Question about guide cams.

[Froobyone]

Hi all, just after some advice on which guide cam to buy.

I've been looking at the Orion USA Starshoot Autoguider and the QHY5, which if I'm not mistaken are the same camera, but carry different price tags.

Has anyone had any experience of these two and can anyone help me decide which way to go.

Also, what are the non astro alternatives, i.e. normal web cams that can be made to mate up.

Thanks in advance.

[Ant]

A webcam can be modified for long exposure - these make OK guide cams.

I've even used a standard webcam to guide with, but the guide star needs to be quite bright.

The DMK21's also make good guide cam (thats what I'm currently using).

Cheers

Ant

[Merlin66]

The QHY5 is a very good guide camera. It has the ST-4 port for direct communication with the guide port of your mount. Some say, because its a CMOS chip that it's not an sensitive as a CCD ( Atik 16ic for instance).

For the money I think it's pretty cost effective.

A DSI I or II are also very good, and an be found at reasonable prices second hand. I dumped the modded webcam... to much fiddle with the parallel control on the new laptops.

[beamer3.6m]

Would people go for the QHY5 or the Orion.

I know they are the same but what would the preference be any particular way and if so why?

[iancandler]

The QHY5 as its a bit more solid than the star shoot and can save in AVI or BMP modes.. I believe the star shoot only saves individual BMP's , this facility means it doubles nicely as a lunar/planetary cam.

[Merlin66]

On the website there seems to be a difference in the software support; the Orion uses their own whereas the QHY5 is universal.

I use mine with AstroArt etc, no problems. ( And I hate to admit it, much easier than the ST-4!!!!!)

[ngc2403]

i have the orion starshoot and although the camera only saves single files, that is just a software thing, the rest of the camera is the same as the QHY5.

both cameras have the same cmos chip and i never heard of anybody saying they couldn't get a guide star so its a good wee camera