This is the first video in the history of RUclips with >100 likes-and 0 dislikes. Even something like kittens playing with yarn will get a dislike around here. I’m suspecting fake news. J/k, wonderfully informative videos, I subscribed. Keep ‘em coming, for us lazy guys who want to explore the visual universe from a chair...
Selectively lazy :D I have faced a dearth of clear skies in the past weeks though... I want some clear skiiiies! :D Thank you, and I hope you end up getting more clear skies soon!
I watch a lot of your videos and learn so much. One item I don’t believe you have mentioned is if you use a coma corrector on you reflector, and if so, which one. There’s a huge price difference and mixed reviews. Mine is an 8”, F3.9.
I just started using the ZWO EAF on my Orion ED80T CF and I love it. The idea of paying out $1,000 for a focuser on a telescope that cost me $750 just didn’t make sense. Focusing is the most important part of astrophotography. All the rest is important but getting a sharp focus is the most important part. I like your presentation style and the content of the video is very valuable.
1000 !!! image now you no being lazy.... ohhh come on you do 1000x more than many of us in this hobby !!! We salute YOU amigo !!! and clear nights for you... London keeping all the clouds at the mo..... :-(
It's Monetize Monday - Grats on 1,000 Subs Cuiv. I remember you had 12 subscribers when I joined you. You truly deserve it! Keep the great info coming.
Man, I can't quite believe how quickly this target has been reached - and thanks for being on this channel since its humble beginnings :). OK, if Google actually approves the monetization, I'll be able to buy myself one coffee a month, maybe! Woohoo :p Will keep the videos coming.
That's the spirit! I would say though that one of the cheapest ways to start would be cooled OSC camera or mono+filter wheel + Astromechanics + 135mm or 200mm lens + mount like SmartEQ Pro+ , which gives you the full automation - but it is till a non-negligible investment. Good luck!!
I am so happy I happened across your channel. I'm just getting started into getting serious about astrophotography and putting together all the hardware and software. I was initially getting starting in SGP and found it a bit overwhelming, and saw someone mention NINA. Which is how I found you. Really looking forward to following along. Now don't go and stop :)
Welcome, and thanks for finding me! (Now help others find me too :p ) I'm so happy these videos are helpful, and I hope you'll get NINA set up well for you! Rest assured I don't have plans to stop now :) Clear skies!
Congrats on 1000 subscribers you deserve it!! - About to pull the trigger on a ZWO ASI533 or ZWO 1600 mono kit with filter wheel so await the next video with interest. Going to partner it with an Esprit 120. I'm apparently not alone in getting into astronomy during the lockdown . The astro stores are doing a roaring trade atm . Not many mentions of this from youtubers but its been a bit of a phenomenon by all accounts.
Thank you!! Wow, that is going to be an amazing setup! You'll have a good resolution with either camera and a focal reducer, and wow, that scope is a beast. I hope you have a good mount to pair it with! Spoiler on the next video: in absolute terms mono > OSC, but OSC is more convenient and does require less work, so I still have a soft spot for OSC. I have no idea about how well the astro shops are doing, but I think you may indeed be right! Well, I do wish them a spike in profits, if they follow it up with good after-sale service! Good luck on getting all your equipment and getting started, and I hope your equipment will not come with the mandatory cloud delivery service!
Selectively lazy geek :D Thank you! I love your videos too - they're more the "taking you with me on an adventure" type, and the setting of your latest adventure is amazing... The Hobym Crux is currently with the manufacturer for repairs on that DEC axis! So I'll definitely provide an update video when it comes back!!
Loving this series of videos and wishing I had discovered them before I clicked some buy buttons. That said, if you have a moment I'm curious what your thoughts might be regarding the combination of the f/6 AT72EDII and a ASI533MC Pro for lazy astrophotography?
Thank you so much Kurt! I think it's in large part thanks to you and James Lamb as you mentioned my channel so early on, and I'm deeply appreciative of that... Now I just need to keep up with the quality content! Let's keep doing our best :)
Argh cliffhanger!!.. Color vs mono.. that was one of my major questions when jumping from a DSLR camera into the world of the big boys!.. Can't wait too see what your opinion is!
Hi Cuive, one thing that bugged me when I first started with my William Optics GT81 was the fact once you added field flatner to the image train and screwed in filter wheel and camera the the whole image train was fixed and could not be rotated. That bugged me as everything on image train was at odd angles. It also means it can be difficult to frame an object you want photograph. Looking at the TSQ-71ED in your video I notice it seems to have a rotatable T2 connector on the end, that in my mind is a big plus.
Being able to rotate the whole thing is indeed quite useful for framing - and indeed the TSQ-71ED has an integrated rotator, which is great! I personally try not to rotate because I just want to be able to reuse my flats as is all the time! Still, just having the ability to do so is indeed a big plus :)
Bigger sensors require better (and more expensive) optics, bigger (and more expensive) filters and filter wheels, bigger diameter of imaging train, bigger diameter OAG if used, better control of any tilt and backfocus (as the corners are further away from the sensor), etc. It sounds like more frustration in general (if I want a bigger FOV, I'll just use less FL and sacrifice details). Of course FF sensors can be used without all that, and just cropped down. But that negates the large FOV advantage they have!
