ICEINSPACE
Moon Phase
CURRENT MOON
Waning Gibbous 55.3%
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15-11-2013, 12:43 PM
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Lost in Space ....
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Join Date: May 2010
Location: Auckland, NZ
Posts: 4,949
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Nikolas
I have one and love it (120mc) bought it off their website.
My only issue with it is you really need to make sure you use a blower and get all the dust specks off it.
A few saturn images over different nights and experimenting using my 127 ed with the 120 mc in poor conditions.
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Yeah, I have an artefact on mine which has defied removal so far. It just changes position when I blow it.. must get the Loupe out and have a good look.
Haven't had a good look at the Autoguider feature yet in FireCapture, must read the instructions and figure it out. Might have a play with it using PHD first. Hopefully it will eliminate one cable to the pier as the camera has it's own ST4 connection and cable.
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19-11-2013, 10:10 PM
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Bring on the night!
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Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Dingley Village
Posts: 162
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Hi all
I notice that there are 2 camera types zwo asi120mm & ASI130MM.
The 120MM has a 1/3 inch Chip & 130MM has 1/2" CMOS.
The 1/2 inch will give a larger field? yes? Is this good or bad for planetary work eg Jupiter? Thanks for your replies
Regards Dom
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20-11-2013, 09:40 AM
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Lost in Space ....
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Join Date: May 2010
Location: Auckland, NZ
Posts: 4,949
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Bad, I think. Planets are pretty small viewing targets so a smaller chip with smaller pixels should get more data. A bigger chip would suit larger objects I beleive.
Anyone care to correct me or comment further ? I'm just getting into this end of astrophotography so still learning the ropes.
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20-11-2013, 10:23 AM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Canberra, Australia
Posts: 283
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Great review, Hugh. I instantly wanted to go buy a 120MC..
I am looking to replace my Starshoot AutoGuider with a lodestar, however this may work just as well. Hugh, when you say you didn't have to go searching for ASCOM drivers, is it still driven by ASCOM or its own software? I'm curious if MaximDL will be able to drive the camera as an autoguider.
I am assuming that I should not be comparing this to a Lodestar in terms of sensitivity.. Do you think it is more sensitive than the Orion StarShoot AutoGuider?
Edit: Yes, ASCOM + MaximDL works with this camera, found it on the ZWOptical website.
Last edited by WingnutR32; 20-11-2013 at 12:27 PM.
Reason: Added ASCOM info
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20-11-2013, 01:57 PM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Canberra
Posts: 88
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Hi Sam,
You may want to look at the QHY5L-ii, it has the same form factor (e.g. 1.25" barrel) as the lodestar. The QHY5L-ii and the ZWO 120mm have the same cmos chip (I do not know it they have similar performance, although I would think they 'should').
You may find this thread on CN interesting, Detailed Lodestar vs. QHY5L-ii study. Someone mention that it works with Maxim as well.
I am using it as a OAG on my c9.25HD and it works great.
cheers,
Bram
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22-11-2013, 01:48 PM
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Lost in Space ....
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Join Date: May 2010
Location: Auckland, NZ
Posts: 4,949
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I had to open my ZWO up. There was a miniscule pair of spots on the sensor itself. I'd cleaned the IR Glass several times but a close look with a micro viewer told me where it was. Used some optical fabric very carefully and it's gone now.
They need to run better clean rooms in the factory for this sort of stuff.
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27-11-2013, 12:38 PM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Ohio, USA
Posts: 218
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Hello everyone (it's been a while since I posted),
I am seriously thinking about buying of of these... I mainly would be going for lunar images so I was thinking the 130MM with the 1/2" CMOS may be better (but I have no idea) :-)
Also, not using any cameras like this before i'm confused as to what the FOV will be as compare to maybe a 650D at prime focus...?
Thoughts?
Thanks!
Dana T
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27-11-2013, 01:10 PM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Junortoun Vic
Posts: 8,917
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You can use CCDCalc to check out the FOV (and plate scale) of any telescope/ lens - camera combo.
http://www.newastro.com/book_new/camera_app.php
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27-11-2013, 01:51 PM
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Lost in Space ....
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Join Date: May 2010
Location: Auckland, NZ
Posts: 4,949
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 67champ
Hello everyone (it's been a while since I posted),
I am seriously thinking about buying of of these... I mainly would be going for lunar images so I was thinking the 130MM with the 1/2" CMOS may be better (but I have no idea) :-)
Also, not using any cameras like this before i'm confused as to what the FOV will be as compare to maybe a 650D at prime focus...?
