Budget £350 a scope for AP

[stevie1980]

Hey guys.

I'm wondering what sort of scope I can buy for AP I only have a budget of £350 because I've just bought a  200p flexitube goto for £800 and I've been told its rubbish for AP grrrrr.

Any recommendations as to a budget scope for AP and must be able to hold a DSLR without any drop or going south on me

List of a few scopes that I've looked at.

102 skymax

102  sky travel refractor az 

102 sky travel as GTI. 

All goto.

Please help as I want to purchase today

Many thanks 

Steve

[Carbon Brush]

The first advice for getting into astrophotography is don't rush.
Look around. Read about it. Ask questions. See what others are doing, and what kit they are using.
Think about what sort of photography you want to do?
What about the computer and software for processing images?

Second advice. It is more about the mount than the scope.

HTH, David.

 

Edited May 5, 2020 by Carbon Brush

[stevie1980]

1 minute ago, Carbon Brush said:

The first advice for getting into astrophotography is don't rush.
Look around. Read about it. Ask questions. See what others are doing, and what kit they are using.
Think about what sort of photography you want to do?
hat about the computer and software for processing images?

Second advice. It is more about the mount than the scope.

HTH, David.

 

Yes I know the mount on a small budget isnt going to be any good even if I added more weight to it to hold it steady. I'll take yr advice onboard thankyou.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

The Skymax is mainly suitable for planetary and lunar work. The ST102s are decent wide-field visual scopes, but not that useful in imaging, due to chromatic aberration. For long exposure DSO imaging an EQ mount is really way better than an alt-az mount. I have obtained some good results with a simple EQ3-2 mount and short refractor (APM 80mm F/6 with 0.8x reducer), but thse would be over budget. You could use a fast telephoto on an EQ mount as well to start off with. I have used a Canon 200mm F/2.8 and  got decent results with that

[stevie1980]

1 minute ago, michael.h.f.wilkinson said:

The Skymax is mainly suitable for planetary and lunar work. The ST102s are decent wide-field visual scopes, but not that useful in imaging, due to chromatic aberration. For long exposure DSO imaging an EQ mount is really way better than an alt-az mount. I have obtained some good results with a simple EQ3-2 mount and short refractor (APM 80mm F/6 with 0.8x reducer), but thse would be over budget. You could use a fast telephoto on an EQ mount as well to start off with. I have used a Canon 200mm F/2.8 and  got decent results with that

Very nice... and maybe I'll just have to open my wallet a little more. I tried getting bodes the other day but with my SW flex 200 goto didnt get anything but a few stars.then again I was doing 10sec exps using my samsung s9 lol.still waiting for my camera to come bk from the mod shop... I jumped straight in at the deep end thinking this scope I have would be brill at AP how wrong was I? 

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

13 minutes ago, stevie1980 said:

Very nice... and maybe I'll just have to open my wallet a little more. I tried getting bodes the other day but with my SW flex 200 goto didnt get anything but a few stars.then again I was doing 10sec exps using my samsung s9 lol.still waiting for my camera to come bk from the mod shop... I jumped straight in at the deep end thinking this scope I have would be brill at AP how wrong was I? 

My first take on Bode's galaxy used rather more data (3 hours), a more powerful mount (Vixen GP-DX), and a smaller scope (still a 6" F/5, which is already quite a beast). Modding won't help much on galaxies, as a rule, unless they have many H-II (star forming) regions.

 

You can get really nice results with a modded DSLR and small scope, like the 80 mm, but it does take a lot of time. M42 in a modded EOS 5550D looks like this, after 7h 10 minutes total exposure time. This was done over several nights with a simple, unguided EQ3-2 mount. I just stacked loads of 60s exposures, and it came out rather nicely

[Timebandit]

 

 

Hello . The SW ED 80 gets really good result's on the AP side of things. And second hand should be within your budget. But obviously the mount needs to be up to the task when it comes to AP so this would be extra. If your just getting into AP then you should get the book " Every Photon Counts"

 

 

 

[stevie1980]

35 minutes ago, michael.h.f.wilkinson said:

My first take on Bode's galaxy used rather more data (3 hours), a more powerful mount (Vixen GP-DX), and a smaller scope (still a 6" F/5, which is already quite a beast). Modding won't help much on galaxies, as a rule, unless they have many H-II (star forming) regions.

