Best route to take for a newbe for primarily DSLR imaging

[dtokez]

Hi all. 

I have been into DSLR photography for years now, and have enjoyed doing some static / wide-field imaging of the night sky. I bought a Skywatcher 130p from my good friend TingTing a couple of years ago but have no used it yet, due to lack of time and more importantly, a lack of a mount.

Primarily I would like to start imaging with my Canon gear, I have a few lenses I want to try out (namely the 50mm f1.8 and a 70-200 f2.8 L). What options have I got for a mount, primarily for the DLSR but maybe something I can also use the telescope on too?

I am operating on a tight budget so it would be nice to keep the price low, around £200 ideally. I have been meaning to build a barn door tracker, but have not managed to find the time so I have been looking at the star adventurer recently. My other options are maybe a EQ3 or something like that, the GOTO feature could be very useful.

Look forward to hearing your advice,

Dan

[skysculptor]

Sky watcher star adventuer new with all extras £300! Possibly available for less second hand but I've yet to see one on the used market.

[dtokez]

Sky watcher star adventuer new with all extras £300! Possibly available for less second hand but I've yet to see one on the used market.

I will have to look into it a bit more, would I need all the extras to begin with? 

thanks

[ronin]

There is in reality no "cheap" way into astrophotography, in simple terms there is a level of equipment that is needed.

Even for a camera alone I would suggest a small reasonable equitorial mount, if you want to use a scope as well either now or in the future then no real option - you need an equitorial mount.

A "small" equitorial goto will cost £380-£450 - thinking on the SW EQ3-2 or the iOptron SmartEQ.

Either will allow a small scope but if you then expect to add guide scope and wahtever else then look to something bigger, EQ5 or CEM-25.

Small scope will be something like the 130PDS or WO ZS-71, or the Altair equivalent.

The  SW Star Adventurer I am unsure of. Answered a post by someone and to be honest I could not make out exactly what it did. The manual was somewhat unclear as to the functionality it provided - I read it about 4 times and still was unsure. It appeared to perform a simple action of making a shutter release command to the camera at 100 second intervals and no more.

If that is the actual operation then no problems, but you need to know that and then set up exposures accordingly. What my problem was was simply that it did not state that explicitly, and I may be 100% incorrect. That process is actually useful - you set a 30 second exposure (at the camera), a 30 second noise reduction exposure is then taken and then you have about a 40 seconds cool down and write to memory period, then off it all goes again. Nice easy if that is the way it works.

I have a remote timer/intervalometer and set that accordingly, bit more involved but a bit more control.

As mentioned there is a sort of minimum cost for AP, people will try alternatives and some will have success to a degree, but ultimately you have to buy the equipment. On a DSLR with the supplied zoom you will get a good picture occasionally, buy a £500 L series lens then you will get good ones more often.

[skysculptor]

Ronin, to quote you,The SW Star Adventurer I am unsure of. Answered a post by someone and to be honest I could not make out exactly what it did. The manual was somewhat unclear as to the functionality it provided - I read it about 4 times and still was unsure. It appeared to perform a simple action of making a shutter release command to the camera at 100 second intervals and no more.

This is no longer the case it originally had to set times via the snap port of 50 and 100 sec intervals , but you could jus use your camera instead to set exposure times but now it has an advanced firm ware option that allows it to be programmed to accept any exposure time plus time between exposures plus how many pics your camera takes, as well as a host of extra functions such as astro timelaspe, etc plus the original features of tracking , side rate , Luna solar, auto guiding etc...

Hope that helps to clear up any confusion ?

[skysculptor]

http://ca.skywatcher.com/_english/05_service/08_blog_detail.php?sid=290Link to advanced firmware fuctions

[dtokez]

Looks like they have added lots of features!

So what are the pros / con of using the star adventurer vs a bottom of the range mount, just considering DSLR photography for now?

Is the Sky-Watcher SynScan AZ GOTO any good, not much more than the star adventurer?

Thanks

[carastro]

Alt/Az is no good for long exposure imaging (which is what you need to do) because of the way it tracks.  You need an equatorial mount capable of guiding.

I think the star adventurer was suggested to fit your price range.

If you are thinking of imaging with the DSLR and Skywatcher 130p you might have problems getting focus unless it is the PDS version.  In the first instance it would be worth trying that out before thinking of going any further.  You'll need a DSLR T ring and T adapter to connect your camera to a telescope in any case.  

