if you were to buy a ccd?

[gary1968]

This is a bit hypothetical just  now, SWMBO aint released the funds yet. But I thought I would start my research just now.......

So, I have a Skywatcher ED80 on a guided HEQ5 (finder guider) and currently image with a unmodded 1000d. I have no desire to mod my 1000d as I use it for day time and family shots.

Is sensor size that important? I am not sure if I would like a ccd with a smaller sensor than the 1000d...... I 'think' smaller pixels are preferred due to the short FR of the ED80.

So, if you were to spend upto £1000 on a ccd what would you chose and why? Less then a grand would be much preferred, esp. to SWMBO, lol.

Cheers,

Gaz

[gary1968]

Oh, and, I would like it to be One Shot Colour...... Don't think I can be bothered with LRGB imaging due to very sporadic weather here in Scotlands central belt and I am not to keen on mono images.

Gaz

[steppenwolf]

In astro-CCD terms, the APS 'C' size sensor of your EOS 1000D is considered 'large' - there are larger sensors but these are very expensive!

A typical one shot colour astro-CCD camera with this size sensor (the SXV-M25C) like the one I use would cost new about £2500 !! However, there are cheaper ones made by QHYCCD but you want a sensor with 'progressive scan', not 'interlaced'.

CCD size is very important depending on what type of objects you want to image and what focal length telescope you wish to use. You will need to decide what sort of field of view you want to capture generally and then buy a camera whose sensor matches well with the telescope you want to use to attain the desired field of view.

[gary1968]

Cheers for the info. I looked at the QHY8L, good price and seems to perform well. I am also looking at Atik cameras, but those sensors are smaller if I stick to my £1000 limit, I like the look of the 320E.

Sent from my HUAWEI U8815 using Tapatalk now Free

[steppenwolf]

The 'L' has an interlaced CCD rather than progressive - this is reflected in its price.

[ollypenrice]

You can model the size of field of view you'd get on many planetarium programmes. As Steve says, CCDs with DSLR sized chips aren't cheap. I have a 320E here as a backup and it's a sensitive little camera giving very clean results - but the chip is small.

What about the used market? I use Atik cameras commercially and find them extremely reliable and long lived. You'd find a very good 314L for less than £1000 though most examples are mono. Steve shares your view, I know, on the attractions of colour in an uncertain climate. The counter argument might be that Ha makes clear moonlit lights a possibility. On the colour-mono debate the one point I always make, though, is that I don't believe colour is easier, having tried both.

Another source of chip-size fields is to be found here; http://www.12dstring.me.uk/fov.htm

Olly

[pete_l]

Is sensor size that important? I am not sure if I would like a ccd with a smaller sensor than the 1000d...... I 'think' smaller pixels are preferred due to the short FR of the ED80.

So, if you were to spend upto £1000 on a ccd what would you chose and why? Less then a grand would be much preferred, esp. to SWMBO, lol.

Cheers,

Gaz

Have you considered a cooled 1100d, like this one?

The company seems to completely rebuild the camera with a 2-stage peltier. I can't say I've ever used one but it sounds intreguing.

and it (almost) squeaks in under your budget

JTW Ultimate Deep Cooled Canon 1100D v3

[gary1968]

Thanks for the advice Olly, I am looking on Astro Buy/Sell for a 2nd hand ccd......

Pete, that modded 1100d looks very interesting....... I haven't heard of those before only the ones from Astronomiser and Cheapastrophotography.

As I said, the funds have not been released yet so I have a fair bit of time to decide how I want to proceed.

Gaz

[gary1968]

Having now read the blurb on that modded 1100d I am very interested in it..... Is there anyone on here with one? The sample images on the web site are stunning.

Gaz

[Russe]

Have you considered a cooled 1100d, like this one?

The company seems to completely rebuild the camera with a 2-stage peltier. I can't say I've ever used one but it sounds intreguing.

and it (almost) squeaks in under your budget

JTW Ultimate Deep Cooled Canon 1100D v3

Very interesting - I wonder if anyone's tried this!!