Tim in GA
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 02/06/06
Posts: 1427
Loc: Buford, GA
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I am thinking about getting into some (somewhat) serious planetary type imaging. Looking at a C9.25 scope and some sort of DMK/DFK/DBK camera. My max budget for the camera is about $1200. Looking at these firewire cameras, I am a little confused about which one would serve me best for planetary and maybe some solar work. I have enough left in my overall budget for a PST. Eventually I would upgrade to a better solar scope arrangement.
If I want to do solar, I assume a color camera is needed. But what about the bayer option? What's the difference? My main interest is planetary, so I want to concentrate my options there.
Any advice would be appreciated.
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There are some who call me...........Tim
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Celestron C8 + WO SCT Focuser
WO ZS80FD + WO 0.8x FF/FR
EQ6 SynScan
DMK21AF04 AS version Firewire Camera
Meade DSI Pro
Philips SPC900NC
Canon Rebel XT (modded)
Canon 30D (unmodded)
Atik filter wheel with Astronomik LRGB + 13nm H-alpha
A wife with her own expensive hobby
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My blog
My Flickr
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chris go
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 04/06/04
Posts: 1184
Loc: Cebu City, Philippines
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Hi Tim,
If you want to do solar imaging you should get a monochrome camera! A color camera will give you bayer grid lines on your images which will drive you nuts!
Regards,
Chris
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Tim in GA
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 02/06/06
Posts: 1427
Loc: Buford, GA
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Thanks Chris. Monochrome seems the way to go. Maybe I need to look at spending less on the camera since I would also need a good filter wheel + filters. I am still not sure which way to go (for my overall imaging rig). Originally I thought CCD imaging would be interesting, but the small format cameras and much more time spent taking exposures through multiple filters turned me off. Planetary imaging is starting to sound similar, but I thought it might be easier to deal with through my light-polluted skies. I have lots of time to make a decision and may end up going the DSLR route on a fast Vixen newt if all else fails.
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There are some who call me...........Tim
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Celestron C8 + WO SCT Focuser
WO ZS80FD + WO 0.8x FF/FR
EQ6 SynScan
DMK21AF04 AS version Firewire Camera
Meade DSI Pro
Philips SPC900NC
Canon Rebel XT (modded)
Canon 30D (unmodded)
Atik filter wheel with Astronomik LRGB + 13nm H-alpha
A wife with her own expensive hobby
--------------------
My blog
My Flickr
|
chris go
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 04/06/04
Posts: 1184
Loc: Cebu City, Philippines
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DSLR won't work with Planetary imaging. The good ones availabe are the DMK 21AF04 from The Imagins Source which sells for $390...
Regards,
Chris
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Tim in GA
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 02/06/06
Posts: 1427
Loc: Buford, GA
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Sorry - what I meant was that I am either going with a planetary imaging setup (with DMK type camera) or a DSO imaging setup (with DSLR). My main planetary scope would be a C9.25XLT, but for DSO imaging I would use a Vixen R200SS. Either way it will be sitting on an Altlas mount. The planetary rig worries me due to added time spent with a filter wheel, the weight of the C9.25, and the limited amount of targets (planets). A DSO rig seems a little more tempting at this point, although with the downside of lots of image processing dealing with DSLR noise and light pollution.
I have a $6K total budget for the entire setup (mount+scope+camera+etc), and either way I go I think I can get a pretty decent imaging platform for that money. There's so many choices and I hope to make up my mind soon.
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There are some who call me...........Tim
--------------------
Celestron C8 + WO SCT Focuser
WO ZS80FD + WO 0.8x FF/FR
EQ6 SynScan
DMK21AF04 AS version Firewire Camera
Meade DSI Pro
Philips SPC900NC
Canon Rebel XT (modded)
Canon 30D (unmodded)
Atik filter wheel with Astronomik LRGB + 13nm H-alpha
A wife with her own expensive hobby
--------------------
My blog
My Flickr
|
rumples riot
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 07/01/04
Posts: 2300
Loc: South Australia
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The DMk has worked well for me and I have been more than happy with it. The images that I obtained this year were a huge step above where I had been with the toucam.
I can recommend it as a great planetary camera.
Paul
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EARTH AND COSMOS
My Solar System Imaging BLOG
How to peltier cool a C14 SCT
SOUTH CELESTIAL POLE
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Lester
sage
Reged: 07/05/06
Posts: 205
Loc: South Australia
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HI,
I have been using a DFK now for 3 weeks and really like the results. Unfortunately I have had the jetstream to contend with all that time also. I used a Neximage prior to the DFK and there is absolutely no comparison with the results. Hope to get some good conditions for imaging soon.
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ManuelJ
super member
Reged: 12/19/05
Posts: 112
Loc: Madrid, Spain, Europe
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What's the difference between DMK 21AF04 and DMK 21BF04?. I understand what's the I/O and Trigger, but what's the utility for that in planetary imaging?
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www.pbase.com/manueljimenez
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iceman
Post Laureate
Reged: 03/07/04
Posts: 4379
Loc: Gosford, Australia
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There isn't any. You don't need the "B" for what we use it for. The DMK21AF04 will do just fine, which is what I just bought.