 

You can get really nice results with a modded DSLR and small scope, like the 80 mm, but it does take a lot of time. M42 in a modded EOS 5550D looks like this, after 7h 10 minutes total exposure time. This was done over several nights with a simple, unguided EQ3-2 mount. I just stacked loads of 60s exposures, and it came out rather nicely

They look amazing. Would my f12 flextube be ok for AP if I close the scope down thus shortening the F length. Or am I still being barmy?

[stevie1980]

29 minutes ago, Timebandit said:

 

 

Hello . The SW ED 80 gets really good result's on the AP side of things. And second hand should be within your budget. But obviously the mount needs to be up to the task when it comes to AP so this would be extra. If your just getting into AP then you should get the book " Every Photon Counts"

 

 

 

I'll take a look. 

Thankyou

[Cozzy]

1 hour ago, stevie1980 said:

I've been told its rubbish for AP grrrrr.

Stevie,

who ever said that statement is talking Rubbish, IMHO!🤨, myself and many others use the 200P for imaging, granted most are on  EQ mounts.

just do a search in the imaging section on here '200P imaging' will bring many, many images and from this you can also see the equipment used.

Use what you have to learn the basics and hopefully improve and get the best out of what you have before considering moving on. IMHO!

 

HTH's

Tim

Edited May 5, 2020 by Cozzy

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

The Flextube is really a visual scope, and you would need a focal reducer and very solid EQ mount to track or guide with that focal length. The only coma-corrector 0.73x reducer for Newtonians I know of is rather expensive (you can buy an SW 80ED and then some for just the price of a reducer.

A short ED refractor is probably the best way to start, The SW 80 ED is one of the most used scopes in this field, by beginners and more advanced astrophotographers alike. There is also a 72 mm version. Both would probably need some focal-reducer/field flattener for use with a DSLR. I would certainly look out for second-hand scopes.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

1 minute ago, Cozzy said:

Stevie,

who ever said that statement is talking Rubbish, IMHO!🤨, myself and many others use the 200P for imaging, granted most are on  EQ mounts.

just do a search in the imaging section on here '200P imaging' will bring many, many images and from this you can also see the equipment used.

Use what you have to learn the basics and hopefully improve and the best out of what you have before considering moving on. IMHO!

 

HTH's

Tim

You can certainly image with an 8" Newtonian, but a flextube Dobson isn't the best choice for DSO imaging. It could probably be used for planetary imaging

 

[stevie1980]

6 minutes ago, Cozzy said:

Stevie,

who ever said that statement is talking Rubbish, IMHO!🤨, myself and many others use the 200P for imaging, granted most are on  EQ mounts.

just do a search in the imaging section on here '200P imaging' will bring many, many images and from this you can also see the equipment used.

Use what you have to learn the basics and hopefully improve and get the best out of what you have before considering moving on. IMHO!

 

HTH's

Tim

That came from the shop owner/worker that I bought it from.he said planetary and Luna will be ok but AP forget it as it wont track as good as it would on a eq mount. Ilk stick with what I got for now.do the best with the tools I have n wait n look for a ed to pop up n a decent solid mount to go with it.

[Bobby1970]

Would something like a Skywatcher 130PDS be an option?? Theres a huge thread on here somewhere from people who have done some awesome imaging (IMHO) with this scope. Just ordered one myself actually. 

[vlaiv]

Let's be constructive.

Goto dobsonian - as is will indeed be very poor for DSO imaging. It will be very good for planetary / lunar imaging - if you add planetary camera and a barlow lens.

This is technique called lucky imaging and you'll need to do a bit of research on how it is properly done (how to record movie/sequence of subs, how to pre process them and how to stack them and sharpen results after).

All of that if you are interested in planetary - and why not? Getting yourself a planetary camera is generally a good step - as it can be used as guide camera later on if and when you decide to move onto DSO imaging.

For your budget of £350, you can't do much really.

First option would be to purchase star tracker or AzGTI mount. AzGTI mount will need modifications to be placed into EQ mode - which means firmware upgrade and some accessories - like wedge and counter weight shaft + counterweight. It is a bit of DIY.

