What's a good autoguiding camera?

gregbradley · #1 11-11-2011, 02:07 PM

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 (Mark) · #2 11-11-2011, 02:23 PM

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 · #3 11-11-2011, 02:56 PM

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 (Mark) · #4 11-11-2011, 03:12 PM

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 (Martin) · #5 11-11-2011, 03:36 PM

QHY5 is a good and cheap one.
Very sensitive.

leon · #6 11-11-2011, 05:29 PM

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

Leon

gregbradley · #7 11-11-2011, 05:44 PM

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 (Dan) · #8 11-11-2011, 05:45 PM

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 · #9 11-11-2011, 05:50 PM

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 (Fred) · #10 11-11-2011, 07:03 PM

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 (Dan) · #11 11-11-2011, 07:16 PM

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 · #12 11-11-2011, 07:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by leinad

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

Thanks Leinad. Its a nice little unit. I am finding dark subtracts don't seem to work too well in CCDsoft for some reason. Its the software not the camera as it does weird dark subtracts on my ST402 also.

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

Yes that looks good but not being delivered yet.

Quote:

Originally Posted by 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.

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

Quote:

Originally Posted by 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.

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

Quote:

Originally Posted by 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.

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

Greg.

gregbradley · #13 11-11-2011, 07:36 PM

Atik 16ic is USB 1.1.

I wonder if that means slow downloads for guiding.

Greg.

tlgerdes (Trevor) · #14 11-11-2011, 08:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 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.

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 (Martin) · #15 11-11-2011, 08:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 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.

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

Bassnut (Fred) · #16 11-11-2011, 10:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gregbradley

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

Greg.

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 (Peter) · #17 11-11-2011, 10:17 PM

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 · #18 11-11-2011, 10:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 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?.

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.