which ccd for sw ed80 apo

[tony]

looking to get a ccd for my ed80, which one would you reccommend and what extras are needed?

[Ibbo!]

How much money are you looking to spend?

Steve

[Deneb]

Have you had any experience imaging before jumping onto the CCD Bandwagon ?

[Gina]

Philips SPC900NC is a good CCD webcam to start with

[ollypenrice]

We need more information because prices go from about 0.5K to 10K.

If you go for mono, which is more flexible and can do narrowband really well, then you need filters and a filterwheel. You'd be better off with a flattener/reducer for the ED80 as well, though it's not essential with small chips. Large chips, yes.

Some cameras come with good software, like Atik, but some come with software designed to go straight into the recycle bin.

Then you need a stacking/calibrating software which might be free DSS or good value AstroArt 5 or very expensive MaximDL. Then Photoshop or, for the brave, the rather daunting Pixinsight. Both is my solution!

Olly

[tony]

Philips SPC900NC is a good CCD webcam to start with

i've noticed quite a few using these, and they're reasonably priced too.

[tony]

How much money are you looking to spend?

Steve

not a lot, as someone else said on another thread, i want to dip my toe in the water with a cheap webcam setup.

[tony]

Have you had any experience imaging before jumping onto the CCD Bandwagon ?

no, except using my digital upto the eyepiece. but a cheap webcam setup seems more of a better option than splashing out on a dlsr.

[Gina]

Webcam for planets, DSLR for wide objects and whole images of the moon/sun (sun needs a special filter in FRONT of the scope and on the finder). You can also use a webcam for mosaics of the moon (small sections) or sunspots.

[ollypenrice]

Philips SPC900NC is a good CCD webcam to start with

Not my field but this does seem to be the one. By CCD I took you to mean DS camera. Sorry about that.

Olly

[Deneb]

Not my field but this does seem to be the one. By CCD I took you to mean DS camera. Sorry about that.

Olly

I think he does, but someone who might have no experience even doing dso imaging, a dslr is a good way of introducing yourself into the field. Instead of jumping in the deep end straight away.

Nadeem.

[Gina]

I agree, a DSLR provides a big CCD at a much lower price than a dedicated astro camera. And if you use it unmodified (as I do) it can be used for general terrestrial photography as well. It's great for full size images of the moon as well (depending on your scope focal length).