Another which one question

zumka (Daniel) · #1 05-12-2008, 12:02 PM

Hi guys please excuse me if I'm asking question that was asked many times.

I have a budget of $800.

I would like to get in to Astrophotography. I already have Nikon D50 DSLR just was wondering if it can be attached.

My main question: Please recommend what to get. Portability is important.

I looked at the different options Skywatcher SW-600from Andrews looks interesting. Not sure if it's good for Astrophotography and not sure if reflector is a good choose.

Your help would be greatly appreciated.

rmcpb (Rob) · #2 05-12-2008, 01:46 PM

You are not going to like this but with that budget you will not get into astrophotography.

Now the bad news is over there is no reaso why you can't get into afocal (through the eyepiece) or piggyback (mount your camera on the back of the scope for wide angle images) on a relatively modest mount/telescope.

I will leave the rest to the gurus on the site for the actual details.

Good to have you on board

zumka (Daniel) · #3 05-12-2008, 03:43 PM

what is the minimu budget to get in to astrophotography

robgreaves · #4 05-12-2008, 04:05 PM

For your budget, I would buy a mount - probably a second hand one to get the best mount you can for your money.

Possibly not the answer you were expecting...? Hear me out! You could put your DSLR on there and take some superb wide field shots. Even perhaps with a 200mm or so lens, it should be possible to easily take 1 minute unguided shots with careful polar alignmnet, which when 'stacked' could easily be capable of competition-winning results.

In time, you could then maybe add a wide field refractor and try longer focal length imaging, and learn techniques such as autoguiding to overcome all the technical issues that imaging at longer focal lengths generates.

To try and equip with a guidable mount, and a scope for imaging, and an autoguider on such a budget would probably only lead to compromises in equipment capability and frustration

Regards,
Rob

xelasnave · #5 05-12-2008, 04:18 PM

Minimum astro photo gear I would suggest is an eq5 and 200mm camera lens...but with a good mount even a bad scope will produce decent results ... but in truth there are few short cuts really.

Enjoy visual as long as you can...

alex

dannat (Daniel) · #6 05-12-2008, 04:24 PM

I think you could get started with an eq5, you might get one with ra/dec drives for $400 secondhand - put your camera on it - and try first. The most common scope is an ed80 - about $800 new now - have gone up about 200 with the aud falling a lot.

xelasnave · #7 05-12-2008, 04:33 PM

My next trip ...when the weather permits..is to get the $200 70mm taking photos to see just what a cheap scope can do when well tracked and the frames well stacked.

What I get with the 70/300 lens ($200) is very satisfying. I did a LMC with the lens recently and I liked it.

alex

zumka (Daniel) · #8 05-12-2008, 04:56 PM

What about Skywatcher SW-600 EQ5 for $799.00 AUD from Andrews.
I'm asuming EQ5 that's the tripod

xelasnave · #9 05-12-2008, 05:08 PM

mmmm maybe

We call a tripod the mount but really the units break down to a "head" and a tripod.

If the eq5 is $800 that sounds excellent v alue... you could be happy doing wide fields believe me,

When I started I disregaurded wide fields as I wanted to get some of those hubble shots but in a dark region wide fields are simply fantastc...so even with a standard 50mm lens you are on your way...with a 70/300 you will have months to save for a scope to add...and I bet you will be happy.

alex

xelasnave · #10 05-12-2008, 05:11 PM

AND excuse my manners I forgot to welcome you to the worlds best astro site which I now do.

Welcome to iceinspace Daniel from me.

alex

zumka (Daniel) · #11 05-12-2008, 10:05 PM

Thank you.

What about EQ3 would that be enough ?

Quote:

Originally Posted by xelasnave

AND excuse my manners I forgot to welcome you to the worlds best astro site which I now do.

Welcome to iceinspace Daniel from me.

alex

xelasnave · #12 05-12-2008, 10:12 PM

I have no experience with that mount so I can not offer any useful advice.
alex

zumka (Daniel) · #13 05-12-2008, 11:06 PM

Andrews sels the following EQ5 mounts:

EQ5 equatorial mount with adjustable height aluminum tripod legs $299.00
EQ5 equatorial mount with adjustable height steel tube tripod legs $399.00

I'm also going to need motor drive (can I get away with the first one ?)

EQ4/EQ5 dual axis motor drive kit - includes hand controller $199.00

Am I on the right track in here ?

xelasnave · #14 06-12-2008, 12:01 AM

Er I dont think we are taking about the same eq5???
Must be the old ones... anyways I have one of them as well.
It works fairly well but we did a lot of work on it...,
if the one I have they come with crapy greese that needs to be removed and evrything polished... there are kits to bring these up to a better level.

Still it worked fair compared to the new eq6 which is miles ahead.. you could get one but I would say you wont get past photo tracking of 100 odd seconds,,It has been a while and I really worked hard to get that mount to track well,,, still for wide fields it will work ,,, if you do dont worry about the steel legs...you could not guide it manually because it was to jumpy if you tried to control it during a shot... so when I say 100 seconds that was just letting it run unguided... mounts have periodic error and the cheaper the greater the error... read up on that as well.

On the basis that no matter what we have we always want better and in an effor tto start maybe go with the 299 one... it will be good for visual and you will get short runs which you can stack.

