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Hi all, I just ordered the camera ZWO ASI1600MM-C Pro few days ago and still waiting it to be shipped, so i can use it next to my QHY163M or even individual sometimes as i have 1.25" high quality filters with it to be used. I am thinking about what should i buy if i will have this camera, any accessories recommended? Anything that i may need later when i do imaging? I am still thinking about either one scope as second to my current scopes for DSO, or completely TWO brand new scopes the same but cheap, in all cases i will use this camera with one of them anyway, so i hope i get everything i needed for this camera if possible. |
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Hi, I don't know if you like very large fov but I use ASI 1600 mm-C also with photographic lenses. It's very usefull. Have you a filter wheel? |
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| I use this camera often and it requires a filter wheel, preferably mounted as close to the camera as possible to limit vignetting. Having a way to consolidate cabling, not just for the camera, but other equipment is helpful, as well. I use the Ultimate Powerbox from Pegasus Astro. Do you have an electronic focuser? If not, that's another item to acquire. |
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Vittorio: I don't know what do you mean by very large FOV? Yes, i have a filter wheel |
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David Andra: WOW, sounds that Pegasus power device very popular, someone came to me to learn about his equipment and he has that Pegasus and i am not, so sounds i should get one for sure then. I don't have an electronic focuser, or autofocuser if you mean, i will think about it after i complete my gear, because i am thinking about a scope cheap to buy, very cheap possible, and i do have a filter wheel for it. |
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The Zwo EAF autofocuser works great and connects to most refractor focusers out of the box. Its the best single piece of equipment that I bought to pair with my imaging set up (SV80 with 2.5 feather touch focuer) Also, +1 on the Pegasus Astro Powerbox. It is a little expensive for what it is, but it makes cable management a lot easier and I find it saves a lot of time when I just put the scope on and plug it in rather then run all the wires individually. |
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Mark: About autofocuser I am still not finished with my setup, I asked on facebook about a cheap scope, once that is done then I will think about autofocuser. Sounds Pegasus power box is my next plan then, still not decided if I should buy a planetary scope or Ha filter or this Pegasus power box. |
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| Oh if those are the choices...I’d go with a short refractor and an Ha filter. Perfect for the summer nebula. It’s great to get some narrowband data even in light polluted backyards. It’s great to go to dark sites and get broadband data but I find I prefer to image at home most nights- easy to set up everything and go to bed rather then break everything down in the middle of the night, drive home, and get up and go to work in the am. |
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Mark: Ok, let's discuss more. I have Ha filters, one is Astrodon 5nm but at 1.25" size and the other is Optolong 7nm 36mm, i used that 36mm one with my QHY but i didn't like the output, bu with Astrodon i also have another issue with my QHY163M camera, vignetting, that is why i ordered ASI1600mm so i can use two cameras at once, but my high quality filter are only at 1.25", so ASI1600 with be used with my Astrodon/Chroma 1.25 filters, but at the same time i can leave QHY163M without use, so i was thinking the best filter i should replace is Optolong Ha itself to another Ha not high end but good enough, there are 3.5nm around, i was thinking maybe i should go with that and pair it with OIII/SII 3nm from ZWO ASI said, good idea? I don't like to drive far at all, i have problem with long driving, napping so fast, so i can kill myself only to be in dark site for AP, not worthy really, and although i live in LP but sounds i still ca get something with NB or even broadband if i know what to do, so i will take my chance with LP in my house area. I am still not sure about the scope, if i will use two cameras it mean i must use two same scopes to match perfectly, i can't buy one scope of refr above $500 so definitely i won't afford more than $1000 for both, whih means no way to afford something like $800-1500 for one refr, but i can afford a Newt even they have another issues, i bought one, not sure if i should buy another one the same also, or you know a small refr so cheap as dirt and then i can buy two of them either at once or at certain time in between, i still try to save for a Takahashi telescope so i don't want to buy a refr that can be replaced by a Tak and never been used, either o cheap refr that can still be used with a Tak or don't bother, while a Newt i still can use any of them, i have 8" F/5 and 6" F/4, i can't use two 8" on my AZ-EQ6 mount, and i don't know if another 6" F/4 is a good idea as well, and i still think about how to understand my new 6" F/4 scope good enough, starting with a suitable dovetail for it rather than the one which came with and i don't like, so what do you recommend in this part of topic? |
