Guide camera question

[edarter]

Hi,

I've just ordered the following bundle from FLO:
https://www.firstlightoptics.com/guide-cameras/guide-scope-bundle-suitable-for-piggy-backing.html
Which comes with the ASI 120 MM Mini guide camera. However, I'm sort of wondering if I should ask whether I can upgrade the camera to the slightly more expensive ASI 120 MC-S colour camera:
https://www.firstlightoptics.com/zwo-cameras/zwo-asi120mc-s-usb-3-colour-camera.html

I know there is likely to be more resolution in the mono camera but I'm planning on using the whole guidescope setup as a lightweight 'grab and go' solution in its own right for holidays etc combined with my Star Adventurer Pro, so a colour camera would have some advantages.

Would the mono camera be that much better guiding that I should stick with that or is the upgrade (if FLO are prepared to do it) worth it given my other intended use for the kit? I've not investigated whether there are filters for the mono camera which would give me the option of doing colour either, is that another route to consider??

Thanks
Ed

[PeterCPC]

I use a colour guide camera - QHY5L-11-C with no problems.

Peter

[Skipper Billy]

Colour cameras are a little less sensitive but not by much these days. If it would open up another avenue to you I would go for the colour camera.  

 

[MarkAR]

I use an Altair 224 GP3 colour with no problems. It doesn't need to be sharply focused to work so having higher resolution may be moot.

[Messy Hair 101]

Yes I use a ZWO 120MC-S on a 50mm Skywatcher guidescope and have had no issues with guiding. Even used this for drift alignment with Sharpcap. Had to bump up the exposure time to about 4 seconds but it did work. I originally bought it for planetary work but it's had a second lease of life as a guide camera.

 

Edited May 18, 2020 by Messy Hair 101

[edarter]

12 minutes ago, Messy Hair 101 said:

Yes I use a ZWO 120MC-S on a 50mm Skywatcher guidescope and have had no issues with guiding. Even used this for drift alignment with Sharpcap. Had to bump up the exposure time to about 4 seconds but it did work. I originally bought it for planetary work but it's had a second lease of life as a guide camera.

 

Is that 4 seconds for drift alignment for for guiding in general? i'm interested as its this camera specifically that I'm considering!

[Messy Hair 101]

9 minutes ago, edarter said:

Is that 4 seconds for drift alignment for for guiding in general? i'm interested as its this camera specifically that I'm considering!

4 seconds for drift alignment as Sharpcap needs 15 stars to align. When guiding with PHD2, I can get a couple of decent stars with exposures of a second or more, although I find 3 seconds works best, anything shorter and I tend to be chasing the guiding. When I first started I thought "oo I need to take really short exposures often to be more accurate" but it's a bit counter-intuitive. A bit longer seems to work better.

I am in Bortle 5/6 skies if that helps.

 

[edarter]

ok, going the other way then... if I were to stick with the mono camera, but wanted to do colour imaging while on holiday would I need filters like these in order to do that?
https://www.firstlightoptics.com/rgb-filters-filter-sets/baader-rgb-filter-set-with-ir-cut.html

 

[MarkAR]

Yes, you'll need the filters.

Also consider the Ha, Oiii and Sii for doing nebulae.