I may be giving you the wrong information but I had previously done a lot of research on the cameras. As mentioned in another topic here there are calculators to help match a camera to a telescope and focal length is a big part of that matching up.
Both scopes have a reasonably long focal length and from memory the cameras with the larger pixel size are better suited to longer focal length telescopes. F ratio (focal length divided by objective size) and primary objective all come into it from memory.
This was some time ago and I don't remember a lot, other than a huge dislike for the company.
Personally I was looking at the ZWO ASI294MM (mono) or MC (colour) for my longer focal length telescopes.
I'll see if I can find one of the calculators in a few minutes.
As for control the cameras are USB so a laptop is probably your best option with the right software, especially if you're doing software guiding. I believe ZWO have some WiFi devices to interface but I haven't looked into that side of it for some time
I believe the Raspberry pi and similar devices can do the same with attached storage but they are sans monitor.
I used the Bintel calculator as I was purchasing the camera from them, a camera I didn't end up getting due to no stock in Australia and their failure to contact me when it was eventually available, though having provided a firm quote on over $3,000 worth of mono kit with an assurance I'd be contacted the minute they were available (Not a lot of money I guess in the scheme of things but on disability pension it was a huge sum for me).
I ended up buying an used Nikon D810 full frame DSLR extremely cheap instead which I can use for other daily photography too but it's way too heavy for astro stuff in reality
For solar system objects, focal length is king, closely followed by aperture. The camera resolution and matching the scope & camera, while relevant for DSO, isn't an issue for the planets. Many people use ZWO planetary cameras & they now offer a wide choice - but don't shy away from offerings from other manufacturers. Resolution really isn't a big thing either - you want your target to fill as much of the sensor as possible so a small sensor works well. I currently still use a ZWO ASI224MC for planetary. Note that guiding generally isn't used or needed for solar system imaging.
Except for the moon perhaps, forget your shorter focal lengths, they just won't cut it for planetary detail. Generally you will be looking at your longer focal lengths, a camera with a small sensor & usually a barlow (2x to 5x). Imaging at F20 or F30 isn't unusual. EP projection isn't needed, especially if you are use a barlow. At the longer focal lengths you may even be able to forgo a barlow on Jupiter, Saturn & Venus - the other planets are just too small.
I currently use a mini-pc on my mount that I remote into from another device to control everything. But a laptop works just as well, just more cables coming off the mount. SharpCap & FireCapture are popular software for planetary, but you can also just use ASICap which comes as part of the ASI Studio software from ZWO if using their cameras.
For solar system objects, focal length is king, closely followed by aperture. The camera resolution and matching the scope & camera, while relevant for DSO, isn't an issue for the planets. Many people use ZWO planetary cameras & they now offer a wide choice - but don't shy away from offerings from other manufacturers. Resolution really isn't a big thing either - you want your target to fill as much of the sensor as possible so a small sensor works well. I currently still use a ZWO ASI224MC for planetary. Note that guiding generally isn't used or needed for solar system imaging.
Except for the moon perhaps, forget your shorter focal lengths, they just won't cut it for planetary detail. Generally you will be looking at your longer focal lengths, a camera with a small sensor & usually a barlow (2x to 5x). Imaging at F20 or F30 isn't unusual. EP projection isn't needed, especially if you are use a barlow. At the longer focal lengths you may even be able to forgo a barlow on Jupiter, Saturn & Venus - the other planets are just too small.
I currently use a mini-pc on my mount that I remote into from another device to control everything. But a laptop works just as well, just more cables coming off the mount. SharpCap & FireCapture are popular software for planetary, but you can also just use ASICap which comes as part of the ASI Studio software from ZWO if using their cameras.
Hope that helps.
Cheers,
Mark
Thank you so much Mark, for your in-depth reply. I have those apps and have some Lodestar guide cams lying around that can now be used.
I even have an EP Prof, sliding unit with a T thread to a T-mount an SLR.
that we slipped in a 10 or 15mm EP and by moving the outer barrel up and down we could select the mag. as it was a cases of WYSIWYG.
I may be giving you the wrong information but I had previously done a lot of research on the cameras. As mentioned in another topic here there are calculators to help match a camera to a telescope and focal length is a big part of that matching up.
