explore scientific fcd100 apo

[spartan2007]

Hi guys just about to take the plunge on my first refractor .Have narrowed it down to either 102MM FCD100 AIR-SPACED TRIPLET ED APO IN CARBON FIBER or the bigger 127MM FCD100 AIR-SPACED TRIPLET ED APO IN CARBON FIBER i have heard that that the es fr/ff only works on the 127/152mm .I will be using this for imaging  GSTAR-EX4 colour camera Image Sensor: Sony Exmor IMX174,Resolution: 1920 x 1200 (2.35 Mega pixels)Size: 1/1.2" (13.4mm diagonal) (3:2 aspect)Pixels: 5.86μm x 5.86μm Exposure: 0.244 sec ~16 mins Cooling: Fan vented with heat sink fins (on/off .Keep in mind this is my first dedicated astro cam and ota .this will be mounted on a cgem mount .i do own a st80 but i have been thinking of down sizing to a Prostar 60 x 240 f/4 guide scope .any thoughts reviews good /bad would be great .clear skies

                                                                     

[ronin]

From over on CN I have never heard anything bad about the ES FCD100 refractors. Usually squeels of delight. One imager in the US at NEAF like the 127 FCD100 show scope enough to pay for it and took it home. ES had to get another in for display.

The 174 chip has relatively big pixels, image/pixel scale and all that, most appear to get planetary results out of it especially Saturn. So maybe ask about that aspect although I suspect the answers will be split between good, not so good and don't worry about it, in equal proportions.

Why carbon fibre? Only ask as ES seem to be drifting away from CF scopes having already produced most in CF initially.

[ollypenrice]

For DS imaging that's quite a small chip. Will it really need a flattener? Does the manufacturer give a corrected image circle diameter? If this is larger than the diagonal of the camera you shouldn't need one.

I think the key consideration concerns focal length, which will decide on your field of view. Personally, with a chip that size, I'd go for the shorter FL.

Olly

[spartan2007]

Thanks guys for replies, I also own a canon 700d so i could use the gstar ex4 which i already own as a guider untill i get a larger chip astro camera something like asi ZWO ASI071mc cooled or ZWO ASI1600mc cooled .