ICEINSPACE
Moon Phase
CURRENT MOON
Waning Gibbous 73.2%
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24-06-2021, 11:06 AM
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Novichok test rabbit
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Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Somewhere in the cosmos...
Posts: 10,388
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ASI533 opinion
Like to hear from owners of the ASI533MC. Seems to be a good match to my Tak FSQ-85 under most conditions.
Not looking for massive images, hence why this one seems to suit, and no amp glow. And yes, staying OSC also suits me perfectly.
Thanks.
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24-06-2021, 04:25 PM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Canberra
Posts: 1,640
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Did you sell the BabyQ in the end?
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24-06-2021, 07:48 PM
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Novichok test rabbit
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Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Somewhere in the cosmos...
Posts: 10,388
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Guess I'll make my own findings and decisions - bought it today from Testar. Plenty in stock (Bintel and Sidereal all out of stock)
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24-06-2021, 10:34 PM
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Drifting from the pole
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Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Brisbane
Posts: 5,458
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Lewis, I do a lot of window shopping for that sort of thing
It’s pretty competent on paper. The no amp glow thing is probably the most useful property, but the low thermal noise and high QE are probably pretty useful too
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25-06-2021, 07:49 AM
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Novichok test rabbit
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Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Somewhere in the cosmos...
Posts: 10,388
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Dunk - it had been a long window shop. Was going to order from ZWO direct, but Testar had plenty of stock (whereas no one else does) and their price was right. I was tossing up between this and the 294, but the rear illuminated chip sold me.
Be interesting if these still come with the free ZWO dual band filter. Bet they don't. Guess I'll get the l-extreme.
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25-06-2021, 09:26 AM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Nov 2019
Location: Canberra, ACT
Posts: 25
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Hi lewis,
I purchased a ASI533 late last year and enjoy using it.
I can't give any other camera comparison comments as this is my first dedicated astro camera after using a dslr.
Still coming to grips with operating everything - I'm a slow learner
I did consider a mono camera but was concerned about using filters plus the additional cost.
It didn't come with dual band filters and like you I am considering purchasing a L-extreme.
I attach it to a SW Esprit 80mm on a HEQ5 mount.
cheers
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25-06-2021, 09:46 AM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Sydney and South Coast NSW
Posts: 6,289
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LewisM
Dunk - it had been a long window shop. Was going to order from ZWO direct, but Testar had plenty of stock (whereas no one else does) and their price was right. I was tossing up between this and the 294, but the rear illuminated chip sold me.
Be interesting if these still come with the free ZWO dual band filter. Bet they don't. Guess I'll get the l-extreme.
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Lewis,
I used the ZWO Duoband with my 2600MC under Bortle 8 Sydney skies with and without the moon for 6 months and was astounded at the detail you can pick up in your images ( trying to pick up the colour spectrum is the only difficult task with OSC MB Imaging ). But it wasn't until I purchased the L Extreme and used it for a while and compared images using the ZWO Duoband that the level of detail was another level up especially under near full moon conditions
I have not seen any negative comments from folk using the L Extreme
By the way I Image at 1000mm focal length with newts
In regard to the 533MC , a great camera , low noise , zero amp glow , low dark current, high QE and nothing but positive comments on CN and numerous You tube clips
These new generation ZWO OSC cooled CMOS cameras with the new Sony backlit sensor are true high performance Astro cameras and the mono versions are obviously even better ,the way of the future.
Martin
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25-06-2021, 12:48 PM
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Novichok test rabbit
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Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Somewhere in the cosmos...
Posts: 10,388
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Thanks Martin and Rob. It's a good choice IMHO for my VERY casual imaging. Been 2 years since I last imaged (not counting reprocesses when nothing else to do)
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26-06-2021, 10:20 AM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Sydney
Posts: 17,997
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Sounds like a good choice Lewis. High QE, NO AMP GLOW which is a biggie.
Amp glow means you have to use darks.
With this setup you probably won't need flats and darks so it'll speed things up for you.
Greg.