The problem with mounts is any little problem is magnified as you go up in magnification..the mount above worked (just) with a 80 x 400 mm scope...not a high mag really.

Look at it this way maybe start with that one on the basis that if you like the game that you will want better.

Also remember that with stacking software you can take a series os short exposures ( I love doing 30 secs) ... have a look at Deep Sky Stacker on the net...in fact download it put you camera on a tripod (static) and take short exposures and stack them...

The problem with this game is no matter what you get you will want the next level up... I want a paramount mount I dont know what they cost these days but maybe $20,000 or more...goggle them and have a look and see what is out there...just in case you win lotto

When you start the main thing that will drive you crazy is getting the mount correctly polar aligned so start reading up on that also.

Have a go at some static tripod shots and deep sky stacker,

I hate to recomend not to buy or to buy the mount you posted.. it will get you started and you will learn... maybe as I said see how you go and get something better latter... if I knew what I was doing at the start I would have gone straight to an eq6 frankly...but I did not have that sortta cash then...

Sorry if that sounds confusing but hang in there,

alex

acropolite (Phil) · #15 06-12-2008, 08:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daniel

Am I on the right track in here

Yes and no, the Eq5 quoted is nowhere near accurate enough for astrophotography.

To acheive any decent result you need to be able to autoguide the mount. This requires an interface back to a pc with some form of secondary telescope and guide camera. Alex's recommendation of an HEQ5 as a minimum is about as low as you would want to aim.

The HEQ5 and EQ6 can be bought with or without a Synscan controller, the Synscan provides a Go to interface with an inbuilt catalog of targets and controller functionality.

It is possible to control the HEQ5 (and it's larger sibling the EQ6) without the controller but you need to build (or buy) some electronic hardware (do a search for EQmod) to interface with the PC.

There are specific Yahoo groups dedicated to Eqmod and the EQ5 and 6. There is also a wealth of information throughout the this forum on the subject, you can use the search tools to find much of the information you require.

zumka (Daniel) · #16 06-12-2008, 08:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xelasnave

Er I dont think we are taking about the same eq5???
Must be the old ones... anyways I have one of them as well.
It works fairly well but we did a lot of work on it...,
if the one I have they come with crapy greese that needs to be removed and evrything polished... there are kits to bring these up to a better level.

Still it worked fair compared to the new eq6 which is miles ahead.. you could get one but I would say you wont get past photo tracking of 100 odd seconds,,It has been a while and I really worked hard to get that mount to track well,,, still for wide fields it will work ,,, if you do dont worry about the steel legs...you could not guide it manually because it was to jumpy if you tried to control it during a shot... so when I say 100 seconds that was just letting it run unguided... mounts have periodic error and the cheaper the greater the error... read up on that as well.

On the basis that no matter what we have we always want better and in an effor tto start maybe go with the 299 one... it will be good for visual and you will get short runs which you can stack.

The problem with mounts is any little problem is magnified as you go up in magnification..the mount above worked (just) with a 80 x 400 mm scope...not a high mag really.

Look at it this way maybe start with that one on the basis that if you like the game that you will want better.

Also remember that with stacking software you can take a series os short exposures ( I love doing 30 secs) ... have a look at Deep Sky Stacker on the net...in fact download it put you camera on a tripod (static) and take short exposures and stack them...

The problem with this game is no matter what you get you will want the next level up... I want a paramount mount I dont know what they cost these days but maybe $20,000 or more...goggle them and have a look and see what is out there...just in case you win lotto

When you start the main thing that will drive you crazy is getting the mount correctly polar aligned so start reading up on that also.

Have a go at some static tripod shots and deep sky stacker,

I hate to recomend not to buy or to buy the mount you posted.. it will get you started and you will learn... maybe as I said see how you go and get something better latter... if I knew what I was doing at the start I would have gone straight to an eq6 frankly...but I did not have that sortta cash then...

Sorry if that sounds confusing but hang in there,

alex

Thank you for very good explanation.

I believe HEQ5 from Skywatcher would give reasonable results in comparison to eq5 (please correct me if I'm wrong)

After processing all the information provided by this great forum I kind of came to a conclusion.

I'll get Bintel 8" Dob for viewing then maybe try to buy a seconhand HEQ5 or EQ6 and use it with my Nikon D50 (70-300 lens). Then eventually get refractor to use for Astrophotography

xelasnave · #17 06-12-2008, 09:37 AM

Yes it is the HEQ5 that is the good one and I think you are on the right track.
and you could use the 8 inch for photos I expect.
Funny I am wondering what to get next and I am going thru very similar to you...
alex

zumka (Daniel) · #18 06-12-2008, 11:09 AM

Actually if I get EQ6 I can put 8" on it and use it for Astrophotography.

Is it going to work, or should I get god refractor later ?

xelasnave · #19 06-12-2008, 04:47 PM

Yes you sure can.... at the moment I only use a 6inch reflector and it has served me well for years...

My current photo set up is the 6 inch with a 80mm guide scope... I want better but in truth I still have stuff to learn in processing and being realistic a good refractor at the moment would somewhat be wasted in my hands.

alex

xelasnave · #20 06-12-2008, 04:51 PM

Have a look at this.

http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/s...ad.php?t=38370

It lets you see what 30 second stacks can do, with a 6 inch, and a 70/300.
I still have to do better at processing as green is a problem for me...color blind you know
alex