New Member here from West Sussex.

[AstroDad74]

👋Hello Everyone it's great to be a new member. My name is Roger and i been doing astrophotography for a year now still a beginner. My current astrophotography kit includes two Canon Eos 6d which one is astro modified and the other is left as a normal version. I currently own just two lens at the moment these are both from samyang these are a 14mm f2.8 wide field lens and a 135mm f2 telephoto lens both are very good. I also own a Move shoot Move Nomad star tracker which is great paired with the 14mm f2.8 for wide field. I haven't tried the 135mm f2 lens on the nomad star tracker unit yet but I think it will be be alright. Or if anyone has tried be sure let me know please. I did own a Seastar S50 but sold it as want to get a nother canon Eos 6d. I may get the Dwarf lab lll smart telescope at some point and give that a try and see what it is like. Anyway that's my current setup i own. Regards Roger 

[dave34]

Welcome to the lounge'

[Tony Acorn]

Welcome Roger.

West Sussex I think has some decent Astro locations I believe, certainly more than Hertfordshire offers. Your journey sounds rather like mine although I started with observing (6" Dob -> 10" Dob -> 6"Newtonian on an HEQ5-Pro mount rather than imaging before a bout of Big-C got in the way. After that, I am determined to make the most of every opportunity so I went with a Star Watcher Star Adventurer 2i-Pro on which I mounted un-modified Nikon 7200 and Z6ii cameras with Samyang 14mm f/2.8 and Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 lenses.  The results from those raised my interest further and set new challenges. Now an ASi bundle including mount, focuser, guide and main cameras and have increased FLO's profits significantly - I'm sure I am / we are not alone in that 😂.

Tony

 

[AstroDad74]

5 hours ago, dave34 said:

Welcome to the lounge'

Thank you 😊 

[AstroDad74]

1 hour ago, Tony Acorn said:

Welcome Roger.

West Sussex I think has some decent Astro locations I believe, certainly more than Hertfordshire offers. Your journey sounds rather like mine although I started with observing (6" Dob -> 10" Dob -> 6"Newtonian on an HEQ5-Pro mount rather than imaging before a bout of Big-C got in the way. After that, I am determined to make the most of every opportunity so I went with a Star Watcher Star Adventurer 2i-Pro on which I mounted un-modified Nikon 7200 and Z6ii cameras with Samyang 14mm f/2.8 and Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 lenses.  The results from those raised my interest further and set new challenges. Now an ASi bundle including mount, focuser, guide and main cameras and have increased FLO's profits significantly - I'm sure I am / we are not alone in that 😂.

Tony

 

Hello Tony, Many thanks for reply. I was going to start out with a dob telescope but I preferred taking images before observe the night skies. I looked into a Nikon D800 but decided to for a Canon Eos 6d....This inspired me from the late Alyn wallace as this was the camera he started with so for me that said alot coming from a well recognised award winning landscape astrophotographer, He inspired me to take up astrophotography, So with that I slowly begin my to journey into astrophotography and buying two second hand Canon Eos 6d from London camera exchange which one camera had only 2000 shutter count considering these cameras was released back in November 2012....Not bad for a twelve year old camera I thought 👍

The lenses I brought brand new again tring to find the cheapest option to purchase them. I have had many people say that astrophotography can be expensive and that is true but if you do your research I truly believe you can find the best option about getting what you want.

Living in West Sussex is a great location for me for Astrophotography I currently go to the coast Selsey is great location over looking the sea so no problem with light pollution there, Bortle 4 skies possibly at times 4.5, Then you have the south downs international dark sky reserve which is very good for Astrophotography or just observing the night sky. I forgot to say that the late Sir Patrick moore lived in Selsey.

Your current astro setup sounds great👍 Do you still use your Nikon 7200? 🤔 I want to get a sky watcher star adventurer Gti tracking mount but just shopping around for the best price 💰👍 I am planning a trip to either gran canaria or La palma for next year but don't want to take to much equipment and to keep things as light and portable as possible. Have you done the been abroad to do any astrophotography? 

Regards Roger 

 

[Tony Acorn]

5 hours ago, AstroDad74 said:

Hello Tony, Many thanks for reply. I was going to start out with a dob telescope but I preferred taking images before observe the night skies. I looked into a Nikon D800 but decided to for a Canon Eos 6d....This inspired me from the late Alyn wallace as this was the camera he started with so for me that said alot coming from a well recognised award winning landscape astrophotographer, He inspired me to take up astrophotography, So with that I slowly begin my to journey into astrophotography and buying two second hand Canon Eos 6d from London camera exchange which one camera had only 2000 shutter count considering these cameras was released back in November 2012....Not bad for a twelve year old camera I thought 👍

The lenses I brought brand new again tring to find the cheapest option to purchase them. I have had many people say that astrophotography can be expensive and that is true but if you do your research I truly believe you can find the best option about getting what you want.

Living in West Sussex is a great location for me for Astrophotography I currently go to the coast Selsey is great location over looking the sea so no problem with light pollution there, Bortle 4 skies possibly at times 4.5, Then you have the south downs international dark sky reserve which is very good for Astrophotography or just observing the night sky. I forgot to say that the late Sir Patrick moore lived in Selsey.

Your current astro setup sounds great👍 Do you still use your Nikon 7200? 🤔 I want to get a sky watcher star adventurer Gti tracking mount but just shopping around for the best price 💰👍 I am planning a trip to either gran canaria or La palma for next year but don't want to take to much equipment and to keep things as light and portable as possible. Have you done the been abroad to do any astrophotography? 

