t want to introduce more complications) and picked NGC891 well I centred on NGC906 to get some of the smaller galaxies in the FOV counted about 20 so far! Just a simple stretch on one 300s sub.

Thanks both I managed to brave it tonight before the rain came. I had to add one of the ES spacer to the focus draw tube to get in the region I also used the Hotech flattener ordered from @FLO which turned up the next day really love those guys and that slot into the eyepiece holder and managed to do a quick test. I nearly lost the scope into the mount when balancing I thought I would do RA first and the top heavyness of the glass swung the Dec towards the tripod somehow the clutch was just tight enough and I managed to grab the Losmandy plate one lesson learned there! After that near disaster all went well. Guiding was at 1 total rms which is about normal for my heq5. I literally managed 30s on NGC891 and it started to spit it’s pretty bad as just a screen shot not the actual file. There is a little elongation in the corners so I think I just need to play with the flattener a little but overall success. Can always count on the community here. Thank you!

@KP82 ok this is awesome info so that’s sort of what I had but I actually had the 55mm spacing going into the eyepiece shown below. So basically if I use without a flattener this config I remove the zwo spacers and use the camera nosepiece. But adding a flattener (turns up tomorrow) that goes into the eyepiece compression and then I add the zwo spacers. Just one other question if I may is there an adapter from the ES extensions to the flattener that’s threaded? I have not used compression rings before can they be trusted? Thanks

Nice setup here a lot of people have had issues with this lens if you scroll back through the thread with stars that are elongated in one corner. However as we know this lens does perform incredibly in picking up those photons. I tend to ensure when shooting I check which side my bad corner is and position the DSO out the way so I can crop the bad stuff! There are some others that have upgraded to better connections to stop flex which I have not tried and it looks like you have this adapter already? This makes me wonder if it is actually flex? Last thing you could try is some additional rings around the camera in order to reduce the stress and flex if that turns out to be the case? and welcome to SGL!

Hi all My new scope turned up yesterday and I am realising I have no idea how to set it up lol. it’s the ES127 and just trying to understand how I’m the OTA actually needs to be. I don’t have a flattener yet I heard that it’s not a necessity so thought I would see for myself before splashing out. It comes with two big spacers think they are 51mm each but I am just really confused if I need both and also how it actually steps down in sizes as the aperture is far to big to attach the zwo spacers and cameras. Do I need to buy additional adapters? Any assistance would be appreciated. Thanks

It’s arrived from Germany 🇩🇪 It’s cloudy outside!! Can’t wait to get first light on this one!

Hi All I have moved from OSC to try mono and introducing filters and the EFW I cant get my stars right. I think its a back focus issue and I think I am too long (basing that on the image below as my stars are doing the top image not bottom one) even though I am as what's mentioned on ZWO... I guess firstly is someone able to confirm this is a back focus issue and then any pointers please. I am not sure how to get it back to 55mm by losing the 1mm spacer? Also can it be tested during the day or is it trial and error each clear night? Finally the mounting of the EFW to the camera is there a correct way could that be the issue? Thanks Bottom left Top left Top right Bottom right

Nice capture!

I have never used the 2600mc but I have heard great things, however I have the 294mc pro and recently decided to get the 1600mm I wanted the 294mm but after seeing Chuck grabbing APODs and the 1600 all round great feedback I just went with it and saved the best part of £700 (I got 2nd hand on ABS). I have only had one clear night so bagged 4 hours of Ha and I can say hands down the data is so much cleaner than I have ever got with my 294 and ghat has a higher qe and dynamic range. On the starless version it’s just so clean I love it! I also enjoy the challenge, extra gadgets etc that mono provides. Lastly I feel mono imaging makes you pump in more integration at least that’s my finding with OSC I was bashing pictures out each night I just had to see that 6 hours I collected and went with it. With mono I will commit to doing 6 hours of Ha, Sii and Oiii so three times as much integration I know I will get amazing images! Having said all that OSC has it’s place for me that will be on the nights where perhaps there is only 4 hours of clear skies and definitely in the summer months where from my latitude I only get astronomical twilight. edit: obviously the 2600 Is better than the 294 as well so please take my opinion with a pinch of salt.

I use WBPP all the time and have never had this. This could be due to your flats if not property exposed, but also I am seeing 300s subs here did you have a filter? Where was the moon and age that could be to blame here

I saw a tutorial on this and as people have mentioned it also does not have the halos. Question when you add the stars back do the halos come back? I ask because I actually use starnett to clone stamp out this horrible halos. can it be used as a halo xterminator as well?

This is the XISF with just a nuke stretch applied no other work done to it. Perhaps I am being a pixel peeper...

Hi all I took my first ever mono image last night and I don't think its come out that bad. However the stars are not pin point I seem to have some slight coma on the left its coma to left and on the right its coma to right. They also all seem to have a slight upward/downward stretch. Is this a back focus issue? ZWO state it should be 56mm I have everything in the imaging train but when I measure it I think its 54mm. See some closeups below but I have also attached the xisf from PI. Any help or suggestions would be appreciated. NGC7000.xisf

Hi all just curious when it comes to buying on ABS as the buyer is there any safety nets for us? Never used it before just don’t want to part with a large sum of money by bank transfer if you know what I mean. Any advice would be appreciated thanks

Cheers Lee I’ll try the latter m48 adapter see if that one works 👌

I am using a t2 canon adapter with a 2 inch filter inside here is a picture. If I take the filter out I don’t have a bad corner…

Me again! So I tested out the Sammy the other day with all manor of different spacings, apertures, etc and deduced that the issue is the filter or at least filter holder. So I need some links please or suggestions what I need. This is what I have or at least the older model and thats my issue. https://www.firstlightoptics.com/zwo-accessories/zwo-adjustable-eos-lens-to-t2-adapter-for-all-asi-cameras.html . So what I need is some other connection to the lens and my ZWO 294, but also somewhere to house a 2" mounted filter. I have the ZWO filter draw, but no obvious connection back to the lens. Has anyone got a recommendations please or pictures of their setup not using the above adapter but using a mounted filter without a filter wheel? On a positive note the lens is fine I tested it without the filter and stars were pinpoint in all corners Thanks

I have that adapter for Canon but I have issues in the corners. I have added some spacers so will check it out next clear night I think I may need to account for the filter so its going to be trial and error

Hi Powerlord I am using a ZWO OSC with a 2" mounted l extreme so I need the option of a filter holder or drawer. My issue is this tilt that I am facing I am having to throw nights away or use starless versions as its hurting me I am wondering if I need to account for the filter and by adding 2mm spacer it may fix it. Although not sure how I do that or what spacer I need? Thanks Edit I do actually have a ZWO filter drawer as well so perhaps this adapter will work just need to do some measurements. https://www.firstlightoptics.com/adapters/astro-essentials-samyang-lens-to-m48-adapter.html

Hi Pierre Can you still use a filter with this config? Thanks

Don’t tell my wife Mark 😂