Astrophotography Setup

[Kev M]

From what I have learnt on this forum. ( and what most people seem to be saying )

 

Mount - Skywatcher EQ5 GOTO --- HEQ5 is much better long term investment, if weight is not an issue.

Scope - Sky-Watcher Explorer 130P-DS --- Excellent

Guide Scope - Skywatcher Evoguide ED50 --- Standard 50mm guider is much better value, unlikely you would notice the difference.

Guide Camera - ZWO ASI120MM Mini --- Excellent

DSLR - Canon 350D ---450D has live view and takes SD cards , having used both there is no comparison.

 

The one item that would make the biggest difference to your enjoyment would be changing the 350D for a 450D or better.

You could sell the 350D and buy a 450D for pennies difference.

Kev

 

 

[david_taurus83]

6 hours ago, Nerf_Caching said:

How do you plan to focus a star through your telescope then? Live view does make focusing less of a pain, unless you want to squint through the viewfinder!

It can be done. Just take an image in APT with the bahtinov mask on and adjust between exposures.

As has been already said, the HEQ5 is the better mount but eats into your budget quite a bit. That said, the EQ5 Pro is more than capable with the 130PDS. If constrained by a budget I would be looking for second hand kit. The SW mounts are pretty solid and rarely go wrong. The HEQ5 dont stick around for long either on the used market, they are that sought after. Again, the 130PDS comes up for sale and nothing much to go wrong there either. Have you factored into your budget a coma correcter, bahtinov mask, EQMod cable, power supply etc?

[Kev M]

1 hour ago, david_taurus83 said:

It can be done. Just take an image in APT with the bahtinov mask on and adjust between exposures.

 

It can be done...but it will cause a lot of heartache and frustration.

Get the 450D or better.

[david_taurus83]

42 minutes ago, Kev M said:

It can be done...but it will cause a lot of heartache and frustration.

Get the 450D or better.

Really? The ASI1600 didnt have live view when I had one and just looping single exposures was the way to focus on that. Same principle with the 350D. It shouldn't be wrote off first without giving it a go. I agree with everyone saying stretch to the better mount if possible but I agree with the OP about using his current camera to begin with.

[Anthony1979]

Got to agree with the liveview... I used a nikon D40 when i starting and it was a nightmare getting focus... By the time you did get focus or if you did the night was over..... Very frustrating 

[happy-kat]

I home made Y mask can help with focusing as then you'll see on the image taken when it is the right focus.

[Ryan Adams]

13 hours ago, Nerf_Caching said:

How do you plan to focus a star through your telescope then? Live view does make focusing less of a pain, unless you want to squint through the viewfinder!

I guess squinting through the view finder it is 😂

[Anthony1979]

37 minutes ago, Ryan Adams said:

I guess squinting through the view finder it is 😂

It will frustrate you 

[Erling G-P]

4 hours ago, Ryan Adams said:

I guess squinting through the view finder it is 😂

If you end up doing this, then remember to cover the view finder before starting your imaging run, so you don't get any false light through it.

[johneta]

Hi
I agree with many others here. Get a slightly better mount if you can.
But if money is too tight the EQ5 is OK. Ive got an Orion 8" F3.9 on mine (very overloaded) and I can still get good images.
But only if the motor drives are stepper motor type ones. I modified mine (Astro EQ Mod) (I'm not sure what the EQ5 GOTO model has on it)

I found the dual motor drive kit for the EQ5 was poor and a constant headache

[carastro]

A couple of observations on comments above. 

Quote

EQMod cable

This is not a necessary purchase, you can operate the mount perfectly well with the supplied handset, yes many people like to control the mount from the laptop, and if Ryan wants to do so he can do it at a later date.  I have been imaging for 10 years and still prefer the handset over using EQMod which I have and can use, but prefer the handset.

I could be wrong, but have you checked whether you can take longer than 30secs long exposure with your 350D?  I do recall an older model (it could have been 300D) not being able to image longer than 30secs without a serial adapter and I am not sure quite how that worked.

Your DSLR won't be modified, for astrophotography, this means that you won't capture some of the data rich in Ha.   This will be fine to start with, but as you progress you may wish to either get it modified or purchase an already modified DSLR or even move on to a cooled camera. 

Carole 

 

  

Edited June 7, 2020 by carastro

[TerryJ]

On 06/06/2020 at 10:54, david_taurus83 said:

It can be done. Just take an image in APT with the bahtinov mask on and adjust between exposures.

Works for me, I do it using BYEOS and using a 450D, doesnt take long to achieve focus.

Terry

[carastro]

Quote

It can be done. Just take an image in APT with the bahtinov mask on and adjust between exposures.

Works for me, I do it using BYEOS and using a 450D, doesnt take long to achieve focus.

That's all I do too.  

Carole 

[rickwayne]

Pentaxes have pretty bright viewfinders and I was never able to focus successfully with the optical finder. Not once. Just not enough photons.