Back again

[nephilim]

Hi everyone,

Firstly I apologise for the length of this post 

I've been away from the forum for over 2yrs now due to constant set backs with weather,  equipment etc.

I started off just interested in visual & bought a Skywatcher 200p & EQ5 mount, but after seeing so many amazing images on here I quickly became interested in 'The Dark Side'. Unfortunately due to a slight stubbornness (plus a lack of funds) on my part I failed to listen to good advice from experienced members on here. Rather than change my setup I thought I'd have no problem imaging with my visual set up needless to say it didnt go well & after many frustrating evenings with poor results I lost interest & sold up.

Now I'm back with a different attitude but still attempting the AP route.Over the next 2 months I'll be purchasing a Skywatcher ED80 & HEQ5 Pro Synscan (I take it that this combination is still the go to set up for starting out in AP?)

The main question I have is which camera? I'm setting aside 'around' £500/£600 but unsure wether to go DSLR or CCD OSC (is a CCD even an option with £500/£600) As I'll be using an ED80 I know that it's not much use for imaging galaxies or planets  so my main objects will be non galaxy dso's, globular clusters & starfields.

So to round this off,

1) Is the ED80 + HEQ5 Pro Synscan still a good starter combination for AP?

2) Would this combination be ok for nebulae, globs etc (I know galaxies are out with the ED80)?

3) Any recommendations for a camera in the £500/£600 price range?

Thanks to whoever manages to get to the end of this without falling asleep.

Steve

 

[AKB]

Perhaps worth looking at the second-hand market for an OSC CCD.  I picked up a used QHY8L a little while ago for just a bit over the top end of your range and am very pleased with it.  

Some examples in my gallery here (although I’m certainly no expert.)

 

[nephilim]

Hi AKB,

Thanks for the info, I had been looking at the QHY8l but at nearly £1k it's way out of my price range, but I hadn't really thought about the 2nd hand market (although my old scope & mount were both through astro buy & sell) I was thinking it would have too be in good condition & not to far to travel as i'd need to see it in action.

I'll have a look at 2nd hand. Cheers. Btw, since I was last on here the layout has totally changed & I can't seem to find your gallery as I'd be interested in seeing how that camera performs. 

Steve

[swag72]

Welcome back!! I would say that the ED80 an HEQ5 is still an excellent starting combination.  

Yes definitely take a look on ABS for a second hand camera..... Personally I'd go for a CCD if you can find one in budget.....

[Gerry Casa Christiana]

Hello Steve

I personally think you could go a little bigger with the scope. Why not a 130pds. There are so many on here who do great pictures with them. Then you can do galaxies as well. I have the 150pds but on a eq6. Also I don't know if CCD is the right option depends on how much you have got the bug? More costly and more time consuming especially in the uk when the weather windows are not so many. I have a Canon 550d modified and I'm very happy with it. I would look at some modified Dslr. You can get a modified Canon 1300d for 350. 

Kind Regards

Gerry

[Gerry Casa Christiana]

By the way welcome back! 

[nephilim]

On 09/01/2018 at 11:22, swag72 said:

Welcome back!! I would say that the ED80 an HEQ5 is still an excellent starting combination.  

Yes definitely take a look on ABS for a second hand camera..... Personally I'd go for a CCD if you can find one in budget.....

Thanks for the info, a member below has mentioned going for the Skywatcher 130pds iirc you have both this & the ED80. Would you be able to tell me the pros/con's of these scopes, I have heard the ED80 is easier to use (I've read about them both but prefer a first hand opinion)

Thanks for your help

Steve

[nephilim]

23 hours ago, Gerry Casa Christiana said:

Hello Steve

I personally think you could go a little bigger with the scope. Why not a 130pds. There are so many on here who do great pictures with them. Then you can do galaxies as well. I have the 150pds but on a eq6. Also I don't know if CCD is the right option depends on how much you have got the bug? More costly and more time consuming especially in the uk when the weather windows are not so many. I have a Canon 550d modified and I'm very happy with it. I would look at some modified Dslr. You can get a modified Canon 1300d for 350. 

Kind Regards

Gerry

HI Gerry

Thanks for the reply. I was also looking at the 130pds but heard that the ED80 is an easier scope to use when starting out. Obviously the price of the pds is friendlier & @f/5 much faster than the ED80 @f/7 although I would be using a reducer to take it to f6.37.

Do you have first hand experience with either scope?

Regards

Steve

[DaveS]

Hi Steve, welcome back, you've been missed.

I would say that for sheer "plug 'n' play" ease of getting started the ED80 + FR is hard to beat at the price. A 130P-DS + CC might save you a couple of hundred quid which could go towards a s/h CCD, maybe pushing the budget up to the 7 - 800 quid mark, giving you a better chance of bagging one.

