Thinking of buying this?

[Metalhead]

I am thinking of getting into webcam/CCD imaging and saw this. i wonder has anyone had any first hand expierience of this product? It seem to be too cheap to be any good , and I dont want to waste money as it is hard to come by !!!. I am also looking at a Celestron neximage5 which is a lot more expensive but has a proven track record.......Your thoughts on this would be appreciated Cheers Pete

P.S I am using a Celestron 127 Mak with a Canon 650D at the moment

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Solar-System-CCD-Astronomy-Imaging-Photography-Set-/380827149668?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item58ab112564#ht_4281wt_1259

[Langy]

Don't know anything about the product but Alan at STL is very much well known and highly recommended here in the forums.

If you are interested in it then give him a call as he will give some good advice.

[Daniel-K]

i think its similar to the celestron neximage youd be better off with a QHY5II

[datman]

It's pretty much a philips spc900nc, sensor specs look the same 640x480 VGA colour, 5.6 pixel,1/4" chip

The NextImage sold for about £109-120 a few years back so the price is about right for an unbranded copy.

The QHY5-II mono sensor is 4 X the size with slightly smaller pixels (5.2) for about twice the money, but it is mono.

The QHY5-II colour sensor is about 2 X the size but has much smaller pixels (3.75) again for about twice the price.

If you progress to greater things, the QHY can also be used as a quide camera having both video and still modes, the bigger sensor is better for this too.

You can get passable images on the 1/4" chip but it can be hard work getting a planet into view.

Centre the planet visually with a high magnification EP, then put the camera in and focus!

The webcam is unlikely to be much use as a guide camera

I just sold my spc900nc and now use my mono QHY5 guide camera (not II) with basic RGB absorbtion filters for planets and the moon.

It still not easy, just easier.

It all depends on your cash limit.