What do I need???

[ghusko]

So I work for a company and I am spoilt in a way, I have a 50D and a 70D soon to have a 5D mark IV or V if it comes out soon.



Question what do I need to hook it up to my LX90 8" and start taking snap shots and how does it all work off the diagonal, eyepiece or back of the scope?



Is this suitable for DSO or just planetary stuff?


Understand that some of the great images are countless pics over layed with registax or similar.


Or do I need a dedicated astro camera for DSO?


Thanks Gordo.

[StuTodd]

Hi Gordo.

I don't know why no-one has replied to you yet?!

Anyhoo, you can mount your camera "piggyback", i.e as is with your lens on or take the lens off and buy a Canon T2 adapter and then use the scope as your lens.

Piggyback is fantastic for widefield photography and is easier without a dedicated guide scope. You can buy camera mounts for your scope cheaply.

Of course, you will still have to have a pretty good polar alignment (even more so with the prime focus via T2 nosepiece method) to get good tracking.

[ghusko]

Thanks mate will look into it


Is using a DSLR only suitable for planetary work?

[ZeroID]

Nope, great for Nebulae, Clusters, starfields and anything else.
Get Back Yard EOS ( BYEOS ) for computer control of the camera and live viewing. Anything is possible.

[sil]

nope, quite the opposite (not so great for planetary :) I do my deep space with dslr only on tripod, no telescope, no tracking. You really need to understand what the various hardware gives you and its limitations. Then you work within those limits before making informed purchases for upgrades

[beren]

The LX90 is a great fun visual scope but being a ALT-AZ platform DSO imaging times would be limited to maybe 15-30 second subs due to field rotation with your dslr. You can purchase a equatorial wedge (or field rotator) for the LX90
to get over this but things start getting pretty complex and costly with supplementary gear (autoguidng, counterweight system for balance etc) to get up and running. If you are new I’d suggest maybe look at getting Qhy or Zwo plantery camera with the imx224 one shot colour sensor ( myastroshop sells a cheaper usb2 one with the same sensor under the Protostar brand). Great little camera for the moon and planets and with the free Sharpcarp software you could do live stacking on DSOs. Worth investigating this option I reckon, a focal reducer and cryford focuser on the back of the lx90 would be handy accessories for any imaging to.

[ghusko]

Thanks for your input great info


Wedge arrived yesterday, so counterweights are advisable then and an auto guider?


So far been lucky enough to do stuff on the cheap with the help of the classifieds here.


Wedge was the cost of postage so I will look into an auto guider, some counter weights focal reducer they have been on the list just have to be patient to wait for something to come up, just wont tell the wife about the crayford focuser sounds $$$


Will check out the software for t he EOS as well, glad to hear that I can put my camera's to some more uses.




I think there was someone selling some T mount adapters for an EOS on the cheap

[beren]

Which wedge did you get ? the standard Meade field type ? did you get the LX90 adaptor plate with it. You'll need the adaptor plate to connect the two, the LX90 has just a centre bolt hole for connection. When you set up the wedge don't forget to subtract your Latitude from 90 " to get the right angle for the plate the scope attaches to.
If your going to be attaching equipment like a camera/focuser/dew shield/guidescope definitely get a counterweight system, preferbly a 2d type like this.......http://www.admaccessories.com/product-category/d-series/dovetail-counterweights-d-series/.......this means a bottom dovetail plate for the C/W's and if you have a guide scope a top dovetail plate for it and guidescope rings. You can also get a guiding module kit for the LX90 if you use ST-4 cables but you might be able to use pulse guiding via ascom through the LX90 handbox, just check up on that if you decide to get up to the guiding stage.

[ghusko]

Yeah was aware that I needed an adapter plate, trust me to get the only model that needed one, not expensive anyway.


Will check out the counterweights thanks for the link, will have to start doing a little more reading up on the whole auto guiding thing and whats suitable for my gear.


Thanks for your help its been really useful.:thumbsup: