432 replies to this topic

[bmwscopeguy]

Well here is another product that has received a lot of hype and press, but without divulging much useful information about the telescope itself. Well needless to say, the hype worked on me….and I took delivery of my (used) Unistellar EVscope today.

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[highfnum]

Well balanced review

 

IMHO we will see more of this type of product

this is just the beginning  like Apple I  was

 

It will get more capable and smoother as time goes on

and less expensive

[ecuador]

At that price you'd expect them to have included a larger sensor. The IMX224 is popular for planetary or guiding, if you are making a system with a single integrated sensor it makes no sense apart from saving costs, which is from your review the major factor going on here (i.e. lots of plastic). While charging a rather hefty $3k...

I am sure others will do it much better - for that cost people make some amazing custom builds with integrated mini computers that are much more capable.

The review was good in any case, thanks!

[bmwscopeguy]

I sort of get the overall impression that cobbling a working EEA setup together is a bit like building your own computer in the old days. Remember? Buy a case/tower, a motherboards, drive, video card, sound card - but not those ones because they won't talk to the whatsit, and these ones are a lot quicker when you pair them with those other thingamajigs.

 

Looking to avoid this in an EEA setup.

[Shinzawai]

I get that it sounds pretty neat, and the eye candy and low effort is what could draw (extra) people into the hobby (if they can swallow the upgraded price from $1>$3k), a good thing, but in the end how long will they stay entertained anyway? 

 

In the end it's a bit like virtual reality, you're still looking at a screen/image of something. I don't want to make the argument that you could just as well look at Hubble images on your pc, because you're out there, you're (or your scope) is doing 'something', but still it feels gimmicky to me. Then again, most of us who put in the effort to be involved and/or lurk astroforums are probably not the target audience.

[jstrandberg]

It's funny, a couple of nights ago I was out and wondering, why can't someone come up with a camera/scope setup that autofocuses itself. Well, here it is. Now, if you could buy something like this with a better sensor as an OTA that could plug and play with an EQ6-R...

 

Technology amazes me, heck I still am dumbfounded that cars don't have keys anymore.

 

Thanks for sharing your experiences and insights.

[davelpg]

Nice write-up.  Like a lot of other "new tech", there will be version 1 issues, but this will likely become part of the future.  

[Larry Isenberg]

Very nice review. Only two questions.

 

1,  Do you consider this money well spent?

2.  With the knowledge you have collected during this process, would you purchase this           instrument again?

[bmwscopeguy]

Hi There,

 

I bought the scope used, so didn't have to pony up for the full price. If I had of, I may not have considered it money well spent (but then again, that's why CN exists isn't it...lol). But I was getting tired of looking at the same old things thru different scopes only to have them look well, just the same. So something had to give. I could easily have spent the same $$ on acquiring a full AP setup and used it in one of my other scopes, but nothing I could find made it seem simple of straightforward.

 

Secondly, I would not purchase another EVscope unless they improved their sensor. It's early days and I'm not grousing about picture quality. Things can always be better.... Below is a 22 minute image of M51 - not too bad all things considered.

 

But I am learning that EEA is an up and coming growth industry, and as a result, the components will get cheaper, better and easier to use.  So I would probably go that route if I was to do it again. Not because of dissatisfaction with the EVscope, but to free up the $$ for other things.

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[bmwscopeguy]

It's funny, a couple of nights ago I was out and wondering, why can't someone come up with a camera/scope setup that autofocuses itself. Well, here it is. Now, if you could buy something like this with a better sensor as an OTA that could plug and play with an EQ6-R...

 

Technology amazes me, heck I still am dumbfounded that cars don't have keys anymore.

 

Thanks for sharing your experiences and insights.

Just as an aside - the EVscope does not autofocus. The main competitor Vaonis Stellina - does. Focusing is easy on the EVscope and it's not like you have to do it every time. Once it's set, unless things get bumped around - it'll hold.