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Mike
. mikesalway.com.au - Astronomy and Photography by Mike Salway
. IceInSpace - The Australian Amateur Astronomy Community
. My Bio | My Jupiter 2007 Gallery | My Image Gallery
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Tim in GA
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 02/06/06
Posts: 1427
Loc: Buford, GA
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I think I am settled on the DMK21AF04 as long as my budget permits. 
--------------------
There are some who call me...........Tim
--------------------
Celestron C8 + WO SCT Focuser
WO ZS80FD + WO 0.8x FF/FR
EQ6 SynScan
DMK21AF04 AS version Firewire Camera
Meade DSI Pro
Philips SPC900NC
Canon Rebel XT (modded)
Canon 30D (unmodded)
Atik filter wheel with Astronomik LRGB + 13nm H-alpha
A wife with her own expensive hobby
--------------------
My blog
My Flickr
|
Magellan
professor emeritus
Reged: 01/26/06
Posts: 538
Loc: Dartmouth, NS Canada
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so thats what it is.. man that drives me nuts!!
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Jeff D
Coulter Odyssey 2 8" Dobsonian
Celestron Nexstar 102SLT
Antares EQ-5 Mount
Celestron Skymaster 15x70
Messier Certificate Count: 71/110
St. Croix Observatory RASC-Halifax
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Tim in GA
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 02/06/06
Posts: 1427
Loc: Buford, GA
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What adapters will I need to couple the DMK21AF04 to a 2" focuser?
--------------------
There are some who call me...........Tim
--------------------
Celestron C8 + WO SCT Focuser
WO ZS80FD + WO 0.8x FF/FR
EQ6 SynScan
DMK21AF04 AS version Firewire Camera
Meade DSI Pro
Philips SPC900NC
Canon Rebel XT (modded)
Canon 30D (unmodded)
Atik filter wheel with Astronomik LRGB + 13nm H-alpha
A wife with her own expensive hobby
--------------------
My blog
My Flickr
|
iceman
Post Laureate
Reged: 03/07/04
Posts: 4379
Loc: Gosford, Australia
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Why do you need a 2" focuser? Surely you'd use the 1.25" adapter in your 2" focuser? Because you'll need to use 2.5x or 5x powermate (or other) to get greater image scale. These are 1.25" items.
Don't forget you'll need the filter wheel between the DMK and the focuser.
So you'll need 2 adapters - 1 from the DMK to the filter wheel, and 1 from the filter wheel to the barlow/focuser.
It's worth noting that in my 10" newt, the DMK won't come to focus at newt prime focus (without any barlow) - I don't have enough in-travel and would need to move the mirror up the tube (which I don't intend on doing right now). So I can only do a minimum of 2500mm+ FL, with a 2x barlow.
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Mike
. mikesalway.com.au - Astronomy and Photography by Mike Salway
. IceInSpace - The Australian Amateur Astronomy Community
. My Bio | My Jupiter 2007 Gallery | My Image Gallery
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Tim in GA
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 02/06/06
Posts: 1427
Loc: Buford, GA
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Everything starts from the 2" focuser, so I was just starting at that point. I don't have a Powermate and did not intend to buy one. I already have a very good 2X Telecentric barlow from Siebert (2").
I am not planning on a filter wheel at the moment. My budget is getting cut due to some other unplanned expenses.
But you don't mention what kind of adapter? Is there a particular thread size, length, etc??
Thanks!
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There are some who call me...........Tim
--------------------
Celestron C8 + WO SCT Focuser
WO ZS80FD + WO 0.8x FF/FR
EQ6 SynScan
DMK21AF04 AS version Firewire Camera
Meade DSI Pro
Philips SPC900NC
Canon Rebel XT (modded)
Canon 30D (unmodded)
Atik filter wheel with Astronomik LRGB + 13nm H-alpha
A wife with her own expensive hobby
--------------------
My blog
My Flickr
|
Tim in GA
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 02/06/06
Posts: 1427
Loc: Buford, GA
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I guess I need a C/CS to 1.25" adapter for the camera. Seems cheap on Ebay.
Maybe I can work a filter wheel in the budget. I checked the Homeyer page but there's no pricing or ordering info.
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There are some who call me...........Tim
--------------------
Celestron C8 + WO SCT Focuser
WO ZS80FD + WO 0.8x FF/FR
EQ6 SynScan
DMK21AF04 AS version Firewire Camera
Meade DSI Pro
Philips SPC900NC
Canon Rebel XT (modded)
Canon 30D (unmodded)
Atik filter wheel with Astronomik LRGB + 13nm H-alpha
A wife with her own expensive hobby
--------------------
My blog
My Flickr
|
Bird
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 08/07/03
Posts: 2628
Loc: Canberra, Australia
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I'd reccommend a 2" focusser, even though you'll be using a 1.25" adapter for the camera it still means the focusser has more mechanical rigidity than a 1.25" version. This is important to make sure that the focusser doesn't sag under the weight of the barlow+filter wheel+camera. Otherwise you'll have trouble keeping everything in collimation.
I'm using a JMI 2" focusser and I'm seriously considering changing up to their 3" model just for the increased strength and precision.
regards, Bird
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Deep Sky Optics 13.1" f/5.5 newtonian,
PGR Dragonfly Express, PGR Dragonfly 2
RedHat Linux + Coriander
http://www.acquerra.com.au/astro/
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