KAF 16803. Still a viable option?

[DaveS]

Really just speculative, but I've been looking at / thinking about a larger sensor than my current 16200 for my ODK 12.

The options seem a bit thin, vix:

KAF 16803, Moravian, SX, FLI

On Semi 4040 FLI, QHY

Sony IMX 461 QHY, ZWO

Of these the first, S/H looks the only option that I could remotely afford, while the IMX 461 is too big for the ODK imaging circle. A look on ABS shows a FLI 16803 with filters for £4000, which is the ball-park figure I was expecting.

I'm not interested in the 24 x 36 mm sensors as I prefer something square or close to.

Comments?

[ollypenrice]

I wouldn't let the sensor shape trouble you since it's easy to crop a square out of whatever you have. If you like everything else about a particular camera I'd just do that, myself.

In my view CCDs have not deteriorated since CMOS appeared, and we all know what great pictures they can make. However, the market may think that they're old hat and drive down prices radically.

Once it's serviced I'll probably have my Atik 11000 up for sale in a big observatory shake-up, but I'm not expecting it to fetch very much. Essentially I think that CCDs may become real bargains in the foreseeable future.

Olly

[DaveS]

Thanks Olly.

The 135 format sensors would only crop to 24mm square, or a bit longer, not really much more than my 16200, while the 16803 would give 37mm square, which is a heck of a lot more foV. The QHY / FLI 4040 are so far beyond my budget as to be out of the question, even S/H, and the IMX 461 cameras are even more so.

I may just put this on the back burner as "maybe someday..."

As a reference, here's M33 imaged with my ODK 12 (Custom Scope) and 16803, 16200, and QHY600 cameras

 

Edited November 22, 2022 by DaveS
Add FoV

[gorann]

On 22/11/2022 at 11:33, ollypenrice said:

I wouldn't let the sensor shape trouble you since it's easy to crop a square out of whatever you have. If you like everything else about a particular camera I'd just do that, myself.

In my view CCDs have not deteriorated since CMOS appeared, and we all know what great pictures they can make. However, the market may think that they're old hat and drive down prices radically.

Once it's serviced I'll probably have my Atik 11000 up for sale in a big observatory shake-up, but I'm not expecting it to fetch very much. Essentially I think that CCDs may become real bargains in the foreseeable future.

Olly

PM sent

Göran