Help me spend some money...

[Helen]

I'm starting the option appraisal for a new bigger camera. I love my little Atik 16ic its so easy to use. I'd like to print my pictures out though and (largish) postage stamp size pictures aren't very impressive . So I need an upgrade.

I've toyed with getting our Canon 300d modified, but the thought of the darks, flats etc required to do this sort of imaging properly is putting me off a bit!

So that leaves a proper, larger CCD. I haven't got an unlimited budget, but would like something I'm not going to outgrow quickly. I also want to make best use of the imaging set-up I currently have, rather than buy any more scopes or mounts. So it needs to work effectively with the permanent set up of a wedge mounted Nexstar GPS8 (with Fastar), a piggy-backed WOZS66 (and possibly a Megrez 90 - views on whether the NS8 properly balanced could take it would be welcome), along with 0.33, 0.5 and 0.63 focal reducers.

I'd like to be able to print out pictures at a reasonable size - ideally A4, but I'd settle for A5, and I'd like them to be in colour!

My processing skills still need a lot of practice, and I'm slightly worried that if I go for OSC straight away I might struggle, also I like Ha imaging.

Obvious candidates appear to be:

Atik 314L - I love the ease of use of my little Atik (colour or mono)

Martin's SVX H9 - we've all seen what this camera can produce, and I have the scope he produced lots of his images with!

QHY8 - I understand a new variation of the QHY8 is about to hit the streets, better put together, air tight, and round

QHY9 - new mono camera which may be available in August - 8mp camera , Sony, but with tiny pixels

For mono cameras I'd look at an automated filter wheel

So over you..... spend my money for me!!

Helen

[anthony]

Martin's SXV H9. You have an immediate and trouble free system straight away. I'd buy Martins if I could. I have an SXV h9/guider and it is great.

Anthony

[Paxo]

Helen,

I have just been getting an Atik 314L and have been highly impressed so far, very little noise, software very easy to use and plug-ins for most of the major software programms. If Ha imaging is to be part of your wants then if it is to be a DSLR then it will have to be modded to increase the Ha sensitivity. I have found the Atik 314L excellent for Ha imaging (see pics in signature). As for flats/darks and all that, I am afraid whatever your choice is to be then you will need to do these to improve the quality of your images, and afterall, there isn't a great deal to doing these calibration images, it soon becomes a part of your routine. Once you have a set of flats for all your camera/filter combinations, bias frames takes microseconds to do (literally) and take a series of darks at the end of your subs your wel on your way, software such as DSS takes care of things for you after that, and they do make a big difference.

Food for thought anyway.

Steve..

[centroid]

Hi Helen

I started out with an MX7C, which was a great little camera, but being CMYG as opposed to RGB, the colour conversion process (de-bayering), could be a bit tricky. The image format was also quite small.

Wanting to try RGB imaging witha mono camera, and a set of filters, I converted the MX7C to mono, and bought a filter wheel plus a set of Astronomik filters.

For a while, I enjoyed RGB imaging, but missed the simplicity of OSC, an important factor for me, given the limited number of decent clear nights we get in the UK.

I bought an SXVF-H9C, and moved back to OSC imaging, and I really can't see myself returning to RGB imaging.

Colour processing is not tricky at all, as the camera is RGB, and IMO, the images are as good as those taken using separate LRGB frames.

The image size is more than adequate for printing out, albeit I rarely bother doing this.

Again, IMO, the SXVF-H9 and H9C, are as good as it gets, and the product support provided by Terry Platt of Starlight Express, is second to none.

I believe that the equivalent ATIK cameras, use exactly the same 'chip' as the SX's, but IMO the SX's have a distinct 'edge' when it comes to engineeering build quality.

As for the results, from what I've seen, they are pretty much identical.

So, to summarise:

A Mono camera is more sensitive, so exposure times are shorter than it's OSC cousin. However, with a decent guiding system in place, this is not really an issue.

OSC and Mono +RGB, colour results, are equally as good, providing the user of the mono + RGB user has the requisite processing skills.

Ha imaging seems to favour the mono camera (L frame), but then people like Steve (Steppenwolf) have captured HA images with OSC cameras, albeit I've yet to try this.

So, OSC or Mono, the choice is yours, and either an SX or Atik camera will serve you well. If your heart is set on mono + RGB, then IMO, Martin's H9, is a 'no brainer', great camera!!.

Hope this helps as opposed to confusing. :?

Dave

[Whippy]

I'm far from being an expert but my understanding is that the Atik 314L and Martins' SVX both use the Sony 285 chip which from my experience so far (my Atik 16hr has the same chip) is the business. I've barely scratched the surface with my camera, plenty of growing room here! Probably not much in it (if anything) in terms of performance but the general concensus is the Starlight cams have some niftier features and better build quality. So if it was the choice between those two, I'd have Martin's camera every time.

But you've got the fastar system and you've seen what SteveL achieves with his QHY8, C8 and Hyperstar....

I didn't deliberately go for a mono camera, it's just how things panned out but I'm glad I did because I like the idea of doing full 'false' colour images using Ha, OIII and SII filters which AFAIK you can't do with colour cams (you can do Ha though).

If it was me, I'd have Martin's camera. Superb cam, you know what it can do and you could be imaging with that for years and still be learning all the ins and outs.

Tony..

[Helen]

Thanks for the advice so far guys - helping rather than confusing I think :salute: Martin's camera is heading the field at the moment!

Helen < off to chat to Mike!>

[Helen]

Update:

Had the chat with Mike, PM'd Martin, and the camera is winging its way to me for trial :lol: . Thanks Martin :salute:

Watch this space....

Helen

[MartinB]

Cheques are in the post guys!

[anthony]

Usual amount please Martin

[Helen]

The camera arrived in a big :shock: box this morning. Unfortunately it coincided with a severe weather warning for this part of Wales - that's taking it tooooo far!

Can't wait!!

Helen

[MartinB]

I wanted it to arrive safe and sound!! It was a bit of a wrench to see it go I have to say.

[Whippy]

A wrench but you've got new toys to play with . At least you know it's gone to a good home and if she returns it, I'll eat my kidneys. Make the cheque payable to.....

Tony..

[Helen]

..at least its among old friends Martin - renewing its acquaintance with your old scope and wedge

Got the camera talking to the PC tonight. Took a first sub of vega to get the focussing sorted then the clouds rolled in .

But this evening has been productive in that I've found loads of things in Astroart that I'll now have the kit to use (assuming I keep them that is ).

And I've got to be at an important meeting in Cardiff by 9 tomorrow so an earlier night is probably for the best

Helen

[MartinB]

No more new toys for me. Time to splash out on the lovely jackster and brilliant daughter Rach.

Probably get a new robinia as a special treat.

[RobH]

Good choice Helen, you'll love that camera and it'll last you for ages.

As said, it's the same chip as the Atik 16hr and the new equivalent.

I have the 16 HR and can vouch for the amazing sensitivity of the chip.

I also bought the 16HRC colour cam but have now sold that due to the lack of sensitivity as compared to the mono version, and the fact that you can't bin your subs.

Have fun!

Cheers

Rob