Complete novice - help me spend money!

[danorman]

Hi everyone! I'm Dan and I'm new to the forum 😃

I bought my first telescope just after Christmas and I'm in love with it. Every evening when it's clear I've taken it out to different locations and have been admiring the wonderful universe that we're in. Naturally, when you enjoy something - you want more.

My next money spending spree is going to be on a camera, tracker mount and the appropriate accessories but I literally have no idea!

Does anyone have any recommendations on what to go with? I've got a budget of £2000 GBP but I'd like that to include everything. My current telescope is a Celestron Inspire 100AZ (nothing special). I'd like to use this with a camera if possible.

Feels weird saying this but please help me spend money 🤣

Cheers,
Dan

Edited February 23, 2020 by danorman

[Skipper Billy]

I would suggest that the first £20 should be on this.

It will be the best £20 you spend and will save you a LOT of money and heartache in the long run!

Welcome aboard at the top of a slippery slope ......... 😉 

 

[danorman]

16 hours ago, Skipper Billy said:

I would suggest that the first £20 should be on this.

It will be the best £20 you spend and will save you a LOT of money and heartache in the long run!

Welcome aboard at the top of a slippery slope ......... 😉 

 

Hey! Thanks for responding. I'll order this one and get reading 😃

Hopefully someone responds with some ideas in regards to cameras. I think that's the first herdle I need to jump!

[happy-kat]

Welcome

Have you seen images you would like to produce your self?

Do you want to continue observing or are you feeling pulled to just imaging.

Do you have lots of time available or would you be fitting it in around other commitments.

Would all the gear be stored near where it would be setup or further away up stairs.

Does the budget need to include say a laptop.

[danorman]

1 hour ago, happy-kat said:

Welcome

Have you seen images you would like to produce your self?

Do you want to continue observing or are you feeling pulled to just imaging.

Do you have lots of time available or would you be fitting it in around other commitments.

Would all the gear be stored near where it would be setup or further away up stairs.

Does the budget need to include say a laptop.

Hey!

I've seen images produced by the YouTube channel "AstroBackyard" which is what I'd like to produce. Adromada Galaxy, etc. He achievd that with a Canon Rebal and a regular camera lens; all be it just the "outline" rather than heavy detail. At this stage producing something is more fun than producing nothing but if the budget fits then I'd obviously like to create better images of deep space.

I'll do both. I feel observing is a seperate catgory to what I'm talking about here.

Plenty of time and able to travel. I'd like something portable as I'll be travelling the country to different spots.

I'll store everything in the spare room which is the top floor of a 3 story house. Portable is key here. I'm not looking for a massive unit to lug around!

Nope. No need for a laptop as I already have that.

Thanks!

[happy-kat]

This is my suggestion a skywatcher staradenturer pro, DSLR canon keeps it easier or astro cam, samyung 135mm f2 and a tripod.

Portable, excellent lens (threads on here dedicated to the lens and one for the mount). Check the mount thread as members also use small telescopes and you can grow into guiding.

But before spending any money read more so as to understand why making the choices being made. An heq5 up those stairs will soon gather dust I think.

[danorman]

1 hour ago, happy-kat said:

This is my suggestion a skywatcher staradenturer pro, DSLR canon keeps it easier or astro cam, samyung 135mm f2 and a tripod.

Portable, excellent lens (threads on here dedicated to the lens and one for the mount). Check the mount thread as members also use small telescopes and you can grow into guiding.

But before spending any money read more so as to understand why making the choices being made. An heq5 up those stairs will soon gather dust I think.

I was doing some investigations the other day and thought the Skywatcher StarAdventurer Pro was a good option so it's nice to have some clarification on that. I don't know anything about lenses. I'll look into the Samyang.

As for camera - you say DSLR. What about mirrorless? Excuse me if that's a silly question but I would like to get something as modern as possible simply so it's good for years to come!

[happy-kat]

Imaging doesn't need the same as if getting for terrestrial photography, hence read more before buying. As pixel size etc comes into play when imaging.

[MarkAR]

Hi Dan, as a start do plenty of reading and searching for reviews on equipment.

I think your scope came with a smartphone attachment in the kit. So maybe decide on a lightweight tracker first. Skywatcher and Ioptron Skyguider are the most popular and easiest to lug around. Once set up try taking longer exposure shots with your phone (if thats possible) or slo mo or time-lapse .

Rather than spend a load on a new Canon Ra or similar, hunt around for a used modified Canon with flip up screen and T-ring adapter. You may also need some filters with this.

