Recommendations for small imaging scope?

[blackparticle]

I've stumbled across Nebulosity for the Mac and after seeing what it could do with some old subs compared to the freeware software I was using, I'm even more hooked on astrophotography and it gives my Mac Pro something to do overnight.

The Skywatcher 130P I'm using isn't too happy with the DSLR hanging off the end for long exposures. Too much focal length and the x2 barlow isn't helping.

So, I'm looking for a good quality first imaging scope which will do prime focus with a DSLR. I've got a t-ring so something with a 42mm thread that doesn't require a Barlow would be perfect.

I've got 200mm covered with a camera lens so I'm thinking something in the 300-400mm range with preferably a low f-stop.. f/2 - f/4 maybe?

Any suggestions in the £300 - £400 range for the OTA / mounting shoe.

cheers - Alan.

[mallorcasaint]

Find a Williams ZS 66 if you can. lovely little scope and great for imaging.

[blackparticle]

Yeah. Certainly something along those lines although possibly a little slow at f/5.9. The Williams seems to be around £249 so I can go a bit higher if I can shave that f-stop a bit.

[rocketandroll]

I dont believe theres any such thing?

F5.9 is about as fast as you will ever get in an astro refractor. The only thing that will ever achieve f4 or better is a reflector (which would be bigger than your 130) or a high end camera lens (which wouldnt be ideal for astro, and would be very expensive above 200mm fl)

Ben

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[blackparticle]

The downside of camera lenses is the focusing. My Pentax 200mm prime is spot-on at ∞ focus. The Sigma zoom and Tokina 500mm Schmidt-Cassegrain reflector are not.. and that makes them almost impossible to achieve anything with.

At some point, after more practice and when I've bagged enough fuzzies, I'll be looking at getting a proper imaging mount and should then be able use this scope for guiding on top of something else.

How well do focal reducers work for increasing light gathering?

[ollypenrice]

I dont believe theres any such thing?

F5.9 is about as fast as you will ever get in an astro refractor. The only thing that will ever achieve f4 or better is a reflector (which would be bigger than your 130) or a high end camera lens (which wouldnt be ideal for astro, and would be very expensive above 200mm fl)

Ben

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Oh there are! I have a Takahashi FSQ85 that works at F3.9 or F5.3. Pentax made a 4 inch F4.

But... they don't cost a few hundred pounds, alas. You might like to look up the miniborg astrographs as sold by SCS astro but they are still not cheap and they are, to me, unfathomable in complexity as regards ordering. Very fast f ratios are camera lens territory, in the main. Focus is an issue but these things from Telescope Service are brilliant. The ever ingenious Psychobilly made his own.

Otherwise there are plenty of nice little apos like the 70mm F6 on this page; Refractors from Ian King Imaging

Olly

http://ollypenrice.smugmug.com/

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

The Teleskop Service 80mm F=480 Triplet is great (I have the APM branded equivalent). Mine cost EUR 648, plus EUR 199 for the flattener. You could even put a reducer in it I suppose. Great value for money scopes! At only 2.4 kg they are quite light, and sit happily on even modest mounts.

[johninderby]

The Teleskop Service 80mm F=480 Triplet is great (I have the APM branded equivalent). Mine cost EUR 648, plus EUR 199 for the flattener. You could even put a reducer in it I suppose. Great value for money scopes! At only 2.4 kg they are quite light, and sit happily on even modest mounts.

I was about to recommend the TS80/480 FPL-53 Triplet myself. Amazing value for money and compares very well with scopes costing twice as much.

John

[blackparticle]

After a couple more sessions with the EQ2 mount it was apparent that even f5 at 400mm might be too high so I decided to stretch my budget and was looking at the Borgs and some of the other suggestions..

Then I found an advert by someone selling a HEQ5 PRO & SW 150 MAK PRO + loads of other useful bits. 2" Crayford Focuser, Williams Optics Diagonal, Telrad Red Dot, Loads of mid-high quality barely used eyepieces & barlows, books, NPC900 + 2 other digicams, star maps, books.

Someone who hadn't had time or use of it packing it all in basically.

All for the same price as the TS80/480 FPL-53 Triplet !! :-)

Happy Bunny !!

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Sounds like an excellent deal! You can always get the TS 80 F/6 and put it on the mount later