Astrophotography ..... starting over or basics to high level?

[Jared_Willson]

The only problem with getting advice from lots of people is that there is no easy way to determine whether their experiences apply directly to you or not. There are lots of perfectly valid reasons to choose an 80mm over a 100mm and vice versa.

Which you will prefer comes down to field of view more than anything. Your camera and filter wheel are small and light enough that you don’t need a high-end focuser. You probably do need an apochromatic lens, though, so I would recommend upgrading from your existing 80mm for that reason. Otherwise you will have annoying blue halos around brighter stars.

Obviously, you can use your existing scope to learn on. It will also let you determine whether you Want to keep going with the field of view of the typical 80mm scope or go for a little more focal length for a slightly narrower field of view.

You really can’t go wrong with either size, so don’t agonize over it too much.

 

[TareqPhoto]

The only problem with getting advice from lots of people is that there is no easy way to determine whether their experiences apply directly to you or not. There are lots of perfectly valid reasons to choose an 80mm over a 100mm and vice versa.

Which you will prefer comes down to field of view more than anything. Your camera and filter wheel are small and light enough that you don’t need a high-end focuser. You probably do need an apochromatic lens, though, so I would recommend upgrading from your existing 80mm for that reason. Otherwise you will have annoying blue halos around brighter stars.

Obviously, you can use your existing scope to learn on. It will also let you determine whether you Want to keep going with the field of view of the typical 80mm scope or go for a little more focal length for a slightly narrower field of view.

You really can’t go wrong with either size, so don’t agonize over it too much.

--
- Jared Willson

Jared, i have this ST80 only temporarily, then it will be a guide scope, but i read from many places that this achromatic issue of CA or blue halo is only with color cameras, but if using mono it won't be that big issue, and also i have a filter that kill that halo let's say completely, but then it will give a warmer[yellowish] cast to overall of the image, and i was planning to buy another filter that can reduce this CA, but i still have Canon lenses, just i don't have the right dovetail and no rings so i can add a guide scope to the lens, that is why i didn't use it yet, and still busy with my filter wheel figuring out issues i try to solve with others helping me.

I still think that 100mm is a long term scope than 80mm, i feel 80mm won't last more than 1 year that if it will be in use for full year maybe, while with 100mm or even 120mm i think i will use it for years years coming, and that was what i mean, i look for the long run and not what i can do now, because it is always a matter of a time until i know how to use what i have now then i will ask for upgrade, but there are items or gear that you really don't think to upgrade because they are the one, 80mm isn't one of those, even 100mm, but 100mm is less upgrading demand from what i see, believe me i really wish to have Takahashi 106 if i have the budget, but everywhere i ask about something in photography or astro then all answering to start with less then go to high, and this is more budget wasting than going with something expensive or high level from beginning.

I was going to ask in different forums about a scope, either 8" f4 Newt or RC or 10" same type, the more i look at images from one of those two i get amazed and blown away, but i know many will return me back to my simple setup and ST80 and start first with 80mm and forget about Newt and it is full of issues and and...., so i didn't ask, but i really feel i want to start with that before 100mm/80mm refractor or 11" SCT, very clear type, not something like should i use 8" or 12" for planets, or is 80mm good enough or 120mm for DSO, 8"/10" F4 is like a fixed type no matter which brand and it will give results that i really never get bored about.

Thanks again for any help or advice or suggestions.

 

[TareqPhoto]

Hi all,

It has been a while!

I started topics or say one topic in different sites and forums as i need to reach a decision as soon as possible, and as usual as in photography forums, no one answer as expected always, so it will be up to me then out of many options.

My topic was, which is the best refractor to get in range of 90mm up to 120mm [i was trying to stay at 100mm range], or what is the best refractor your budget can afford.

Then in discussion i mentioned my budget for about $4000-5000, i can lower it if that is a good idea, i can't go to scopes that are $6000-10000, i may able to go with Takahashi FSQ-106 as it is within the budget range i found, but i still questioning its quality worth over something cheaper about half the price, most of the time we pay for the brand name and the quality is there for sure, but i don't know that the quality is really noticeable in images, is it quality of design or use then to justify the difference in price, so this is what i am trying to find out with others answers, and i really don't care about a starter/beginner learning choice, for me it is not a factor, many said start with 80mm, why? because it is easier? better? cheaper? i don't want to limit myself, and i don't want to have a scope that i will learn with for 1-2 years and then upgrade it, but there are scopes that i can use it for 5-6 years without upgrading, 80mm isn't this type regardless someone said so,

