Quote:
Originally Posted by Crater101
Both Steve and Ian make good points.
As someone who has been primarily a visual observer for many years, my advice would be to start out simple, and improve your gear as your knowledge improves. We've all been beginners at some stage, and I certainly don't consider myself a guru.
I have a Skywatcher refractor with a 600mm focal length, and it tends to be a bit of "go to" as it's simple to set up and doesn't need collimation. With an adapter, it could certainly take a camera, but I've never used it in that manner. My other 'scope is a Skywatcher Mak-Cas with an 1800mm focal length, which is great for the planets, but it takes a bit more time to set up, and needs a bit of cool down time before use.
It's very tempting (and I've been there) to see some of the fantastic equipment that others have, and what's available to purchase. No manufacturer is going to advertise any product as second best, but make sure you get what's right for you, and what you want to use the gear for. If you start out with something that's too hard to use, or takes too long to set up, it's going to end up sitting on a shelf more than it gets used.
|
Sound advice, thank you Warren! I am a visual guy as well and have actually considered 120mm APM Binoculars, but i'm afraid to invest in those in case I want to take a picture or two. Ill be heading out to a star party soon to actually look through some different setups. Cheers, Phil