Thoughts?
Thanks!
Dana T
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I've started Lunar with a 2 x Barlow in the mix. Lunt 102mm F7. It's giving me some good closeup shots. First pic is in the photos\solar system threads.
I'll be giving the camera a go on the big 10" soon, could be interesting to say the least. Just got to go bulldoze a few clouds out of the way first ..
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27-11-2013, 07:50 PM
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Waiting for good seeing!
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Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Adelaide
Posts: 645
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ZeroID
I had to open my ZWO up. There was a miniscule pair of spots on the sensor itself. I'd cleaned the IR Glass several times but a close look with a micro viewer told me where it was. Used some optical fabric very carefully and it's gone now.
They need to run better clean rooms in the factory for this sort of stuff.
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I have had the same issue, Brent, and did what you did. Dust bunnies are the main issue with my ASI 120MM camera. It's a big problem when you do lunar imaging. I try to stay on top of things by cleaning the camera regularly.
Eric
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28-11-2013, 10:31 AM
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Lost in Space ....
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Join Date: May 2010
Location: Auckland, NZ
Posts: 4,949
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Quote:
Originally Posted by EricB
I have had the same issue, Brent, and did what you did. Dust bunnies are the main issue with my ASI 120MM camera. It's a big problem when you do lunar imaging. I try to stay on top of things by cleaning the camera regularly.
Eric
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I'm keeping the IR window on mine unless necessity prevails. Easy enough to clean the window, I'm very cagey about touching the sensor, had to take a couple of deep breaths before I didi it his time.
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05-01-2014, 08:07 PM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Brisbane
Posts: 188
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Where do you get them
I see a lot of people are asking where you can get these cameras from and a lot of people are buying them direct from Ali Express, Sirius Optics is the Australian distributor for them, they have the ASI 120MC for $370.00 and the ASI 120MM for $395.00 and by the time you factor in exchange rates and shipping its cheaper to buy them from Sirius than to buy direct. Plus you get a WARRANTY. If you buy direct and anything goes wrong you have to pay shipping back and forth where as if you buy in Australia you only have domestic postage to worry about or if you live close take it back to the shop.
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06-01-2014, 03:47 PM
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Lost in Space ....
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Join Date: May 2010
Location: Auckland, NZ
Posts: 4,949
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06-01-2014, 04:31 PM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Mornington Peninsula, Australia
Posts: 3,961
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ubique
I see a lot of people are asking where you can get these cameras from and a lot of people are buying them direct from Ali Express, Sirius Optics is the Australian distributor for them, they have the ASI 120MC for $370.00 and the ASI 120MM for $395.00 and by the time you factor in exchange rates and shipping its cheaper to buy them from Sirius than to buy direct. Plus you get a WARRANTY. If you buy direct and anything goes wrong you have to pay shipping back and forth where as if you buy in Australia you only have domestic postage to worry about or if you live close take it back to the shop.
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Does anyone know if they have the filter wheel option at Sirius? If so how much is that?
I have searched their website and no ZWO cameras are listed. I do note that the website is waaaay better than last time i checked it, but they seem to be missing out on quite a few sales by not updating with this product; which is disappointing especially if they have competitive pricing versus grey imports. I'm sure most australian customers would prefer to be supporting them if that is the actual case.
Russ
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06-01-2014, 05:14 PM
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Dazed and confused
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Join Date: May 2012
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 3,322
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Zwo do offer filters whether on a wheel i can't recall as I haven't been to their site in a while
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06-01-2014, 10:29 PM
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Bring on the night!
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Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Dingley Village
Posts: 162
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I got my ASI120 locally from Mitcham, Melbourne
http://www.opticscentral.com.au/
Maybe ask them about the ZWO filters / wheels
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12-09-2014, 05:40 PM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Kelvin Grove
Posts: 1,300
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ZeroID
Don't know if it works on Mac ....
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Apologies for resurrecting an old thread, but I just bought an ASI120MC direct from ZWO. The supplied drivers disc comes with a folder labelled "Software | Mac" which has a single file: oaCapture-0.0.8.dmg (13.37 MB file)
I don't use Mac (the camera works brilliantly under Windows with the supplied FireCapture and AutoStakkert software!), so I don't know what this is, but I assume it's a Mac port of the "Open Astro Project" software: http://www.openastroproject.org/oacapture/
(Just thought I would post this for the benefit of any Mac users who might be contemplating looking at the ZWO cameras.)
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