With a nice scope like you have, I'm looking forward to seeing images of mag 16+ galaxies. In my setup they come out reasonably bright but not so detailed - I'd like to see what you manage. Exposure times for me are 600 - 2400 seconds, so yes you'd have to increase the exposure time I expect...
Great image Gama, that galaxy has come out very nice indeed.
Galaxies are definitely a great challenge as you say, but that what makes it all the more enjoyable.
The QHY8 camera looks interesting. Not bad resolution and pixel size, certainly good for the money. It'd be nice to be able to use it at 2x2 and still have good resolution. It's just a shame about the 60% QE (which is standard for these colour cameras, I know...)
Thanks Mike, I love trying to get these really faint beauties, but recently i only have had limited times, with work taking a large chunk of time including many nights. But slowly im getting more time available to start doing some really deep imaging. But i would use SXV-H9 for that for obvious reasons.
The 14" RCX400 is a nice piece of equipment. If anything, the forks need to be more solid to remove vibrations. Luckly i have a 4.5 meter dome its in, so no air movements to woble it. But Optics are really magic. I really cant fault them. Even with the large APS CCD its star dots to the edge, no distortions. Then theres visual, pinpoints, no blobs or streaks. Like a high quality refractor. Plus the many ports and functions, im trying to get the cuppuccino option fitted !.
If i was to get another scope, it would be a fast CDK (Corrected Dall Kirkam) as this is the ultimate telescope PERIOD !, but for the money, i would get another RCX without a second thought. Its just that good, when they are working !.
Roger, the QE is extremely good, and in fact very high. The Kodak KAI-11000M
has a QE of 50% and thats a mono chip.
You will not find many CCD sensors with such large QE's unless you start forking out big bucks, and most likely mono to boot. Even the SXV-H9 has 65% QE. Sony are well known for producing low noise sensors. I have yet to do any dark frames on ANY of my images for both the SXV or the QHY8, thats how low they are.
Lastly i dont use any guider, just short 1 minute or less subs then stack them. Yet i have a guide scope im not using. Lazy eh!
I agree the QE is good for single shot colour chips, and is good for the money, but compared to the ST7 it's not good, hence my comment - I realise "I can't have my cake and eat it", but wouldn't it be nice if a cost effective camera like this one had the 80% - 90% QE of the ST cameras?
I suppose the downside is noise. As you say, the noise is very good in those sony chips, as compared to the ST cameras where dark frames are a requirement.
Going from 85% down to 60% I'd have to increase my exposure times by 1.4x ? ... so 20mins would become 30mins, 40 become 56 ... hmm.. I suppose once it's guiding it's guiding, but it does mean less frames in the same time...
You do put it in perspective. There are many chips lower than 60%.
One thing that must be looked at, the QE for the Sbigs are quoted for NABG, this alone is worth 20% in QE. Do you know the correct QE for the ABG version ?.
The other thing is the debayer filters also reduces the QE by around 20%, so its really comparing chickens with ducks.
But if sensitivity is needed, then you could just use the 4x4 bin mode, and it will image in the same time as the Sbig, plus have a larger field to boot.
Remember you need to image up to 4 times as much anyway for LRGB. So you spend more time capturing images. But i know the quality of LRGB is the better of the 2 methods hands down.
But again we are talking about 2 different cameras. The color has its spot as does the Mono.
As for the camera, i am the importer and seller for the QHY series cameras in Australia, so they come straight from China to here.
You cant beat a complete 6 Mpixel cooled Color APS CCD sensor under $2,500 ANYWHERE. Closest is the SXV-M25 at $8,000.
My ST7 is NABG - and I realise that accounts for a lot.
You're right, I'm comparing chickens and ducks. I'm not saying the QHY is bad in any way - I'm just saying wouldn't it be nice to be able to combine chickens and ducks and end up with a chickduck A high QE colour ABG camera
My ST7 is NABG - and I realise that accounts for a lot.
You're right, I'm comparing chickens and ducks. I'm not saying the QHY is bad in any way - I'm just saying wouldn't it be nice to be able to combine chickens and ducks and end up with a chickduck A high QE colour ABG camera
So the QHY is AU$2500 ? Wow, nice.
Doesnt matter what brand of the camera, they all follow the same physics. This is just a general knowledge answer with all cameras. But if you are after sensitivity then you should be looking at the back illuminated sensors. Their QE's will knock your socks off.
A high QE colour ABG camera 
