Camera Labs

I very much doubt I'll get a dedicated CCD. Quite simply my location isn't good, nor is the weather. So I don't think I'll ever make enough use of one.

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Canon DSLRs: 7D, 5D2, 1D, 600D, 450D full spectrum, 300D IR mod
Lenses: EF 35/2, 50/1.8, 85/1.8, 135/2+SF, 28-80 V, 70-300L, 100-400L, TS-E 24/3.5L, MP-E 65, EF-S 15-85 IS
3rd party: Zeiss 2/50 makro, Samyang 8mm fisheye, Sigma 150 macro, 120-300 f/2.8 OS, Celestron 1325/13
Tinies: Sony HX9V.

Ian King is your guy in UK for CCD gear.
http://www.iankingimaging.com/show_category.php?id=45

Ive seen one lunar image taken through a 3" APO and CCD and the Moons disc was about 2 feet in diameter with razor blade sharp detail.
I think it was a mosaic.

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http://www.flickr.com/photos/httpwwwfli ... adanbrood/

These seem a reasonable price.
http://www.iankingimaging.com/show_prod ... tegory=100

MAKE SURE YOU CLICK ON THE "SAMPLE IMAGES" LINK!

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http://www.flickr.com/photos/httpwwwfli ... adanbrood/

That's actually the exact same telescope I'm thinking of buying (as my first telescope) that I also plan to use in conjunction with my digital camera.

My first choice was a Schmidt-Cassegrain type telescope such as your NexStar, however they seem to be a lot more costly compared to a newtonian one. Is there a difference in quality, particularly in the the resolving power of the two? The Celestron website claims that the resolving power is greater for the Astromaster, which isn't that surprising since it's got a greater aperture but why is it that much cheaper then?

First post!

The nexstar series have goto mounts which the astromaster doesn't. Also the Cassegrain types are more expensive I guess the glass parts are harder to make. The newtonians are essentially a long tube with two mirrors in it.

I never used the astromaster much as I couldn't get it to work prime focus with a camera on it. The focal point is too close in. Mine does need a colimation but I don't know if that will shift the point at all. I have got a digiscoping adapter for a compact, and that seems to work ok on it as it is.

Even if I got those resolved, I'll probably end up using the nexstar more often, as it is so much smaller (length) and easier to handle from that, plus it is goto so making it easier.

But, it also depends on what you want to shoot. The Cassegrain types are inherently longer focal length small relative aperture (high f number).

If I were to buy now, I'd probably go for a bigger model in the Nexstar series. Maybe once the skies get darker again.

_________________
Canon DSLRs: 7D, 5D2, 1D, 600D, 450D full spectrum, 300D IR mod
Lenses: EF 35/2, 50/1.8, 85/1.8, 135/2+SF, 28-80 V, 70-300L, 100-400L, TS-E 24/3.5L, MP-E 65, EF-S 15-85 IS
3rd party: Zeiss 2/50 makro, Samyang 8mm fisheye, Sigma 150 macro, 120-300 f/2.8 OS, Celestron 1325/13
Tinies: Sony HX9V.

I'm thinking of shooting galaxies and nebulae most of all, for that you need a low f-number, correct? x_X

Problem is that the Nexstar series appears to be about 3 times more expensive than an equivalent Astromaster series.

EDIT: Reading trough this forum a bit more, 5inches seem to be just too small for deep space objects unless I can properly track it and use long exposures I guess.

That's beyond my practical experience, but for this stuff it never hurts to have as much aperture as you can.

The Astromaster series seems intended as low cost entry level. The Nexstar series all have a goto mount which can be useful if you want it. Mounts can be very expensive too...

_________________
Canon DSLRs: 7D, 5D2, 1D, 600D, 450D full spectrum, 300D IR mod
Lenses: EF 35/2, 50/1.8, 85/1.8, 135/2+SF, 28-80 V, 70-300L, 100-400L, TS-E 24/3.5L, MP-E 65, EF-S 15-85 IS
3rd party: Zeiss 2/50 makro, Samyang 8mm fisheye, Sigma 150 macro, 120-300 f/2.8 OS, Celestron 1325/13
Tinies: Sony HX9V.

Another question, using a different eyepiece to get a greater zoom essentially means that you are using less square inch of the primary mirror, right?

I'm quite sure you're still using all the mirror, although at this moment I couldn't give a technical reason why...

_________________
Canon DSLRs: 7D, 5D2, 1D, 600D, 450D full spectrum, 300D IR mod
Lenses: EF 35/2, 50/1.8, 85/1.8, 135/2+SF, 28-80 V, 70-300L, 100-400L, TS-E 24/3.5L, MP-E 65, EF-S 15-85 IS
3rd party: Zeiss 2/50 makro, Samyang 8mm fisheye, Sigma 150 macro, 120-300 f/2.8 OS, Celestron 1325/13
Tinies: Sony HX9V.

Ah bummer. Thanks anyway.