What's a good autoguiding camera?

[gregbradley]

I have used SBIG ST402ME, which is a very good unit. Perhaps a bit heavy and the power and connectors are a bit cheap and likely to be troublesome but cooled and sensitive and almost always gets a guide star.

Lodestar - has been a bit problematic but is promising once sorting out the darks for it. I don't think its that compatible with CCDsoft.

Fishcamp engineering - quite good, fast, reasonably sensitive, slightly heavy but lighter than ST402. Version I had would freeze but a firmware update is supposed to have fixed that.

What are others using good or bad?

I am also wondering if these new USB 2.0 DBK 618 colour cameras make good autoguiders as well?

They could do double duty -planetary or autoguiding.

Greg.

[Marke]

Greg I have used the Loadstar for a year now and have never done darks for it - I just plug it in and start using it . I am using Phd with it tho.
Use it at prime focus with OAG on C9.25 , RC10 and Orion 102CF and never
lost for a guide star and I just use the single usb output.
Just my 2c worth.
Mark

[leon]

I reckon you cant go past the Orion Star Shoot Autoguider, I used one for quite a while and it proved very reliable, and reasonably priced as well.

Leon

[Marke]

The Starshoot is good Leon , I had one before but the Loadstar is just way
more sensitive I can point it anywhere and get a good guide star it just
made life so much easier .

[mill]

QHY5 is a good and cheap one.
Very sensitive.

[leon]

There you go Greg, now you have three to confuse you even more. LOL.

Leon

[gregbradley]

Thanks for those replies. Anyone using a DMK or similar?

The Lodestar is sensitive but not as sensitive as the ST402 which is also cooled and I get -15C. But its 1 power and 1 USB plus its a bit heavy but not too bad.

Greg.

[leinad]

I've used the DMK21, DSI Pro then QHY5, now Lodestar.
Lodestar is far more sensitive than the others I've tried IMO.


SBIG also have the new Kodak KAI-34 SBIG ST-i which is meant to be pretty good too.

[cventer]

Greg,

Craig Stark in his autoguider review rates Loadstar as no 1. next in line but not far behind is the Atik 16ic, which is a cooled CCD.

I use Orion Starshoot and love it but am looking for somthing with a little less noise and better SNR.

My 2 choices right now are Loadstar or Atik 16ic.

[Bassnut]

Seems to me, that if you really want to get fussy, like when yr stuck with a dim guide star due to OAGing or/and NF and long guide expoures, anything cooled is the go so you can use a full stacked dark library with DL.

[leinad]

I still use a dark library with the Lodestar. Even have to use a bad pixel map so the AO doesnt select a hot pixel by mistake in MaxDL.

Horses for courses.

[gregbradley]

Yes that looks good but not being delivered yet.



I'll check out the Atik 16ic. Thanks.



Cooling is definitely an advantage. I see the hot pixels go and everything cleans up in the ST402 at -15C.



I'd like to use Maxim but its not compatible with the PMX.PHD may be the go.

Greg.

[gregbradley]

Atik 16ic is USB 1.1.

I wonder if that means slow downloads for guiding.

Greg.

[tlgerdes]

Marc Aragnou made a minor mod to his QHY5, he slid a piece of aluminium between the CCD and the case (ie creating a heatsink) and has early indications of about a 25% sensitivity gain with a lower noise due to better heat disipation.

[mill]

I did that plus a small fan.
It helps a lot.

[Bassnut]

hang on,that's not right.the sky controls the mount and DL the cam. I've allways used the PME and DL. Is the PMX different?.

[Poita]

I added cooling to my qhy5 and it did improve, it is more sensitive than the DMK21 I have. You are welcome to borrow my dmk to try it out.

BTW, has anyone ever cooled the DMK cameras?

[gregbradley]

Yes of course. Not sure what I was thinking of. The only minor thing is CCDsoft does integrate with the Sky somewhat. It was handy in T-point models getting the first plate solve and it automatically puts in coords n CCDsoft for autoguiding to adjust the callibration.

I'll have to start using Maxim. CCDsoft is way overdue for a major overhaul.

Greg.