Mate - In all seriousness, despite the huge difference in QE, If I'd had the money to buy an STL11K, I would have... And I would probably swap my ST8300/CFW2-7/Astrodon LRGB filters for an STL-11K without filters... * I would keep the NB filters!
haha
If you can afford the STL, get it. Or hold out to see if SBIG release an STX-8300... They have listed it as a possibility at this stage, and I am waiting with baited breath. If the STX8300 comes out I'll definitely make the change for superior cooling, self guiding, and the ability to use AO/RGH setups....
The ST8300 is a no frills imaging setup. It produces the goods left right and center, and I suppose thats where it really matters, but it has nothing that sets it apart from the hoard of other 8300 cameras out there.. The STL-11K is a real imaging machine... Shame you're asking this question now... Had it been two weeks ago I'd have been pointing you towards the FLI PL11002M setup that was for sale
Awesome camera too...
Money wise, my ST8300/CFW/Filters/OAG/Guide cam cost me about $300 less than what an STL11002M C2 costs with no filters... so really, you're talking a saving of $900, but you're cutting corners so to speak, OAG is not self guiding, the quality is not the same.. The sensor size difference is pretty immense, the QHY5 is no where near as sensitive as the internal guide chip in the SBIG cams... The Texas Instruments TC-237 guide chip that was in my ST9 could easily guide through a 13nm Ha filter with 2sec exposures, binned 2x2...
You can save money, and have a lot more sensitivity, or you can have a fully featured imaging camera, but cost more money...
Its hard to compare the two cameras really, because they are so different...
I suppose I would put forth, that if you've got the money to consider the STL11K, but you're still considering the ST8300 based on either price or its sensitivity and pixel size for your imaging setup... Perhaps you should look at something like the FLI ML8300.. It cools faster, and futher than the ST8300, has exceptional noise characteristics (as a result of the supreme cooling) faster image downloads (2sec vs 7.5sec) is smaller, and to my knowledge, lighter.. All the upsides of the KAF8300, with much better cooling than any other 8300 camera...
All in all, there is no answer that anyone can give you that will satisfy you.. You really have to buy what you want.. If you want the extra sensor area, and all the extra features of the STL, get it.. If you're more interested in the small pixels of the KAF8300, and its sensitivity, then I would say, think long and hard about what 8300 camera you buy... There are many many options out there, and its easy to get lost... I'm happy with the ST8300, and I was absolutely amazed at what it produced on its first light attached to a ED127... I can vouch for the combination... They go well together... Had I had more money at the time of purchase, I would have bought the FLI 8300 based purely on cooling... My second choice would have been the Apogee Alta U8300M, Then the ST8300...
Sorry if I've rambled on there a bit.. It is something I've thought about before, so I have many mixed feelings on the subject. Comes down to personal tastes and requirements really.