Filter wheel advice needed

[EricB (Eric)]

Hi there!

I am considering buying LRBG filters + a filter wheel to complement to my DMK41 and ASI 120MM on a SW 10" truss dobsonian, for planetary imaging.

I have the old dilemma: buy soon and go cheap or save and wait to by quality gear.

Cheaper option: $369
Orion filter wheel set (incl. filters) (http://www.bintel.com.au/Astrophotog...oductview.aspx)

More expensive option:
Set of Astronomik LRBG filters: $339.00
(http://www.bintel.com.au/Astrophotog...oductview.aspx)

Orion Nautilus motorised filter wheel; $479
(http://www.bintel.com.au/Astrophotog...oductview.aspx)

Of course another option would be to buy any of these second-hand or overseas.

An other option again would be to forget the filters and wheel and get a colour camera such as the ASI 120MC for around $300.00 (as I a bit bit concerned a bout the extra 20mm travel required on my standard SW focuser.

I have no experience with imaging filters, but I have been regularly imaging the Moon and Jupiter in mono for about a year.

Any advice and suggestion would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers,

Eric

[Poita (Peter)]

I can lend you a manual orion wheel with astronomics, the nautilus motorised wheel or the colour ASI120 camera.

I actually prefer a filter drawer to any of the wheel options, I like to manually refocus anyway.

Let me know which you want to try and I'll send it off.

Don't bother with the orion wheel and filters though, I can vouch for it not being worth the small $$ saving.

[Merlin66 (Ken)]

Consider an ATiK EFW and Baader LRGB filters....
I use both and also the Gerd Neumann filter drawers.
http://www.gerdneumann.net/english/f...en-system.html
http://www.atik-cameras.com/products/info/atik-efw2

The ATiK works well with AstroArt...

[EricB (Eric)]

Thanks Peter and Merlin (Peter PM sent)

Since writing my first post I have just worked out that I don't have the required minimum 20mm focus travel on my SW focuser once my imaging rig is in focus (camera + powermate). I have about 15 mm travel left . So it looks like I won't be able to use a filter wheel after all.

I suppose I would have the same problem with a drawer system, wouldn't I?

Cheers,

Eric

[Merlin66 (Ken)]

Eric,
Yes, the Neumann drawer body is 20mm.....

[EricB (Eric)]

Thanks for the info Ken.

Given the short F ratio of my scope, it would be pointless to image Jupiter and Saturn without a Powermate on (I would have the travel to allow a filter wheel without it on).

Would it then be too much of a hassle not to use a wheel or drawer and fit the filters one by one directly onto the camera and take RGB AVIs this way? I suppose no matter how quick I am in changing the filters, the planets' rotation will affect the capture.

Cheers

Eric

[Poita (Peter)]

The filter drawer I use is considerbaly narrower than 20mm, I'll measure it tonight

[Merlin66 (Ken)]

Peter,
Your filter drawers must be different to the Gerd Neumann ones....
http://www.gerdneumann.net/english/f...en-system.html

[Poita (Peter)]

Yes it is, but it looks a lot like this one.
http://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/...urzbauend.html

[EricB (Eric)]

Thank. That one need 15 mm focus travel. That could work with my set up. A there any drawer system available in Australia?

Eric