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What to buy along with SW80ED for imaging.

SniffTheGlove

By SniffTheGlove
in Imaging - Discussion

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SniffTheGlove

SniffTheGlove

Posted
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I am looking to buy an SW80ED for imaging (mainly) and would like some advice on what I need so I can purchase all in one go. ie not buy something only to find I need something else that I missed/forgot.

I already have a 9x50 QHY5 FinderGuider along with an EQ6 Pro plus EQMod etc...

I currently will be using my Canon 350d for imaging but will upgrade to a Canon LiveView 1100D very soon.

So I will be getting from FLO mainly..

1 SW80ED DS PRO Outfit

1 0.85x Focal Reducer/Flattener

1 SW DSLR-M48 Ring Adapter (Would I also need the FLO Adapter for Skywatcher Focal Reducers as well???)

1 StarSharp Bahtinov Focus Mask

1 SkyWatcher Auto Focuser

1 HitecAstro FocusMaster

Is there anything else I would need?, like extension tubes to attain focus?

My main idea is to be able to remotely control "everything" via ASCOM/EQMod from my house (where it will be warmer come winter)

Thank you

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Spikey

Spikey

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If you're using the flattener/reducer I think you will need a distance of 55mm from the back of it to the sensor on the DSLR.

I'll have a look at how I used to set mine up and let you know as it could be designed to accept the camera straight onto the reducer without the need for spacing adjustments.

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swag72

swag72

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What's your light pollution like? You make like to add a LP filter to that little set up. An Astronomik clip in filter is used by many with DSLR's - They do a good job.

With a DSLR the reducer spacing is already 55mm, so no extra adapters needed for spacing.

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SniffTheGlove

SniffTheGlove

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So, let me understand...

To use 2in. filters I would need the get the FLO adaptor, and using this adaptor does not effect the 55mm spacing of the reducer?

The clip filter would protect the sensor from dust but can only use one at a time, so get a UHC clip and then any others I need to use could be 2in. on the FLO adaptor.

My LP using the map at http://www.avex-asso.org/dossiers/pl/uk/index.html shows I am on the border of RED/YELLOW area, though I have to say last Thursday night was fantastic (seeing was perfect and transpancey was perfect) and I easily could see the Milky Way around 2am (Not seen it that great for over 2 years).

Having read up on FLO I don't need the HitecAstro Focusmaster as the SW Auto Focuser is not a stepper based design so it will the the normal HitecAstro DC Focuser I need to get.

Any other pieces of equipment needed or extra info will be great.

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Uranium235

Uranium235

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Depending on whether you can get a good wirleless signal in the garden, you might want to consider getting a range extender or powerline networking. Having a poor signal isnt so bad for remote control and monitoring, but when it comes to transfering images it can be a bit of a crawl (80-100kb/sec) if the wi-fi signal is weak - not great when you have 100Mb+ worth of data to transfer.

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Sp@ce_d

Sp@ce_d

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So, let me understand...

To use 2in. filters I would need the get the FLO adaptor, and using this adaptor does not effect the 55mm spacing of the reducer?

The clip filter would protect the sensor from dust but can only use one at a time, so get a UHC clip and then any others I need to use could be 2in. on the FLO adaptor.

My LP using the map at http://www.avex-asso...l/uk/index.html shows I am on the border of RED/YELLOW area, though I have to say last Thursday night was fantastic (seeing was perfect and transpancey was perfect) and I easily could see the Milky Way around 2am (Not seen it that great for over 2 years).

Having read up on FLO I don't need the HitecAstro Focusmaster as the SW Auto Focuser is not a stepper based design so it will the the normal HitecAstro DC Focuser I need to get.

Any other pieces of equipment needed or extra info will be great.

The FLO adapter sits in the front of the reducer, the spacing distance is from chip to the back of the reducer. So not a problem.

With OSC you generally don't use filters apart from LP. However I did get some pleasing results with a 2" Baader 7nm Ha filter once I'd modded the 1000D.

I used the SW LP filter for ages in the FLO adapter, leaves a colour cast but not too difficult to process out. I moved on to the best LP filter I've used for the DSLR. This one... not cheap but very nice.. http://www.firstligh...ion-filter.html

The choice of LP filter does depend what type of lighting is causing the LP you'll need to suppress in your imaging area though.

You are right about the DCFocus not FocusMaster (I have both) I use the DCFocus on the 80ED. It works well & improved the stock focuser stability no end. Until last night my scope hadn't been used since April & only needed a very very slight tweek to focus! A good guide to fitting it here..

Of course there are other pieces of kit needed.. we are talking about AP here... how deep are your pockets.. !! :grin:

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SniffTheGlove

SniffTheGlove

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Depending on whether you can get a good wirleless signal in the garden, you might want to consider getting a range extender or powerline networking. Having a poor signal isnt so bad for remote control and monitoring, but when it comes to transfering images it can be a bit of a crawl (80-100kb/sec) if the wi-fi signal is weak - not great when you have 100Mb+ worth of data to transfer.

