Imaging... where next?

[LaVey]

Hi guys...

I am thinking of getting a new imaging setup.. I currently have a meade LPI but would like something to do DSO imaging.. as with everything I've seen so far in astronomy its a 'need' something better time!

I think i can squeeze around 500 quid 'ish as my budget.. what would be a good choice for this kind of money. I have seen either the DSI pro 2 frm meade http://www.greenwich-observatory.co.uk/acatalog/Other_CCD_Cameras.html or the ATIK 16ic Monochrome CCD Camera with LRGB filter wheel http://www.iankingimaging.com/show_products.php?category=112 both under 500.

Any comments or pointers appreciated

[barkis]

I see the Atik 16c package also has the filters included with the wheel.

Seems a good buy at 429, and although I have not heard a wrong word on the Atik camera, perhaps an opinion of a member who uses one will be helpful to you.

Ron.

[Kaptain Klevtsov]

IIRC The Sky at Night magazine did a test and the Atik got top marks. I'll see if I can dig out the article.

Kaptain Klevtsov

[plasma.d00d]

IIRC The Sky at Night magazine did a test and the Atik got top marks. I'll see if I can dig out the article.

Kaptain Klevtsov

It got ....

Build Quality 90%

Ease of Use 96%

Features 75%

Raw Image Quality 92%

Value for Money 95%

Overall 90%

Other cameras in the group test were...

Meade DSI Pro II £400

Build Quality 90%

Ease of Use 85%

Features 98%

Raw Image Quality 80%

Value for Money 88%

Overall 88%

Atik 16 £650

Build Quality 95%

Ease of Use 96%

Features 76%

Raw Image Quality 95%

Value for Money 82%

Overall 89%

ASTSC3 II £300

Build Quality 95%

Ease of Use 85%

Features 76%

Raw Image Quality 85%

Value for Money 80%

Overall 84%

[LaVey]

thanks plamsa.dood.. I take it that the top figures relate to the atik16ic?

these atiks look like they score well overall and i see a few members are using them.. now gotta convince the wife I 'need' this upgrade (maybe after the snowboarding hol in jan)..

[barkis]

thanks plamsa.dood.. I take it that the top figures relate to the atik16ic?

these atiks look like they score well overall and i see a few members are using them.. now gotta convince the wife I 'need' this upgrade (maybe after the snowboarding hol in jan)..

Ordered some snow have you? Where is the snowboarding holiday going to be L.?

Ron.

[LaVey]

fly into geneva then a coach over the border into the french alps.. resort of Flaine ,

well if these blumming BAA strikes dont happen.. i'm due to flu on the 17th.. day of the 48 hour strike

[barkis]

Sounds good. Hope they don't spoil it for you. You'd think they could find another way to solve their disputes, without taking it out on the public.

[LaVey]

sorry to drag up this old post.. but another question on this thread...

I have decided to go for the Atik.. the question is; which would be better (being a novice - but for a good result) the monochrome with LRGB filter wheel or a one shot colour camera?

Cheers

[Beyond_Vision]

Another one to consider is the Opticstar 3.3megapixel cooled CCD for £599 or £424.95 for uncooled version.

http://www.opticstar.com/Run/Astronomy/Astro.asp?s=3ecaf731-b4b2-49bd-912f-fbeb9496d1ef&p=0_10_0_50_200

Regards

Kevin

[barkis]

I am not offering any advice as to your choice of camera L, I don't have direct experience of CCD Imaging as yet.

I bought a MX916 Mono camera, on the strength of it having a more sensitive chip. I hope I can use the camera to It's full potential, and also include colour imaging with the use of filters. I have bought filters with that in mind, but if I can't crack the colour aspect, I will be quite sartisfied with mono images. I do like mono very much, and it is borne out by the superb mono stuff I have seen on SGL.

Certain types of DSO's are very suited to greyscale. IMHO.

Ron.

[plasma.d00d]

sorry to drag up this old post.. but another question on this thread...

I have decided to go for the Atik.. the question is; which would be better (being a novice - but for a good result) the monochrome with LRGB filter wheel or a one shot colour camera?

Cheers

I am (a novice ) in the process of ordering he ATIK 16 IC-S with ATIK EFW filter wheel and some Astronomica LRGB filters

[MartinB]

And you wont regret it. The thing that makes the Atik stand out ahead of cameras like the DSI pro is that it is 16bit. That means that once you know how to stretch the histogram properly you can pull out a mass of faint detail long after an 8 bit image would have died the death.