Ordered the telescope finally, anything I should know?

[DigitalXAK]

After looking around back and forth deciding between a 130, 150 or 200p I settled on a 200P with an EQ5 from First Light Optics. I know the mount will need upgrading for any serious imaging but this little lot should be fine to view with.

 

I don't plan on accessories just yet as it comes with Barlows and now I have to decide on a light weight DSLR. Any ideas? around £300 or 400 but that might not get me much.

[Demonperformer]

Just about any DSLR will do the job, but check out the software you will be using. Some software has drivers for specific camera makes/models - if you're starting from scratch and aren't bothered about what you buy, you may as well take advantage of that. The other thing to consider is how well they cope with the red end of the spectrum, and whether they can be modified to do better. Most cameras block out a lot of the red light, which is important for astro-imaging. I know Canons do this, but can be modified to remove one of the filters that blocks this. That said, you can still get some really great shots with DSLRs that have not been modified. Might be worth checking out the sale boards here and on astrobuysell, as modded cameras do come up occassionally.

And yes, I reckon you will have some great 'visual' evenings with the new scope as well. Enjoy!

[Neil H]

Hi there go for a Canon there is more software for Canon , look on here and astro buy and sell you get them come up all the time , there are some brand new astro converted Canon's and eBay from a camera shop 

https://cheapastrophotography.vpweb.co.uk/Available-Cameras.html this does good second hand ones 

[David Smith]

Another great resource for 2nd hand cameras here

Or use this link to check out the best deals on new items

If you really want to go light-weight then you could consider a mirrorless camera instead of a DSLR but they tend to be a bit more expensive.

[Cosmic Geoff]

I don't want to rain on your parade, but I had an almost identical combo of a 200p Helios (pre-Skywatcher brand) and an manal EQ-5 and I thought it was awful. It was dificult to find anything with it, or even at some angles to look through the eyepiece or finder. I rapidly upgraded to a used C8 SE SCT.

I suggest having a critical look at the finder, and think of adding a red-dot finder to complement the optical finder, and think about changing the optical finder for a RACI design.

With a manual mount, your options for imaging will be limited, regardless of what DSLR you get.

You will probably want some upgraded and higher power eyepieces at some point if you are interested in looking at double stars and planets. Kit eyepieces bundled with scopes are generally poor.

[deanen]

Hi 

 

I'm new to astronomy and took the plunge with the 200PDS - HEQ5 combo just over a month ago and I'm impressed with the scope and mount, though its been a steep learning curve figuring out collimation, polar scope alignment, and polar alignment particularly as my polar scope seems to be a newer version with only Octans and the clock face (sorry, still learning the jargon) for Polaris alignment .  

 

I was able to take advantage of the good weather a few weeks ago and tested out astrophotography, 1st with my mobile (Moon, Jupiter and Saturn) by just hold the phone up to the eyepiece and more recently with my Nikon D3100 DSLR via a 2x barlow and T ring adaptor (just the Moon).

 

I'm sure once I get the ISO and exposure setting, and polar alignment right the pictures will improve (particularly for Jupiter and Saturn), but I'm pleased with the results I got from both the mobile and DSLR.

 

I think you'll be happy with scope. 

[carastro]

I had a 200PDS on an NEQ6 mount, it's a lovely scope but gives a small FOV which is great for planets, and small nebulae, but I think the EQ5 will struggle with it.   I guess it will be fine for visual, and maybe planetary imaging.   

Enjoy

Carole

[Skinnypuppy71]

Hope it's the pds version of the 200p you've bought as that is much easier to achieve focus with a dslr than the standard model.

[almcl]

I started with exactly that combination about seven years ago.  Still have the scope, although it now gets mounted on an AltAzEQ6 and is mostly used for astrophotography - never had any difficulty reaching focus with or without coma corrector.

Still have the EQ5 mount, too, which now gets used (with motors which were added later) when the Canon camera is attached to its 200 mm lens.  Still haven't reached the limits of what the kit is capable of, but still can't quite believe how much scope I got for the money.

Hope you get a similar level of enjoyment from your new purchase!

I'd share my list of subsequent purchases, but that's classified in self defence :-)

Edited June 12, 2020 by almcl

[Nigeyboy]

I'm sure that you will have hours of enjoyment from your new scope. Everyone starts out with their 'first scope' and learns its pros and cons quickly.

I really don't believe you need a bells and whistles Go-To mount to enjoy the night sky. While a reflector eyepiece can get into some pretty strange positions, I added DIY tube rotator rings for the princely sum of about £8 (Here are some pics)!! Means I can twist the whole OTA around safely without upsetting the balance.

I own a 150-PL on an EQ3-2 - I know the mount is at its limit, but it is doing me fine at the moment! Yeah, one day I will upgrade the mount etc, but funds won't allow that right now, so am making do with what I have - and I have to stay I am loving my little set up!!

Have fun with yours, and be sure to post on here how you get on! 

[CloudMagnet]

I use the EQ5 mount to image with the 200p- the only extra I added to the mount is the dual axis motors. These are needed to track and also for autoguiding. They do the job, but it isn't a perfect way to image and I will likely be upgrading this later in the year to a larger mount.

Dont let the mount stop you from taking deep sky pictures though -it will be a steeper learning curve and much more frustration but it can be done.  

For the accessories, I would consider getting a modified DSLR to improve imaging nebula and also a Telrad finder to help pointing the scope.

[malc-c]

Here's my 2p worth.

I started with a 200P on an goto EQ-5 mount.  Fantastic scope for visual observing, and with the use of a webcam (as was the trend back then) produced some good images of the Moon.  However due to the level of light pollution in the area (pre LED street lights) I ventured into imaging with a DSLR (Canon D400).  The mount was simply not up to the task.  The weight of even a small DSLR camera body was pushing the mount to its limit.  It was doable for bright objects that meant you got away with short exposures, but you needed very precise polar alignment, and no wind to get anything halfway decent.  Adding additional weight for some form of guiding would also compound the issue, and for me I wanted to enjoy imaging and not have to fight the constant issues the set up threw at me.

So I took the plunge and built myself an ROR observatory so I could remove a few obstacles such as wind and having to set up polar alignment every time.  But whilst it helped a little, I was still having problems and needed to use some form of guiding.  I also noticed a strange artifact in the images where bright stars had a 5th spike, and despite a lot of tests (and a post on here that rand for well over a year and into double digit pages) was resolved by fitting a secondary that was the same size as the 200 PDS version of the scope.  Also, as I need to guide I needed to upgrade the mount to something that would take the weight of a guide scope, guide camera and all the cables that go with it, so purchased a secondhand HEQ5, ST80 and QHY5 from someone on the forum who was selling one at the time.  However, even in the observatory, the Explorer 200 with D400, ST80, QHY5 and all the cables was really pushing the HEQ5 to its limits, and as I couldn't afford to replace it with an EQ6, U had to come up with a form of guiding that would reduce the mass, opting to convert the finder to s guidescope, which works to a degree, but having a short focal length that is half that of the ST80 means the guide ratio is on its limit, but it works.

Looking back in hindsight I should have opted for the 200PDS on an HEQ5 or possibly the EQ6 from the start for an imaging rig.  It would have been cheaper, and I wouldn't have had to run through the steep learning curve and try an overcome the issues I had.