I am alright for my network speed, my house is cat5e wired and where I can not get the Cat5e cable to there are six "3 port Devolo Wireless Powerline (300 mBit) access points" running and a the SKY Fibre wireless router, plus my pier is also cat5e connected from my house.

I am also an early adopter for a Samknows Broadband Monitoring White Box that monitors my Fibre (FTTC) http://www.samknows.com/broadband/how-it-works.

Advantages of being an IT bod for 30years. :-)

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SniffTheGlove

SniffTheGlove

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The FLO adapter sits in the front of the reducer, the spacing distance is from chip to the back of the reducer. So not a problem.

With OSC you generally don't use filters apart from LP. However I did get some pleasing results with a 2" Baader 7nm Ha filter once I'd modded the 1000D.

I used the SW LP filter for ages in the FLO adapter, leaves a colour cast but not too difficult to process out. I moved on to the best LP filter I've used for the DSLR. This one... not cheap but very nice.. http://www.firstligh...ion-filter.html

The choice of LP filter does depend what type of lighting is causing the LP you'll need to suppress in your imaging area though.

You are right about the DCFocus not FocusMaster (I have both) I use the DCFocus on the 80ED. It works well & improved the stock focuser stability no end. Until last night my scope hadn't been used since April & only needed a very very slight tweek to focus! A good guide to fitting it here..

Of course there are other pieces of kit needed.. we are talking about AP here... how deep are your pockets.. !! :grin:

Thats good to hear about the FLO Adaptor, for £2 it is a good buy.

How deep are my pockets? Well that depends on how much I can get away with from the Missus. Having just finished our 20year mortgage last Thursday we will now have a few pounds to spare each month.

My 350d is currently modded (Filter Removed) but is playing up a bit seeing that is at least 8 years old.

So a new 1100d (or what eve comes next) modded and shimmed to keep the autofocus working will be my next purchase after the scope and stuff unless I fall for a mono ccd which will pump the prices up with filter wheels and filters but I have to consider that later.

Just looking to buy all I need and then just put itonto the EQ6 and off I go with out to much troubles.

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ollypenrice

ollypenrice

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Hardware looks about right to me. How about software? Pixinsight will do absolute wonders for gradient removal, the background sky, the colour caibration and the removal of ever-pestilent green noise. Even if, as I do, you use it just for that it is worth it. For the rest Photshop suites my mentality better but that's always going to be personal.

Olly

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dmahon

dmahon

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If you have a spare couple of hundred quid, I'd get a stepper motor based focus system rather than the Skywatcher DC focus motor. A lakeside unit is on my to buy list, but it's behind the observatory (which is well on its way).

Also consider a Skywatcher Equinox 80 rather than the 80 ED pro - it's faster natively (and can also be reduced further with a TRF-2008) plus it has a better focus unit.

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kirkster501

kirkster501

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A Hutech IDAS 2" LP filter to go into the nosepiece of the adapter - in front of the reducer - will make a big difference [improvement] to your exposure times depending on how polluted your skies are. Where I am, in the outskirts of Nottingham, a two min exposure is Orange. With the IDAS I can get 5 mins and no Orange at all. Sure, they're £160 but well worth it. You can carry this forward to CCD imaging to if you move onto that.

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SniffTheGlove

SniffTheGlove

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Hardware looks about right to me. How about software? Pixinsight will do absolute wonders for gradient removal, the background sky, the colour caibration and the removal of ever-pestilent green noise. Even if, as I do, you use it just for that it is worth it. For the rest Photshop suites my mentality better but that's always going to be personal.

Olly

Thanks Olly, Spent a small fortune last year on my Son getting him CS5 so he can do his video/graphic hobby, so I have access to Photoshop. It's a steep learning curve but there as great tutorials here and on Dion's site so slowly learning those. I won't be upgrading CS in the future as I disagree with all this cloud nonsense Adobe (and Microsoft) are now pushing instead of actual media installations....

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SniffTheGlove

SniffTheGlove

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If you have a spare couple of hundred quid, I'd get a stepper motor based focus system rather than the Skywatcher DC focus motor. A lakeside unit is on my to buy list, but it's behind the observatory (which is well on its way).

Also consider a Skywatcher Equinox 80 rather than the 80 ED pro - it's faster natively (and can also be reduced further with a TRF-2008) plus it has a better focus unit.

After totting things up it's surprising how expensive it's getting especially when you consider the value of money to clear night ratio :-) Currently up to £1200 and that does not include the new Canon I want to get.

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  • 2 weeks later...
SniffTheGlove

SniffTheGlove

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A little update, the costs were just a bit to much to me to justify at the moment so I little be slowly buying the bits over the new 12 months.

I decided to have a good try with widefield as I have a number of lenses including the Canon 50mm prime and a Soligor 300mm Prime. So I brought a brand new Canon 1100D Kit with 18-55mm Lens for £382(Baader BCF Filter, AF re-shimed, Auto-Colour-Corrected WB for normal daytime use, Anti-Aliasing Filter removed and Magic Lantern software) from Juan of http://cheapastrophotography.vpweb.co.uk/

This will allow me to get AP plus a really good daytime usage.

Also it will be one less lead to plug in as the 1100D does not require the remote shutter cable like my old 350D does.

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