cheap guide camera

[garethmob]

just wondering, iv got the WO 72 (in my sig) would this be ok as a guide scope

and whats the best cheapest guide cameras out there?

[Psychobilly]

Yes it will be ok as a guide scope but it's a bit of overkill - I use cheap Telephoto lenses - with a reasonably sensitive guide cam I can get away using a 500mm f8 that I bought for about £25 and this frees up the Megrez72 for imaging...

But seeing as you already have the Megrez so it's a zero cost option...

What will you be guiding the "Astrotrac"?

Peter...

[garethmob]

Ye thats the plan. As I have the megrez I thought it would be cheaper to use it as a guide get the camera instead of gettin the flattner as still id have to get either another scope am oag and camera

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Psychobilly]

What are you going to be imaging with? The 350D and the lenses?

And will you have a Laptop around? and most importantly - budget and are you upto doing a bit of electronic DIY ?

Sorry for more questions but the answers may help narrow it down a bit...

Peter...

[garethmob]

Noo it's fine

300d+ lens I'm hoping not to need a laptop. Hence why I bought a astrotrac not a eq mount.

Um what's best way to mount. Duel mount bar?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[sgazer]

most guide cameras feed into a laptop which issues the corrections to the mount. Without a laptop, you'll need a standalone auto guider such as this;

First Light Optics - Skywatcher Synguider Autoguider which I would attach to a finder scope or something similarly small.

Does the Astrotrak have a standard ST-4 guiding interface? Is it capable of supporting a dual mount? What focal length lens/f stop are you going to be using? Does the Astrotrak need guiding with a camera and a (relatively short focal length) lens? I would have thought with good polar alignment, 3min exposures should be possible, if not more (don't really want to go above 5min with a DSLR anyway due to noise). Autoguiding (although I did it with a scope on a HEQ5) just adds another level of pain and expense and personally I think it should only be used if really necessary, which it possibly isn't required, even with a 250mm camera lens.

[Psychobilly]

Sorry I didnt get back to you last night Gaz...

sgazer has covered most of the points in his reply ...

Another thing is that the astrotrac can only guide in one axis (RA) standalone guiders like the synguider would probably fail to calibrate as the "mount" wouldn't respond to the DEC guide commands during the calibration process.

Peter...

[garethmob]

thanks for the replys guys

jus as i was replying gordon pulled up at a site and then i lost signal

i have the autoguiding astrotrac (with ST4cable and port but as peter said it only guides in one axis

the AT has a 3/4" screw on the top so effectivly i could attach one to it providing it had the correct hole, also as the ATs weight is actually on the mount head its self balancing isnt really a major problem

im using the lens's in my signature but more likely it would be the 135mm and the 24mm. i might also be tempted to dabble in film as my grandfather is going to give me a pentax spotmatic 1000 camera but same lens

the PA is fantastic on it, its so easy so i am able to get good polar allignment out of it (expess on the az3 with its fine movement control

id love to eventually start imaging with the megrez, but i want to "learn how to do it" first if you know what i mean, i'll be going to really dark skys with it so it will be ok for LP but i dont fancy carting my MBP around, i will be getting my old MB back but even between the 2 the battery life isnt that great (not enough for a full night) and my cars battery is new, but i wouldnt want to be stuck in mid wales

is there anything like the syguider out there? i didnt think it might crash if it hasnt got a dec to play with

thanks for the help guys

[Davey-T]

Hi Gaz

I still have my Spotmatic F , i'm probably as old as your grandfather, I used it for many years

with 28,50 and 200mm lenses . Don't know what the film supply is like nowadays, I only used 1600ASA Fuji others got carried away with hyped film.

Last astro thing I did was Hale Bop ,perhaps i'll get it out and have a go now youve made me

come over all nostalgic

Davey-T

[garethmob]

Hhe there's a few really good film images in the dso by a member nightfly. Fantastic images all by film. Iv just picks up some kodac 100 gold. But hopefully with the camera:)

Any one know of a alternative to the synguider

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[garethmob]

*bump*

iv gotten my laptop working now, i guess i would be ok taking it places (but obviously would be limited to its short battery

whats the cheapest cameras out there that i can use for the laptop with the ATAG and any other free program

also is there any guide programs that can work on a mac or just windows (i get better battery life on the mac you see as i can turn off one of the 2 internal graphics cards on windows i cant)