Advice on appropriate guidescope/cam - C11

[TanjaC (Tanja)]

Hello!

I'm looking into getting a guide scope setup for my C11 (CGEM DX) but I've read a lot of mixed reviews of various cameras / autoguiders.

Reviews on the NexGuide from Celestron aren't great, I also use my Mac to capture lightframes so being 'portable' and not having to use my notebook in the field isn't a problem. I'll probably use PHD (currently using Nebulosity)
- Although, the 80mm guidescope setup that comes with this package is probably suitable - with another camera.

I was told about the Orion Awesome Autoguide Package. http://www.telescopehouse.com/acatalog/info_24770.html
I've also read the Starshoot is a great guide camera.

Or there is the LVI autoguider? http://www.lvi-cameras.com/cameras.asp
If you have a C11 or similar, I'd love to hear what works for you (or what doesn't)

oh - and I assume a f/5 (80mm) is fine for guiding a f/10 (280mm) 2800mm focal length?

Advice (and any advice mounting it/working it) appreciated.

THANKS!

[Garbz (Chris)]

I'm getting very good results with the Orion Finder Guider package on a C8. Same camera as the one you linked to but a 50mm finder guider rather than an 80mm. I think it should work well. I'm doing 2+ minutes with my guiding setup.

[lepton3 (Ivan)]

I'm using an orion SSAG guider through a 50mm finder on my C11/CGEM, using PHD. It works fine for 3 minute exposures, but there is differential flexure, so stars in longer exposures could be a bit egg shaped.

It depends what you are trying to image, but f/10 will be a challenge for long exposures, whatever the camera.

-Ivan

[blink138 (Pat)]

hi tanja i have a very similar setup to you and have asked these questions to our iis members and the concensus is that OAG seems the way to go due to the differential flexure alluded to by one of these posts
over the last week or so i have picked up both a 60da and a lodestar mono camera
i am still unsure about backfocus and length of the OAG etcetera, but i thought i could hook the lodestar through my 50mm finder to experiment first as a guidescope
my g11 seems to be able to do a 2 minute exposure unguided 8 out of 10 times anyhow, so once guiding progresses hopefully i may get 4 or 5 minutes
pat

[blink138 (Pat)]

oh by the way tanja there is an orion short tube in our classifieds at the mo
pat