codemonkey
24-04-2014, 06:22 PM
Forgive me, but I need to rant.
It seems every time I try to get more gear for astrophotography something goes wrong.
Originally I bought a Celestron CG5 GT + Skywatched BD ED80. When it arrived, I realised I needed a power source. I had assumed it would come with a mains connection which I could just use with a long extension lead. My bad I guess, didn't do enough research.
So I get my power supply, and then try to use it for the first time; hand set doesn't work. Ok, so I'll send it back to the retailer. Finally get the hand set back from the retailer, still doesn't work; looks like wrong firmware was put on the handset. Now I need to send back the mount and the hand set to ensure whatever the problem is is fixed.
Finally get the mount/handset back and am prepared to take some photos. Nope, not this time. Need to drift align and for that I need an illuminated reticule. Ok, I'll buy that.
Illuminated reticule arrives and I can finally, months later, take some photos. Only problem is, I'm limited to 30 second exposures and software can't extend that. Ok, I'll buy one of these intervalometers from eBay.
While I'm waiting for the intervalometer to arrive (more details below), I think about getting a modded dSLR for increased sensitivity. In the end I find out I can get an Atik 314E mono for about the same price as a modded Nikon D5100 (don't hate me, but I didn't want to go down the Canon path). Atik camera finally arrives.... and guess what? Yep, doesn't seem to work. Contact Atik, they ask for some more details, I respond ASAP and then easter comes along... I guess they're on holidays now because a week later I've heard nothing back. If I could get their confirmation is not user error I could send it back to the retailer for a replacement, but I guess I'll have to wait until next Monday for a response.
And then finally after over four weeks of waiting for my intervalometer to arrive, it did, today. I'm stoked. Ok, my CCD may not work but at least this long weekend I can take some longer exposures with my dSLR and maybe capture a galaxy other than M83. So I travel home (1h 45m journey), excited to get out as soon as I get home and get this party started, but, you guessed it, something went wrong. The unit is not compatible with my camera as advertised by the seller.
Good thing I'm a stubborn *******, I suppose, otherwise I might have given up by now.
[/rant]
It seems every time I try to get more gear for astrophotography something goes wrong.
Originally I bought a Celestron CG5 GT + Skywatched BD ED80. When it arrived, I realised I needed a power source. I had assumed it would come with a mains connection which I could just use with a long extension lead. My bad I guess, didn't do enough research.
So I get my power supply, and then try to use it for the first time; hand set doesn't work. Ok, so I'll send it back to the retailer. Finally get the hand set back from the retailer, still doesn't work; looks like wrong firmware was put on the handset. Now I need to send back the mount and the hand set to ensure whatever the problem is is fixed.
Finally get the mount/handset back and am prepared to take some photos. Nope, not this time. Need to drift align and for that I need an illuminated reticule. Ok, I'll buy that.
Illuminated reticule arrives and I can finally, months later, take some photos. Only problem is, I'm limited to 30 second exposures and software can't extend that. Ok, I'll buy one of these intervalometers from eBay.
While I'm waiting for the intervalometer to arrive (more details below), I think about getting a modded dSLR for increased sensitivity. In the end I find out I can get an Atik 314E mono for about the same price as a modded Nikon D5100 (don't hate me, but I didn't want to go down the Canon path). Atik camera finally arrives.... and guess what? Yep, doesn't seem to work. Contact Atik, they ask for some more details, I respond ASAP and then easter comes along... I guess they're on holidays now because a week later I've heard nothing back. If I could get their confirmation is not user error I could send it back to the retailer for a replacement, but I guess I'll have to wait until next Monday for a response.
And then finally after over four weeks of waiting for my intervalometer to arrive, it did, today. I'm stoked. Ok, my CCD may not work but at least this long weekend I can take some longer exposures with my dSLR and maybe capture a galaxy other than M83. So I travel home (1h 45m journey), excited to get out as soon as I get home and get this party started, but, you guessed it, something went wrong. The unit is not compatible with my camera as advertised by the seller.
Good thing I'm a stubborn *******, I suppose, otherwise I might have given up by now.
[/rant]