My "new" widefield camera

[sheeny]

Here's today's rainy day project... I've assembled my SBIG widefield camera. It's an SBIG ST-8i camera, with an SBIG CFW8A colour filter wheel, Custom Scientific CRGB filters, Brady Johnson widefield adapter plate and various of my collection of OM lenses (50mm fitted in photo).

Now if the rain would stop, I'll take it out to the obs and power it up for the first time... and if it it'll clear up I'll give it first light:).

I was a little disappointed to find that the filters don't block IR, so I have to source an IR blocking filter to use in series. I have a 49 to 48mm step down ring on the way and I'll get a 2" IR blocking filter for the purpose;).

Al.

[lacad01]

Nice work, will be good to see the results once some fair weather comes around :)

[sheeny]

I've powered it up and all works fine.:) Just waiting on the weather now...

Al.

[Bassnut]

Are you sure they dont block IR?. http://www.customscientific.com/astronomy.html

[mithrandir]

Might have quite a wait then Al.

[sheeny]

No. I'm not now!:)

Interesting, from what I read in the SBIG manual they don't block IR enough, but They don't specifically say the CS filters, they just refer to the CS filters as one brand supplied by SBIG.:shrug:

I think I'll do some testing before I spend more on an IR filter that maybe I don't need.

Al.

[dugnsuz]

Hope it all works out for you Al.
That's my kind of dream setup - decent lenses with a SBIG CCD sitting at the back of them!
Viva la widefield!!
Doug

[sheeny]

Thanks Doug. A whole new learning curve...:lol:

Al.

[gbeal]

Nice work Al. I went a slightly different route, using Pentax 6x7 lenses.
Two reasons for this. The lenses are made for a larger sized receptor (6x7cm film) and so with my piddly 15x15mm CCD chip I figure I am using the sweet spot of the lens. Plus the CCD plus CFW soaks up a lot of back-focus, and some 35mm format lenses struggle to be adapted. Not the medium format ones though, piece of cake.
Love this wide-field stuff, great fun.
Gary

[sheeny]

Now that's a filter wheel, Gary!:)

I've mainly gone with the OM lenses since I have a few of them from my old OM-1. I don't think focus will be a problem at infinity... during my first play in the obs the other day I had to add a +2 diopter close up lens to achieve focus at about 1.5m with the 50mm lens on close focus setting of about .45m... so stars should come to focus somewhere short of infinity on the lens.:)

Al.

[Wavytone]

Hope you're right about the OM-1 lenses.

The night sky shots from my Panasonic LX3 at f/2 are far superior to what my old Pentax M series lenses ever achieved, and in 1 minute.

[AlexN]

That will make for some awesome photos mate.. The sensitivity of the ST8 with a super wide lens will be crazy! I look forward to results! :)