Which scope for Imaging

[cymag]

Hi All,

I am trying to buy my first scope and I think i have narrowed it down to three.....

Equinox 80 pro (obviously need other items with this one)

Evostar 80ed ds pro

Vixen ed80fr (i think it is)

I also toyed with a 190MN but it is a cost thing.......

I am open to suggestions though, I would like to take good quality pictures so if a reflector is the way to go, let me know?.....

If I got a telescope with a 9x50 finder I would be interested in putting a skywatcher guide camera on the scope once set up to guide the scope for longer exposures.

I have a Nikon D300s DSLR to use, I would be looking for either a HEQ5 or EQ5 goto.

I have a budget of £1500 and am more interested in DSO imaging.

Any advise?

Thanks

[nightfisher]

how about the vixen, First light optics have a few at discount price, leaving you a little more toward the mount

[cymag]

how about the vixen, First light optics have a few at discount price, leaving you a little more toward the mount

I must admit i had seen those, hence why it is on my list ;-)

[swag72]

I would definately be looking at the HEQ5, generally considered to be the minimum mount for astro imaging. From there, I'd be getting any of the scopes you mention, the ED80 gets used a lot by imagers on here. You need to also factor in the cost of a connection to the telescope (T thread) as well as a focal reducer / flattener - These are needed for DSLR imaging due to the size of the chip, otherwise you will get elongated stars at the corners.

If you want to consider guiding, you could consider a 9x50 finderscope and a QHY5 camera - Many on here use this combo to good effect. The finderscope needs a little modification to get the camera to focus though. Don't forget that if you go down this route you will need access to a PC to run the software for guiding.

If you are into guided exposures you will also possibly need to think about a light pollution filter at some stage otherwise your images might turn out very orange.

The best thing you can buy at the moment is the book 'Making Every Photon Count' available through FLO or direct from Steve (Steppenwolf) a moderator on here. That book alone will save you a lot of time, effort and money.

Hope all that helps. SOme may sound like running before you can walk, but you did mention guiding!!

[Bizibilder]

As Sara says the mount is the most important thing for imaging not the scope! I would go for an 80mm APO refractor and the HEQ5 - you will have to get the PRO Synscan version as the "lesser" models are discontinued (unless you can find one in stock somewhere or second hand). You can guide with a webcam/finder and laptop/PHD (freeware) to get you going and again the field flattener can come along later.

You will need a power supply of some sort - I would suggest a leisure battery of at least 75Ah capacity (Don't buy a branded "Powertank" - they are seriously overpriced!!) or maybe a Maplins "Jump starter" which are often on offer for around £25 or so - but the leisure battery will last years if you also get a decent charger/conditioner for it.

[Luke]

I would go for an ED80 as a first scope for imaging. No need to collimate, short focal length so less demand on accurate polar alignment and easier to get your target in the field of view, and can cope with a fair bit of wind.

I'm not sure which of the three scopes you are looking at I would go for. A few weeks ago the Equinox would have edged it for me being the fastest at F6.25, but then there is a matched reducer for the EDPro.

I wonder if the reducer works as well on the Vixen, which is also F7.5?

[cymag]

Thanks,

I will be buying the book - shame its not on download!!

I must admit I overlooked that camera in favour of the SW one, however after a bit of research....... I think I will be using the laptop for guiding ;-)

I would get the HEQ5 as i need a rock steady mount I think.

I did forget to mention the flattener (and maybe reducer) I would try and factor that in and get everything in one go is possible.

Good advice on the power tank, thanks!

Just one thing though, if I am spending loads on a refractor would it be best to pay a little extra and buy a MN190?

(looks like my budget has been blown already!!)

[cymag]

I would go for an ED80 as a first scope for imaging. No need to collimate, short focal length so less demand on accurate polar alignment and easier to get your target in the field of view, and can cope with a fair bit of wind.

I'm not sure which of the three scopes you are looking at I would go for. A few weeks ago the Equinox would have edged it for me being the fastest at F6.25, but then there is a matched reducer for the EDPro.

I wonder if the reducer works as well on the Vixen, which is also F7.5?

The reducer/flattener takes the price up, but it does come with a diagonal and eyepieces, maybe not the best but a good start maybe?

The Vixen is on offer at the moment but I am unsure about the reducer/flattener...anyone?

I think I have ruled the equinox out because I would need to buy lots of extras, and been a first scope I think I would rather do it the easier way (package)

[Tinker1947]

I use a NEQ6 and a 250 Reflector, once Polar aligned it tracks stars no problem, so all thats required is a power supply , a nice car battery will do, so that does away with all the bits for Guiding, extra scope, laptop, guide camera,ccd, power for these bits, what he does get is a solid mount, NEQ6 Pro and a 10" F4 tube to put his camera (plus T2 Focuse Ring) if it takes off and he gets more involved he allready has the mount to do the work a HEQ5 would need replacing...my 2 pence worth...

[Bizibilder]

As a beginner I would suggest you go for the refractor - they are easy to use and don't need collimating (in normal use). The MN190 is optically complicated and will need regular collimation (and the equipment needed to do that), it is also heavier and probably is pushing the maximum load that an HEQ5 can carry for imaging - especially with guide scopes and cameras attached.

(Before anyone complains - collimation is easy once you know how - its just that for a beginner it is one less thing to go wrong!)

[Tinker1947]

Collimation is not a dark art, i brought my Relector end of October is been in and out as the clouds allow, i check the secondary with a cap with the centre hole, its lined up as per the handbook, i check the Primary with a out of focuse Star it dead centre as per the handbook, i have a Collmation tool, never used it todate.

