Mick_1960

4 minutes ago, randomic said:

The EdgeHD 800 is amazing for planets. On a good night I can make out details on Mars and can see the disk and colour of Uranus, it's awesome. I use the Baader Zoom 8-24mm eyepiece. For imaging planets I have a ZWO ASI 462MC but I've not been able to take it for a spin yet due to weather. You technically can do it with a DSLR but what you really want is high framerate video capture.

For galaxies, the EdgeHD 800 is again pretty great for visual. I use the 40mm eyepiece which comes with the OTA and can make out the core of Andromeda even from very light polluted skies. Your experiences here will depend mostly on light pollution. The darker the skies the more you'll see.

When it comes to photographing large objects like galaxies the EdgeHD 800 will struggle. You say you have a full frame camera which is good but even with that your field of view is narrow enough that you'd have to mosaic to get a complete picture of, say, Andromeda. If you're photographing smaller galaxies or nebulae then it's absolutely fine. Just be aware that the mount is the biggest factor here, even small imperfections in tracking can easily ruin long exposures when you're at 2000mm focal length.

I'm approximately 45 minutes from Northumberland so can easily get to dark skies and I spend my holidays on Mull.  My town has replaced all of the street lighting and I can see a lot more sky now than I ever could before the change.  My full frame camera is a Canon 1DX mk 2 which I use for wildlife photography and I've been thinking about getting either a mk 3 or a R6 which both have reasonable video capability.

Thanks for the replies so far, I appreciate it that people are taking their time to help and I've already been given something to think about regarding going for a better mount than might come with a kit.  

41 minutes ago, Louis D said:

For that kind of money, you can get into some seriously heavy rigs.  How much weight are you willing to lift?  How much space do you have in your vehicle to haul a scope and mount?  How much storage space do you have at home?

As far as my recommendation, I'll relate a recent experience I had.  There was a newbie at a star party here in Texas with a brand new Celestron NexStar Evolution 8" EdgeHD.  He was happily, wirelessly controlling it with a tablet running planetarium software.  With a 10mm Delos, it was providing an excellent image of Jupiter and other targets that night.  It was super easy to select targets within the planetarium software on the tablet.  Once selected, the mount quickly slewed to the new target and kept it perfectly centered.  The Starsense made alignment a cinch as well.  This rig would be easy to store, setup, transport, and use.  It would also leave plenty of money from your budget for eyepieces and other accessories.  8" is a sweet spot for astronomy.  Big enough to provide good views of most objects and yet not so big as to put off using it due to inconvenience.

My kids are grown up and at least one would want to come out so will be able to help setting it up and carrying weight.  My storage space will not be a problem and neither is my car which is a 4x4.

1 hour ago, Mr Spock said:

What type of astronomy are you interested in? That will determine what kind of kit is best suited. With 5k to spend, there are many options, including a 'proper' astro camera rather than DSLR.

I would like to be able to see close planets with some detail and galaxies.  Am I asking too much?

2 hours ago, faulksy said:

hi and welcome mick. was going to suggest you could buy just a mirror like mine that i use in my dob for just over 5k but you would have to build the rest yourself 😁

what ever you decide, i would use our club sponsor FLO you will not find a better retailer

good luck

I've just read your thread, take a bow.  That is a work of art.

1 hour ago, randomic said:

If I had to spend that much I'd probably go with iOptron CEM40 and a Celestron EdgeHD 925 but it depends a LOT on what kind of targets you want to shoot.

BUT

If you're just starting out I don't think you need to spend that much. A SkyWatcher HEQ5 Pro or iOptron CEM25p paired with an 80mm apo like SkyWatcher Evostar 80ED will net you some amazing shots of wide field targets.

I had thought about possibly getting a Celestron Advanced VX 8” Edge HD but  I'm concerned about making mistakes.

I am looking to take up astronomy after viewing and photographing NEOWISE with my DSLR earlier this year.  My budget is up to £5k although I would like to pay less but buying something once is more important than upgrading in the very near future.  I am starting with nothing other than a beginners interest in astronomy.  

What do I want to get out of what I hope is my new hobby?  Ideally I would like a kit which I can take with me when I go on local drives into dark skies as well as using in my back garden.  I would ideally prefer to purchase a kit which works out of the box.  The kit doesn't have to be from one manufacturer but I would like to get it from one supplier and preferably mail order because of current and future Covid restrictions.  It will be great if I can use my laptop to see what the telescope is seeing rather than looking through an eyepiece but I would like the option of the eyepiece.  The laptop will just make it easier if I take the family out.  I would also like to attach my Canon cameras to the telescope, both full frame and crop sensor cameras.

I intend to purchase books and have already started watching videos on youtube to gain a good starting position before going out.

Any help will be appreciated.