Best Dlsr or CCD or Webcam

[Gerry Casa Christiana]

Hello all

Let me explain my desire and what I'm hoping to achieve. I do not have a dslr so whatever I buy will be my first Astrophotography camera. What I'm hoping to achieve is some good deep sky photos but I wouldn't mind also doing some of the planets as a secondary thing. 

I have also seen the webcam type imager like the revolution r2 imager which seem to let you see deep sky opjects directly on a screen. Any good?

Please can people give their experiences of what is achievable CHEAPLY is the key word. 

I have also seen that the ASI 120mm is a good camera but seems geared more to planetary. 

Many thanks to all

Gerry

 

[cosmojaydee]

Without sounding condescending, your desire is everyone's wish to have that "cheap"single scope perfect setup for both planetary  and deep sky photography, unfortunately it's rarely found . Many types of astrophotography generally need different types of camera's and usually different kind of scopes. Before you do anything else in regards making "cheap" purchases , try to get hold of the book by Steve RichardS "Making Every Photon Count " it's very intuitive, and will save you a lot in both time and money. HTH

Jeff     

[Gerry Casa Christiana]

Sure I understand that I'm just trying to get a overview of what people are using and get a idea of which say DSLR is good for deep space. That type of thing and some suggestions for ccd. 

Thanks

[John78]

Get a Canon, with liveview first, then if you get into astroimaging then get a mono webcam for guiding (and planetary when the moons out) then astomod the canon, then buy the narrowband filters, then finally after 2yrs of building up to it buy a dedicated CCD camera - in 2 years from today technology will have moved a long way forward.

 

Thats my £0.02.

[ollypenrice]

16 minutes ago, John78 said:

Get a Canon, with liveview first, then if you get into astroimaging then get a mono webcam for guiding (and planetary when the moons out) then astomod the canon, then buy the narrowband filters, then finally after 2yrs of building up to it buy a dedicated CCD camera - in 2 years from today technology will have moved a long way forward.

 

Thats my £0.02.

It might move forward significantly in the next two years but, to be honest, it hasn't moved all that far in the last ten. The chips I use have been around for many years. There will be developments in CMOS chips, though, which might make DS imaging easier.

While you can start with a DSLR and move on to dedicated mono cameras, this is not obligatory. I went straight into mono CCD  and I'm quite convinced that this is an easier route to good pictures than the DSLR route. In fact I think it's easier, full stop. I realise that this may be a minority opinion but Ian King gave this advice to me when I started ten years ago and I pass it on because I found it to be good advice. A significant number of the people to whom I offer imaging tuition say that they felt DSLR was a blind alley for them.

CCD is expensive so the only 'cheap' way in is with second hand kit. I would look for a second hand Atik 16HR or 314L with manual filter wheel and HaLRGB filters. These often come up as bundles as people move to bigger chips and electric wheels. The sony chip is very sensitive (fast) and very low in noise. The Atik capture software is blissfully easy to use and Atik are not on the other side of an ocean if you need a repair or adjustment.

The sensitivity and freedom from noise of CCD is marvellous. For a given image quality it is much faster. The small cheap is less demanding of your optical train. Mono imaging is faster than OSC. (This is often misunderstood.) The camera was designed to be used exactly as you intend to use it. 

A final point: in DSLR versus CCD debates posters often link to excellent and CCD-like DSLR images. Be sure, when you look at them, to see what scope was used. If it was a super-fast F2.8 Tak Epsilon don't be surprized. MFToet has posted some excellent examples here recently. DSLRs do thrive on very fast optics.

Olly

[RogerTheDodger]

Gerry, what scope and mount are you using?

[Gerry Casa Christiana]

On 12 September 2016 at 18:41, ollypenrice said:

It might move forward significantly in the next two years but, to be honest, it hasn't moved all that far in the last ten. The chips I use have been around for many years. There will be developments in CMOS chips, though, which might make DS imaging easier.

While you can start with a DSLR and move on to dedicated mono cameras, this is not obligatory. I went straight into mono CCD  and I'm quite convinced that this is an easier route to good pictures than the DSLR route. In fact I think it's easier, full stop. I realise that this may be a minority opinion but Ian King gave this advice to me when I started ten years ago and I pass it on because I found it to be good advice. A significant number of the people to whom I offer imaging tuition say that they felt DSLR was a blind alley for them.

CCD is expensive so the only 'cheap' way in is with second hand kit. I would look for a second hand Atik 16HR or 314L with manual filter wheel and HaLRGB filters. These often come up as bundles as people move to bigger chips and electric wheels. The sony chip is very sensitive (fast) and very low in noise. The Atik capture software is blissfully easy to use and Atik are not on the other side of an ocean if you need a repair or adjustment.

The sensitivity and freedom from noise of CCD is marvellous. For a given image quality it is much faster. The small cheap is less demanding of your optical train. Mono imaging is faster than OSC. (This is often misunderstood.) The camera was designed to be used exactly as you intend to use it. 

A final point: in DSLR versus CCD debates posters often link to excellent and CCD-like DSLR images. Be sure, when you look at them, to see what scope was used. If it was a super-fast F2.8 Tak Epsilon don't be surprized. MFToet has posted some excellent examples here recently. DSLRs do thrive on very fast optics.

Olly

Thanks I always take good advice. I was already looking at the zwo asi 120mm just as a start I'm like you and I like to get the quality. 

My set up is brand new. Last week my eq6 arrived. I do not have a scope yet as I have not decided what to get. So I'm also open to suggestions there. I'm trying to get something that will work well for imaging but also good for visual. It may not be possible but I'm open to learn and with a little help from above I hope to choose something. 

 

Gerry

 

[riklaunim]

Well, ASI120 is a planetary camera, not a DS Camera. It can also work as a guide camera (you will need guiding for DS Imaging).