want to buy imaging gear

[tramsden]

hi,

I've been in and out of visual astronomy for past few years, mainly out because of my job. Jobs changed and retirement is just around corner so I'll have time to put more effort into this great hobby.

My current equipment is a meade 80mm 5000 triplet apo on a sky-watched HEQ5 (old black model but i did upgrade it a few years ago to synscan goto) & a celestron evolution 8"EDGEHD.

I would like to get into imaging but no clue as to what imager to buy, I'd be interested in dso's if Its possible with my current setups. I'd like suggestions of  dedicated imager less than £1000.

any help would be gratefully received.

 

Tony

[RolandKol]

Hi Tramsden,

At first, try out a small ZWO ASI 224MC (Colour) cam =£206.00, some will say, Mono is better and it's true, but I will explain why I offer to start with a color one.

You will be able to catch some nice planetary pics using EdgeHD and will be able to try some short exposures (up to 30sec) with Meade on nebulas.

Once you learn how to make pictures and how to process them and if you will get hooked up, you will be able to use ASI224MC as a guiding camera to achieve long exposures.

With the colour camera, you will not need filters (which cost a fortune) and filter wheel, plus image processing will be much simpler and you will be able to learn if you like a hobby or not.

If you will not like the process, sell the cam.

if you will get hooked up.... I would suggest start looking for another mount... not sure how Moded HEQ5 performs with guiding... if it does, it will probably be OK for Meade...

But not for EdgeHD.

Second-hand NEQ6 is around £650...

If you will be lucky and your current Mount has an option get connected to the guiding cam, stay with meade scope, - Look for a proper astro camera...

Attach ASI224MC to your spotting scope and it will become a guiding scope (or buy a guidingscope).

In fact, you would be able to use your Meader as a guiding scope for EdgeHD (but it wold be overkill in price), plus your mount will not be able to carry such amount.

To summarise:

1) £200 - The camera like ZWO ASI 224MC, after a few months

2) Guiding Scope + astro Camera (CMOS, CCD or simply try any CANON or NiKON if you have one) - this part is very complicated... may cost more than £1000;

   2.1) You will later need Field Flattener for Meader (not sure about the price) and if you will start using EdgeHD for DSO, -  0.7 Reducer (£300).

3) MOUNT - starting from NEQ6 (if you will decide to try DSO AP with EdgeHD).

If you have any camera like Canon 450D or 1300D, of course, do not buy anything, just T2 ring for Canon (adaptor to attach the camera to the focuser) and go try some subs on the Moon.

 

 

[newbie alert]

I'd suggest you start dso with the meade and a DSLR if you have one,a 80mm frac is great,a triplet even better!..and use the sct for planetary... it will get you started and at least you will know what kind of thing you preferring as to do dso with the edge will require quite a bit of money thrown at it,is recommend you read up oag guiding rather than a guidescope setup..

[tramsden]

Thanks for taking the time to reply to my post.

I have a Nikon D7100 DSLR, would that be useable?

£200 for the ZWO ASI 224MC sounds like a good idea to get me started, would the results be better than the DSLR?

Regards Tony

[DaveS]

If you don't already have it buy this book

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

Read twice before spending any more money, though I will say the Mead 80mm triplet and upgraded HEQ5 is a good starting point. You may need a flattener to go with your camera.

[rickwayne]

I would also (or alternatively) recommend Charles Bracken's The Deep-Sky Imaging Primer. Heartily concur that some basic reading beforehand will save you a LOT of frustration, possibly money, and give you a much deeper appreciation for how all this stuff works -- especially the non-intuitive bits!

You can compare the specs as well as we can, but the ASI is probably going to give you a more "seamless" experience. As for final results, note that the 224 has much, much lower resolution than your Nikon. I'm not one to believe that life is always better with MOAR MEGAPIXELZ, but those images are gonna be pretty teeny.