Next step up would be a sturdier EQ GOTO mount, dedicated cooled camera and filter, bigger scope and guiding.

[wimvb]

For £ 2000 1980 (you really need the book that @Skipper Billy suggested), you should be able to get an eq mount, scope and camera (essential for astro photography). The HEQ5 mount is about £800. Next step up would be an EQ6, which has more carrying capacity, and as such is a little more future proof.

Next a telescope, either a reflector (SW 130 PDS @ £180 or the 150 PDS @ £230, with coma corrector @ £130 - 230) or a refractor (SW 80ED @ £380 + flattener £170). Finally a camera, probably a Canon DSLR. The SW 130 PDS has its own imaging thread on this forum. With a little TLC, this scope can produce stunning results.

You will need an adapter to fit the camera to the scope. Depending on your local sky conditions you may need a light pollution filter. To help with focusing, get a Bahtinov mask. And last but certainly not least, image processing software: Startools, PhotoShop, PixInsight, Astro Pixel Processer, etc.

[tooth_dr]

I agree with the SA recommendation.

Im currently setting up a portable kit. I’m using a expro power pack to run the mount and camera, which is attached to the tripod. And connecting the DSLR camera to the shutter output means no wires. All set up, just lift, polar align, and start imaging.

 

[Firas]

1. Every Photon Counts. Before spending a dime. 

2. Go to the Astrobin and look which are the images that you wish to produce yourself, read the technical card and try to google the parts included and how much they cost. (Andromeda and all other deep sky objects, can be produced with different focal lengths, That is, very small or big depending on telescope focal length) 

3. Read and research and repeat, so you kind of know what are you getting into! It's a dazzling wild ride this crazy hobby, as you will eventually find out. 

Otherwise Sky watcher 80 ED on HEQ5 pro mount is a very good combination for beginners, that no one here will opposes it. 

Good luck

[happy-kat]

I suggest not losing sight of your own requirements of portability, transport and your three flights of stairs when considering what equipment will be right for you regardless of suggestions made and what you read.

[tooth_dr]

46 minutes ago, happy-kat said:

I suggest not losing sight of your own requirements of portability, transport and your three flights of stairs when considering what equipment will be right for you regardless of suggestions made and what you read.

Totally agree.  EQ6 - wouldn't want to be carrying this down the stairs, awkward enough on level ground and negotiating the odd door step.  You could break the kit down, but this = not using it.

There was a SA kit on here for under £200, and with a camera and lens, you will have lots of change left over.  If you get hooked, the next step could be a bigger mount, with a permanent pier or shed.  You would have enough money to do this and buy a used mount.

[ollypenrice]

Certainly Making Every Photon Count, as Skipper Billy and others have said. Don't spend a penny till a) you've read it and b) you've come back to SGL with further questions on anything you struggled with in the book or which struck you as counter intuitive. (Expect a lot of things to be counter-intuitive in astrophotography.)

Olly

[danorman]

I live in a town where there's quite a lot of light pollution. While I have used my telescope in my garden my goal is to go somewhere remote where I won't get lighting issues. I have a portable power source which I would take with me so no need to worry about that aspect.

I've ordered the book and will have a read. It seems like an absolute minimum.

I need to stick to my guns about what I want to achieve. This build has to be portable in regards to putting it into a car. Weight doesn't bother me so much as I'm fairly strong but something small and light would be grand. Astrophotography is only one part of this construction - I need a camera that would be suitable for general photography aswell meaning that I don't really want to "modify" anything. I have an incredibly stressful job and I feel something like this could be very peaceful.

I was thinking about the Canon 90D along with the Samyang lens suggested before and the Sky Watcher Star Adventurer Pro. I have a mount but I may get another one as a spare.

My main goal is to take a picture of another galaxy (Andromeda) and then go from there. Would that sort of thing be achievable using a 90D camera or would I need to look into something else? Or could I not spend so much on the camera and still get the same (or similar) results? I don't want to spend more money than I absolutely have to.

I've just watched this review video (sorry if I can't share the link!) and that setup (tracker, redcat51 and camera) is exactly what I was thinking! Pictures at the end of the video are exactly the same as to what I want to eventually achieve.

Thanks for all the help! I'll read the book and go from there

[Mr niall]

9 minutes ago, danorman said:

have an incredibly stressful job and I feel something like this could be very peaceful.

Visual astronomy is perfect. Imaging is just about the last thing I would ever ever recommend to someone looking for a peaceful hobby. Rewarding? Sometimes. When it goes perfectly correctly. But normally just about one of the most stressful hobbies you can imagine!

