SBIG announce new camera (STX)

[jase]

The Advanced Imaging Conference (AIC 2007) was held last weekend (27th-28th October in San Jose). At the conference, SBIG made some new announcements - in particular a STX series (which is expected to be available 2nd quarter 2008).

It would appear SBIG have also made the jump to accommodate the KAI-16803 chip (16 megapixel) in their new line of cameras... This comes as a surprise considering such a large format chip makes it difficult to place a dedicated/separate guide chip in the same optical path. They achieve this with what looks like some new guiding methods. Rather cool. The KAF-8300 with its 5.4u pixel size makes a nice wide field chips (small pixels, better resolution at shorter focal lengths).

Anyway, you can check out all the info here - http://www.sbig.com/aic2007/

Enjoy!

[jase]

Hmmm... No integrated filter wheel like on the STL series. Bummer. I guess it would be too complicated considering the varying chip sizes. The KAI-16803 and KAI-9000 can't use the 50mm circular filters, they need to be square to avoid vignetting and are considerably more expensive. Still an interesting camera will plenty of potential.

[jase]

Want to see a mount that makes the Meade MAXMount look like a joke?

At AIC2007, Astro-physics also announced a new GEM that is going to hit the production line shortly. The Astro-physics 3600 GTO. It is a monster capable of carrying a 113kg instrument payload. Look at it dwarf the huge 1200GTO. This is one very capable mount.

http://www.astro-physics.com/products/mounts/3600gto/3600gto.htm

[Dennis]

Thanks Jase - it's always interesting and exciting to see what's coming over the horizon.

Cheers

Dennis

[[1ponders]]

I wonder how good I have to be next year for Santa to be extra special to me. :D

Thanks Jase, just what I need.....a third mortgage. :rolleyes:

[Bassnut]

That differential dual guiding sounds awesome, finally external guide without differential flexure effects. And a synthetic guide star!!, and back illuminated models. Altogether an amazing array of new features.

And that mount, huge. But look at this
http://www.optcorp.com/product.aspx?pid=439-278-10305&tb=3

Harmonic drives, no counterweights, wierd.

and this http://www.astelco.com/products/ntm/ntm.htm direct drive, no gears, increadibly low PEC (no guiding needed?).

Theres some hot new gear out lately, we live in interesting times ;-).

[h0ughy]

man are those some toys!!

[[1ponders]]

Stop it. :sad: Please:sad::sad::sad:

That Chronos is a beautiful thing :sad:

[rogerg]

Nice gear, especially the cameras.

But it's all so far out of my league that I really find it kind of boring to look at ... so, enjoy your drooling.. :)

Roger.

[citivolus]

You really have to wonder what is in there to perform like that.

[[1ponders]]

:lol: I just showed my wife the Chronos and told her I was in love. She looked at me with a worried frown and asked me if I had bought it :lol: She was a bit panicy :P

[Ric]

Wow, lovely machinery.

I better make sure I buy a Tattslotto ticket.

Cheers

[h0ughy]

LOl I cant understand why that would be Paul???:whistle:

gee there is a lot of nice gear - only the lottery will help me get there:sadeyes:

Its all Jase's fault:lol:

[Bassnut]

The more I look at that Chronos mount, the more I dought. Youd think flexure under load would be horendous depending where you are pointing. It would be very handy swapping from visual to imaging without counteweight tuning, (and no worry about meridian flip) but thats not much hassle really (well, flip is I guess)?. OK the total carry weight is higher without them, but I would imagine a new PEC would need to be run on a weight change anyway (not sure what to make of the 33arc/sec error "over the whole sky" statement, Surley PEC would still be necessary, mind if its smooth, guiding would reduce the necessity). The harmonic gear train means many more teeth are in contact at any time, so this increases load capacity, so yes, a smoother PE, but it doesnt solve flexure. Ive seen many industrial robotic arms, they look like this, but the load at the end is not generally of this size. This mount is at a competative price to the ME, given it seems to come with everything. It would be very interesting to see real world feedback with it. The Alesco mount on the other hand is direct motor drive, no gears, this is engineering nirvana, essentially no PE (in the traditional sence, due to no gears) and apparently output encoders, which is very smick. Imagine, no guide imaging. No price tho,I bet its crippling.