BEST BEGINNER TELESCOPE FOR ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY | 3 SCOPES IN 1!! THE SCT

[@gr0uch02a]

Great video. I have a 12" Meade ACF which I really like. Having a mirror lock is a great advantage, along with the optics as it doesn't lend itself to star bloat the way "normal" SCT's do. Used with an Optec reducer which sits inside their TCF-Si focuser. Awesome combo all the way around and the whole kit was far less than my TOA130 by itself. The only downside is that there isn't enough room left for a rotator.

[@easyastroimages5818]

Sounds like a killer rig. 12 inch sct wow. Star hunter!!!

[@SKYST0RY]

Does the Meade have a primary and secondary focuser to allow for refocusing through the night as temperature changes?

[@KJRitch]

I'm new and despite everyone tell me on CN its best to go with a small refractor, I decided to purchase a C8/AVX combo when it was on sale a year ago . I only started trying to learn imaging last October. I like my SCT for the price, the aperture size and its compact. The AVX not so much but I'm getting by with this mount. Right now I'm only shooting galaxies but if I wanted to shoot large nebulas I would have to learn how to shoot mosaics. When I was looking for a telescope I was asked what do you want to shoot. I wanted everything, planets, galaxies, nebulas's. Some nebulas are small enough, like M27 Dumbell, but most your see are too large even with a focal reducer. I guess I didn't understand that issue very well back then in my early days of this hobby. I could go with a Hyperstar, but is that an ideal solution for someone who has to set up and break down overnight? I would have to remove the Hyperstar every time to pack the SCT OTA in its bag. The Night Owl would be the perfect solution for me. I did recently visit Starizona and asked them about the Night Owl, They mentioned the affects of the plandemic, working with other companies, testing delays etc. I don't think they will ever get this product out, mainly because it would probably devastate their Hyperstar sales. I wish Hyperstar wasn't a $1000 for the C8 considering for the C6 its only $500 but I suppose since I'm now in my 70's, if I spend $1000 on a Hyperstar, I'm not going to worry about the price when I'm on my death bed. I do have Starizona's SCT focal reducer and like it very much. You should also mention with an SCT you probably would be better off with a good mount if using it for astrophotography. All this come down to your budget in the end. I've resubscribed. Thanks

[@easyastroimages5818]

awesome decision. i had an avx and have a few videos on guiding with it. if you ever need a lighter setup keep the avx tripod and sell or keep the mount and put an am5 on it like i did. way lighter..guides way better. it was a back saver sir. easy in and out. it will easily hold that c8 no problem. hyperstar is a hard pill to swallow. but you def cannot get a good f2 scope for $1000. the night owl would have been the savior!!

[@KJRitch]

I have been using NINA with PHD2 and my guiding has been a challenge. I've narrowed it down to using PPEC for the RA algorithm and keeping the exposures short to 0.5secs. When I perform calibration and I slew to the Meridian/Equator, I never get a good calibration and PHD2 always complains about my DEC backlash. I've learned to adjust the worm gear backlash and I have adjusted RA and DEC so there is no back and forth play. My RA motor cover is now modified so it is easier to take off the next time (I broke the bottom part trying to take it off, but you can't see it when the cover is on so I consider that a good mod). I perform a calibration until I get RA/DEC angle graph that is close enough to 90°. I don't bother with Guiding Assistant anymore. I'm waiting for more reviews with the AM5N. With the improvement in the PE down to 10" or less will this be the strain wave for higher focal length scopes?

[@SKYST0RY]

LOL I was about to write that I completely agree then I saw you featured my work.

[@easyastroimages5818]

You’re my my main guy right now sir!! Keep it up!!

[@davidf9494]

My first and only telescope I bought 9 years ago was an EDGE HD8 with a reducer. It's fully automated and I use it in the summer for nebulas (Hyperstar) and winter/spring at f/7 for galaxy season (northern Canada). Collimation has taken a while to master but as you mentioned, it's a great all around scope. Thanks for your video!

[@easyastroimages5818]

That’s such a nice piece of kit! Appreciate the kind words! I always wanted an edge but never needed it with video camera stuff. Now with photos yeah

[@davidf9494]

@@easyastroimages5818 You've got a new subscriber - looking forward to your past and future videos - Thanks!

