Mini Imaging Rig

[Dave S]

Hi All

Thanks to the tax man I've been able to take the next step in building up my imaging equipment.  I've been imaging quite successfully using the AZ Goto Skywatcher mount in combo with my unmodded 550d and BackyardEOS.  Totally happy with the camera but as the 550d is notoriously lacking in IR sensitivity and not really practical to mod it as I need the camera as is for other work The plan was to go for a dedicated astro camera.  The Altair Astro Hypercam 183c was on the cards but as it's tax and MOT next month reality had to rear it's ugly head so couldn't really justify the expenditure at this time.

Fortunately a fellow SGL member put his GpCam2 up for sale.  Unused and boxed for £150, and being local to him I was able to get in there straight away and relieve him of his burden . Thanks   tuckstar.

As it's going to be around 3 years or so before the Heq6/cooled CCD/Astrograph quality scope combo comes to pass and I'm not going to sit around and just wait then the GpCam2 is just the step I need to move the imaging on a level whilst not breaking the bank.  With the addition of a Geoptiks EOS lens to CCD adapter (£85) I can use my stock of Canon lenses and explore more Widefield imaging than currently possible. And it's super easy grab and go with minimal prep.

Despite only having an Alt/Az mount I can reliably get 90s subs with the dslr and I'm currently constructing a wedge setup for the mount using an old EQ2 mount I have lying around with the goal of obtaining 120s subs.  I've also been experimenting with rudimentary autoguiding using an old cctv camera, phd and ascom drivers through the Az mounts Serial connector.  Surprisingly it works to some degree although I have some nasty backlash issues to solve.

One thing about having limited finances is that it really exercises your ingenuity muscles and I love making things work beyond their published capabilities.

So far I'm really impressed with the quality of the GpCam2 and despite having small pixel size, for me at least resolution is more important than the great light gathering power of larger pixel size. I'm a firm believer of buy whats suitable for your needs rather than what convention states you need.

I'm sure regardless that I'm going to have a lot of fun with it whatever it's limitations may be.

We're promised clear skies tonight so hopefully I'll get some proper first light results. 

It's out ready with the mount levelled and in it's home position,  Powertanks charged, cables laid out.  Can't wait.

p.s Apologies for the state of the garden.  I'm currently re-landscaping it so it's a total mess at the moment.

Dave...

[assouptro]

Hi Dave

Good luck with the "shoestring" imaging project! 

I agree, limited funds definitely exercise  the brain when trying to overcome "the next issue"

and I'm sure the garden will get tidied someday but not whilst there are clear skies!!

Cheers 

Bryan

[AstroKerr]

Soil digs better and things are lighter(?!) when's overcasted.

So, larger pixels means more light per pixel gathered and smaller pixels, naturally, give you better resolution - and I had wondered about glancing at camera specs, wrongly thinking gobs of smaller pixels would always be better. Now that wasn't intuitive, to me. Makes me wonder what else I've got skewed...

And I'm taking it that you are indeed using camera lenses and adapters to feed your imagers - I had wondered about that as well, but not given it any attention - one post and you've enlightenend me on two things! Thank you, thank you! And I really must read a lot more about AP, because  I now know I know very little. I did manage to find out that folk use their DSLRs and lenses with mini-trackers to grab fabulous images, you could stick a DSLR to a telescope, and that imagers are engineered to be more sensitive. 

Good Luck with 1st Light!!

Clear Skies and Sharp Imager-eyes!