Which CCD for £1000?

[Torazz]

Hi,

I've been imaging for 3 years with a Canon 300D and have been using an off axis autoguider the last 12 months but have been having varying results obtaining focus with my f/6.3 focal reducer(short back focus problem).

Anyone I now would like to switch to an all in one ccd camera.

Can anyone recommend a CCD camera that can autoguide AND image with a budget of around £1000 or less if possible :-)

Cheers guys!!

[Torazz]

Oh by the way I have a Celestron CTC-800 scope.

[riklaunim]

CPC on a wedge?

Even with f/6.3 reducer/corrector the image scale is very high. I would look for something with bigger pixels. Sanely priced are only small sensors with bigger pixels (Brightstar Mammut). Smaller pixels would have to be binned.

[Torazz]

Yes scope is wedge mounted and polar aligned. I'm just getting frustrated with this whole off axis focusing problem.

[riklaunim]

I did some images with C8, and few less with C11. OAG is a "must" for better guiding of those scopes. I use QHY5 with an OAG - it must be focused with the main camera precisely or it wont work. Backfocus isn't rather a problem and you have around 115 mm from the reducer to the camera sensor.

For often and easy DS imaging you would need a much shorter focal length. I use a 65 mm APO and testing some other scope for slightly bigger focal length.

[Torazz]

Ok as I use my scope for imaging only now and rarely visual would I be better off selling my CPC 800 and buying another scope for DS imaging.

With a budget of say £2500 what setup would be best for DS imaging.

[riklaunim]

There is big revolution on the ED/APO market at the moment. You could create a setup like - Mono Atik 314L+ with small ED for widefield and bigger ED / GSO RC6 for small galaxies and alike. If you want color then the "only" option is QHY8 with APS-C (like in DSLR) sized color sensor.

[Martin-Devon]

Not sure if you're aware but Anna Morris (antimorris on SGL) has used a CPC800 wedge rig-up for imaging and she has produced some outstanding images with it. Although it may not be quite so straightforward as with GEM + refractor, it can work well. If you want a single camera that will image and guide then you'll have to go down the off-axis route. If you do decide to switch your gear over to a more standard imaging level entry set-up then your're looking at something like an EQ5 (or 2nd-hand CGEM/NEQ6), a good APO doublet 80mm or 102mm (I have the 102mm Ikharos with upgraded Baader steeltrack focusser - it's excellent), manual filter wheel, Baader filters (I prefer narrowband) and an Atik 314L+ (there is one of these for sale on SGL at the moment by Rossco for £800). This lot would come in at around your £2,500 budget or maybe a little over.

[Torazz]

After much thought I guess it would be stupid to just dump what is undoubtably a good scope.

I need to sort out this OA guiding that is all.

I'll probably get a Lodestar to use as a guidescope.

So....

Should I stick with my Canon 300D DSLR or buy another DSLR or a ccd with a budget of say £1000.

[swag72]

What do you feel that a CCD will give you over and above your DSLR? Is your DSLR modded? If not that may be a cheaper way to get a more sensitive camera.

Also, it's important to look at CCD chip size and how that will be compatible with your existing scope - Will it give you a pleasing field of view for example? I'm sure there's also something about image scale and matching a CCD to a scope, but I'll leave that to someone who understands it!

[Torazz]

Well the main reason that I have against my 300D is the fact that so much of the software doesn't work with the 300D as it is no longer supported.

Drivers are no longer written for it.

[dmahon]

I like Starlight Xpress cameras myself, but if your budget is £1000 then I think you would be hard pushed to beat one of these two:

Atik 314L+ from FLO (currently on offer £949 - see the sponsors announcement section)

QHY8L from Modern Astronomy (£899)

Have a play with CCDCalc to see what these would show in your scope with your focal reducer.

Personally I'd go with the Atik camera if the views from both are adequate. I'd get a mono version and I'd add in a filterwheel plus filters as funds allow.

[Rossco72]

The 314L+ is a great camera and you can do RGB or Ha/OIII/Hb/SII depending on light pollution to get the most out of it.

[ollypenrice]

Ok as I use my scope for imaging only now and rarely visual would I be better off selling my CPC 800 and buying another scope for DS imaging.

With a budget of say £2500 what setup would be best for DS imaging.

I think the answer has to be 'yes.' Long FL imaging brings issues. You have a small FOV so you are tempted by big cheap DSLR chips, but these cannot compete with CCD. They get closer at very fast F ratios but you don't have that. You have the hassle of trying to guide well and the longer the FL the more hassle that is. The SCTs have plenty of other issues as well. Focusers, mirror shift, dew... You can sort them but are you trying to have a nice evening out or are you devoted to problem solving?

On your budget I would buy a small fast apo, maybe second hand, an HEQ5, an autoguider and a Sony chipped monochrome CCD. Personally I wouldn't buy a QHY camera.

Olly

[Davey-T]

Is your scope permanently mounted ?

I have 10" SCT in obs' which I image ok with using 6.3 f/r and Atik 314L but found it impossible when trying to set it up on tripod.

Atik can be binned to suit scope, resolution etc and is a great camera especially if you can get a secondhand one.

I also use a seperate guide scope without much problem as I found finding a sutiable guide star using oag to much of a waste of time.

Also handy to have a nice refractor piggy backed as you can swap camera between scopes.

Dave

[kirkster501]

On your budget I would buy a small fast apo, maybe second hand, an HEQ5, an autoguider....

I have followed those first two pieces of advice Olly.... Need guiding next. A lot to learn with what I already have !

I bought a CPC 1100 for visual in January (apologies for the rubbish weather since then guys). Now setting up my imaging rig and following advce of Steppenwolf, JamesF and you Olly.....

[ollypenrice]

I think you'll feel you've done the right thing. I guide with ST80s, which are very cheap from FLO. You don't need guide rings, just bolt the scope down hard and use the de-lensed Barlow as an extension.

Olly