ZWO OAG L Guiding for Astrophotography

[@dereksmythe9042]

That OAG looks really nice Glenn. The dream rig just keeps getting dreamier

[@Astrobloke]

Its very nice Derek. Well built and works well

[@mauri740]

really nice video. It's possible to mount the OAG-L directly on the asi camera without a filter wheel?

[@Astrobloke]

Hi Maurizio, thank you for your kind comment. The OAG bolts to the camera the same way and holes the filterwheel uses

[@ancientphotonsastrophotogr6999]

Excellent. Just ordered one of these for my new 2600MM. Thanks for showing me how to assemble it. Very clear explanation.

[@Astrobloke]

You are very welcome and thank you for taking the time to watch my video and commenting. Clear skies

[@ShevillMathers]

Thanks for sharing your experience with this new rig, at least nothing is going to fall off or tilt out of alignment. Clear skies, Greetings from Tasmania.🔭👍🇦🇺🦘

[@Astrobloke]

Hi Shevill. Its very sturdy and I now much prefer this way of attaching. Thanks for watching and commenting, clear skies

[@JoesAstrophoto]

That's really nice Glenn! I'm glad to see ZWO has finally added a larger mirror to their OAG, it makes a huge difference in my opinion when doing things like galaxies.

[@Astrobloke]

Thanks Joe. Its a very nice OAG and works well. Would be extra nice with the 178mm and maybe later I’ll get one. I’ll keep an eye out for deals

[@davidwillis5396]

Keep the vidios COMMING I love both you & Simone both of you have helped me a lot. David Willis NSW Australia

[@Astrobloke]

Hi David and thank you for you kind comment. Really glad the videos have been helpful. You have some amazing targets in your hemisphere. Clear skies

[@markbayfield6381]

Great Video Glenn. Looks like a great bit of kit and you explained everything so clearly.

[@Astrobloke]

Thanks Mark. It is really good kit and works great

[@bond3348]

Brilliant stuff Glenn 👍

[@Astrobloke]

Thank you Mark

[@DSOImager]

Great video Glenn. It was a really good up close look at that OAG and how it hooks up to the rest of the gear. Thanks!

[@Astrobloke]

Thanks James. Its a nice OAG. Quite an improvement over the original

[@darrylhedges1372]

Hey my friend, you and I have the same camera/filter wheel/OAG-L set-up. I have been hesitating putting everything together because I wasn't sure how everything was supposed to connect together. You solved that problem brilliantly, and now I can get on with using those components in my imaging system. Thank you so much!!!

[@Astrobloke]

Hi Darryl , that's great and I suppose you could say good timing. Very nice gear and you will have a lot of fun with it. clear skies

[@darrylhedges1372]

@@Astrobloke Glenn: How did you attach your ZWO ASI 1600mm Pro to the EFW filter wheel? It appears in the video that you screwed the two together, but I have no idea how you did that. The holes on the sensor-side of the 1600mm don't line-up with the holes on the filter wheel. Is there some type of adapter that fits between the 1600mm and the filter wheel? If so, can you tell me what it is and where to get it? Thanks!

[@Astrobloke]

@@darrylhedges1372 hi There. I have the 2600mm not the 1600mm and I think thats why there is a difference for mounting. You would have to screw the 1600mm on like I do for my 294mm which is also a smaller camera body with the 4/3rds size sensor. Hope this helps

[@1957TAH]

I have the exact hardware setup with ASIAIR. Works perfectly. Huge improvement over the ZWO smaller OAG. Good video.

[@Astrobloke]

Nice and yes I agree its a big improvement. Thank you for taking the time to comment, clears skies

[@alimaleki217]

Incredibly helpful video; thanks Glenn!

[@Astrobloke]

Hi and thank you, really glad it was of help.

[@jimanderson2134]

Thank you for the video - nicely done, flow well and great video editing. Just installed mine but missing the four screws for mounting the 6200 on. Might you know the screw sizes for mounting the camera. Seems I didn't get sufficient from ZWO.

