Wide Field?

[Colinlp]

Hi, yet more questions

I'm not over serious about this one, it's more of a maybe I could have a go thing, my main interest is planetary not deep sky but.. I was thinking if I piggybacked a DSLR onto my scope would it be suitable for wide field photography if I used the main scope as a guider?

Scope is a CPC1100, obviously it would need a wedge to get it into an equatorial configuration which I will probably do anyway sometime as I'd like to have a go at some rotation animations of Jupiter

Many thanks

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Piggyback imaging is quite the easiest way of getting into DSO imaging. Works well

[ollypenrice]

Yes, it's fine. At short focal lengths you probably wouldn't need to guide at all. I would think about the downside of the wedge, though. They are expensive, many are utterly nasty, and they ruin the lovely convenience of the fork mount for visual observing.  It wouldn't solve the Jovian rotation problem but just buying a basic driven EQ mount might be an alternative for carrying your camera for widefiled.

Olly

[Tinker1947]

If your going to spend money on a wedge have a rethink and look at a EQ Mount to take the CPC1100 something like a NEQ6 so mounting the DSLR for wide field or prime (attach the dslr to the scope) gives you both options, if you only want wide field then buy a Star Adventurer and do the wide field while still viewing through the scope...

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/skywatcher-mounts/skywatcher-star-adventurer-astronomy-bundle.html

[happy-kat]

Perhaps you should read this thread.

Link here

It's surprising what can be done with not the expected kit, it might be that this is what you are after from the equipment you already have. Have a taster then see where you want to go.

[Colinlp]

1 hour ago, ollypenrice said:

Yes, it's fine. At short focal lengths you probably wouldn't need to guide at all. I would think about the downside of the wedge, though. They are expensive, many are utterly nasty, and they ruin the lovely convenience of the fork mount for visual observing.  It wouldn't solve the Jovian rotation problem but just buying a basic driven EQ mount might be an alternative for carrying your camera for widefiled.

Olly

I was thinking more about field rotation over say an hour capturing shorter captures to produce an animation of rotation.

I don't really want to go to the bother of setting up another mount as basically I couldn't justify the expense and I'm a lazy sod and just like the one set up in the obsy. Saying that If I do get more into it then I would have no problem investing in the future but for now I'd just like to take a few basic snaps to bore the grandchildren. What sort of mount would be suitable if I do decide to progress?

 

[wuthton]

I had a brief spell using a wedge with an LX200, it was an expensive and frustrating experience.

The little Skywatcher Star Adventurer is perfect for widefield, cheaper than a wedge and much, much easier to set up.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

I have been thinking of getting a wide-field/travel EQ mount, and I feel something like an EQ3-2 with polar finder and motors is really that bit more flexible than the Star Adventurer (albeit heavier, and just a bit more expensive). A more expensive solution, but probably a bit more flexible, and a bit lighter is the iOptron SmartEQ Pro Goto Mount with Aluminium Case. That seems a very portable package, including an aluminium case for transport. I like the way the motors and electronics housing are integrated into the counterweight system. That reduces the need for the rather heavy counterweights of the EQ3-2.

[Colinlp]

4 hours ago, wuthton said:

I had a brief spell using a wedge with an LX200, it was an expensive and frustrating experience.

The little Skywatcher Star Adventurer is perfect for widefield, cheaper than a wedge and much, much easier to set up.

Why was that, was it the wedge was just carp or was it a setting up issue? I would intend to use it in a permanent setup in an obsy if I did get one

[Colinlp]

3 hours ago, michael.h.f.wilkinson said:

I have been thinking of getting a wide-field/travel EQ mount, and I feel something like an EQ3-2 with polar finder and motors is really that bit more flexible than the Star Adventurer (albeit heavier, and just a bit more expensive). A more expensive solution, but probably a bit more flexible, and a bit lighter is the iOptron SmartEQ Pro Goto Mount with Aluminium Case. That seems a very portable package, including an aluminium case for transport. I like the way the motors and electronics housing are integrated into the counterweight system. That reduces the need for the rather heavy counterweights of the EQ3-2.

This has been one of the things I've been thinking of, maybe a concern would be if I did decide to get more into deep sky then I might regret not buying a heftier mount such as an NEQ5

[wuthton]

43 minutes ago, Colinlp said:

Why was that, was it the wedge was just carp or was it a setting up issue? I would intend to use it in a permanent setup in an obsy if I did get one

Fork mounts are not accurate enough for the focal length of the scope for imaging purposes. Not even close.

You'll find very few positive comments on Meade/Celestron fork and wedge combos from people who have also used an EQ mount. 

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

53 minutes ago, Colinlp said:

This has been one of the things I've been thinking of, maybe a concern would be if I did decide to get more into deep sky then I might regret not buying a heftier mount such as an NEQ5

Going fr a truly portable EQ mount is a kind bet-hedging, because if you decide to get a heftier EQ mount later, the lightweight one can still be used as a travel mount