Thanks for this series, it's very interesting and informative. Something that might be helpful to address if you haven't already: If I'm starting with a DSLR (in this case a Canon EOS 6D, or a Sony A7RIII) and lens (Canon 100-400/f4.5-5.6 L), and wanted to upgrade piecemeal, which would be better? Use a dedicated astro camera with the lens using an Astro mechanics adapter? Or use the DSLR with a suitable small refractor?
That is a tough question, it really depends on the lens sample and how pleased you are with its star shapes... If the lens looks good, just upgrade the camera!
Love your presentations, however, one day is not easy to have the time to absorb all the information, and I know what you are talking about. One suggestion I would like to make is: when talking about ll the various filter options, most newcomers have actually never even seen one in the flesh, so to speak. My suggestion is to show them as you talk about them, show light shining through each one and the different colours they have. I used to teach medical/ scientific and other non scientific imaging to very diverse classes. What many presenters tend to is to assume most know what is being talked about and sometimes we miss many of the simple facts. A series of simple diagrams, say on colour and mono sensors how the pixels are either Bayered or not, and why back illuminated detectors are really useful in astrophotography. I have always varied my teaching methods to quickly get to start at the lowest level eveyone can absorb, if they do not grasp the basic building blocks, they lose interest as the topic becomes more advanced/detailed etc. As the saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words. Peoples attention spans vary widely. Your presentations are excellent in their detail. Mention how taking imges through LRGB, together with the calibration daks, flats, bias frames etc.takes so much longer than a OSC camera. It might mean taking one or more single good OCS camera shots a night due to weather conditions when cloudy conditions exist maybe a better initial result is from a OSC camera as these can be taken between gaps in the clouds. It would be very encouraging for the newcomer to end up with a final image, rather than one with LRGB filters where the clouds prevent exposures with all the separate filters used. My own view is I have different scopes and cameras to suit the many different target types, Solr, Lunar, Deep Sky, clusters, nebulae etc, there is no single universal system. I find it counter productive to try and focal reduce a SCT long FL setup is not getting the best out of what FL the telescope is designed for, similarly, a wide field scope ar camera lens setup is not the best option fo lunar and planetary work. This brings up the uses of cameras with a Global Shutter-(much better for solar, lunar and planetary as all pixels are read out in one go, which helps stop movement. Most cameras have Roling Shutters where the rows of Pixel are read out sequentially-which we see when photogrphing aircraft with props and the weird shapes we see due to the Rolling Shutter. I have many camera's/scope combinations all matched for their applications, stellar photometry, stellar spectroscopy, (high res. Mono and deep sky and nebulae-(generally wide field) Different video camera types for public outreach with images projected onto a large screen. And the list goes on and on. Best wishes from the Southern Cross Observatory-Tasmania 42 South .
@@ShevillMathers All very good points, thanks for the feedback! I plan on showing the actual filters in a later episode about filters, filter wheel, and back focus - I will reiterate how gathering SNR in OSC takes much longer than with LRBG, and the rest! Thank you!
This is the first video in the history of RUclips with >100 likes-and 0 dislikes. Even something like kittens playing with yarn will get a dislike around here. I’m suspecting fake news. J/k, wonderfully informative videos, I subscribed. Keep ‘em coming, for us lazy guys who want to explore the visual universe from a chair...
Lazy...lol, you have more videos popping out than i clear skies. great stuff
Selectively lazy :D I have faced a dearth of clear skies in the past weeks though... I want some clear skiiiies! :D Thank you, and I hope you end up getting more clear skies soon!
I watch a lot of your videos and learn so much. One item I don’t believe you have mentioned is if you use a coma corrector on you reflector, and if so, which one. There’s a huge price difference and mixed reviews. Mine is an 8”, F3.9.
I just started using the ZWO EAF on my Orion ED80T CF and I love it. The idea of paying out $1,000 for a focuser on a telescope that cost me $750 just didn’t make sense. Focusing is the most important part of astrophotography. All the rest is important but getting a sharp focus is the most important part. I like your presentation style and the content of the video is very valuable.
I think the ZWO EAF would fit your scope - so it should be a bit less of an investment!
1000 !!! image now you no being lazy.... ohhh come on you do 1000x more than many of us in this hobby !!! We salute YOU amigo !!! and clear nights for you... London keeping all the clouds at the mo..... :-(
Thanks man! Yeah, I need fewer clouds as well!
It's Monetize Monday - Grats on 1,000 Subs Cuiv. I remember you had 12 subscribers when I joined you. You truly deserve it! Keep the great info coming.
Man, I can't quite believe how quickly this target has been reached - and thanks for being on this channel since its humble beginnings :). OK, if Google actually approves the monetization, I'll be able to buy myself one coffee a month, maybe! Woohoo :p Will keep the videos coming.
Eventhough I won't have enough budget to go full lazy with an auto-focuser and stuff like that, I will maintain the mindset :)
That's the spirit! I would say though that one of the cheapest ways to start would be cooled OSC camera or mono+filter wheel + Astromechanics + 135mm or 200mm lens + mount like SmartEQ Pro+ , which gives you the full automation - but it is till a non-negligible investment. Good luck!!