[@josephluciani5531]

Thank you Glen for your through and patient walk-through on this. Question on removing the filter wheel holder from the base. You removed the center screw, washer, etc. I’ve read where someone said the proper way is to remove the three screws rather than the center screw because by removing the center screw you have to have the tension just right on the wheel so as to not over-tighten the center screw. Wondering how you feel about that.

[@Astrobloke]

Hi Joseph and thank you for watching and commenting. I think some people like to overthink and complicate issues. You just do the screw up so there is no play as it acts on a bearing. It does not need to be tight and you would realise very quickly if too tight as the wheel will not turn. I have removed the carousel multiple times on quite a few EFW and have never had issues after so I think it is a fairly safe way to do it.

[@robertw1871]

Thanks, it was killing me trying to figure why I had a dark band across the image, didn’t think to look for a prism adjustment…

[@Astrobloke]

You are welcome Robert and glad my video helped. Its normally something simple in this hobby but not always obvious, clear skies

[@SimonsAstro]

Looks like a nice piece of kit Glenn, great video mate! I really want to go mono, but realistically I need to stick with my OSC for now and give it some thought! Unless there is a great deal at the show! Hope you can go Glenn, let me know! Clear skies

[@Astrobloke]

You are sorted with that nice camera you already have mate and mono won’t be going anywhere. Learn your craft first as it will be easier when you do upgrade

[@SimonsAstro]

@@Astrobloke you sound like my wife😀 But you are both right 👍

[@andrewweller5119]

Lovely and well considered tutorial. thanks for this.

[@Astrobloke]

Thank you for watching and taking the time to comment. Glad it was helpful.

[@HeavenlyBackyardAstronomy]

Excellent tutorial Glenn. I am trying to set up my C-11 of the OAG and this video does help. I am also considering bolting my camera (ZWO1600) to the filter wheel instead of screwing it on. It seems from your example that it has its advantages. I hope you get to go to the PAS. Clear skies my friend

[@Astrobloke]

Hi Pat and thank you. The OAG is perfect for the focal length of that monster scope. Any issues give me a shout and I'll be happy to help.

[@lukomatico]

Brilliant video Glenn!! Really thorough mate, I was thinking of doing a video on setting up an OAG myself but I may not bother now haha, this one is so good! 🙂 Clear skies mate!

[@Astrobloke]

Thanks Luke. You should still do one as I am sure it will still help others that might not see mine or refuse to watch a crafty cockney doing astro lol

[@lukomatico]

@@Astrobloke Crafty Cockney, hahaha!!! :-D I'll have a look at doing one, I'd be covering the smaller OAG so I can always shout your video here about the OAG-L out during it too for anyone wanting that one! :-D Clear skies bud!

[@LogansAstro]

I do like the look of that OAG, especially with the big window for passing the light up to the guide camera. I was keen to dodge the whole bolt on system of QHY but when forced to do that with my 2600mmpro, I kind of see the advantages of it, stability-wise.

[@Astrobloke]

I agree Logan. I quite like the bolt on system but I suppose it only suits if you leave imaging trains complete.

[@brinkoo7]

I am in Bortle 9, and using the 174mm mini on a 10" RC and the smaller OAG.. I have ran into issues seeing stars many times and this video made it so obvious as to why lol... thank you! I feel idiotic by not noticing how small that hole is on the original.

