ideas, ideas.....

[EA2007]

Hey kids,

Just wondering what components people would suggest for an imaging set-up with a price tag of around £1,000 to £1,500's.

Would like:

Mount (preferably EQ, with good motors and autoguide port)Primary scope (thinking about a 6 or 8inch Schmidt, good for visual along with imaging)Secondary scope (use this for guiding, thinking about either a short tube refractor or mak.)Guider (would ideally like an imager which can combine both imaging and guiding (is this possible? can you get a ccd which will expose and guide at the same time?) this will illiminate my need for a secondary scope)

So thats about it, good solid mount, good primary and secondary scopes and a good guider.............also need info on all the cables etc I need i.e. with a guide ccd, do I need a laptop or can I bypass and connect it straight to a mount?

(I know some of some products already, just wanting your ideas!)

[Kai]

Wow thats a tall order for the £££'s

What scopes do you have already , do you have a Dslr ???

[EA2007]

I don't think its a tall order, infact if I were to do this on the cheap I could probably do it for less than £1,000, albeit modifying a few areas:

Celestron CG-5 mount @ £400 (its an EQ and goto, with autoguider port, just down from the HEQ-5's and EQ6's)

Skywatcher 6inch newt. OTA as the primary scope @ £99 (tube rings @ £20ish)

Skywatcher 3inch mak. OTA as the secondary scope @ £100

CCD imager / webcam to be used as a guidecam @ £50 to £150 depending

cables @ <£50

that comes to £700ish at best. However, my budget allows me to upgrade these components, so I may aswell.

My current setup is a Celestron Starhopper 8inch + Olympus E400 dSLR, I did have a NextStar 4SE but it got sold in March.

[NickH]

you said a good mount...a CG5 with that load...hmm

HEQ5, ED80, ST80 (guidescope for the ED80), DSI-C, GPUSB, PHD guide software and a modded EOS300D.. just in under £1400 by my reckoning, solid mount, will work very well/last a lifetime/not sound like a 50cc moped on a bad day... ED80, cracking scope.. ST80, perfect guiderscope, DSI-C, very very sensitive guide cam, GPUSB, reliable port, PHD - needs no introduction..

You could sub the EOS for an Atik 16IC, and still come under and have a very good setup indeed, and then use the 16IC as a guide cam when you move up to a bigger CCD.

[iancandler]

A CG5 gt is fine with that load.. mine has about the same wieght on it.. no issues.

[NickH]

I stand corrected, a 6 inch newt and a 3 inch mak on the CG5 and it not sounding like a hairdryer..

HEQ5 I still say would be a better option though, and would come in new at £499

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/proddetail.php?prod=SWHEQ5syntrek

S/H £400 easily

[EA2007]

ah yeh I know the CG-5 is noisy.........I wouldn't mind going for the new CGEM mount they're bringing out, apparently its quiet and priced in the £700 area.

Aren't really after a new dSLR, I know my Olympus ain't perfect but I can make a good few subs with it on a decent mount. The ED80 sounds like a good scope to have.

Thanks guys, if you have any more info I would be appreciative.

[RobH]

Great advice Nick. That would be a great,and upgradeable, setup.

Cheers

Rob

[FLO]

The HEQ5 Syntrek, Celestron ED80-R and William Optics ZS66 can be bought for less than £1,000 ...

[Ant]

I have the HEQ5 Pro, ED80 and 6" F5 newt... as seen here

£600 for the mount

£87 for the newt (includes rings 2 x ep's and finder)

£106 ST80 (an ED80 blows your budget)

Now get yourself a modified webcam - there one for sale in the buy sell section for £60

So far £853, you'll need some dew prevention, and a power pack or other mains adapter.

Easy for under a grand.

You could replace the ST80 with a Skymax 127 - this combined with a reducer will give you a good guiding scope and also a kick ass scope for the moon and planets...

You already have the DSLR!

Sorted.

Ant

[EA2007]

Saaa-wweeeeettt!

Cheers guys. Been a great help, nice setup Ant, I already have a 12V powertank (its great).

[Kai]

I don't think its a tall order, infact if I were to do this on the cheap I could probably do it for less than £1,000, albeit modifying a few areas:

Hey well there you go then , by doing it on the cheap and changing your requirements that gives you a good setup that should get you well along the road to getting some nice images.All for within your price range.

[NickH]

Nice rig Ant, i would still stick with the ED80 plan though. Basic Kendrik stle dew heaters are about £40, couple of dew strips...and you are indeed away. Modded webcam is a nice idea as it will also double up as your guide cam when you want to use the SLR or want to ever upgrade the main imaging cam.

One thing I forgot though with respect to the CG5 debate was the accessibility/weight of it. The HEQ5 mount is heavier, so if portability or ability to easily setup and move a mount is important, then Ian's point is more than valid!

[NickH]

900nc webcam on ebay right now for £29, mod that with the ICX098BL chip, and you have a very capable guide cam/planetary imaging/solar imaging/lunar imaging product

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/PHILIPS-SPC900NC-Webcam-Built-in-Mic-1-3-Megapixels_W0QQitemZ310107519293QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Computing_ComputerComponents_Webcams?hash=item310107519293&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A2%7C65%3A2%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318

[kev 102 42]

900nc webcam im sure a guy on here will mod it has he as done mine and a few others for the price of the part and postage....kev

[russ]

If you are considering the CG5 Goto why not go for the Skywatcher EQ5 Synscan......much nicer! Same drives, features and computer system as the HEQ5 and EQ6. And price near identical at £410.

http://firstlightoptics.com/proddetail.php?prod=skywatcher_eq5_synscan

Celestron C80-ED for £210 - http://stargazerslounge.com/index.php/topic,34612.0.html

Skywatcher 150P for £87 - http://firstlightoptics.com/proddetail.php?prod=SW150Pota

That's £700, so plenty left for all the little bits.

[kev 102 42]

If you are considering the CG5 Goto why go for the Skywatcher EQ5 Synscan......much nicer! Same drives, features and computer system as the HEQ5 and EQ6. And price near identical at £410.

http://firstlightoptics.com/proddetail.php?prod=skywatcher_eq5_synscan

Celestron C80-ED for £210 - http://stargazerslounge.com/index.php/topic,34612.0.html

Skywatcher 150P for £87 - http://firstlightoptics.com/proddetail.php?prod=SW150Pota

That's £700, so plenty left for all the little bits.

I'm going to practice imaging with my little set up skywatcer 102,synscan EQ-3, cannon300d and all the bits and if i take some half decent pics throw it all in the bin and get the Rus set up .....kev

[NickH]

That setup leaves you plenty for the imaging gear and dew/accessories.

Nice call Rus!