Failing that go for an astro-modded DSLR but be aware that without cooling you'll be limited as to sub length and noise.

Oh, and the HEQ5 is still a very good (Maybe the best) entry-level AP mount.

[swag72]

40 minutes ago, nephilim said:

Thanks for the info, a member below has mentioned going for the Skywatcher 130pds iirc you have both this & the ED80. Would you be able to tell me the pros/con's of these scopes, I have heard the ED80 is easier to use (I've read about them both but prefer a first hand opinion)

Thanks for your help

Steve

Not me Steve - I've never used a 130pds... for me, having used a few different types of scope, I've now come firmly back to refractors, I just find them easier over all.... No collimation, no open tube, no star spikes...... 

[nephilim]

43 minutes ago, swag72 said:

Not me Steve - I've never used a 130pds... for me, having used a few different types of scope, I've now come firmly back to refractors, I just find them easier over all.... No collimation, no open tube, no star spikes...... 

Ah, sorry, I've got you mixed up with another member,.

[nephilim]

1 hour ago, DaveS said:

Hi Steve, welcome back, you've been missed.

I would say that for sheer "plug 'n' play" ease of getting started the ED80 + FR is hard to beat at the price. A 130P-DS + CC might save you a couple of hundred quid which could go towards a s/h CCD, maybe pushing the budget up to the 7 - 800 quid mark, giving you a better chance of bagging one.

Failing that go for an astro-modded DSLR but be aware that without cooling you'll be limited as to sub length and noise.

Oh, and the HEQ5 is still a very good (Maybe the best) entry-level AP mount.

H Dave.

Thanks, I've missed been on here but I think I needed to step back & think about what I really wanted from astronomy & AP is definitely the way. I think i'll up my budget a bit aswell. A CCD is always going to beat a dslr & no point buying a dslr then buying a CCD (I spent enough money 'buying twice' last time around)

I'm going to research both scopes a bit more when I've finished work & probaby open  post on here aswell.

Regards

Steve

 

[DaveS]

Since you were on here last there have been developments in the field of cameras. If you're not dead-set on CCD, a cooled CMOS OSC could be do-able if you were to raise your budget, and / or go for a cheaper 'scope than the ED80

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/zwo-cameras/zwo-asi1600mc-pro-usb-3-colour-camera.html

£1005.

BTW, do you have "Making Every Photon Count"?

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/books/making-every-photon-count-steve-richards.html

Steve has just written a follow up for processing

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/books/dark-art-or-magic-bullet-steve-richards.html

You probably know Steve as "Steppenwolf"

[nephilim]

54 minutes ago, DaveS said:

Since you were on here last there have been developments in the field of cameras. If you're not dead-set on CCD, a cooled CMOS OSC could be do-able if you were to raise your budget, and / or go for a cheaper 'scope than the ED80

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/zwo-cameras/zwo-asi1600mc-pro-usb-3-colour-camera.html

£1005.

BTW, do you have "Making Every Photon Count"?

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/books/making-every-photon-count-steve-richards.html

Steve has just written a follow up for processing

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/books/dark-art-or-magic-bullet-steve-richards.html

You probably know Steve as "Steppenwolf"

Funnily enough I'd read about the new ZWO cameras on another thread &;they seem very reasonably priced, the also have quite a low read noise

I can stretch to more for the camera & still go for the ED80 but originally I'd set my budget for £2000 & those cameras look very nice.

Ive got Steves 1st book but didn't know about the 2nd so that's also on my list. Thanks for the heads up Dave

Steve

[AKB]

On 09/01/2018 at 11:05, nephilim said:

I can't seem to find your gallery as I'd be interested in seeing how that camera performs.

My bad, I should have given you the link first time around.  A couple of albums here, one with a Quattro and the other with a Hyperstar....

https://stargazerslounge.com/profile/41979-akb/?tab=node_gallery_gallery

HTH, Tony

[Gerry Casa Christiana]

10 hours ago, nephilim said:

HI Gerry

Thanks for the reply. I was also looking at the 130pds but heard that the ED80 is an easier scope to use when starting out. Obviously the price of the pds is friendlier & @f/5 much faster than the ED80 @f/7 although I would be using a reducer to take it to f6.37.

Do you have first hand experience with either scope?

Regards

Steve

Hello as I said I have been using the Skywatcher 150pds which is essentially the same just slightly more focal length. The only think I have done to mine to improve it is to flock it and I just do collimation with a cheshire it's not that hard. The 130 would be even better on a HEQ5 also it depends if you like diffraction spikes? I like them some people don't. You wouldn't be going wrong with either. It will be interesting to see some results  

Gerry