[@Astrobloke]

Hi James and that’s great the video was able to help you. The larger prism definitely helps and that 174 is a perfect match, i use a 290 which works well too. I think the smaller one is ok for focal lengths upto 1000mm just but over that you start to struggle. Clear skies

[@ona4day]

If you're going to continue to use the small OAG for your other cameras, ZWO makes a really nice helical focuser for it (no rotation), I used it for awhile with good results...until I switched to the M68 L

[@Astrobloke]

Thanks Beardog i may just do that. The Baader one works but is a pain

[@robmcpherson5974]

Thanks for the video Glenn. Really helpful. I'm going to try to pick up an OAG-L at the IAS on the 15th October. Looking at your setup, it looked like you've got a coma corrector on the front of your image train (I've got the skywatcher 0.9x coma corrector, but looking at your video, I think yours in the Baader version?). Did you use a spacer between the OAG and the Coma corrector? Couldn't quite work it out when watching the clip. Many thanks

[@Astrobloke]

Hi Rob. I will be at the IAS on saturday so please come say hello if you see me. I use the same corrector that you have and a Baader MPCC MKIii spacer depends on which camera I am using as they have different backspacing needs but I think there is a 10mm one.

[@Neilus001]

Hey Glen thanks for the video, Cheers. I would have love to have seen how you went about the method you used in getting the focus right. Thanks :)

[@Astrobloke]

Thank you. I made an earlier video fitting the smaller ZWO OAG and in that I show the focusing of it. I have put a link to it below, hope that helps and clear skies. How to fit the ZWO OAG (Off Axis Guider) and set up with ASI290mm. Astrophotography guiding PHD2. kzbin.info/www/bejne/aYHGhJ-gmruBgq8

[@Neilus001]

@@Astrobloke I’ll check it out thanks. I have the same set up as you in this video but I’m struggling to get focus as I seem to run out of travel. My 174mm is all the way in and need just a bit more travel to get proper focus. Smaller scopes and wheels don’t seem to have the same problem. Thanks again for your reply.

[@actudoran]

Hi Glenn! I think that'll go way better with a 178 since it seems like it will take full advantage of the multiple star guiding capabilities of PHD2. Have fun with it ☺️

[@jasonschella7206]

I agree. The 178, with its larger and more sensitive sensor, works very well with the zwo OAG-L (and Celestron OAG).

[@Astrobloke]

I agree too but £499 needed so it will have to wait and in the meantime stick with my 290mm

[@petermetcher]

Hello Astrobloke, Good work on this video, I like the clear explanation you gave. After screwing on the tilt plate, what did you screw on to the OAG? Cheers Peter

[@Astrobloke]

Hi Peter and thank you for your kind comment. As I use my set up on a Newtonian scope it needs something to insert into the focus tube. I attach a coma corrector. If you are using a refractor or say and SCT you would then screw directly to this assembly adding any spacers to achieve the correct back spacing to the sensor (most instances this is around 55mm)

[@petermetcher]

Great, thanks @@Astrobloke

[@tullyfisher]

Very nice and interesting video (I don't even have an off-axis guider.). - Fingers crossed for the PAS. ;)

[@Astrobloke]

Thanks Tully. 🤞i have them well and truly crossed

[@uktrismus]

Thanks for the info Glenn I have the 2600 and filter wheel but haven’t bolted them together I use the dew strap designed for the 2600 camera and am not sure i would be able to use it if I bolted onto the filter wheel. I find your video’s are a great resource for beginners so keep up the good work Cheers

[@Astrobloke]

Thank you John for the kind comment and glad the videos are of help. Interested in which dew strap you are using as the 2600 comes with an inbuilt dew heater (I have the mono and that does and I am assuming the colour is the same) I control my equipment with NINA and on the camera tab you can switch the cameras dew heater on/off

[@uktrismus]

Every day I learn something new. Today it was that my 2600 had an internal dew heater and because of my ignorance i also fitted one to the outside 😅 must admit I have not had any problems with dew. I’m pretty new to this game so not had time to read all the small print. Thanks again Glen

[@Astrobloke]

@@uktrismus HI mate. There are so many small details in this hobby its very easy to miss stuff but its always a learning day I find. Always happy to help if you have any questions so don't hesitate to ask. Clear skies

[@johnnycanosoda]

Great video, No im thinking of trying an OAG. Thanks Glenn.

[@Astrobloke]

Thank you. With long focal lengths they really make a big difference

[@ivanbishop3493]

Great detail. MUCH appreciated.