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I’ve always used 1.25 inch filters with asi1600 camera as I believe most people do. There is minimal vignetting and this easily calibrates out with flats and processing. As far as which narrowband filters in light polluted skies, I use 6nm astronomik with good results. I’m sure the astrodons will be great. Seems like most users recommend 3-6nm for Ha and Sii and 3nm for Oiii just to give you a little more information for the future if you are looking to do pure narrowband down the road. Usual camera settings are higher gain and offset for narrowband...maybe 200gain with 50 offset. As far as which scope, I have no experience with Newtonian imaging so I’ll let someone else chime in but, I will say short focal length is the easiest and least frustrating way to learn and grow in AP. Short fast refractors maybe 60 to 80mm are for me...cheaper high quality ones- I think skywatcher and william optics are good brands. Seems like people also get good images with the Chinese sharpstar and various rebrands. I have a Stellarvue scope which I love and will stick with the brand though they are a bit more expensive then the others named above. Would try to get scope at f/6 or faster with focal reducer for imaging. It’s windy where I live and bigger scopes are wind sails. Even prime camera lenses work great with asi1600 . There are many excellent wide field shots with rokinon/samyang 135mm inexpensive and easy to use. Dual imaging rigs are there own animal and very possible if you want to work at setting it up. Saves time and seems like most people collect Lum or Ha in one scope and RGB or Oiii, Sii in the other...for example so you only need one full set of filters to split between the filter wheels. I would really only look at doing a dual setup if you are pretty experienced with one scope and starting to get a lot of images you are happy with. People that are into this hobby will likely almost universally agree that there is enough to learn with one short focal length scope to keep you busy for quite a while and takings good calibration frames and learning processing is going to be the biggest contributor to taking great images. Long post but I’ll say one more thing that I have heard others say and have found to be true in my own experience...in AP the most important piece of equipment is the mount, then the camera, the scope is last. It’s a great hobby. Good luck with whatever you decide. |
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Mark: 1. I have OIII and SII 3nm already, so NB set is done for 1.25", some buy also Ha 3nm, but because i wanted NII signal and it is not a big deal for me between 3nm and 5nm in Ha so i am fine with 5nm so far, and i mentioned that if i will use a dual setup and QHY is being used then i can replace that Ha 7nm to Ha 3.5nm cheap one and then i am in great situation for NB, i keep OIII/SII for one camera which is ASI1600, but if i will shoot two filters at once it means that i must find another good filter in my QHY side rather than Optolong which is not bad but not great so far. 2. I still search about which small refractor to get, 50mm or 60mm? 70mm or 80mm? even 90mm and 100mm can be chosen, i just need to find cheap one with good quality so i can buy two of them for dual setup, otherwise i have to force myself to go with two Newt which is never easy anyway even for one, but if i accepted the challenge and the complication then i have to get used to it. 3. I have Canon EF 135mm, similar to Samyang/Rokinon, but all said that the Canon one is less quality due to old model, and not good enough at F/2 like Samyang/Rokinon one, but i asked in a forum if we buy that Baader Highspeed F/2 filter then can we use the lens at F/2 without issues or needing to stop it down to F/4 for example? If it can be done with good result then i can think about buying that 135mm lens from Samyang/Rokinon to have pair 135mm lens, or using a zoom lens and put it at 135mm, i do have Canon 70-200 f2.8 lens, very nice great lens from Canon, i can give it a try at 135mm before i buy another 135mm, but i still think that a scope is better in astro than a lens. 4. I just asked people recently or today this date about adding third camera and this would be a cooled OSC, so one camera is a mono with NB filters and L, and second camera could be either OSC for RGB at once or my second mono with RGB, for me time is the quality, i had enough issues last years where i felt like sometimes it is better to have more