Go Back   IceInSpace > Equipment > Astrophotography and Imaging Equipment and Discussions

Reply
 
Thread Tools Rate Thread
  #1  
Old 11-02-2008, 02:28 PM
NewToStars (Jase)
Registered User

NewToStars is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Yeppoon, Qld
Posts: 80
Question This scope for astrophotography - suggestions????

http://www.yorkoptical.com.au/Produc...%2cProductName

If the above link doesn't work the telescope in question is the Bushnell North Star 78-8850.

What are peoples opinions on this scope or the 100mm version for astro photos. At the moment i'm trying to get this at cost through one of our suppliers.

Or can i do better for my money.

jase
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 11-02-2008, 03:02 PM
bojan's Avatar
bojan
amateur

bojan is offline
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Mt Waverley, VIC
Posts: 6,932
Hi Jase,
This scope is GoTo and it has tracking but, it is on alt-azimuth mount... which means it is not well suited for astro-photography - deep sky that is.. it will suffer from field rotation, and there is no third motor to compensate for it. It can still be used for moon and planets, this kind of imaging does not require long exposures
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 11-02-2008, 03:16 PM
edwardsdj's Avatar
edwardsdj (Doug)
Doug Edwards

edwardsdj is offline
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Brisbane
Posts: 677
Hi Jase,

That looks like an expensive toy to me. You can get alt-az goto scopes of larger apeture for less than half that cost.

You could certainly get some shots of the Sun and the Moon through this though

If you are really interested in astrophotography, you really need a driven equatorial mounting.

Visually, you're not going to see much through the 90mm apeture.

Have fun,
Doug
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 11-02-2008, 03:36 PM
bojan's Avatar
bojan
amateur

bojan is offline
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Mt Waverley, VIC
Posts: 6,932
Quote:
Originally Posted by edwardsdj View Post
Hi Jase,

That looks like an expensive toy to me. You can get alt-az goto scopes of larger apeture for less than half that cost.

You could certainly get some shots of the Sun and the Moon through this though

If you are really interested in astrophotography, you really need a driven equatorial mounting.

Visually, you're not going to see much through the 90mm apeture.

Have fun,
Doug
Perfectly right
For 1.5k$ you can have a lot more aperture (for visual observing).
But for deep sky photography.... tracking on equatorial is essential.
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 11-02-2008, 03:55 PM
NewToStars (Jase)
Registered User

NewToStars is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Yeppoon, Qld
Posts: 80
do you have any suggestions on what to look for.... in the brands Bushnell and Tasco.. doesn't have to be confined to these as i'm sure they are just toy brands, but i should get cost prices with these brands.

what are some good quality, but lowere end scopes to look at. i will probably not be getting this for a while and i am trying to watch ever $$$ i spend so i'm in no hurrt, from whave i've read 8" apature should be a must, but will i find what i want on a tight budget.
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 11-02-2008, 04:07 PM
EzyStyles's Avatar
EzyStyles (Eric)
I HATE COMA!

EzyStyles is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Melbourne, Victoria
Posts: 3,208
Hi Jase,

If youre into the deepskystuff and on a budget, get yourself a skywatcher newtonian with a HEQ5 or EQ6 mount. stay away from that northstar scope
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 11-02-2008, 04:09 PM
Suzy_A's Avatar
Suzy_A
Registered User

Suzy_A is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Fremantle
Posts: 237
Ideally, what you want is a 100 metre scope and a 100 Gpixel camera that is either space-based or on the far side of the moon.


Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 11-02-2008, 04:23 PM
OneOfOne's Avatar
OneOfOne (Trevor)
Meteor & fossil collector

OneOfOne is offline
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Bentleigh
Posts: 1,386
For a little more than the price of the 90mm Mak, you could get a 6" (150mm) Advanced GoTo Celestron from the same place. Which would be a much larger scope, on an equatorial mount, however only a CG5 which is similar to an EQ5. Not perfect for astrophotography, but a much better starting point than the 90mm Mak. The CG5 will handle the 6" with ease as it can easily handle an 8". Some on the forum I believe use a CG5 for photography and have a guide scope and more on the mount.

But as others have already said, to get serious about photography you need something like an EQ6, but this could be pushing your budget.

If it was me, I would stay away from the scope, even a Meade ETX-125 is very similar price but a lot larger....fork mount though too
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 11-02-2008, 04:23 PM
NewToStars (Jase)
Registered User

NewToStars is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Yeppoon, Qld
Posts: 80
thanks guys.. lol suzy....... hopefully i can get the HEQ5 stand at cost as it is supplied by Tasco also.

somehow i can see this blowing way out of budget and less than $1000 as i know the HEQ5 sells for about $1500 and i'll have to add another $500 on for the scope.

....

ok. so lets say i buy a 8 or 10" newt. what other accessories will i have to purchase to start taking photos.. will the Meade DSI 2 digital camera be the only thing i need, or should i use a DSLR..
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 11-02-2008, 04:31 PM
iceman's Avatar
iceman (Mike)
Sir Post a Lot!

iceman is offline
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Gosford, NSW, Australia
Posts: 36,760
What do you want to take photos of? Deep space or planets/lunar?

