Guide camera

[Shaun]

Hi All,

If i wanted to use a webcam for a guide camera does it have to be a ccd or could i use a cmos cam and can this be attached to my finder scope or do i need a dedicated guide scope

[iceman]

Hi Shaun

It can be CCD or CMOS. You can use webcams like the ToUcam (usually modded for long exposures) or the LPI. I plan on using my DMK.

You will need a proper guide scope most likely, though Anthony Wesley does guide through his finderscope while imaging Jupiter.

[[1ponders]]

Either/Or Shawn, the chip type doesn't matter. I use at various times a ToUcam 840 or 900, a SAC 4.2, a DSI original colour (which works great with K3CCDTools BTW), a DMK and once my ATiK. I didn't like the LPI cos I could only get it to work with the Meade software which I found to be a pita.

Through my ED80 with the Canon 300D attached I have guided through a Stellarvue finderscope with np at all. It would most likely be too short for an SCT unless the SCT was using a 3.3 Focal Reducer, but I have heard of someone guiding an 8" SCT using a 200mm camera lense attached to their guidecamera.

Save yourself some heartache though and get a decent refractor that can double up as a widefield imaging unit.

What are you trying to image through? You might want to think about an Off Axis Guider ( I wouldn't, but some swear by them. I just swear at them :P )

[Geoff45]

I agree. Don't fall into the "It's only a guidescope so I don't have to waste money" trap as I did.
Geoff

[[1ponders]]

I know I can't help myself, but with the Aus $ so good against the Yen I had to have a look here and see what was available. The FS-60C could be a great little unit. Wonder how much to import direct from Japan ;)

[Shaun]

I like the Stellarvue finderscope wish i had looked at them when i got my right angle finder to replace the original one.

[DeanoNZL]

Paul, do you have a secret money vault stashed somewhere?:D
Good on ya though, you can't take it with you.
Regards

[ballaratdragons]

Where? :shrug:

No link.

[[1ponders]]

Sorry Ken I didn't post a link, I was just making comment. Try here...http://www.astronomy-electronics-centre.com.au/ . Have a good look around ;)

[ballaratdragons]

Thanks Paul :thumbsup:

[pvelez]

So now I'm interested....

I bought an ED80 to use as a guidescope with my LXD75 but found its too heavy for the mount. (Should have been obvious really as the OTA is an 8 inch SN). But the ED 80 is a nice little unit (thanks Leon!) so I'm interested in using it for photography. So the Stellarvue will work with the ED80 - will it be too short for the LXD75?

Pete

[[1ponders]]

It shouldn't be. What you may find you will need to do though it to add the lens of a 2x barlow to it to bring it to focus. This was using a ToUcam. I'll go and have a play and get back with the correct configuration.

[ballaratdragons]

I use an unmodified Standard 840k Toucam as a guide camera with Guidedog. Works OK for me. :thumbsup:
And a 100mm x 350mm (f3.5) Achromat as guide camera.

[montewilson]

I have an FS-60c and although I thought it was a bit expensive at the time I am really glad I've got it now. I use it with an STV and it gives great stars for guiding.

There is an apparently competent distributor of Takahashi products in Australia although I won't buy from them. The owner was very rude to me for no reason about 12 years ago and he wont be getting one cent of my Takahashi dollars and as you can see I have quite a collection of the stuff.

I was at the South Pacific Star Party and I saw a 5" Tak on an EM-200 mount (I think that's what it was) I went over to have a look. I was already a big fan of their scopes and was ready to buy something just like the set-up there. I have been going to star parties since their start in Australia and I know very well you just don't touch any equipment that you don't have permission to. So I stayed about 2 metres from it admiring it when some guy came running over and demanded to know what I was doing and who I was and to stay right away from the scope.

All the people in the roast dinner queue saw this guy shouting at me and I left feeling very embarassed and humiliated. I asked in the queue who that guy was and found out he is the Australian distributor for Takahashi. He might have thought I was just a pennyless rubber neck wanting to fiddle with his stuff but in sales you never know who you are dealing with.

Anyway that immediately converted me to other brands of scopes and mounts until someone who is a bit more trusting let me borrow an FSQ-106 for a year and well the rest is history. I then got my own FSQ, the mount and FS-60c too.
When I can afford it I will be moving up to an EM-400 and a TOA-150 and it wont be locally sourced.

OK it's true I don't have local back-up service but this stuff doesn't give problems and in the worst case scenario I send it back to the US where I do all my Tak shopping.

There is a small saving but that's not why I do it. I do it because I believe that rude people shouldn't be in sales and politeness should be rewarded.

Having got that off my chest I think I should be more forgiving. If the gentleman in question would like to apologise on IIS, I will consider getting some of my Tak requirements through his firm. If not forget it.

[pvelez]

Thanks Paul

I have a DSI to use as a guidecam which I hope will do the job.

Can you use a Barlow in the Stellarvue? I saw a review sayuing it was dicey?

Pete

[[1ponders]]

Don't say talk like that about the 60 Monte, I've just about talked myself out of it :lol:

[[1ponders]]

Pete you can't use the barlow as is, but if you remove the lens elements and screw it directly to the ToUcam 1.25" adapter it will work fine.

These two images are of a tree about 1/3 - 1/2 km away from my veranda. The first was taken with the ToUcam 900 and the second with the 840. The 900 has a longer modified adapter which is why it looks slightly greater magnification. I could easily focus on some clouds on the horizon so it will reach infinity in this format. The focus on the trees is not good on these shots as it is blowing a .....proverbial atm, with stars though I have been able to get it nice and sharp.

The DSI should be np at all.

Having said all that....do yourself a favour and get the Tak 60 and required accessories before I do :prey:

[pvelez]

I wish...but my issue is that the mount can't take anything with any serious weight - thats why the Stellarvue sounds like a cheap and effective solution. I can use it for either the LXD75 or the ED80 as a guidescope

Isn't there some rule of thumb about the f/- of a guidescope?

Pete

[[1ponders]]

There is, but you can get away with much less focal length when you are autoguiding. If you are imaging through an ED80 then the Stellarvue would be long enough. What do you have mounted on the LX? An 8 or 10" SN?

[pvelez]

8" SN.

Its a nice scope. I've fought many a time to get it aligned but that seems to be under some sort of control. I was tempted to give autoguiding a go (just for the pain and suffering really) hence my rash purchase of the ED80.

Pete

[JohnG]

I use a WO 66SD as my guidescope with the ED80 as the imaging instrument on my field setup, no problems whatsoever. Mounted on a GM-8

Cheers

[[1ponders]]

I use a similar setup except it is a Meade 8" SCT and ED80 on a G8 in a side by side setup. It is supposed to be too much but I've not had any problems with it.

[mch62]

Andrews has a W.O. ZenithStar 66 f/6.1 Petzval
ED Semi-APO OTA for $399 which would make a nice imager and or guide scope ?