What to buy next?

[Richard_]

1 minute ago, Killpond said:

Ahh the joys of Fuji again The lens focus (and other rings) is fly-by-wire so turning the focus ring does nothing but tell the camera to change focus that in turn instructs the lens to move inside the housing using some complex electo-magnetic guide rail (at least that's my under standing of it). As soon as the power is taken away the lens just flops about inside (Not even joking, you can hear it).

So yeah, this solution would be fine if it was a manual lens, but unfortunetly it's not.

I'm problem solving with the right tool for the job I guess

Oh, that must be the same reason why my XF 55-200mm flops about too! In that case, sounds like some expensive purchases will be coming soon 😅

[Killpond]

Just now, Richard_ said:

Oh, that must be the same reason why my XF 55-200mm flops about too! In that case, sounds like some expensive purchases will be coming soon 😅

I have the same floppy 55-200mm lens clunk... clunk... clunk... Not the more reassuring noise for a lens to make 😄

[Space Oddities]

7 minutes ago, Richard_ said:

If you do decide to go down the dedicated astro route, the below item from First Light Optics may be of use. It allows you to attach a dedicated astro camera (like the ASI533) to an existing Micro Four Thirds lens. The description includes Fuji lenses, but I thought these were a different mount to M43, so perhaps it would be worthwhile asking FLO if it's compatible with your lens (they are really responsive and helpful!). 

If it works, at least you won't have to buy a new lens/telescope... Yet

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/zwo-accessories/zwo-t2-to-micro-four-thirds-adaptor.html

 

PS you'll learn to enjoy problem solving with this hobby!

That wouldn't work unfortunately, because Fuji lenses are focused electronically. Rotating the focus ring doesn't move the lenses, unless a Fujifilm camera is connected and turned on... Some third party, manual focus lenses would work (I have the Fuji version of the Samyang 135mm; it's 100% manual) but the back focus distance of Fuji lenses is probably different from that of M4/3 cameras. And it's a different mount too, so a nightmare to adapt...

I think one way to solve your problem is to mount the guide scope with rings, rather that the little dovetail/foot. Like these: https://www.amazon.com/SVBONY-Guiding-Telescope-Diameter-astrophotography/dp/B07QZ2T1N2/ref=sr_1_2?crid=37H04TTFVEFT3&keywords=Guide+scope+rings&qid=1694459643&sprefix=guide+scope+ring%2Caps%2C169&sr=8-2 

This way you can precisely align both your guide and main camera to the same point (do it by day using a distant tree or something). You'll get more precise go-to and plate solving for just a few bucks  

[Elp]

I think you can use focus by wire lenses if you focus the lens with the camera body first in manual mode (no AF), detach the lens then attach to an astro camera. It is a faff though, much better to use prime manual lenses.

Edited September 11, 2023 by Elp

[Space Oddities]

Possibly, but there's no adapter on the market from the Fuji X-mount to the standard T2. I've been looking for one for years! Fuji isn't as popular as Canon, Nikon and Sony, so manufacturers probably don't see the point in making one.

And you'd need to both nail the focus and have a very precisely made adapter, so that the focus doesn't change... And if you want to use a filter in between, you're screwed  As you said, it's a lot of trouble!

It's such a pity, Fuji cameras are such a joy to use in daylight, and their lenses are optically excellent. I've been using them since about 10 years, from the original X100, and it really changed the way I do photography. These cameras have something special, and the colors they produce are simply. Too bad the software side and astronomy software support is so bad... 

What we would need is this! It would be perfect! https://www.astromechanics.org/index.html

Edited September 11, 2023 by Space Oddities

[Elp]

I concur, Fuji's colour profile is something else though I've only ever used their compacts.

[Killpond]

I had to get creative with the counter-weight but she weights in at bang on 11lbs

[Richard_]

Wow, you don't mess around when you mention the thought of buying a new camera etc 😂 Which camera and filters did you go for? It certainly looks the business! Have you managed to do a dry run of connecting and working the focuser, cameras etc? 

[Killpond]

It's the 533MM Pro with the 8x1.25" wheel with ZWO LRGB, H-Alpha, SII and OIII installed in it.

Managed to get it all up and running just before the light went. Got initial focus using a TV aerial in the distance. Think the camera is upside down at the moment but everything seems to work so far.

[Richard_]

Hope everything goes well when you get the chance to image! At least you won't have to worry about back focus distance with this telescope too, one less thing to faff about with

[Killpond]

This was last night. It's just 3x 5min R, G, B filter images combined. Still learning Pixinsight.

[Space Oddities]

You're in for a treat! Enjoy your new equipment   The ASIAIR is a great platform for beginners and people who - like me - want something easy to use and frustration-free. This and a goto mount forever changed the way I do astrophotography, I hope you'll enjoy it as much as I did!

[Richard_]

What a difference! Compare this back to your post on 01st September and it's like night and day (pun intended). You've got some good equipment and processing skills already, so you have a solid foundation to build on. Just get some more imaging sessions in under and you'll be amazed at how much more detail you can squeeze out! 

[Killpond]

Thanks! I watched this today and it really cleared up a lot of questions I had around sub exposure timings.

In my bortle 5 zone with this lens and camera I think, based on that video, that 60 second subs for RGB(L?) and 500 second subs for narrowband are what I should be aiming to use.

 

Edited September 13, 2023 by Killpond

[Killpond]

After more tinkering with PixInsight I have this...

[AstroMuni]

Thats a great shot of M31. Love it.

EDIT: realised that your equipment list has grown now, so my previous comments were out of date 🙂

Edited September 14, 2023 by AstroMuni

[Killpond]

Also just finished editing this. Very noisey but I think that's just due to me not exposing on the narrowband for long enough?

68 Cygni

[Killpond]

Finally got a break in the clouds...

This is my first atempt at an edit, not sure how I feel about it.

 

[Space Oddities]

Superb! Editing is the most difficult part IMO, especially with Pixinsight, which is not very user friendly. But what a wonderful piece of software once you figured it out. You'll get there eventually!  

The cool thing is that you can always add more data later, and reprocess past images with new techniques you learnt. You're at the start of your journey, and honestly, I wish my first attempts were as good as yours!

What exposure and gain settings are you using?
 

 

[Killpond]

Really enjoying PixInsight to be honest. The book I got has helped alot.

That was 10x 300s Ha, 10x 300s SII and 5x 300s OIII. Didn't get chance to finish the last 5 OIII's as heavy cloud set it. And ZERO calibration frames 😄

Edited September 21, 2023 by Killpond

[Killpond]

I did another edit on it.