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26-06-2021, 12:34 PM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: sydney
Posts: 1,834
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gregbradley
Sounds like a good choice Lewis. High QE, NO AMP GLOW which is a biggie.
Amp glow means you have to use darks.
With this setup you probably won't need flats and darks so it'll speed things up for you.
Greg.
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Why, no potential requirement for flats? Depending on the scope there is usually some light drop-off across the field, and there are always the dreaded dust bunnies?
I have a ASI 2600 mc paired with an Esprit 120, I always take darks though I guess this may be only because it's a habit, but definitely need flats.
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26-06-2021, 12:58 PM
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Novichok test rabbit
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Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Somewhere in the cosmos...
Posts: 10,388
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Anyone know of a native driver for MaxIM? Or only through ASCOM?
I’ll try NINA anyway but got so used to MaxIM
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26-06-2021, 02:22 PM
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Registered User
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Join Date: May 2020
Location: Sydney
Posts: 315
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It's a fantastic camera. I've been using it for about a year.
Darks not needed if you dither, files are very very clean, no amp glow. I often don't bother with flats either (moreso out of forgetfulness or laziness) and it's never been an issue. My flats almost never seem to pick up any dust bunnies and when they do I must admit I've not been able to see any issue on uncorrected lights stacks. But YMMV there of course, shooting flats is good practice but for me I often don't even calibrate the lights with them even if I shot them, but I suppose I at least have them if needed.
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26-06-2021, 02:31 PM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Jul 2019
Location: South Hobart
Posts: 7
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I've been using it together with SW ED80 and L-Enhance filter, awesome no amp glow camera if you're happy with the small sensor size
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26-06-2021, 03:59 PM
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Novichok test rabbit
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Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Somewhere in the cosmos...
Posts: 10,388
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Small sensor no issue for the FSQ85 especially with the reducer - most objects I image will fit. Best thing for me is it is in the green band for me pixel size/resolution/sampling under all configurations and most seeing conditions
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26-06-2021, 05:08 PM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Sydney
Posts: 17,997
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Zuts
Why, no potential requirement for flats? Depending on the scope there is usually some light drop-off across the field, and there are always the dreaded dust bunnies?
I have a ASI 2600 mc paired with an Esprit 120, I always take darks though I guess this may be only because it's a habit, but definitely need flats.
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Not saying you can't do flats just that its likely with the small chip you won't need to.
Dust bunnies are best handled by keeping the sensor window clean. Otherwise yes dust bunnies would need flats.
Greg.
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28-06-2021, 10:49 AM
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Novichok test rabbit
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Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Somewhere in the cosmos...
Posts: 10,388
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Well, it arrived this morning - can't praise Testar enough - they sure leave their competition in the dust.
Initial impressions - fantastic. Certainly a step up from the early ZWO's I saw (but never used). QC seems to have skyrocketed.
No dual band filter, but I have ordered an l-extreme. I plugged it all in, fired up MaxIM DL6, selected ASCOM. Did the ASCOM required setup, and it instantly chose ASI533. That instantly liaisedwith MaxIM, and all connected. Not a single issue. Set cooling to -15°, and it over-shot to -16° very fast then settled at -14.8°. Auto dark subtraction in MaxIM for a simple 60 second exposure showed actually pretty clean for such a short sub. Doing a 600 sec revealed an almost 100% black image (with a manual histogram stretch in the bell curve), with ZERO amp glow whatsoever.
Impressed. Might get a chance to do some lucky imaging tonight, unless it goes sub-zero again when my middle aged bones may just say Yeah Nah, later
__________________
Last edited by LewisM; 28-06-2021 at 11:09 AM.
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29-06-2021, 08:29 AM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Nov 2019
Location: Canberra, ACT
Posts: 25
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06-07-2021, 06:59 PM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Aug 2020
Location: Glen Waverley
Posts: 5
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I also recently got this camera (my first cooled colour camera), and I find it produces great results, though of course I am only quite a beginner
https://nova.astrometry.net/image/11169472
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