As stated above there is no real cheap way into Astrophotography even 2nd hand you could not really do it for £200.  

If you just want to image with the camera and not necessarily the 200P, but want to do long exposure then the suggested Skywatcher Star adventurer can be polar aligned and will track and guide, and it will also take a small telescope, so will be much closer to your budget.  I have not used a star adverturer, I am just going by what I have heard.  

HTH

Carole 

[matt-c]

I really can't sing the eq3 pro's praises enough. I bought mine second hand of astrobuy for £200.

I know the heq5 minimum argument but I solely use camera lenses and feel this mount is more than adequate.

Unguided I get 3 to 4 min subs (at 200mm) and I'm currently guiding and taking 10-15min subs at which point my dslr isn't too happy so who knows how far I could push it.

Current guide setup cost £5 for Xbox camera. Guide scope old lense I had lying about.

Advantages over the star adventurer is goto, seriously a blessing it saves me so much time and back ache.

Unsure about eq mod on star adventurer but it works like a charm on the eq3.

Finally my whole setup can be picked up and taken outside in one trip, gotta be a bonus.

If you plan on using a scope the eq3 might not be great although some people on here have excellent pictures of eq3 and 130pds combo. I think it could take a small frac easy though.

Sorry for the wall of text, I just remember being in your situation on a budget but wanting to try and thinking it's impossible.

Matt

[dtokez]

thanks guys, a EQ3 pro sounds ideal really with the GOTO - so I guess they are easier to set up than the star adventurer? Shame there are not really any 2nd hand ones around

If I did go for the basic £200 star adventurer, what bits would I need for it get going with my dslr?

[Bukko]

Dan,

I live round in Dibden Purlieu and have an unused EQ3-2.

It would need the motor kit to allow some tracking and to get you started, I am happy to discuss you popping round and collecting it.

As it costs nothing, you will at least get an idea if this is the right thing for you, or if you need something bigger...

Please PM me when you get time and we can discuss...

Gordon.

[dtokez]

Dan,

I live round in Dibden Purlieu and have an unused EQ3-2.

It would need the motor kit to allow some tracking and to get you started, I am happy to discuss you popping round and collecting it.

As it costs nothing, you will at least get an idea if this is the right thing for you, or if you need something bigger...

Please PM me when you get time and we can discuss...

Gordon.

Hi Gordon, 

that would be amazing, just around the corner really too Would this be what I require to get it driving? http://www.firstlightoptics.com/skywatcher-mounts/enhanced-dual-axis-dc-motor-drive-for-eq3-2.html

[matt-c]

Gordon A perfect example of why I love SGL.

I'm not an expert on motors but those look to be the ones mate.

[matt-c]

If your OK buying second hand I've seen them pop up on astrobuysell

[wuthton]

Eq5 pros sometimes pop up in the £200-300 price range. I sold one a couple of years ago for £200, it had had 5 years of very heavy use so was a little battered.

With sub 500cm of focal length they perform perfectly fine.

[Bukko]

Hello, Dan,

yes, that's the set.

I have two EQ3-2's, this is the older one.

It was fine with hardware like a 60mm Lunt (actualy quite heavy) and an 80mm Equinox, so should be good enough on a Canon 70-200mm zoom.

I used to use the older motor kit, but it suffered from wear, so would not recommend getting a set second hand. I am not sure if the original motor set is still around, I think we threw them out, as Mrs. Bukko objects to me keeping too much old stuff no longer in use...

But we have the mount, it has the polar finder to get you started, so it would be easy for you to try it and see if you think it worth adding the motors.

Things are a little complicated for me right now, so please PM me and we can discuss offline (Addresses, etc. should not be posted!!)

Gordon.

[dtokez]

Hi Gordon, 

That sounds great, I just want to have a play with some wide field stuff and work my way up too the 70-200 when I have gotten the hang of it really

I will drop you a PM now,

Dan

[wuthton]

Eq5 pros sometimes pop up in the £200-300 price range. I sold one a couple of years ago for £200, it had had 5 years of very heavy use so was a little battered.

With sub 500cm of focal length they perform perfectly fine.

Woops... mm not cm. 5 metres could be a little excessive.

[dtokez]

Woops... mm not cm. 5 metres could be a little excessive.

Might experience a few stability issues 

[carastro]

Might experience a few stability issues

If he's just using the camera and not a telescope it should be fine.  A telescope will need something sturdy capable of guiding.  This should give him a chance to experiment - for free which can't be bad.

Carole