Tasco supply the EQ6 as well as a skywatcher ed80. That's a perfect combination to start with, for general widefield deep-space photography.

If you look at some images in the deep-space forum, there are images taken with that combination (including mine).

What imaging device (camera) will you use?

Also, you have to realise that astrophotography is a never-ending money pit. To get better and better images, you need more and better equipment. You can do good stuff on a budget, but eventually you will have to dive into your pocket.. guide scope, guide camera, guide software, guide cable, processing/capture software, field-flatteners/focal-reducers, better camera, modded camera, better scope, bigger mount, better mount, the list goes on
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 11-02-2008, 04:40 PM
edwardsdj's Avatar
edwardsdj (Doug)
Doug Edwards

edwardsdj is offline
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Brisbane
Posts: 677
Hi Jase,

I agree with Eric.

If you're looking for a package in that sort of price range, Andrews have this 8" Skywatcher on HEQ5PRO goto mount:

200 x 1000P with HEQ5PRO Go-To mount and V3.0 Go-To hand controller
$1899.00 AUD

And this 8" Celestron on an CG-5 goto mount:

C8-NGT 8" (200mm x 1000mm) Newtonian with Go-To. $1699.00 AUD

I think the HEQ5PRO mount on the Skywatcher is lot better than the Celestron CG-5 mount which I believe is an EQ5.

It's all at www.andrewscom.com.au

If you want to buy locally, you could look at Star Optics on the Gold Coast: www.staroptics.com.au

They have the Meade and Skywatcher stuff. The Meade LXD75 6" Newtonian on equatorial goto mount is $1499 there.

Is this your first telescope? If it is, I'd be tempted to spend a lot less and get an 8" GSO dob ($399 for the deluxe or $499 for the super deluxe at Andrews). This is going to be easy to setup and you will be able to see a lot with it. Doesn't have the complexities of polar alignment or complicated mounts to setup. Doesn't have tracking or goto either thought.

If you really get into it and want to take images you could then stick that scope on the EQ6 mount (or whatever better, cheaper mounts become available in the future).

Have fun,
Doug
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 11-02-2008, 04:45 PM
NewToStars (Jase)
Registered User

NewToStars is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Yeppoon, Qld
Posts: 80
i've had an 8' dob before. but i've always wanted to do more than just look through the scope.

like all things. if i'm going to spend the money then i'd want to spend as much as i have to (without blowing out) to get the equiptment that is going to do the job i want to do.
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 11-02-2008, 04:55 PM
edwardsdj's Avatar
edwardsdj (Doug)
Doug Edwards

edwardsdj is offline
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Brisbane
Posts: 677
Quote:
Originally Posted by iceman View Post
What do you want to take photos of? Deep space or planets/lunar?

Tasco supply the EQ6 as well as a skywatcher ed80. That's a perfect combination to start with, for general widefield deep-space photography.

If you look at some images in the deep-space forum, there are images taken with that combination (including mine).

What imaging device (camera) will you use?
Mike got this in while I was writing my post. Some answers to these questions would help a lot.
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 11-02-2008, 05:03 PM
NewToStars (Jase)
Registered User

NewToStars is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Yeppoon, Qld
Posts: 80
sorry.... i want to take photo's of deep space. maybe planets, but more so DSO.

C8-NGT 8" (200mm x 1000mm) Newtonian with Go-To. $1699.00 AUD sounds like a good option. or 200 x 1000P with HEQ5PRO Go-To mount and V3.0 Go-To hand controller $1899.00 AUD if i decide i want to stretch the budget.

as for imaging device i was thinking about using the Meade DSI 2 web cam.

thanks for all the reply's so far. has opened my eye up to what i should be looking at.
Reply With Quote
  #15  
Old 11-02-2008, 09:03 PM
edwardsdj's Avatar
edwardsdj (Doug)
Doug Edwards

edwardsdj is offline
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Brisbane
Posts: 677
The critical thing with deep space astrophotography is a robust mount with good tracking. In due course you will need a guidescope and possibly other cameras mounted on it.

Your budget is really too restrictive to get seriously into it.

The mounts on those 8" Newtonians I suggested are a bit small for an OTA of that size/mass. There's certainly no room to expand. They would be great for planetary imaging and some deep space (with some effort).

I suggested them because they looked of similar price to the scope you originally mentioned.

Be aware that an 8" Newtonian on a german equatorial mount will have very awkward eyepiece positions for visual use.

The EQ6 by itself seems to be about at the limit of your streched budget. Personally, I'm saving for the EQ6 myself so I can get a rigid mounting for my C8 and have capacity left for a guidescope.

As Mike suggested, an 80mm ED refractor on the EQ6 would be very nice. You'd have to expand your budget considerably though and visually you wouldn't see much compared to an 8" Newtonian (eyepiece position would be friendlier though). In future you could add a larger apeture OTA to the mount.

If you really want to get equipment that's going to do the job, I'd get the EQ6 as Mike suggests. If you must keep to this budget you will have no choice but to compromise considerably.
Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools
Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT +10. The time is now 07:57 AM.

Powered by vBulletin Version 3.8.7 | Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Advertisement
Bintel
Advertisement
Testar
Advertisement