[bmwscopeguy]

I get that it sounds pretty neat, and the eye candy and low effort is what could draw (extra) people into the hobby (if they can swallow the upgraded price from $1>$3k), a good thing, but in the end how long will they stay entertained anyway? 

 

In the end it's a bit like virtual reality, you're still looking at a screen/image of something. I don't want to make the argument that you could just as well look at Hubble images on your pc, because you're out there, you're (or your scope) is doing 'something', but still it feels gimmicky to me. Then again, most of us who put in the effort to be involved and/or lurk astroforums are probably not the target audience.

Hi There,

 

I am still not appreciating the real difference (other than technical) between looking at an image in real time comprised of 15 images a minute and stacked, vs and Astrophotography image which is comprised of longer exposures, but still stacked, processed and tweaked to get an image.

 

Without electronic assistance, we'd all just be looking at Hubble images. 

 

I'd also argue that it is more likely that someone like myself would get into EEA as an easy introduction, and then if I like it enough, get into AP later. 

[30mmgunpilot]

Excellent write up. I’ve begun dabbling in electronically aided astronomy (EAA) which has been an “eye opener” in its own way, but this is really a neat concept worth considering. Thanks for the review!

[eyeoftexas]

Thanks for the write-up.  Such a set up is intriguing for those of us under highly light polluted skies, which is why I use simple EAA with my 4.5" scope.  What seems limiting in regards with the EVscope (and Stellina) is the number of objects that can be targeted.  How many would you estimate are available with the EVscope?  It's not clear why it cannot allow you to target your own objects.  All it needs to do is track once you manually slew it to a position.  Obviously, your ability to find an object may be low because there is no finder.  But, it should be able to plate solve for the star field it sees after you slewed to an area, and then show where it is pointing in a simple planetarium app.

[bmwscopeguy]

Thanks for the write-up.  Such a set up is intriguing for those of us under highly light polluted skies, which is why I use simple EAA with my 4.5" scope.  What seems limiting in regards with the EVscope (and Stellina) is the number of objects that can be targeted.  How many would you estimate are available with the EVscope?  It's not clear why it cannot allow you to target your own objects.  All it needs to do is track once you manually slew it to a position.  Obviously, your ability to find an object may be low because there is no finder.  But, it should be able to plate solve for the star field it sees after you slewed to an area, and then show where it is pointing in a simple planetarium app.

Hi,

 

I suppose that in the demographic that the EVscope is targeting, the Messier and NGC catalogues are all they figured they'd need. You can also enter objects by Name (ie: Iris Nebula) that may lie outside these two catalogues..

 

I wouldn't be surprised if future updates of their APP will provide either more targets, or the facility to enter coordinates directly. Time will tell.

Edited by bmwscopeguy, 01 June 2021 - 02:17 PM.

[RichA]

Maybe if you were looking say for supernova, it's utilitarian images and potential speed and ease of obtaining might be of value?

[Astro Keith]

I love mine!

 

The version 1.3 makes the images alot better too!

 

4.8 Megapixel so it 4 times larger than the 1.2.

 

Here's a shot this morning of dumbbell.

 

Nice write up!!

 

Keith

 

[ecuador]

I love mine!

 

The version 1.3 makes the images alot better too!

 

4.8 Megapixel so it 4 times larger than the 1.2.

 

Here's a shot this morning of dumbbell.

 

Nice write up!!

 

Keith

 

Are you talking about a software update, adding something like software interpolation? From what I see they are still advertising an IMX224 sensor, which is just a 1.3 Mpixel sensor.

[tomb1]

Thanks for this write-up.  I've been involved in EAA for a few years now and I'm constantly torn between the "feel" of true visual and the capabilities of using a camera to see things my eyes simply can't.  Eliminating all of the wires and general complexity is a dream that the EV-Scope and other similar products accomplish, but they always see to suffer from inferior performance.  A good entry level product but nothing more.  Maybe some day... 

[Astro Keith]

Are you talking about a software update, adding something like software interpolation? From what I see they are still advertising an IMX224 sensor, which is just a 1.3 Mpixel sensor.

