Guide Camera

[Tweedledee]

On Monday I intend to buy a guide camera.

 

Since I already have the Altair Astro Hypercam 183c Pro as my main imaging camera, plus a few other Altair bits and pieces, I have decided to stick with Altair for a guide cam. It will also match the colour of of Hypercam exactly. ??

 

I will be buying an Altair 60mm F3.75 guide scope.

 

These are my two guide cam options both at the same price of £169.50...

 

1. Altair GPCAM2 224C Colour Guide / Imaging / EAA Camera https://www.altairastro.com/Altair-GPCAMV2-IMX224-Colour-Guide-Planetary-Camera.html

 

2. Altair GPCAM2 130 Mono Guide / Imaging / EAA Camera https://www.altairastro.com/Altair-GPCAMv2-130-Mono-Guide-Imaging-Camera.html

 

Are there advantages to either of these cameras?

 

Could I find other uses than just guiding for either the mono or colour version, or should I forget other uses and just use the Hypercam for everything other than guiding?

 

Which should I go for?

[+RonC]

Good question, I use a colour cam (only because it was cheaper) but my previous cam was mono and I see no difference in the guiding using PHD 1.44...

[+Graham]

I would go for the mono.

Much more sensitive, better for picking up faint guide stars

[+Ibbo]

Mono

 

[Alec]

I have the mono 130 as my guide cam and it’s been really reliable so far. 

 

 

[Tweedledee]

Thanks everyone. ?

 

I shall get the mono 130 then. ?

[Alec]

Good luck the fun begins !!

[Brantuk]

Some mono guide cams make very reasonable planetary cams as well - especially when you add a filter wheel and some basic filters. So there's another advantage on top of the extra sensitivity should you ever want to go that way. ?

[Tweedledee]

8 hours ago, Brantuk said:

Some mono guide cams make very reasonable planetary cams as well - especially when you add a filter wheel and some basic filters. So there's another advantage on top of the extra sensitivity should you ever want to go that way. ?

Thanks Kim, That's a good idea, I will bear that in mind. ?

[Tweedledee]

Money pit opens wider, gets deeper and swallows me up!! ?

Just ordered...
Celestron Starsense Autoalign for SkyWatcher mount.
Altair GPCAMv2 Mono AR0130.
Altair Starwave 60mm Guidescope.
Altair MG60 clamp bracket.
Skywatcher 16" tripod extension pillar.
EQMOD cable.

 

RVO say AZEQ5 mount delayed for at least another week.

DONE!!!!!

Well maybe? ?

[Alec]

Looking forward to seeing your results with the Altair colour camera. I've had my eye on one for a while as a alternative to the dslr. From what I've read you can do very short 30 sec exposures with excellent results.  So you have all the kit now the steep learning curve on software:)  If your anything like me your in for a bumpy ride and a box of leads that dont work correctly !!!!

[Tweedledee]

Yes, I'm very much looking forward to seeing some results as well, but expecting a few disappointments along the way.

 

Regarding kit, I think I have everything, but I'm sure there will be a few bits I still don't know that I need.?

 

The Hypercam does seem to have some good reviews.

[Trevor Appleton]

On 05/11/2018 at 15:08, Tweedledee said:

Money pit opens wider, gets deeper and swallows me up!! ?

Just ordered...
Celestron Starsense Autoalign for SkyWatcher mount.
Altair GPCAMv2 Mono AR0130.
Altair Starwave 60mm Guidescope.
Altair MG60 clamp bracket.
Skywatcher 16" tripod extension pillar.
EQMOD cable.

 

RVO say AZEQ5 mount delayed for at least another week.

DONE!!!!!

Well maybe? ?

How are you getting on with this camera. I have just started to use it. How do you focus with it? Trevor Jones says the focus is supper smooth but I haven't managed to find the focus.