Altair Astro 183c Pro spacing

[Rattler]

Hi guys. I'm seriously considering this camera. I was also considering the new TEC but I feel this may do the job for me ad at £350 cheaper would be the best bet.

I would also get the Altair Astro 0.8 reducer. My scope is an Explore Scientific ED80. Would I be able to get the correct back focus with this and the 2x 40mm extensions that are with the scope? Cheers.

[Rattler]

Or to throw a spanner in. Is the ZWO ASI183C a better camera than the TEC at a lower price?

[Adam J]

On 16/08/2018 at 23:15, Rattler said:

Or to throw a spanner in. Is the ZWO ASI183C a better camera than the TEC at a lower price?

Make sure you get a cooled version at the least, I would recommend a mono, you will most likely regret it later if you dont. The 183 chip is looking great but has amp glow that will only calibrate out fully if you can temperature match the dark frames, that means regulated TEC cooling.

The Altair Astro looks marginally better build quality to me but its untested, the ASI is still a very good camera.

I suggest you contact the people you get the reducer off about the spacing there are so many different models.

Adam

[Dragon_Astro]

Looking on the Altair Astro website, the distance for back focus you need is 55mm but you need to take off 12.5mm to compensate for the distance of the chip positioned inside the camera. 

So you need 42.5mm in spacer....give or take 1mm or so.

I joined the Altair Astro Imaging group on Facbook when I got my Hypercam, it's great for help and getting questions answered by Nick and other members usually same day. 

[Dragon_Astro]

The amp glow on the 183 isn't that apparent, not on my Hypercam anyway. The starburst effect you get on the right hand side of long subs (5+ mins) is a pig to calibrate out though, as Adam says your darks really have to be spot on.

 

[Adam J]

1 hour ago, Dragon_Astro said:

The amp glow on the 183 isn't that apparent, not on my Hypercam anyway. The starburst effect you get on the right hand side of long subs (5+ mins) is a pig to calibrate out though, as Adam says your darks really have to be spot on.

 

The star burst effect is what people mean when they talk about amp glow with this camera.

[Dragon_Astro]

1 minute ago, Adam J said:

The star burst effect is what people mean when they talk about amp glow with this camera.

Aaah I thought you were referring to some sort of glow in the corners

[Rattler]

With the amount of time I get out and the fact that I have to travel to image, I'm really pushed towards OSC at this time. If I was able to set up in my garden then Id consider mono but right now I don't think it's right for me.

[Adam J]

25 minutes ago, Rattler said:

With the amount of time I get out and the fact that I have to travel to image, I'm really pushed towards OSC at this time. If I was able to set up in my garden then Id consider mono but right now I don't think it's right for me.

Ok then consider this, you have a ES ED80. I would be looking at the ASI294mc pro if I was hell bent on getting a OSC camera and had your scope in that kind of price range. Its much more sensitive than the 183c. The only reason to get the 183c with that scope is if you want a specialism in smaller galaxies or moon / soler and to be honest the 80mm scope is not great for that anyway. But all in all with limited time to image mono is faster, but you do need a wheel to cycle the filter and its more expensive....but i promise its faster.

[Rattler]

13 hours ago, Adam J said:

Ok then consider this, you have a ES ED80. I would be looking at the ASI294mc pro if I was hell bent on getting a OSC camera and had your scope in that kind of price range. Its much more sensitive than the 183c. The only reason to get the 183c with that scope is if you want a specialism in smaller galaxies or moon / soler and to be honest the 80mm scope is not great for that anyway. But all in all with limited time to image mono is faster, but you do need a wheel to cycle the filter and its more expensive....but i promise its faster.

Haha I'm totally undecided now over mono or OSC.

[Adam J]

8 hours ago, Rattler said:

Haha I'm totally undecided now over mono or OSC.

Get a ASI183mm pro with a 5 position efw mini and the ZWO lrgb filter set. Then also add a baader 7nm ha if you can afford it. That is what I would do. 

[Rattler]

1 hour ago, Adam J said:

Get a ASI183mm pro with a 5 position efw mini and the ZWO lrgb filter set. Then also add a baader 7nm ha if you can afford it. That is what I would do. 

Over the new Altair Astro 183 TEC?

Baring in mind I have to travel to image and Set my scope up each time.

[Adam J]

16 minutes ago, Rattler said:

Over the new Altair Astro 183 TEC?

Baring in mind I have to travel to image and Set my scope up each time.

That would be your choice. The factors to consider are:

1) The Altair Astro 183 mono TEC looks like it is better build from the pictures. Not that the ZWO is bad.

2) The Altair Astro 183 mono TEC has more buffer memory...but that mostly relevant to solar / lunar imaging.

3) The Altair Asto 183 mono TEC looks to have superior cooling capacity by about 5c. Probably not relevant in the UK as the recommendation is not to go lower than -10c with the 183 anyhow.

5) Altair Astro are a UK supplier and so you dont have to send the camera back to China if it has an issue (no problem here especially if you get it from FLO, it just takes longer).

6) The ZWO ASI cameras are proven the Altair Astro TEC cameras are not. So you would be a first adopter, hence a little bit more technical risk as its their first TEC cooled product. 

7) The ZWO ASI cameras can be purchased from FLO and they will look after you if you have any issues. 

8 ) You can get your filter wheel and filters from ZWO and know that there will not be any fiddling to get them to work with the camera.

9) This is the big one..the ASI183mm pro is 100pounds cheaper. That is enough to buy you a LRGB filter set...well almost.

The two cameras are likely to take images of very comparable quality.

Hope that helps.

Adam

 

[Rattler]

Thanks for that Adam. Defo helps.

[Adam J]

7 minutes ago, Rattler said:

Thanks for that Adam. Defo helps.

No problem, in return, I am considering a ES ED80 and would be interested in seeing any images you have taken with it. Is yours the FCD01 or the FCD100 version?

[Rattler]

27 minutes ago, Adam J said:

No problem, in return, I am considering a ES ED80 and would be interested in seeing any images you have taken with it. Is yours the FCD01 or the FCD100 version?

I'm not sure to be honest mate. I bought it off @angryowl so maybe he knows. I think it's a great scope though.

If you search my posts on here you'll see my images. Bear in mind I haven't been imaging that long lol.