[@rocketcityastro]

Askar F71 flat field refractor is my recommended beginner scope due to it's price 599$ and ease of use "No collimation" comes with flat field no reducer needed and is light enough for a smaller mount it's also faster than a C8. I would not recommend a newt due to how much you have to tinker with cheaper ones. Most beginner's don't want to spend more than 2500$ to get started.

[@easyastroimages5818]

thats a very good price for a starter scope. i love the refractors but my mind has shifted to cost of total ownership. the refractor is what you got..cannot change it. thats why im shifting to sct for a budget minded person becuase the ability to have radically different configurations without starting all over or selling off and stating over. perfect world you would have both :)

[@AstroIsland]

Great video. Cost also plays a major factor for a beginner scope. Most SCTs and Newtonians are far more affordable than refractors. My first scope was a Newtonian and enjoyed every night of imaging.

[@easyastroimages5818]

Yeah for sure. I am afraid that people see the mods that you need to spend on some of these newts and if you don’t your images will be bad:( not the case but influence is influence.

[@AstroIsland]

@@easyastroimages5818 It’s mainly because most of us with busy schedules prefer something to just set up and begin shooting without worrying about all the additional responsibilities before or after imaging. I guess that’s why these automated scopes are gaining popularity as well.

[@davidgalemusic7447]

I've been wanting a Night Owl for a while now. I live in Tucson and the last time I went to Starizona they were still planning on producing it eventually. It's a long process because even though they developed it, the optics are made elsewhere and each time they have to test it and tell the manufacturer where the flaws are and it starts all over again. I think they are quite picky about the quality thus it's taking a while to get it just right.

[@easyastroimages5818]

Yeah. It’s taken years :). I had one of the first runs. It was ok. I didn’t know this much back then. It was used only for eaa and not astrophotography. It’s a hard ask to bend that light back there at those speed. Way easier up front with hyper star. But then you have other isssues. It works but man when it doesn’t it’s a pia lol I spent many hours tuning mine on the c6 a few years back

[@AnomalousAstro]

My first scope was also the HD8 (4yrs ago), it's still my favorite and I'm shooting NGC 6888 in SHO with it right now. I got a great deal with all accessories on Cloudy Nights, but still $1800 ain't pocket change. Also it requires a good mount and better guiding and that can add another $2-3K. I agree with your versatility point using Hypertstar, but that's a non-trivial setup and costs more than many great refractors all buy itself. All due respect to your opinion - but I gotta say your average non technically inclined beginner should start with a wide field refractor and something like an AM3 or 5 and a mini guide scope...and you still gotta buy a camera! and Filters, and...lions, tigers and bears - oh my! My second scope is a Williams Optics GT81IV which I haven't used in almost a year, not because it isn't a great scope, though I do like the reach of the HD8, mostly I'm stingy about doing Flats (still using a set I made in Feb) so I don't like disturbing my image train and keep my corrector plate clean, and I'm not running out of interesting targets yet.

[@easyastroimages5818]

All good man. I did a video a few weeks ago about all th rest of the equipment and the total of that price led to a lot of money. After owning sct scopes for many years I don’t think they are any more of a hassle then a refractor. But it seems the hot ticket now is these budget newts which are a nightmare but many people are asking about them because of certain channels using them.

[@AnomalousAstro]

@@easyastroimages5818 Agreed, always leads to a LOT of $. My wife frequently reminds me, as I blather on about what I think is a simple concept, that I forget to remember, and take for granted, all the details that we've picked up as builders over the years. Which plays right into your comment about Newts, if I'm suggesting a SCT might be too much for a beginner a Newt is a rat hole one might never get out of. Thanks for the work you put into your videos, looking forward to more!

[@LittleHubble]

I like your channel and videos, but maybe you should add time chapters into your videos? 🙂

[@easyastroimages5818]

Some of the latest ones have them. This one I didn’t since it was kind of a ramble of thoughts but yes I agree a little more planning and navigation will be included on videos

[@anata5127]

14 or 17” CDK.

[@easyastroimages5818]

Well lol. Those are kinda nice :)

[@anata5127]

@@easyastroimages5818 Perfect beginner scope: good for muscles, beginner will think twice before buying cheap mount, and after 2-4 months 2-3 hour’s assembling and disassembling each clear night will come realization - need observatory better in remote locations. Result is steep learning curve with 2-4 months of huge struggle at beginning. There are such examples. Those beginners produce better pictures and don’t involved in constant upgrades, which bring to loses of thousands and average pictures no matter what cheap upgrades they do.