[@Astrobloke]

Thank you for watching and taking the time to comment, glad it was helpful.

[@EMAINC3]

Nice tutorial - thanks Glenn! I am looking at bolting a 2600MM to the EFW 7x36mm. Have you experienced any light leaks on the interface between the camera (with the Tilt Plate removed) and your EFW? Seems to be some commentary around this out in the wild. The Telescope side has four holes that it appears the OAG-L would occupy so should not be an issue there.. Thanks - this is most helpful!

[@Astrobloke]

With the EFW and OAG-L attached none of the holes are open so absolutely no light leaks at all. I did use my 294mm on this wheel and just put a small piece of black tape over the exposed holes and that worked fine but ZWO really should include some caps or plugs for these hole if not used

[@pt8314]

Glenn, thanks for the video it's really great to see a full build like that. I'm about to jump on the OAG bandwagon after dropping my scope due to no handle and my own idiocy! I'm on the way to PAS myself to get a replacement. Question for you, I use a 0.8x reducer and 1.0x flattener on my refractor. The light cone is going to get compressed with the reducer - would you recommend setting up the prism depth with the reducer on as it's likely to require the OAG prism deeper? Additionally, the ZWO OAG is going to necessitate the removal of my beloved Gerd Neumann CTU tilt adapter. I notice that the tilt plate is included in the OAG-L - have you got any experience with adjusting this on the fly? The CTU is all about easy access to screws to elminate tilt without any image train disassembly. Cheers mate and hope to see you at PAS.

[@Astrobloke]

Hi P T and thank you for your message. Hopefully I will make PAS. I did have a ZWO OAG on my RC8 before I sold that scope and used a 0.75x reducer. I did set the OAG up with the reducer on and found it worked great. I think its best to adjust with whatever imaging train you decide to use. The ZWO Tilt plate can be adjusted while in the imaging train but how easily I am not so sure. On my CT10 there is not much room and its difficult to see. I seem to be lucky with my camera that the plate is just zero'd out and I don't need to adjust it at all. The CTU looks a nice solid piece of kit. I had a tilt adapter similar to this also on my RC8. The ZWO is easy to adjust so I am sure it can be done on the fly. Clear skies Glenn

[@kevinlemoi758]

Hi Glenn, Great video. I have the exact same setup... just a question, what were the spacers you used at the end of your image train? Keep up the great work!

[@Astrobloke]

Hi Kevin. How rude of me I forgot to reply. Think I was going to double check then reply. Sorry. On this set up it has a Baader MPCC MkIII and a 20mm spacer. The backspacing is supposed to be 55mm but my stars were not sorted in the corners until 57-58 mm.

[@Santi1789]

Glenn, thank you so much for your video! I have the same OAG but my filter wheel somehow has no holes to attach it the same way you did. I'm really, really new at this. Do you have any advice as to how I can work around this issue? Thank you in advance!

[@Astrobloke]

Hi there. The ZWO later filter wheels came with the mounting holes to accommodate this OAG I am not sure if there is any other way to attach it. You could email ZWO and ask if they have any ways to work around this? I wonder if they sell just the EFW cover with the holes included? I remember when ordering my 36mm EFW I had to get the ver 2 as that had the new mounting holes included. Sorry I can not be of more help. I will ask around and try and find more info for you though. Good luck

[@Santi1789]

@@Astrobloke Thank you so much for your time and reply! I'll try reaching ZWO support.

[@redabdab]

Thanks SO much for this. I am new to off axis guiding (having just bought a long focal length scope) so this is exactly what I needed and very clear. Chroma filters, I notice. Only the best, eh? Is the enormous price justified? (I'm asking as someone who's not yet contemplated doing narrowband). One thing I didn't understand is that at 9:07 you connect your guide camera to your imaging camera. Why is that? I just connect mine both to the Pegasus Ultimate Powerbox. But maybe I'm doing it wrong?