[Swoop1]

For portability, the Star Adventurer kit is hard to beat. I have a Skywatchers EQ5 Pro and even that takes some lugging.

For your remaining £1980 you could get a Star adventurer, two Canon bodies and a reasonable lens to go with them to fulfil your needs- one moded to remove the filter that loses Astro image detail and one that keeps it.

I currently image with a mirrorless Sony a6300 and this works well on my scopes but I have found that even on a reasonably small scope (6") I am losing a lot of the scope of things like the Andromeda Galaxy. I am learning that size isn,t everything in Astro imaging.

[danorman]

15 minutes ago, Mr niall said:

Visual astronomy is perfect. Imaging is just about the last thing I would ever ever recommend to someone looking for a peaceful hobby. Rewarding? Sometimes. When it goes perfectly correctly. But normally just about one of the most stressful hobbies you can imagine!

You're meant to be filling me with confidence 🤣

2 minutes ago, Swoop1 said:

For portability, the Star Adventurer kit is hard to beat. I have a Skywatchers EQ5 Pro and even that takes some lugging.

For your remaining £1980 you could get a Star adventurer, two Canon bodies and a reasonable lens to go with them to fulfil your needs- one moded to remove the filter that loses Astro image detail and one that keeps it.

I currently image with a mirrorless Sony a6300 and this works well on my scopes but I have found that even on a reasonably small scope (6") I am losing a lot of the scope of things like the Andromeda Galaxy. I am learning that size isn,t everything in Astro imaging.

I think the Star Adventurer is a given at this point. It seems like the best option for my needs.

What Canon bodies would you recommend?

[Swoop1]

I'm not too familiar with the current crop of Canon kit as my last experience was 7 years or so ago when I used Canon DSLR's for covert surveillance work.

I would say that folk on here will have good experience of what to get to mod for Astro stuff. Then have a look at what's works well for you for terestrial stuff that's takes the same lenses as the moded astro body.

[danorman]

So is it the camera body that needs to be modded or could I not get a bespoke lens designed for astro work? Something about "modding" a brand new camera doesn't sound good to me!

[tooth_dr]

Just now, danorman said:

So is it the camera body that needs to be modded or could I not get a bespoke lens designed for astro work? Something about "modding" a brand new camera doesn't sound good to me!

Camera bodies don't necessarily need modded, but it can improve their astro performance.  For example shooting the Andromeda galaxy wouldn't benefit hugely from modifying it, but for other emission nebula it helps a lot.

[danorman]

3 minutes ago, tooth_dr said:

Camera bodies don't necessarily need modded, but it can improve their astro performance.  For example shooting the Andromeda galaxy wouldn't benefit hugely from modifying it, but for other emission nebula it helps a lot.

So it's not a nessesity but it's beneficial. Maybe something to consider in the long run then.

 

All I need now is for someone to say "buy this camera" and then I'm all set with my shopping list. Obviously once I've read the book

[Mr niall]

35 minutes ago, danorman said:

You're meant to be filling me with confidence 

Sorry perhaps a tad flippant but the point is that with visual there is “little to go wrong” but with imaging there are many many many things that can go wrong. And it’s segmented too - most of the work in imaging actually involves sitting at a laptop long after (days / weeks) you’ve packed up and gone home. The time you spend outside with imaging isn’t time spent enjoying the peaceful night sky unless a) you are happy just looking up (for which you don’t need a telescope anyway) or b) you also take some sort of visual apparatus as well.

So you see - imaging isn’t what I’d call peaceful per se. Doesn’t degrade the fun of it, it’s just one word I wouldn’t really use to describe it.

[danorman]

12 minutes ago, Mr niall said:

Sorry perhaps a tad flippant but the point is that with visual there is “little to go wrong” but with imaging there are many many many things that can go wrong. And it’s segmented too - most of the work in imaging actually involves sitting at a laptop long after (days / weeks) you’ve packed up and gone home. The time you spend outside with imaging isn’t time spent enjoying the peaceful night sky unless a) you are happy just looking up (for which you don’t need a telescope anyway) or b) you also take some sort of visual apparatus as well.

So you see - imaging isn’t what I’d call peaceful per se. Doesn’t degrade the fun of it, it’s just one word I wouldn’t really use to describe it.

The imaging side of things would be purely to get some nice pictures at the end of it all. If I'm out with a telescope or reading a book under the night sky then I may aswell take some pictures which I'm heavily interested in. I understand that these pictures are formed in editing but that's another thing which I enjoy doing.

Those sorts of tasks, which may would find a ball ache, are actually rather nice for me given my lifestyle!