Both scopes have a reasonably long focal length and from memory the cameras with the larger pixel size are better suited to longer focal length telescopes. F ratio (focal length divided by objective size) and primary objective all come into it from memory.
This was some time ago and I don't remember a lot, other than a huge dislike for the company.
Personally I was looking at the ZWO ASI294MM (mono) or MC (colour) for my longer focal length telescopes.
I'll see if I can find one of the calculators in a few minutes.
As for control the cameras are USB so a laptop is probably your best option with the right software, especially if you're doing software guiding. I believe ZWO have some WiFi devices to interface but I haven't looked into that side of it for some time
I believe the Raspberry pi and similar devices can do the same with attached storage but they are sans monitor.
I used the Bintel calculator as I was purchasing the camera from them, a camera I didn't end up getting due to no stock in Australia and their failure to contact me when it was eventually available, though having provided a firm quote on over $3,000 worth of mono kit with an assurance I'd be contacted the minute they were available (Not a lot of money I guess in the scheme of things but on disability pension it was a huge sum for me).
I ended up buying an used Nikon D810 full frame DSLR extremely cheap instead which I can use for other daily photography too but it's way too heavy for astro stuff in reality
It's a rabbit hole that appears to get very deep when you start going into full well capacities, cooling and everything else related.
Good luck!
Leo
Hi Leo,
Thank you you for the very informative reply. It seems you and I may be of the same era - film, SLR cams, manual focused lenses and darkroom.
EP Proj. was the norm using a 10 0r 15mm EP and calc. the distance from its focal planer to the film, to get an EFR and its EFL for an exp. using Ilford Pan F or even un-hypered Tech Pan 2415.
Moving forward, I have sdomne Lodestr guide cams similar to ZWO;'s so I'll try them and do RP Proj. Big leg-up here is being able to in real time, of WYSIWYG.
If you have an old Canon DSLR lying around they can be quite a good cheaper alternative for planetary imaging using Barlow’s or my case quality Televue Powermates.
Here’s a few recent Lunar Vistas using my old Canon 600D , Televue Powermates and 8” Newt.
Captured using BYEOS
Stacked using Autostakkert 3
Final processing using Registax 6
These were imaged last weekend ( I hadn’t done any planetary imaging for 3 years )
Thank you you for the very informative reply. It seems you and I may be of the same era - film, SLR cams, manual focused lenses and darkroom.
Yes, old (even for the time) 35mm and 2 1/4 square (6x6 now I believe (Ensign, I've owned it since I was 12 and still have it over 50 years later)) cameras, manual focus lenses and dark room. I eventually progressed to a Nikon F601 and adapted it to a Tasco 17TR 80mm x 900 refractor and played with eyepiece projection with the standard .98" eyepieces though not what came with the scope, they were rubbish. I had a Tasco remote focuser for the unit but it got expensive as I had no access to a darkroom and had to send my film out for processing only to find several labs auto brightened my images. I eventually became friends with a fellow who owned his own lab, was a professional photographer and often loaned me Nikon lenses if I was going to the motorbike races. In return I built several perspex display cabinets for him.
It was still tricky getting good focus but I documented everything in a little note pad (the old type used with a pencil, lol).
I still have the Tasco but it has a lens cell from a Vixen 80mm refractor, baffles and an adapter which takes my Williams Optics DSG Synta focuser. I can't remember the last time I pulled the little Tasco out and used it though.
Martin what power Televue powermate was used for those images?
They are crisp!
Yes, old (even for the time) 35mm and 2 1/4 square (6x6 now I believe (Ensign, I've owned it since I was 12 and still have it over 50 years later)) cameras, manual focus lenses and dark room. I eventually progressed to a Nikon F601 and adapted it to a Tasco 17TR 80mm x 900 refractor and played with eyepiece projection with the standard .98" eyepieces though not what came with the scope, they were rubbish. I had a Tasco remote focuser for the unit but it got expensive as I had no access to a darkroom and had to send my film out for processing only to find several labs auto brightened my images. I eventually became friends with a fellow who owned his own lab, was a professional photographer and often loaned me Nikon lenses if I was going to the motorbike races. In return I built several perspex display cabinets for him.
It was still tricky getting good focus but I documented everything in a little note pad (the old type used with a pencil, lol).