Not the sensor i would say but  they enlarged the image you see 4X on the screen.For some reason the images look better.Not sure if the are up scaling or what?I just see it as a better image .

 

There's a youtube video of it. describing it.https://www.youtube....h?v=Ke7mIpw6QIs

 

Though Unistellar seems to not answer how they are doing it in the replies.

 

Keith

[Chris Westland]

Thank you for a nice, balanced and informative review of this product.   

 

The EVscope is vastly overpriced, but then, there don't seem to be any competitors.  The bigger question I would ask is why Orion, Skywatcher, Meade, Celestron (as well as ZWO and QHY) aren't in this market with add-ons for their much better scopes.   

 

For that matter, it seems like SharpCap could just embed their software in a camera, dumb down their UI, and offer up a serious competitor at a fraction of the price.    I'd like to see them do it, since they are only charging 10 pounds a year for a great product ... they should have a chance to make a bit more money buy embedding in hardware.

[ecuador]

Not the sensor i would say but  they enlarged the image you see 4X on the screen.For some reason the images look better.Not sure if the are up scaling or what?I just see it as a better image .

 

There's a youtube video of it. describing it.https://www.youtube....h?v=Ke7mIpw6QIs

 

Though Unistellar seems to not answer how they are doing it in the replies.

 

Keith

I would guess it is something like drizzle, a common technique when stacking images. They should really just put a bigger sensor in there, but I am not their intended audience anyway.

[bmwscopeguy]

I love mine!

 

The version 1.3 makes the images alot better too!

 

4.8 Megapixel so it 4 times larger than the 1.2.

 

Here's a shot this morning of dumbbell.

 

Nice write up!!

 

Keith

 

Hi Keith,

 

Here's my pic of the Dumbbell.

 

Cheers

Malcolm

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[bmwscopeguy]

Thank you for a nice, balanced and informative review of this product.   

 

The EVscope is vastly overpriced, but then, there don't seem to be any competitors.  The bigger question I would ask is why Orion, Skywatcher, Meade, Celestron (as well as ZWO and QHY) aren't in this market with add-ons for their much better scopes.   

 

For that matter, it seems like SharpCap could just embed their software in a camera, dumb down their UI, and offer up a serious competitor at a fraction of the price.    I'd like to see them do it, since they are only charging 10 pounds a year for a great product ... they should have a chance to make a bit more money buy embedding in hardware.

 Thanks,

 

As far as I know, the only competitor to the EVscope is the Vaonis Stellina - which is even more money!! It is an 80mm refractor based vs the EVscope's 4.5" reflector design, and seems to have a higher res sensor..

[Astro Keith]

Hi Keith,

 

Here's my pic of the Dumbbell.

 

Cheers

Malcolm

High Malcom!

 

Nice shot!! Was you on 1.2 or 1.3 version.?

 

What I've noticed on the differences of the 1.2 Vs 1.3 was slightly more darker colors with a bit more detail's in the fainter things.Not night and day but there's a slight more crispness to the pics.especially nebulas.star clusters not a whole lot of difference but something brings out color and tendrils slightly better on the 1.3 in gas clouds.Galaxie's seem to show more definition too.

 

Here's a shot of the Ring and I was really impressed with it over my other images of the ring I've taken with the EV scope.

 

 

Keith

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[bmwscopeguy]

High Malcom!

 

Nice shot!! Was you on 1.2 or 1.3 version.?

 

What I've noticed on the differences of the 1.2 Vs 1.3 was slightly more darker colors with a bit more detail's in the fainter things.Not night and day but there's a slight more crispness to the pics.especially nebulas.star clusters not a whole lot of difference but something brings out color and tendrils slightly better on the 1.3 in gas clouds.Galaxie's seem to show more definition too.

 

Here's a shot of the Ring and I was really impressed with it over my other images of the ring I've taken with the EV scope.

 

 

Keith

Hi Keith - I'm running 1.3 also.

 

Here's my pic of M57.

 

Cheers

Malcolm

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