Which one should I get?

[Ganymede12]

I have enough money for a DSLR camera but If I save up my money for about 9 more months then I can get a Sky-Watcher SKYLINER 200p dobsonian. Which one do would you recommend getting first? (Considering what my current scope is -see signature)

If you recommend the camera is their any particular model that you would recommend?

[RikM]

Do you intend to use the camera for astroimaging? I don't think that is possible with your current telescope, nor a 200P Dobsonian either other than perhaps single snap shots of the moon. So you really need to decide for yourself if you want to do daytime photography with a DSLR or visual astronomy with a larger telescope.

[garethmob]

with your scope (for ap) it would be better to think about webcam just for planets and the moon, a dslr would surly break the focuser with its weight:(

DSLR i can only assume you mean the canon 1100D?

ap requires alot of money, on a budget buying everything second hand i must av spent over £1000 learning, canon300D and various old lens , EQ2, EQ3-2, the kson, and finially the astrotrac. and that was just a camera on a mount, no telescope actually used

you could get a decent tripod, dslr camera, lens and take really widefield views(iv seen some fantastic ones like this on here), take many photos (stack them in deepskystacker) but depending on lens length you would be restricted to 1 second to 20 seconds before star trails show but for longer subs you would need a decent mount, just a camera eq3-2or eq5, camera and telescope HEQ5 which is very easly pushing to £1000

if you want to go this route, canon DSLR, decent tripod and have a look at a canon 50mm "nifty fifty"

otherwise a 200p dob is fantastic for visual and with a few small additions you could easly make it into a "push to" scope

[SniffTheGlove]

If you want a DSLR for astro work then go to Astonomiser and set a new modded one either a 1100D or the better 600D.

If your not going to use a DSLR for astro work then just get a unmodded normal new 1100D or 600D.

the 200p is not good for long exposure work unless you have mounted on a NEQ6 so in that case plump for a cheap webcam that you can mod yourself.

If it's a pure toss up between a scope or DSLR you can only answer this as you can not provided enough details to make the justification.

[Ganymede12]

OK I think I'll save up for the scope. Thanks for the advice!

[SniffTheGlove]

The 200p is a good visual scope so you won't go wrong but as soon as you want to do AP then it's a totally different ball game.

My homebuilt 10in F7 Dob is fantastic at visual work but I have real trouble doing much AP with it. I can do some webcam AP on my homebuilt EQPlatform but using my 350D is useless as the EQPlatform setup is not smooth enough for longer than 6sec exposures. I have had my Dob for 18months now and I am looking to get a decent AP rig but it is going to cost me £2500 at least (NEQ6,ED80 Pro,ST80,QHY5,IS 416 Cam, Modded 350D, Narrowband Filters, Filterwheel etc etc). In reality in AP then the mount is king not the scope

[JimStan]

Sounds like you have already made up your mind, but let me reinforce your decision. I have a friend who is heavy into photography ( takes GREAT pictures ) and thought that astro-photography would be just like his other subjects, and quite easy to achieve. So he hooked up his Nikons to several different OTAs and in short, has had a TERRIBLE time trying to get a good astro-photo ! He is extremely frustrated, because he thought he could jump in with both feet without learning his way around the sky!

I believe you have made the right decision. Learn your way around the sky, and figure out what subjects appeal the most to you. Then you can make an intelligent decision as to what kit you need to purchase.

Jim S.