[Sam]

The collimation "problem" is not a reason to write off reflectors. Collimation is really not that difficult so I would recommend looking at both options objectively. The short tube refractors will give you some fantastic widefield images with more forgiving guiding. The light collection ability of a reflector allows you to get some of the dimmer smaller objects and works very well with galaxies - without having to use a barlow. The cost is the guiding which is a little less forgiving and you have to consider collimation, no where near the big issue that it's often made out to be.

[cymag]

Collimation wouldn't worry me, I am quite technically minded and hands on, so I'm sure i would/could learn quite quickly.

As I mentioned I would like to photograph deep space, I can't help thinking I would 'out-grow' the refractor quickly. I won't have the budget to replace this for several years, so i think I would rather be 'over gunned' in the first instance....even if it is a steep learning curve.......

[Tim]

Just one thing though, if I am spending loads on a refractor would it be best to pay a little extra and buy a MN190?

(looks like my budget has been blown already!!)

The MN190 is an excellent telescope. Designed for imaging, gives a pretty much perfect flat field across a wide field of view.

However it is a heavy telescope, you really wouldn't get the best out of it on a Heq5, on my EQ6 it takes 3 counterweights to balance it. Factor in your cameras, guidescope, dewshield etc and you have a heavy rig.

Sooooo, you have a choice. Are you likely to stick at it in the long run? If so, then as you become more proficient then you might regret not getting the more advanced kit in the first place. I know I did, bought a Heq5, C9.25 etc before realising that I was going to get more serious about the hobby.

You might be interested in this album of MN190 piccies

Stargazers Lounge - Tim's Album: Mak-Newt 190 Pictures

Hope that helps a bit.

Tim

[Tim]

Oh, the other thing, the MN190 moves like mad in the wind, so you'd need somewhere very sheltered to use it to its best.

[cymag]

The MN190 is an excellent telescope. Designed for imaging, gives a pretty much perfect flat field across a wide field of view.

However it is a heavy telescope, you really wouldn't get the best out of it on a Heq5, on my EQ6 it takes 3 counterweights to balance it. Factor in your cameras, guidescope, dewshield etc and you have a heavy rig.

Sooooo, you have a choice. Are you likely to stick at it in the long run? If so, then as you become more proficient then you might regret not getting the more advanced kit in the first place. I know I did, bought a Heq5, C9.25 etc before realising that I was going to get more serious about the hobby.

You might be interested in this album of MN190 piccies

Stargazers Lounge - Tim's Album: Mak-Newt 190 Pictures

Hope that helps a bit.

Tim

Thanks Tim,

They are awesome images, the sort of quality I wish to achieve!

I think I would be sticking at it, I have been thinking of the 'challenge' for six months or so already, and the images are stunning!

I may have to make some phone calls tomorrow....

[nightfisher]

how about a carbon quottro f4, lighter and faster than the mn190

[Tim]

You probably already appreciate this, but actually capturing the images is just a part of it. You then need to learn how to process the data you get to the best effect. Some people can't stick the hours at the PC that it takes

If you want some example images to practice with, then i'm sure we could sort something out. There's a lot that goes on between downloading the pictures and the finished article.

[frogdr1ver]

This is a thread im following with interest as im about to purchase a scope of some description as well. My question is this though, i already have a lens that gives me 600mm @ f/5.6 so is it worth me getting a scope like the 80ed or am i getting it wrong and i can change the magnification via eyepieces.

[pete_gamby]

The Vixen is on offer at the moment but I am unsure about the reducer/flattener...anyone?

The Skywatcher reducers are the same as those that we supply as Vixen branded but are £100 cheaper (which is why Opticron doesn't keep them in stock!).

FLO lists the Skywatcher units here:

First Light Optics - Skywatcher Focal Reducers

and the Vixen ones are here to compare and contrast (or more specifically to not see any difference at all...):

http://www.vixenoptics.co.uk/Pages/optical_adapters.htm

Cheers, Pete

[swag72]

This is a thread im following with interest as im about to purchase a scope of some description as well. My question is this though, i already have a lens that gives me 600mm @ f/5.6 so is it worth me getting a scope like the 80ed or am i getting it wrong and i can change the magnification via eyepieces.

For imaging Euan I would say that your 600mm lens will be bang on the money. Concentrate on the mount for the minute and capture some nebula with that lens, then see where you want to go from there.

[cymag]

OK, after lots of thinking over the past few months and looking at Tim's pictures yesterday and again today, I finally took the plunge and bought a 190MN and a NEQ6 PRO.

I thought 'in for a penny....' I hope that combo will last me for several years before I get the urge to upgrade, and it should produce some nice images i hope. I am used to using PS CS5, for my normal photographs and can/do spend hours working on them, so hopefully I will have the patience to do the same with these pics in the required software. I have been advised that Solerium is quite good and at my all time favourite price!!

Any other software people recommend? and what is good for the MAC?

Cheers

OH, and if the 'offer' of a few pics to work on is still open Tim, I would love to take you up on this, until I produce some good enough myself. Thanks

[frogdr1ver]

For imaging Euan I would say that your 600mm lens will be bang on the money. Concentrate on the mount for the minute and capture some nebula with that lens, then see where you want to go from there.

thanks Sara, i had xmas early as im back at work now until the 4th and Santa was good and brought me a load of vouchers for FLO which are now bur ning a whole in my pocket!

[ollypenrice]

Sorry, see below. My Boo Boo!

Olly

[ollypenrice]

You do need the NEQ6 with the 190. You will have more homework to do than with a refractor but you will get there.

Enjoy the (sometimes exasperating) adventure!

Olly