[@Astrobloke]

Hi Stuart. I bought the Chroma filters used, a while back but they were the 1.25" so won't work with the 2600mm APSC sensor, I use them with my 294mm pro. They are excellent filters but the new Antlia 3nm filters are just as excellent and I honestly cannot tell the difference. So a big saving getting them over Chroma or Astrodon. It doesn't matter where you connect the guide camera and I only chose the main camera as I have nice short usb c cable and its nice and neat solution. I also attach the filterwheel into the camera and this means I can move the image train other scopes and leave those 2 cables connected. I avoid unplugging and plugging usb's in as much as possible as they can be temperamental.

[@redabdab]

@@Astrobloke excellent. Thanks 👍

[@slzckboy]

thnks.Good info, I think ill try the baby OAG first with my sct

[@Astrobloke]

Hi Rob. The smaller OAG by ZWO works really well too and I still use mine with the 294mmpro

[@Dennis-tf2cs]

As far as I've been told by ZWO, there is no way to use this unless you have a filter wheel. If you have a filter wheel don't get the small one. If you have a long focal length scope, it can be hard to find guide stars using the small one.

[@Astrobloke]

@@Dennis-tf2cs i’ve not had issues at 1200mm with the small one at all. The Larger one is definitely better.

[@hamzailyas-muslimastronome3506]

@@Dennis-tf2cs Hey There, you can definitely use the OAG L without a filter wheel. Originally bought mine to use with my 80mm refractor +2600mm but later kept the guidescope. When Galaxy season started and I bought a 294mc pro to pair with my 8SCT, I remembered the OAG L and hooked it up with no issue. ZWO has a diagram on their website showing how to pair it with 4/3 sensors. You will of course need 2 adapters which are inexpensive and quite easy to setup. Once done, I got plenty of guidestars. CS!

[@KyleDay96]

@@hamzailyas-muslimastronome3506 I have a asi 294 mc-pro and am looking into the OAG L. Having difficulties working out what backfocus I will need. I have the ZWO filter drawer in my imaging train too instead of a EFW.

[@dustinballinger5661]

Great review, I might have missed it but do you know the total backfocus the OAG + EFW + 2600MM takes up? I’m trying to decide if I have enough backfocus with my PrimaLuce Lab Essato and ARCO in the mix on my Edge HD11.

[@Astrobloke]

Hi. I think you have quite a generous back focus on SCT's and should be able to work with this. The EFW is 20mm I believe and the OAG L 17.5mm but double check on the ZWO websites.

[@Dudleydogg]

I have a thread on Camera and I cant get it centered, but on y our OAG it looked like you were center on the pins. how can I rotate the top to get camera on center? is that even possible

[@Astrobloke]

I think with the filterwheel from ZWO (not 100% sure if it was this or the OAG) there were some wafer thin plastic spacers. I kept swapping them around until the camera was tight in the upright position, not much else you can doo really unless you introduce a rotator. The 2600 bolts on so in perfect alignment straight off

[@SKYST0RY]

What kind of error are you seeing with your guiding with the OAG?

[@Astrobloke]

Get anything between 0.3 - 0.5rms total as it shows in the video at 09:22

[@tempusfugit6820]

Can that large OAG be used with a 260MC or is meant to be used with only a mono camera?

[@Astrobloke]

Sorry I am not sure of your question. Do you mean the 2600MC? The camera you use for the OAG to guide is better suited to mono as they are more sensitive and will pick up more stars but you can use a colour camera. The main camera can be colour or mono.

[@tempusfugit6820]

@@Astrobloke Sorry, I was far from clear. I use a 2600MC as imaging camera, can that large OAG be used with that imaging camera or us it designed for only a mono imaging camera.

[@malanstecker]

Is it useable if you have a color camera like the ZWO ASI2600MC-Pro or smaller without a filter wheel and just a one filter tray from ZWO. Or should one use the smaller OAG?

[@Astrobloke]

I think it is only compatible with the filterwheel but you could check with ZWO or retailer. It would make sense that they did a filter drawer that would also work with it. You would need to get the smaller OAG if you don't have the filterwheel.