Star Adventurer on the other hand is pretty much self contained package, but it is star tracker and it is meant to hold camera + lens and only smallest of the imaging scope.

In either case - there mounts are more suited for camera + lens or very small scope than anything serious.

If you want proper mount - well that is sort of over your budget. If you purchase second hand you might be able to get something decent - and maybe even new but it won't have goto. You should be able to fit EQ5 mount + tracking motor into £350.

And that is it.

Use any of the two with camera+lens to get you started in AP.

[Bobby1970]

There was an AZGTi on ABS for £160 the other day.

It may also be worth having a look through some of the awesome images people have captured without an EQ mount:- 

 

Perhaps your budget could be spent on a camera and you could go the way these guys have???

 

Edited May 5, 2020 by Bobby1970

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Planetary imaging would indeed be an option. An 8" scope will show lots of detail, especially when the planets are higher in the sky. Tracking doesn't have to be spot on, and there are modest-price cameras out there that really perform nicely. Yoiu will need aa Barlow or tele-centric lens to extend match the focal ratio of the scope to the pixel size of the camera. My former ASI224MC (since replaced by the ASI183MC) worked really nicely at F/16-F/20.

[stevie1980]

4 hours ago, michael.h.f.wilkinson said:

Planetary imaging would indeed be an option. An 8" scope will show lots of detail, especially when the planets are higher in the sky. Tracking doesn't have to be spot on, and there are modest-price cameras out there that really perform nicely. Yoiu will need aa Barlow or tele-centric lens to extend match the focal ratio of the scope to the pixel size of the camera. My former ASI224MC (since replaced by the ASI183MC) worked really nicely at F/16-F/20.

Yes I used to own a asi but it kept freezing my laptop.im only using a usb 2.0 laptop at the mo.and I panic bought a opticstar px35c which I imagine is not up there with the ZWO.i havnt tried it yet as Jupiter isnt showing it presence until gone 3am and I'm usually inspecting my eyelids at that time. My profile pic has a pic of jupiter done with  asi120mc a few year back with the classic 6" SW dob push to.many many headaches trying to get just a 10sec vid of J. but i pulled it off.by no means a fantastic pic but the GRS is clearly there. You know I've NEVER seen Saturn yet visually through EP or imaging grrrr.

I  have quite a few barlows (not the cheap ones) but not overly expensive from £60 to £140. I have a range of x2s x2.5 and 2x 3s.. never amounted to much when I used a dslr for J always looked very grainy.

[stevie1980]

5 hours ago, vlaiv said:

Let's be constructive.

Goto dobsonian - as is will indeed be very poor for DSO imaging. It will be very good for planetary / lunar imaging - if you add planetary camera and a barlow lens.

This is technique called lucky imaging and you'll need to do a bit of research on how it is properly done (how to record movie/sequence of subs, how to pre process them and how to stack them and sharpen results after).

All of that if you are interested in planetary - and why not? Getting yourself a planetary camera is generally a good step - as it can be used as guide camera later on if and when you decide to move onto DSO imaging.

For your budget of £350, you can't do much really.

First option would be to purchase star tracker or AzGTI mount. AzGTI mount will need modifications to be placed into EQ mode - which means firmware upgrade and some accessories - like wedge and counter weight shaft + counterweight. It is a bit of DIY.

Star Adventurer on the other hand is pretty much self contained package, but it is star tracker and it is meant to hold camera + lens and only smallest of the imaging scope.

In either case - there mounts are more suited for camera + lens or very small scope than anything serious.

If you want proper mount - well that is sort of over your budget. If you purchase second hand you might be able to get something decent - and maybe even new but it won't have goto. You should be able to fit EQ5 mount + tracking motor into £350.

And that is it.

Use any of the two with camera+lens to get you started in AP.

Hi there.

I have a dslr which is currently being modded and I aslo have an opticstar px35c (never used) the asi kept on crashing my laptop. I've used registax before a few times.not sure about autostakkart and the other ones. I'm hopefully getting my tax back soon (fingers crossed) it's a decent amount so I might just throw caution to the wind and buy a ed80 or 120 and a good solid eq mount. I might be single after this .. I'd be sorry to see her go.. 😉

Thankyou for reply and helping me out.