Will this do to start?

[BobInYorkshire]

Hi everyone,

I have been a keen amateur photographer for many years and have some very good Nikon cameras and lenses.

I'm contemplating Astro photography and have been lurking here and other forums for a week or so.

I've no real preference for the type of astro photos I’ll take, I just think it would be another skill to learn for my general photography and something I’m fairly keen on.

Of course I’ve been drooling over gear and looking at stores that sell it.

Would a Sky Walker Esprit 100 and a suitable mount be a good starting point. I’d rather pay for something I’m likely to keep rather than buying something cheaper then finding I want to upgrade in a few months.

I would be grateful for suggestions for the mount which will be used most of the time in my back garden but occasionally I’d like to put it in my car and go elsewhere.

Thanks,

Bob.

 

 

[SlimLine]

Hi Bob

 

Im also on the steep learning curve that is Astrophotography. My advice to at the moment would be stick with what you already have and start with your DSLR and maybe a Skywatcher Star Tracker and a sturdy tripod and just jump in the car on a clear night and get out to a dark site ( if possible).

You will learn so much about Astrophotography by just using a camera as a starting point.

Good luck.

 

[BobInYorkshire]

41 minutes ago, SlimLine said:

Hi Bob

 

Im also on the steep learning curve that is Astrophotography. My advice to at the moment would be stick with what you already have and start with your DSLR and maybe a Skywatcher Star Tracker and a sturdy tripod and just jump in the car on a clear night and get out to a dark site ( if possible).

You will learn so much about Astrophotography by just using a camera as a starting point.

Good luck.

 

Thanks, I bought a Skywatcher Adventurer 2i a couple of weeks ago and managed to use it for half an hour last night in between cloud cover.

The results weren’t brilliant but at least I got a bit of practice in and learnt a few things.

I would like a telescope too so that I can do visual observations and later do some astro photography with it as well.

Good luck with your attempts.

 

Edited August 15, 2021 by BobInYorkshire

[SlimLine]

Thats great bob your on the right track then👍.

As for scope the Esprit 100 will get you excellent results coupled with a sturdy mount like a Heq5 and upwards i would maybe start with this if money allows.

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/skywatcher-mounts/sky-watcher-heq5-pro-with-rowan-belt-mod-upgrade.html

 

It comes with the Rowan Belt modification which reduces tracking errors whilst guiding. Have you thought about a quide scope and guide camera?

[BobInYorkshire]

29 minutes ago, SlimLine said:

Thats great bob your on the right track then👍.

As for scope the Esprit 100 will get you excellent results coupled with a sturdy mount like a Heq5 and upwards i would maybe start with this if money allows.

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/skywatcher-mounts/sky-watcher-heq5-pro-with-rowan-belt-mod-upgrade.html

 

It comes with the Rowan Belt modification which reduces tracking errors whilst guiding. Have you thought about a quide scope and guide camera?

Spending a few quid is going to hurt but the wife is onside so that’s the biggest hurdle out of the way.

She’s offered to fund part of it for my coming birthday and Xmas presents.

I’m not in a big rush and think I’ll have a ride to Rother Valley Optics one day just to see what they think and advise, it’s only an hour from my house.

[SlimLine]

The wifes onside... You dont hear that alot in this hobbie😆.

Good luck Bob

Clear Skies💫

[Stu1smartcookie]

30 minutes ago, BobInYorkshire said:

Spending a few quid is going to hurt but the wife is onside so that’s the biggest hurdle out of the way

Be careful , the wife on board thing is a precarious position ... it can go either way , especially if , as most of us do you get your head turned by some of the wonderful gear for sale on here . My wife and i are currently sharing our small living room with a 12" Dob !! Something is going to have to give ... I've made a bed up in the Shed lol...  🤣

Good luck with your purchases Bob 

[Andrew_B]

8 hours ago, BobInYorkshire said:

Thanks, I bought a Skywatcher Adventurer 2i a couple of weeks ago and managed to use it for half an hour last night in between cloud cover.

The results weren’t brilliant but at least I got a bit of practice in and learnt a few things.

I would like a telescope too so that I can do visual observations and later do some astro photography with it as well.

Good luck with your attempts.

 

You can do an awful lot with a tracking mount and a few camera lenses from wide angle to short telephoto and even get into things like narrowband imaging which can deliver spectacular results.

The learning curve with astrophotography can be very steep and it's important to find a workflow that you get along with using software that you find a pleasure to use rather than a confusing irritation. I think it's also important to get some good images when you're starting out because it gives you a real boost and it's exciting to show them to friends and family, and that's a lot more likely if you keep things as simple as possible to begin with.

It's nice to have a scope because it gives you something to do while you're sitting out with your camera during an imaging session! To start with though I'd stick to using the camera and lenses to get the hang of astrophotography and maybe just use the scope to take some shots of the Moon.

Things like the accuracy of your polar alignment and tracking errors in the drive itself become much more of an issue with a telescope due to its long focal length and I found that I couldn't quite get round stars with my scope until I'd added an autoguider to my setup which is obviously more money and complexity.

Starting with a simple approach is way more fun that attempting too much too soon. My first go at imaging through my scope was done out in the field (big mistake, do it at home first), using a narrowband filter for the first time (what was I thinking?), in the middle of a gale on the North York Moors in January (I couldn't feel my fingers). That was not an enjoyable experience or particularly successful 🤣