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Old 29-06-2013, 04:02 AM
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White Rabbit
Space Cadet

White Rabbit is offline
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Sydney
Posts: 1,411
Hi Bob.

I can only comment on the Stf8300 M, as that's the model I have, but from what I've read the mono version is more sensitive than the colour version but also more expensive once you take filters and filter wheel into consideration. My purchase was in three steps, camera, filter then the wheel. It broke the cost into three payments and worked out really well because of weather or full moon and experimenting with just Lum subs was good because it broke the learning curve into three as well.

To be honest I haven't had much experience with it either as it's been raining non stop for about the past 6 bloody weeks. My initial noodling with the camera was also about getting the spacers between the camera and my field flatter just right. I still don't have it perfect but I'm close.

To date I've only taken one complete LRGB image, I posted it in image section. It's an image of Omega Cen. It was my first attempt at LRGB processing so probably not a shing example of what the camera is capable of.

I was previously imaging with a 5DMKII, so full frame like the 6D. My first impression was how clean the image comes out, there is practically no noise other than hot pixels, but there are quite a lot of hot pixels. The noise from my 5DMKII was terrible. I always use to hear people saying that the noise on those cameras was really good even upto iso3200, at 800 on a summers night my noise was terrible so I'm quite pleased with the noise response on this camera.

The other thing is that it's a good deal more sensitive, 5 min sub is more like a7 or 8 min sum on the 5DMKII. I do miss the resoloution though, with the 5DMKII you zoom in for days and crop the image to combat vignetting or to narrow the filled of view. You can't zoom in much before the image starts look pixelated. No biggie though just means that I have to be a bit more picky when It comes to framing my image.

The camera can be used as an imager or a guider, not both at the same time. It has a guide port but only has a single chip. The OAG has a camera attachment on it for you insert a guide came and I've read of people using other guide cams other than the intended SBIG cam, but you will need to play around with the distance to chip to get focus. I'll go down this road some day, but not just yet. I just got married so don't particularly want to get divorced quite so soon.

All in all, I'm very happy with the camera, I just wish the weather woul clear so I can use the damn thing.

I don't think you'll be disappointed if you get one.

Cheers
Sandy
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