wannabe astrophotographer Q's

[O-RICH]

Hi, i figured it would be best to create a thread for my own situation, rather than hijack others. So I've seen some of the images on here and I'm blown away by them. I think it would be cool if i could create a photo gallery of the things that i see. I have a SW 200p and now know that it is capable of some wonderful pictures. So to my understanding, to convert my 200p into a photographic monster i have to purchase the following:

• A suitable mount/tripod.
• motor
• filters
• T-ring
• DSLR
• other misc bits like weights etc...

So really I'm trying to get a grasp of the cost involved so i can create a plan of what to buy and when. Ive already been steered towards something like this as a beginner, cost effective means to and end:

So, for example, if i bought that, what other things would i need? Im guessing ill need the correct mount and motor or the long exposure pics won't work? I'm not that clued-up on photography so I'm asking a lot of questions i know lol Any help is appreciated as always, thanks.

[Zakalwe]

The very first purchase should be this:

http://www.nightskyimages.co.uk/making_every_photon_count.htm

It will contain 99.9% of the answers to your questions.

[DirkSteele]

+1 for Making Every Photon Count.  It will save you a lot of money in the long run by avoiding purchasing equipment that is unsuitable for your desired goals.

[ronin]

If you intend to drop the 200P ota on to a tripod then you really need an HEQ5. They sell 200P's on EQ5's but that is more for visual not really imaging.

If new I think you now get the HEQ5 with everything, just cost more.

Filters - I assume RGB - then you need a mono camera, filters, filter wheel.

Alternative is the OSC (One Shot Colour) cameras, basically a colour camera.

RGB imaging take a LOT longer then OSC imaging.

Good filters and filter wheel adds significantly to the cost.

Weights come with the mount.

Likely want a coma corrector for the 200P.

A DSLR really needs modifing for the Ha aspect, if you buy a DSLR then have it modified you are likly looking at a cost close to a dedicated camera. Less cost is the ZWO 120 is £250 although it is a cmos not ccd. For DSLR add in a remote timer also (£25ish).

Trouble is a big scope is not better for AP, you would most likely be better with an 80mm refractor then a 200P. It weights less so the mount handles it easier, it is smaller so any breeze means less scrapped exposures, tracking errors are not as prominent.

The camera shown has a lens, that needs to come off as you will be doing prime focus.

[Zakalwe]

RGB imaging take a LOT longer then OSC imaging.

Somewhere, in the south of France, a provider of astro-breaks' head has just exploded.   :grin:

[swag72]

Definitely buy the book 'Making Every Photon Count', read it through ..... twice ....before making a single purchase.

When people say use a short focal length refractor such as an ED80 in favour of anything else, trust me, they speak sense. It makes life very much easier.

[wuthton]

Somewhere, in the south of France, a provider of astro-breaks' head has just exploded. :grin:

Indeed, we could almost start chanting a countdown to the response.

[Zakalwe]

So really I'm trying to get a grasp of the cost involved so i can create a plan of what to buy and when. Ive already been steered towards something like this as a beginner, cost effective means to and end:

For a start, thats an integrating video camera. Yes it can be utilised to create rudimentary images, but it's not really the tool for the job (IIRC, 5 seconds is the longest exposure time. When DSO imaging exposures are usually measured in minutes).

[Davey-T]

Jumping headfirst into astro imaging is a good recipe for emptying your bank account and ending up with lot's of stuff you don't need.

An 80mm refractor, suitable mount, autoguider and modded DSLR is a good place to start.

Taking pic's is only half the battle, processing is a steep learning curve so best to start simple, then the skies the limit for spending 

Dave

[Scott]

+1 for the book and then....

For me, this is a great set-up for imaging, whether beginner or more experienced.

Of course all the components can be bought 2nd hand at quite a saving, but if you have the cash to splash, this is a mighty fine all in one starting place.

there will be the camera to purchase as well, but a 2nd hand dslr (modded) pop up in the classifieds quite often for between £100-200.

After that you can spend the rest of your life spending,spending,spending.

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/pro-series/skywatcher-evostar-80ed-pro-heq5-pro.html

[Zakalwe]

HEQ5: £650

ED80: £350

Modded DSLR: £250?

Finderguider: £50

Guide camera: £200

Laptop: £350

Software: From free to £hundreds

[Knight of Clear Skies]

The difficulty with using the 200P for imaging is that at a focal length of 1000mm (high magnification) it's going to be very sensitive to polar alignment and tracking errors. It would probably require guiding (a second scope and camera to connected to the mount to nudge it back on target) to get decent results.

For a more gentle and lower cost introduction to imaging one option would be an RA motor for your existing mount (I assume it's equatorial) and a DSLR. You could then take unguided images using camera lenses or a short focal length 'scope. It's possible to get decent results this way, and you'd still be learning many of the skills you'd need if you wanted to take it further in future. This is the approach I'm taking, I'm finding imaging enjoyable but it's a quite a learning curve.

Good luck whatever approach you decide to take.

[Davey-T]

HEQ5: £650

ED80: £350

Modded DSLR: £250?

Finderguider: £50

Guide camera: £200

Laptop: £350

Software: From free to £hundreds

You forgot the clear skies

Dave

[Knight of Clear Skies]

You forgot the clear skies

Dave

As the advert say... priceless...

[toxic]

You forgot the clear skies

Dave

and where can you buy them and how much 

[Zakalwe]

and where can you buy them and how much 

£199 from FLO

[PhotoGav]

and where can you buy them and how much 

Again... There's a provider of astro-breaks in the south of France rubbing his hands together right now!

[johnrt]

Stop!

What do you want to take photos of???

Solar system & planets need a totally different set up to deep space imaging, which one you choose will dominate the choices you will need to make.

[O-RICH]

+1 for the book and then....

For me, this is a great set-up for imaging, whether beginner or more experienced.

Of course all the components can be bought 2nd hand at quite a saving, but if you have the cash to splash, this is a mighty fine all in one starting place.

there will be the camera to purchase as well, but a 2nd hand dslr (modded) pop up in the classifieds quite often for between £100-200.

After that you can spend the rest of your life spending,spending,spending.

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/pro-series/skywatcher-evostar-80ed-pro-heq5-pro.html

[wxsatuser]

So you think you will have a wallet left to cry into..

[RikM]

RGB imaging take a LOT longer then OSC imaging.

Somewhere, in the south of France, a provider of astro-breaks' head has just exploded.   :grin:

Stop!

What do you want to take photos of???

Solar system & planets need a totally different set up to deep space imaging, which one you choose will dominate the choices you will need to make.

John is right. (almost) All the responses in this thread are right, and are aimed at deep sky astrophotography. Solar system imaging does need very different equipment. With your 200P (which version f/5 or f/6?) on a suitable mount - NEQ6! - you would be able to dabble at both, but it wouldn't be an ideal set up for either. If you could give some details of what objects you want to image, you will get the best answers.

[O-RICH]

ill get the book and research what is required, knowing full well something's are going to be sold to fund this   The HEQ5 sounds like the first priority...

[O-RICH]

 If you could give some details of what objects you want to image, you will get the best answers.

200p is a f/5.9. I think the deep sky objects are what I'm looking at, galaxies, nebula etc... Planets are a bit hit and miss, since saturn and mars are disappearing soon, the Messier's will mostly still be there right?

[Davey-T]

Here's some one with similar setup to show what can be done

Dave

http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/221298-cats-eye-and-dumbbell-neb-with-asi120/

[toxic]

start of simple and build up over time the only thing you need to start with is a good eq mount and a dslr modded or unmoded and a webcam on your finder as a guide cam.hooked up to an old computer and your away with the standard canon capture software and phd to do the guiding and deep sky stacker.

dont bother with the eq5 or the cg5 gt if your going the astropho way there ok for visual with the 200p but its to big for them mounts for astrophotography eq6 or heq6 or az eq6 gt i fount that out i got the cg5 gt for my 200pds but not to good for photo but good for visual.