Regards Roger 

 

Hi Roger,

I couldn't afford (in my wife's view) two cameras so I sold the D7200 (wish I hadn't now) and gradualy changed my lenses from the F-Mount cropped sensor sizes to full frame as needed on the Z6ii. The SW Star Adventurer 2i-Pro is a good mount if you just want to track with a camera but it is NOT an Equatorial mount, unlilke the GTi I think. I managed decent 30s exposures with no star trailing but to get better, I chose the ZWO route rather than buying cheaper and wanting to upgrade later. Certainly a trip to The Canaries (if locals let you in) sounds good and the SW SA GTi wouldn't take too much of your baggage allowance.

I'm off to the Isle Of Wight later in October and I  know I can get down to Bortle 4 on the southwest side of the island. I'm hoping to grab some images of the next comet then too.

Tony

 

[wookie1965]

A warm welcome to SGL 

[Tony Acorn]

20 hours ago, AstroDad74 said:

"This inspired me from the late Alyn wallace" ... I bought (and still use) the MoveShootMove Alyn Wallace Z-Bracket, really useful when adjusting the SW SA to aim my cameras at the target. Delivery around 10 days but a good, sturdy and secure piece of kit that sits on the SA barcket.

"I want to get a sky watcher star adventurer Gti tracking mount but just shopping around for the best price 💰👍" ... I can highly recommend First Light Optics for price, delivery and service, it's now my go-to supplier. If you do get one, I also suggest that you buy the Oklop Bag for Star Adventurer Pro Styropack (also fits Star Adventurer GTi) from them as it takes the foam moulding of the original package / box and makes it far more durable / portable.

"I am planning a trip to either gran canaria or La palma for next year but don't want to take to much equipment and to keep things as light and portable as possible. Have you done the been abroad to do any astrophotography?" ... I have limited my trips abroad to regular visits to our nearest Channel Island - La Isla Blanca 🤣 as I can go by car and take as much "stuff" as I want. I'm off to The Lizard in Cornwall next month, hoping to image the Comet A3 (Tsuchinsan-ATLAS) when it appears in the early mornings on our eastern horizon (I haven't told the present wife why we are going 😉).

20 hours ago, AstroDad74 said:

 

Hope this info is of use to your Roger - I may get clear skies tonight so could be taking lots of kit outside???

[AstroDad74]

12 hours ago, wookie1965 said:

A warm welcome to SGL 

Thank you

[AstroDad74]

On 28/08/2024 at 05:29, dave34 said:

Welcome to the lounge'

Thank you 

[AstroDad74]

1 hour ago, Tony Acorn said:

Hope this info is of use to your Roger - I may get clear skies tonight so could be taking lots of kit outside???

Hi Tony, Thank you for the information you provided 👍 Yes first light optics are great I used them when I purchased my Seestar S50. I will continue to shop around for a SkyWatcher star adventurer gti or maybe what for the new sky watcher wave 150i tracking mount 🤔💰 I aslo own the Alyn wallace move shoot move Z mount bracket and just recently ordered the V mount bracket also 😉 👍 So this will work well with the Move shoot move Nomad star tracker unit I have.

The Lizard in Cornwall sounds great i hope you get some great weather and pictures of C/2023 comet please do let me know how you got on.🙂👍 I was aslo thinking about having a go at taking some images of C/2023 but unsure where to go as I have work commitments so try to keep it local in West Sussex. Just looking into my various apps that I have it does say that C/2023 closest approach the earth 🌎 is on October 12th around 1am but I'm guessing leading up to October possibly end of September is still going to be good to image?? When are you planning to go to the Lizard in Cornwall? I haven't yet tried my 14mm f2.8 wide-angle lens for comets or even Meteor showers just mainly for milkyway images/ Landscape.

No I haven't yet done any astrophotography abroad yet.....Does the Isle of wight count as abroad 🤣🤣 I have not decided yet if it will be Gran Canaria or La Palma, Which is better for Astrophotography and what month?

Clear skies.

Roger 

[RT65CB-SWL]

Hi @AstroDad74 / Tony and welcome to SGL. 

I hope to get into astrophotography. Just reading a few books on the subject, watching YouTube [ie ‘astrobiscuit’ aka @rorymultistorey here on SGL], etc.

I currently own two Nikon DSLR’s [D80 & D40x], two digital compact cameras [Nikon Coolpix 900 & Olympus Camedia C2040], a ZWO-ASI120MM and a Phillips Toucam Pro ll [recently ‘flashed’ to emulate a Phillips SPC900, via a fellow SGL’er]… plus what is on my iPhone and iPad.

[Doversole]

Welcome here! I am also living in West Sussex. We sure have some great skies if only there were not that many clouds!

 

[AstroDad74]

On 28/08/2024 at 05:29, dave34 said:

Welcome to the lounge'

Thank you 

[AstroDad74]

16 hours ago, wookie1965 said:

A warm welcome to SGL 

Thank you 👍 

[AstroDad74]

1 hour ago, RT65CB-SWL said:

Hi @AstroDad74 / Tony and welcome to SGL. 

I hope to get into astrophotography. Just reading a few books on the subject, watching YouTube [ie ‘astrobiscuit’ aka @rorymultistorey here on SGL], etc.

I currently own two Nikon DSLR’s [D80 & D40x], two digital compact cameras [Nikon Coolpix 900 & Olympus Camedia C2040], a ZWO-ASI120MM and a Phillips Toucam Pro ll [recently ‘flashed’ to emulate a Phillips SPC900, via a fellow SGL’er]… plus what is on my iPhone and iPad.

Thank you 👍 

[AstroDad74]

9 minutes ago, Doversole said:

Welcome here! I am also living in West Sussex. We sure have some great skies if only there were not that many clouds!

 

Thank you. Where abouts in West Sussex do you live if you don't mind  me asking? I am currently living in Littlehampton.