Which camera

[Frank the Troll]

Im dithering between 2 choices

Opinions please

1. https://www.harrisontelescopes.co.uk/acatalog/altair-gpcam-colour-guide-imaging-camera.html#SID=1714

2. https://www.firstlightoptics.com/zwo-cameras/zwo-asi120mc-s-usb-3-colour-camera.html

Cheers

 

[Dr_Ju_ju]

what do you want to use the camera for ??

[Frank the Troll]

2 hours ago, Dr_Ju_ju said:

what do you want to use the camera for ??

A bit of both planetary & deepsky imaging

I did spot this one too, which is about as much as I want to spend

https://www.harrisontelescopes.co.uk/acatalog/altair-gpcam2-imx224-colour.html#SID=1714

Edited January 22, 2020 by Frank the Troll

[x6gas]

I'd be weary of 'general purpose' cameras.  If you want to do primarily planetary and lunar and dabble a bit with deep sky then fine but the chips in these are pretty small so check out the field of view you'd be getting with your scope before committing for the deep sky stuff.  Also none of these cameras have active cooling so there is a practical limit to the length of exposure you can take (though I don't know too much about 'modern' CMOS imaging...).  I think all these are also only 12 bit cameras which is a bit limiting for deep sky imaging.

QHY used to do a small sensor, cooled camera (but not set-point cooling) with the SONY EXview ICX618AL CCD sensor and a 14bit AD (IMG0H).  Not sure they make it anymore (Bernard at Modern Astronomy could tell you) but you could look for one second hand?  They're good cameras but have a bespoke power unit and an unusual power socket (to accommodate the TEC cooling) which is a bit of a pain...

Edited January 22, 2020 by x6gas

[Frank the Troll]

1 hour ago, x6gas said:

I'd be weary of 'general purpose' cameras.  If you want to do primarily planetary and lunar and dabble a bit with deep sky then fine but the chips in these are pretty small so check out the field of view you'd be getting with your scope before committing for the deep sky stuff.  Also none of these cameras have active cooling so there is a practical limit to the length of exposure you can take (though I don't know too much about 'modern' CMOS imaging...).  I think all these are also only 12 bit cameras which is a bit limiting for deep sky imaging.

 

Cheers, not too bothered about cooling, have plans for that, yes these  are just 12 bit, but anything above that will be beyond my pocket. FOV I have checked for 2 scopes I have for use. Will be also be using my niikon d5500. not sure on lenses yet, but have eyes on a 85mm f2.8 & 135mm 2.8  just doing some homework before diving in