gear than facing all kind of issues with one setup and then ending up with totally wasted night even doing one filter, so with two cameras or three i will always have more data to play with even with issues than using one camera only and barely i can get 2-3 targets done in half year, until now i don't have even one single nice DSO image since 2017 regardless i have full set of filters and 2 different scopes can be used for different targets, so i ended up doing planetary imaging instead, but i love DSO so i return back to it, and now i am making sure i have all setup i need, not just one, but two or even three if necessary, i have side by side dovetail, and my mount already have an extra included saddle if i want to place another scope on the mount, so they won't do that if the mount isn't good for it, and with say 50lb or 45lb at best there are many small scopes or systems can be used within this capacity load. Sorry for my long reply, i ask all the world everywhere, here and in groups and forums as i don't want to buy and regret, but most likely i can't just listen to those who only either suggest very cheap affordable which i won't hold long or something expensive not very expensive but i can't afford it, and even if i afford it may not solve all my problems for long run, many told me go for RASA, why RASA? because of F/2? I have Canon 135mm F2 and even another lenses at F1.4 and F/1.8, none did make things easier for me, data is fast yes, but the issue wasn't about getting very quick exposure, but to have exposures for each filter when changing, i did get Ha and RGB data with 135mm at F/2 in 3 nights or barely 2 nights, so F/2 didn't cut it for me yet, and with RASA i know i need belongings and extras for it which add more to the cost, i want to avoid that, 2 separate scopes/cameras for me is more convenient than using one very fast scope and keep changing filters, i don't have autofocuser and with F/2 it won't be any easier, and many said that SCT designs are prons to temp and thermal, i have no time to deal with that too, but sounds people don't want to do the search homework to help so they just advise whatever in their minds without thinking about all pros/cons coming with it, i should decide about with pros/cons i can handle between different options. Thanks |
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The camera arrived almost 2 weeks ago, didn't test it outdoor under the sky, but i test it in my room to see if it is working and trying to figure it out, and i like that USB2.0 hub on it, and i am following ZWO official instructions about getting that 55-56mm back focus distance, but i am still trying to find scopes as i can't afford expensive and still want two scopes at once, cheap but not bad colors. I am planning to get Pegasus Power Box device to manage power and cables a bit, and i may add Raspberry Pi sooner or later to push it slightly, but i don't know if power and cables management is the main issue here, i have to make sure my scopes balancing and PA is spot on and i have to check out my guiding too, i am still not sure if i should keep using my guidescope and camera or i should move to OAG sooner or later, i read that OAG is related to focal length mostly, but that is not what i see with some people. Anyway, i hope i can understand the camera more, mostly i will be using 3 settings for exposure, Unity Gain for both LRGB/NB, Gain 200 for NB, and maybe lower gain for RGB sometimes depends on the target maybe or the scope used. |
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Meade 6000 series 70mm quad is prob a good choice for dual rig not too expensive not too heavy and is quad design so very good color correction or Sky-Watcher has good scopes that are inexpensive if I was gonna do a dual rig prob go with one of them |
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Mark: The problem is with budget, i tell all people that i can pay maximum up to $1200 for two scopes, not $800-1200 for both, and if i have to pay that much then it means i can buy one soon and the other one is by Nov or Dec which is already late as many targets are out and running away, wanted to start imaging with dual rig sharp by October at least. |
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Well the Meade 70mm quad is a bargain at $1200 by itself. Another option is William optics zenith Star 61 doublet for $550...doublets can produce good images especially narrowband and are quite light. Then you could get both scopes at once since this dual imaging rig is what you are set on. |
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Mark: I can buy doublets that are in about $300-600 range for one, but what stopped me always is the topics where mentioning about CA even with some triplets not good, so doublets that cheap will be even worse, even if using narrowbanding filters, so i felt like i will always have results of colors issues, and most likely i will keep comparing it with my Newtonian too. |