I still have the Tasco but it has a lens cell from a Vixen 80mm refractor, baffles and an adapter which takes my Williams Optics DSG Synta focuser. I can't remember the last time I pulled the little Tasco out and used it though.
Martin what power Televue powermate was used for those images?
They are crisp!
Leo,
Wide field Moon shot , no Powermate , just T ring and adapter
Remainder of images 2 x Powermate , 2.5x Powermate , 4 x Powermate and 5x Powermate
The Powermate doesn’t make the image crisp, it just gives you adequate focal length and focal ratio to capture detail and resolution
A focal ratio of around f15 to f21 worked best over those nights. The 5 x zoom function on my DSLR also allows close to 1:1 pixel resolution.
The Stacking program and Post processing program makes them crisp. The individual frames on the lunar terrain images were quite blurry, stacking and sharpening 1500 frames ( lucky imaging ) provides the magic with a crisp image.
Cheers
Martin
Remainder of images 2 x Powermate , 2.5x Powermate , 4 x Powermate and 5x Powermate
The Powermate doesn’t make the image crisp, it just gives you adequate focal length and focal ratio to capture detail and resolution
The 5 x zoom function on my DSLR also allows close to 1:1 pixel resolution.
My mention was more curiosity, I believe the Powermate is better performance than the average Barlow or that seems to be my take on the subject.
I'd love to get one one day. The 5 times is so much cheaper than the 4 times but it's probably overkill for what I'd want so I'll wait for an used unit to come up at a price I can afford (one day maybe).
I don't believe I have the zoom function on my Nikon D810 unless you're talking about the live view zoom, in which case it's as useful as skid steer on a school bus?
The Nikon live view is BEYOND pathetic in low light. I'm more prone to running into the house with the CF card, shoving it in my computer, checking focus, running back out, making minor adjustments if required, rinse and repeat.
I've just taken delivery of a 24" (roughly) MSI monitor with HDMI and 12 volt power brick. I can run a mini HDMI cable from my camera to the full sized unit via an adapter I purchased, run it to the 24" thing and view my images straight from the camera without needing mains power. Not so big an issue at home but if I go to somewhere with darker skies (a friends farm), it's easy with 12 volt supply requirements.
I got the monitor new for only $99, couldn't pass it up. I had one I was given that had blown up which I was repairing but I got sick of too many screens laying around in bits and think I threw it out.
My mention was more curiosity, I believe the Powermate is better performance than the average Barlow or that seems to be my take on the subject.
I'd love to get one one day. The 5 times is so much cheaper than the 4 times but it's probably overkill for what I'd want so I'll wait for an used unit to come up at a price I can afford (one day maybe).
I don't believe I have the zoom function on my Nikon D810 unless you're talking about the live view zoom, in which case it's as useful as skid steer on a school bus?
The Nikon live view is BEYOND pathetic in low light. I'm more prone to running into the house with the CF card, shoving it in my computer, checking focus, running back out, making minor adjustments if required, rinse and repeat.
I've just taken delivery of a 24" (roughly) MSI monitor with HDMI and 12 volt power brick. I can run a mini HDMI cable from my camera to the full sized unit via an adapter I purchased, run it to the 24" thing and view my images straight from the camera without needing mains power. Not so big an issue at home but if I go to somewhere with darker skies (a friends farm), it's easy with 12 volt supply requirements.
I got the monitor new for only $99, couldn't pass it up. I had one I was given that had blown up which I was repairing but I got sick of too many screens laying around in bits and think I threw it out.
Powermates are premium optical and worth every cent. Barlow’s are good but Powermates have superior design and optical engineering with 4 elements.
I’ve had mine since 2017
My Canon 600D has an excellent live view when used with BYEOS , if fact I use it to polar align my rigs using Synscan polar alignment routine which is as accurate as Polemaster or NINA.
Gee nice big screen at 24” , I’m using a 15” for capture and 17” for processing
A 24” would be luxury compared to what I use.
The screen is a little larger to carry around at 24 inches but my eyes are near useless staring at anything smaller.
I looked at some of the smaller screens recommended for using with cameras and I just can't make out detail in smaller 8" screens and they were expensive, very expensive. The 24" MSI screen is an IPS display and so clear and crisp. The low voltage source is a bonus running with other equipment using 12 volts. I'll build a case which opens up and holds the screen and keeps it dry too.