[@malanstecker]

Thanks. The ZWO filter drawer I have measures 20 mm (front to back) and I read their filter wheel is also 20 mm. So, the back focus should be the same.

[@Astrobloke]

@@malanstecker yes I think they are the same size so won’t change backfocus

[@speedtripmantriumph7542]

👍❤️

[@Astrobloke]

Thanks

[@AshA-ww8hc]

Is there any reason to use this if you are using a small sensor like 533mc pro on a C8 SCT with a 0.63 FR?

[@Astrobloke]

Hi Ash. so your focal length with that reducer is 1280mm which is similar to my CT10 with a 1200mm FL. My question would be what are you using as a guide scope (focal length?) and what is your typical guiding on an average seeing night? Your Pixel scale for that camera/scope combination is 0.61"/pixel so for the best image anstar results you need to be guiding 0.6rms max and lower. The reason I use a OAG is ideally your guide scope should be no less than 25% of your main scopes focal length so in your case 320mm minimum. Now this is all the theoretical ideals but if you are happy with your guiding and images and it all works I would not worry about an OAG.

[@AshA-ww8hc]

@@Astrobloke Thank you so much for the detailed answer. I wish I was clearer in my question. I should have asked if there is a reason to use this OAG-L instead of the regular OAG? My guiding camera will be a 174mm pro, and the main imaging camera will be 533mc pro. ZWO is a bit confusing on their website as they seem to recommend the OAG-L for "larger camera sensors". Are they talking about the main camera or guiding camera?

[@Astrobloke]

@@AshA-ww8hc hi no worries. The prism hole on the smaller OAG will not use the whole sensor on larger guide cams. I use a 290mm and the 174 is even bigger. I would recommend the OAG L especially with that guide cam. Its a Much better OAG by ZWO all round too.

[@AshA-ww8hc]

@@AstroblokeGreat thanks!

[@Dennis-tf2cs]

The only problem is you can't use it unless you have the filter wheel.

[@Astrobloke]

That is a good point and something I hadn’t thought of as of course I use filter wheels. Zwo should include an adapter to allow that the be threaded like the tiltplate does on one side.

[@hawkesworth1712]

I'm literally watching hundreds of these videos before I buy all my gear and the confusing messages, as you pommes say, are doing my head in. Here's my confusion. Moving the prism shouldn't change the focal length. It should just pick up the light from a different part of the image coming from the scope. So the distance to the camera sensor should be a fixed and known distance. The distance from the OAG to the main camera sensor is also a fixed and known distance and if it isn't the same, ZWO provide a spacer with the OAG to equalise the distance. If you introduce a filter wheel after the OAG then wouldn't you just have to add a spacer of equivalent size to the OAG to keep the back focus of the main and guide cameras identical. That way the focuser of the telescope should be the only adjustment necessary to focus both cameras at the same time. What is the advantage of adding another focuser that should never be needed again after the initial setup?

[@Astrobloke]

Hi Adrian. You are correct in that once it is set you don't need to move it but you will find that as you progress you move gear to different telescopes and also may use different cameras and other gear and this requires refocusing. The Prism is on a rod that changes the focus point of the image the guide camera sees so its not as simple as just adding a spacer of the same size as the filterwheel although that would be a good starting point. Another point that I would make is temperatures and cable snags and just accidentally knocking things often happens when working in the dark and having the ability to easily and quickly refocus is something you will wish you had if you didn't. It is a very confusing hobby when it comes to gear as there are so many choices and options depending on what you want to do and achieve. You are definitely doing the right thing to do lots of research. Good luck and if I can help please ask.

[@astrodysseus]

I am pretty sure you have the ZWO OAG L but not the ZWO OAG L M68 that was created for medium format.. This is mlisleading !

[@Astrobloke]

Where do I mention ZWO OAG L M68?

[@astrodysseus]

@@Astrobloke in... the title ? "ZWO M68 OAG L Guiding for Astrophotography"