The Correct Scope To Use For Astro Photography

[G2EWS]

Hi All,

Sorry to put another thread up asking almost the same question but if this forum is anything like others I am on, experts in different fields stay within their own section of the forum!

I am a complete newbie with no kit at the moment. I am also an amateur photography which is what pointed me in this direction.

My requirements are portability so I can take the kit with my in my RV (motorhome). Ease of set up with auto a must - goto?

From my other thread asking for help on equipment I am being told I need to look at this as a starting point:

Appochromatic refractor

EQ6 mount

GOTO

I am currently looking at a budget in the region of £1,500 but would be happy to re visit that if I have got it wrong.

Many thanks for your help and once again I hope I am not causing problems or breaking forum rules by asking this again in another section of the forum.

Best regards

Chris

[martin_h]

A big chunk of your budget will go into the mount - if you're looking at the NEQ6 pro synscan then £889. If you're looking at a quick setup and go, then for a scope you might look at a Skywatcher Evostar 80ED DS-Pro (£356) that will leave you some change for bits and bobs - portable power supplies dew strap etc.

[m.tweedy]

if it is widefield then how about an astrotrac everything folds into the pier

Astrophotography Made Easy - Home

with some left over for a small frac or camera lens

[Psychobilly]

There is no "correct" scope as such... and as others have already pointed out the mount is the most important part of the package...

Think of the scopes as Camera lenses.. you use different camera lenses for different photographic tasks... with Astrophotography you will largely pick the scope depending on the type of target (based largely on FOV) your also going to want a scope that can provide an as uniform as possible illuminated image onto the sensor of your camera with the minimum abberation... this is fairly easily achieved with the samller sensors in the lower end CCD's , reasonable to achieve with APS-C sized sensors and challenging on full frame ones...

The advice you have had in another thread of an ED80 on an EQ6-Pro with a ST80 as a guidescope and Synguider has coem from the right "people"...

If your thinking of hanging either the D3X or D3S off the back of it then make sure it has a "substantial" focuser...

Billy...

[martin_h]

Agree with Billy 100% on this - there is no correct scope for this, once you have the mount sorted you are more than 1/2 way there, if push comes to shove, mount your camera and a prime lens on there and away you go, afterall if using a DSLR the scope becomes your lens.

[G2EWS]

Hi All,

Thanks for the additional advice. I seem to have a lot of information coming my way which I am trying to assimilate.

As Billy has suggested with the help of Steve, I think I am up to this kit so far:

Skywatcher Evostar 100ED DS-Pro Outfit

Along with the EQ6 and goto.

Startravel - Skywatcher Startravel 80 OTA

Guide cameras - Skywatcher Synguider Autoguider

I have also added:

First Light Optics - Suppliers of Astronomy telescopes, binoculars and accessories from Skywatcher, Celestron, Meade, William Optics, Atik, Imaging Source, Starlight Xpress, ADM, Moonlite, Catseye, Hotech and others.

Into the equation.

Sorry Billy but I don't know what you mean by a 'substantial' focuser? I know it is hard when you have a very green newbie, but bear with my I am trying my hardest to understand all of this.

By the way would it be better to use a Pansonic GF1 as my camera? I have one as a back up with me all the time.

Have already ordered Steve's book so will look forward to reading that when it arrives.

It would also be useful to actually see some of this kit working. I understand that there is a Swindon group on the forum which I have joined. Does anyone know if the group or someone from the group is active?

Best regards

Chris

[Psychobilly]

Those two "superb" Nikon's are heavy beasts and will put a lot of strain on the focusing mechanism possibly causing it to flex and/or slip... neither of which do much for the quality of the image that you will capture through the scope...

Scopes like the ED80 will cope nicely with the lighter entry level or prosumer DSLR's - and provide decent coverage of an APS-C sized sensor especially when they are used with a matching flattener or Focal reducer

I was a Nikon system man but have moved over to Canons for Astro work... but will be going back to Nikon for my next non Astro DSLR

Billy...

[ashworthacca]

I'm sure more experienced imagers will chip in but If you are looking at imaging DSO's you may find the 100ED a little slow at f9. I know others have had great success with this scope but if I had the choice from scratch I'm not sure it would be my first choice.

[martin_h]

I'm sure more experienced imagers will chip in but If you are looking at imaging DSO's you may find the 100ED a little slow at f9. I know others have had great success with this scope but if I had the choice from scratch I'm not sure it would be my first choice.

I use the 100ED, but with the dedicated reducer which knocks off a bit (f7.65) and yes it is still a bit slow at that but I have no problem with it. I also hang a filterwheel and CCD on the back with no problems.

[ashworthacca]

I use the 100ED, but with the dedicated reducer which knocks off a bit (f7.65) and yes it is still a bit slow at that but I have no problem with it. I also hang a filterwheel and CCD on the back with no problems.

And you produce pics to die for too Martin.

I just think starting from scratch you need all the help you can get.

[Photosbykev]

Personally I can see no point in going for the Synscan version of the EQ6 mount. If you want to take astrophotographs then you will need a laptop to control the camera/webcam and guidecam etc so use the laptop to control the mount and save money by buying the SynTrek version.

[Steve 1962]

I agree totally with Kev - SynTrek and EQMOD is the way to go if you've got a laptop.

How about one of these on a SynTrek EQ6 as a starter??

William Optics - William Optics Megrez 72 Original Model

Steve

[martin_h]

I agree totally with Kev - SynTrek and EQMOD is the way to go if you've got a laptop.

How about one of these on a SynTrek EQ6 as a starter??

William Optics - William Optics Megrez 72 Original Model

Steve

Yep that would do me - if I was starting again from scratch thats what I would go for + the ST80 for guiding, nice light setup on a very sturdy mount.