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Larger field of view with Atik 314L+

Astroblagger

By Astroblagger
in Discussions - Cameras

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Astroblagger

Astroblagger

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Hello iv got an Atik 314L+ which is my first CCD cam and i must say im impressed with its sensitvity, iv only recently just started to take Narrowband images and find the field of view with my ED80 and reducer to be too small, (cant get most of the targets i want onto the chip in one go).

I think my options are to use a good quality lens (i know the canon 200mm F2.8 is decent) with the CCD or getting a very short focal lenght scope like a zenithstar 66 and reduce it or buy a CCD with a larger sensor (which will be mega expensive). I dont want to get rid of the Atik yet, what do you think is the better option? Or anyone have a similar experience?

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swag72

swag72

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I think many of us have probably been there at some time or another. I am there now with the 460. I am getting a little cheesed off at having to do 2x2 or 2x3 mosaics to get my target as that means so much more time it's ridiculous.

So for me, I think the alternative is a larger chip, but it's big money - So I will curtail my irritation for now at least!

Camera len's do work well for folks, but if your camera is a mono bear in mind you will not have room for your filter wheel due to the lens back spacing, which can be a pain. I don't think that a shorter scope will be that much of a revelation personally - Have you tried the fov calculator http://www.12dstring.me.uk/fovcalc.php to really give you a feel for what you can expect with the different permutations?

So for me, I'd say camera lens if on a budget - but the adapters and stuff do add up easily to over £150 extra I would say as most people need a micro focuser as well.

Budget-less and it has to be a new CCD.

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swag72

swag72

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You can use the filter drawer system - I have a slimline TS one that adds from memory about 9mm. Sadly I've not tried my camera lens yet!

One of the peachy len's is the Canon 200/2.8 L, but there are some super images about with far cheaper M42 lens' that people seem to buy from the Bay for less than £50.

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Uranium235

Uranium235

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For now, I'd hang on to the 314 as there are a number of ways you can go:

1) Get a scope thats no less than 400mm in FL, and at least 60% faster than your current optics. Perhaps the Espirit or reduced GT81 (1.8x faster) - then reflect that speed by dropping your sub lengths, or time spent on each pane of a mosaic (ie: 90min per pane, rather than 2 hours). However, with the 314 and its pixel size, you will be on the very edge of whats acceptable in terms of resolution.

2) Get another 314/80ED and set up a dual shooter (can cost less than a grand if youre canny).

3) Cave in and get a big chip, but sticking an 8300 based camera on an 80ED will leave you hankering for more speed as 8300 based cameras seem far happier at f5 and below. But.... the one advantage to this chip is that if you ever get a longer FL telescope (650mm+ FL) you can start binning everything and still get acceptable sampling below 3.5" p/p- though binning everything would be reserved for targets that are truly massive (eg: Witch head, Belt to Sword, Virgo supercluster).

Side note: I measured the gain obtained from binning the 383L a couple of nights ago using various star selections. And between 1x1 and 2x2, the consistent result is a gain of x2.23.

Check out the FOV calculator that Sara posted, its something that get used rather a lot when investigating your imaging options.

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Sp@ce_d

Sp@ce_d

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What about a zenith star 66 with reducer? I do see a lot of folk using the canon 200mm f2.8 with good results, but that lens is £600....

It's a great little scope but it's not got the correction of the 80ED. Mines sat with a permanent ha filter in it now & that delivers, but B & OIII is too bloaty for my taste.  I'm halfway down this route with the triple shooter setup, the latest scope added is the Esprit 80 which is looking very nice. However, I still haven't attempted a mosaic as even with 3 shooters I'm not getting enough clear skies to satisfy my lust for depth on one pane!

You do really have to check out the FOV calculators & check the sample rates of the scopes/CCD combo's. I think to do it justice a larger CCD is inevitable if you want to cover that much real estate!

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Tim

Tim

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I have a pic somewhere taken with a 314 and a little cheap camera lens. It's a mono Ha shot. It easily fits the whole of the Heart and Soul nebulae in.

Would you like to see it?  I'll have to dig it out as I dont know where it is :D

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Gina

Gina

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I use the old Pentax/Praktica thread film SLR lenses and a so called "russian adapter" will convert the M42x1 thread to T2 for use with astro gear.  The Asahi SMC Takumar or Super Takumar are some of the best ever made.  Zeiss also used to make good lenses.  I have a Vivitar 200mm f3.5 telephoto lens that is almost as good as my SMC Takumar 200mm f4.  I have a wide range of different focal lengths and as Sara said I use them with Atik 314L+ mono CCD cameras and also with a 460EX.  There IS room for a filter wheel with these lenses.  These lenses cost between £30 and £100 plus on ebay auctions.

I have posted several threads on using these old lenses with the 314L+ as well as the bigger 460EX.  This one shows a dual imaging rig with two 314L+ cameras, one with an Atik EFW2 filter wheel.  Then there is my triple imaging rig with three lenses and cameras.  There are other relevant threads - I'll see what I caan find.

Here is an early example of using a single 314L+ camera and 105mm lens with a crude mounting system showing the sort of FOV you can expect.  This just about covers the Heart and Soul Nebulae within the frame.

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Astroblagger

Astroblagger

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Thanks for the info Gina would this lens be suitable? 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/No-2694-Pentax-67-SMC-Takumar-200mm-F4-F-4-F4-0-F-4-0-w-filter-EC-/271334299720?pt=Camera_Lenses&hash=item3f2cc8d848

How do these lenses perform at F4 or do you need to drop them down a stop or 2? My filterwheel is 19.5mm thick would that fit between lens and atik 314? Also can you relink that rosette neb image the link  seems to come back to this page?

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davew

davew

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Thanks for the info Gina would this lens be suitable? 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/No-2694-Pentax-67-SMC-Takumar-200mm-F4-F-4-F4-0-F-4-0-w-filter-EC-/271334299720?pt=Camera_Lenses&hash=item3f2cc8d848

How do these lenses perform at F4 or do you need to drop them down a stop or 2? My filterwheel is 19.5mm thick would that fit between lens and atik 314? Also can you relink that rosette neb image the link  seems to come back to this page?

Be careful. That's a Medium Format lens. There are adapters about to use them but so long as you know it's not an M42 fit,

Dave.

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