Downgrade Advice

[andrewfkay]

Hi,

Some advice needed. I currently have a 200p newt with a eq5 mount and have found it a bit of a logistical nightmare. I don't have a back garden and have to travel (albeit not very far) for somewhere suitably dark. I'd also like to have a crack at some astrophotos but getting the tracking motors and dslr will only add to the luggage and expense.

As a result I'm not getting out anywhere near as often as I'd like but instead of giving up and selling I'm thinking of downgrading.

I'm thinking of selling what i've got and using the cash to get a smaller mount (maybe with tracking), a dslr camera and just taking night shots without a scope.

Surely a setup that gets used is better than a higher spec setup that doesn't. Thoughts?

[Demonperformer]

Surely a setup that gets used is better than a higher spec setup that doesn't. Thoughts?

Absolutely. At one time I had a 10" dob that just never got used because of its size. I eventually downgraded to a meade 80ETX ... talk about sublime to ridiculous. But it got used and I eventually did upgrade a bit again, but usability was now the most important feature.

I look forward to seeing the results you get.

[Stu]

Totally agree, get a scope that you use regularly. Far better to get some views, rather than nothing at all. Maybe a smallish refractor 80mm or so on an equatorial mount would be more practical, and useful for both visual aswell as so imaging.

I have 66mm, 106mm and 200mm scopes, and they get used very much in that order in terms of frequency due to setup and cool down time

Stu

[ollypenrice]

Using a fairly short FL camera lens on an unguided mount can give fine results, very exciting ones. There's the new Vixen Polarie camera mount or the more extravagent Astrotrac. Both seem to work judging by images posted here. Although I image with telescopes up to 14 inches aperture my most-visited picture on the net was done with an 85mm camera lens.

Olly

[Capricorn]

Agreed, get a scope you will use often, I see a lot of get the biggest possible then I see people having problems.

The good old do anything decently scope is the 80mm refractor. An ED would be ideal, but more cost.

If an achro would suffice then how about the Optic Star 80mm at f/7.5 AR80 £135, however the Altair Astro Starwave 80 ED is getting good reports at £295.

Don't want to spend your money but the Starwave looks the attractive option.

[andrewfkay]

Thanks for the advice, everyone. Some food for thought.