guide cam

[CedricTheBrave]

I have used my trusty SX costar as a guide cam for quite a few years now but I feel its time for an upgrade. (its [removed word] me off)

its to go on an Askar OAG on a 14" newt F4.6

which one would you reccomend?

 

[ONIKKINEN]

I am using the ASI 220MM with my Askar OAG and an 8'' newtonian at 1018mm focal length. The camera is very sensitive and i always have several guide stars in the field of view no matter where the scope is pointing at, i think it would also work nicely for your larger scope.

[michael8554]

At 1626mm FL you'll need a guidecam with big pixels, to get a sensible pixel scale.

The Costar is 5.2um, the ASI 220MM only 4um, a LodeStar has 8.2umx8.4um pixels.

Perhaps the ASI 220MM Binned 2X or 3X would do.

But the guidecam sensor needs to be a good size-match for the 10mm x 10mm prism, the ASI 220MM is only 7.68mm x 4.42mm.

Probably there are better matches out there.

Michael

 

[vlaiv]

I'm using ASI185 with 1600mm of FL and OAG. It has 3.75um pixel size, and I bin that x2 and it works nicely.

[CedricTheBrave]

9 minutes ago, vlaiv said:

I'm using ASI185 with 1600mm of FL and OAG. It has 3.75um pixel size, and I bin that x2 and it works nicely.

Have to say I have not tried binning my costar but the constant need to manually disconnect it to get it working will be the end.

May see what s/h lodestar are around

[Elp]

Possibly get it repaired if it's just the cable connector port? Might be a simple job.

Edited April 8 by Elp

[CedricTheBrave]

its been back to them before for the same issue although that was several years ago

[Elp]

The cameras mentioned are all good (and their other brand equivalents) though you'd want to take advantage of your prism size, in which case the 174mm but it's not cheap, though it does make for an excellent ha solar imaging camera too (if you get the usb 3 version). For guiding I use a 224mc and 290mm, the latter I've used with an OAG.