I also started another thread or topic about which mount i can have for C14 if i want this scope sooner than later but not breaking or passing $4000-5000 too, but sounds the answers also recommending an expensive over $6000 mount, or something in $3000 range but with some issues, so it left me so doubtful and i won't decide yet, i asked here and there before about C11, but same with refractor, i want a longer lasting scope, a long term one, C11 for me during learning will be like 1-3 years scope, but C14 will be like 10 years or more scope, i don't plan to go above 14" at all later as SCT, so i was thinking going with 8" then 11" then 14" or from 11" to 14" is wasting more time, i accept to take lifetime learning on heavy one until i am good t it then wasting time and money on big one and then another time and money on bigger one, and i know i don't have any luck at all selling any old stuff i have, so if i go with C11 then i want C14 and i can't sell C11 it means i wasted money twice, and i looked at images, C11 is very nice fantastic, but C14 images is mind blowing, and even for bad start i prefer a bigger than smaller, it won't disappoint me after long time anyway, i care about the final approach not the successful start.

This astro things won't stop, new year is just on the door and i have to decide so i an start the year doing a lot, SCT and new mount sounds a little bit too much right now, either getting SCT then i wait long for mount or buy that $$$ mount and wait long to get 14" SCT, so a refractor is a better start for me then and i can wait a bit for SCT and another mount.

 

[TareqPhoto]

It has been a while now, and little or some updates there, and i keep going.

I wanted to have high end scopes, but my life getting worse and i feel i am cursed, but i will pray sooner or later that things will get better and not have bad things again so i won't give up.

1. I bought SW 180mm F15 Mak as starter for planetary or solar system, i didn't want to have 8" or 11" SCT as i said before then i replace it and wasting more money, so i bought this Mak because it can give closer FL needed for planets to those large SCT, so i can always practice with it until i am ready for larger heavier scopes [14" i hope].

2. I bought non Astrodon NB filters in 36mm, so now my filter set is complete [LRGB + NB].

3. I am looking for to buy second scope regardless i didn't use or take out that Mak out of the box, but the other scope is completely different goal i want to use, which is deeper DSO, and this scope is definitely a Newotonian, but i don't know if i should go with 10" F4 or 8" F5, i want 1000mm FL specifically, not 1200mm, not 700-800mm not even 1500mm, so i have to choose one of those 2 for that FL.

My mount damaged before i can test my new filters of NB or my Mak, i sent it to one computer store who has technicians keen for motherboards or electrics boards so maybe they can fix it before i buy another replacement board, it damaged by power shock accidentally, i was careless i think, and it happened so next time i won't do same mistake and i talked about this problem enough, so this problem isn't a topic here.

I also will start to do guiding, i setup my camera and guide scope but couldn't give it a try, in fact the mount fried in that night so i stopped, i wanted to test guiding and NB for the first time but happened what i didn't want, and i hope all my equipment now will be matched to do astrophotography as good as it should be, and later will see what i can do more.

Now if i buy one of those 2 Newt scopes above, i will buy the cheap one, but then i will replace things later such as the focuser, maybe another mirror or keep same mirror if it is good, and definitely will buy a good coma corrector which i already know what one, but then i don't know which collimator i should get, there are many between cheap and little pricey, so don't know what the difference between them.

Any suggestions here will be appreciated and welcome, learning is a matter of time and effort, i bought books, so even if i buy so many equipment it won't stop me for learning easy or difficult, i watched videos and did read posts to know that nothing is impossible if someone really give/put all his best and time to make it working, i did read someone said "I can't collimate that 10"/12" F4 no mater what, it is impossible" while i saw so so amazing mind blowing images from this 10" F4 Newt, so either this person is giving up quickly or he never give time to do it precisely, or others are using magic and miracles to make it working, this kind of things that many members told me to start cheap or simple to learn, but this way is good if i have enough budget later or in the future, so i buy once for long term, and that is why i didn't buy a refractor because it sound i will just wait longer and buy something high end [TEC/Tak/AP] and never look back, i was slightly to buy a Skywatcher Esprit 100mm which is a great nice scope or similar, but some who have those scopes upgraded undoubtedly to something else such as FSQ-106 or APM... so it means one day i will upgrade too and it means i will waste more, i can't sell, so i will get things slightly, some for one time, and some as replacement but not same type just for practice such as a Mak, and i still didn't use any of my Canon lenses in AP yet, so i feel only a good Refractor is missing which i can wait longer to have one of top quality or high end, and i was thinking to start with something like 70mm or 800 wide, but i remember that Takahashi has reducers so i can turn one of their mid scopes to wide and never look back, so it will be like i bought 2 scopes, they even have extender if i want longer one day.

Thanks again.