Woo hoo! Episode 4 is up! I had just viewed the prior episodes! Thanks a lot for the hard work and sharing this knowledge
My pleasure! Episode 5 should come in a few days, but I've yet to film episode 6 - I'll definitely get to it :)
I am so happy I happened across your channel. I'm just getting started into getting serious about astrophotography and putting together all the hardware and software. I was initially getting starting in SGP and found it a bit overwhelming, and saw someone mention NINA. Which is how I found you. Really looking forward to following along. Now don't go and stop :)
Welcome, and thanks for finding me! (Now help others find me too :p ) I'm so happy these videos are helpful, and I hope you'll get NINA set up well for you! Rest assured I don't have plans to stop now :) Clear skies!
Congrats on 1000 subscribers you deserve it!! - About to pull the trigger on a ZWO ASI533 or ZWO 1600 mono kit with filter wheel so await the next video with interest. Going to partner it with an Esprit 120. I'm apparently not alone in getting into astronomy during the lockdown . The astro stores are doing a roaring trade atm . Not many mentions of this from youtubers but its been a bit of a phenomenon by all accounts.
Thank you!! Wow, that is going to be an amazing setup! You'll have a good resolution with either camera and a focal reducer, and wow, that scope is a beast. I hope you have a good mount to pair it with! Spoiler on the next video: in absolute terms mono > OSC, but OSC is more convenient and does require less work, so I still have a soft spot for OSC. I have no idea about how well the astro shops are doing, but I think you may indeed be right! Well, I do wish them a spike in profits, if they follow it up with good after-sale service! Good luck on getting all your equipment and getting started, and I hope your equipment will not come with the mandatory cloud delivery service!
Congrats on making 1000 subscribers . You will be at 2000 in the near future. Your videos are great and informative i look forward to them
Thank you! Full disclosure, my wife was my 1000th subscriber :) It's amazing and humbling nonetheless. I will keep going with those videos!!
For such a lazy geek your upload schedule it packed! 😃
Love the videos!
Would love to see more of that Hobym Crux! 🤤
Selectively lazy geek :D Thank you! I love your videos too - they're more the "taking you with me on an adventure" type, and the setting of your latest adventure is amazing...
The Hobym Crux is currently with the manufacturer for repairs on that DEC axis! So I'll definitely provide an update video when it comes back!!
@@CuivTheLazyGeek Haha i guess they are kind of adventures! 😁
I hope the surgery goes well and you'll have your mount at sub .3" rms! 😃
Loving this series of videos and wishing I had discovered them before I clicked some buy buttons. That said, if you have a moment I'm curious what your thoughts might be regarding the combination of the f/6 AT72EDII and a ASI533MC Pro for lazy astrophotography?
Great job Cuiv. Congrats on reaching 1K. I think you have done it in record time! - Cheers Kurt
Thank you so much Kurt! I think it's in large part thanks to you and James Lamb as you mentioned my channel so early on, and I'm deeply appreciative of that... Now I just need to keep up with the quality content! Let's keep doing our best :)
Argh cliffhanger!!.. Color vs mono.. that was one of my major questions when jumping from a DSLR camera into the world of the big boys!.. Can't wait too see what your opinion is!
Spoiler alert: technically mono > OSC. But........ :)
Keep the videos coming bro!! Great stuff
Thank you! They will most certainly keep coming!
Hi Cuive, one thing that bugged me when I first started with my William Optics GT81 was the fact once you added field flatner to the image train and screwed in filter wheel and camera the the whole image train was fixed and could not be rotated. That bugged me as everything on image train was at odd angles. It also means it can be difficult to frame an object you want photograph. Looking at the TSQ-71ED in your video I notice it seems to have a rotatable T2 connector on the end, that in my mind is a big plus.
Being able to rotate the whole thing is indeed quite useful for framing - and indeed the TSQ-71ED has an integrated rotator, which is great! I personally try not to rotate because I just want to be able to reuse my flats as is all the time! Still, just having the ability to do so is indeed a big plus :)
Hi Cuiv. You mentioned caution against full frame sensors for beginners. What are some of your concerns about bigger sensors?
Bigger sensors require better (and more expensive) optics, bigger (and more expensive) filters and filter wheels, bigger diameter of imaging train, bigger diameter OAG if used, better control of any tilt and backfocus (as the corners are further away from the sensor), etc. It sounds like more frustration in general (if I want a bigger FOV, I'll just use less FL and sacrifice details). Of course FF sensors can be used without all that, and just cropped down. But that negates the large FOV advantage they have!
Thanks for this series, it's very interesting and informative. Something that might be helpful to address if you haven't already: If I'm starting with a DSLR (in this case a Canon EOS 6D, or a Sony A7RIII) and lens (Canon 100-400/f4.5-5.6 L), and wanted to upgrade piecemeal, which would be better? Use a dedicated astro camera with the lens using an Astro mechanics adapter? Or use the DSLR with a suitable small refractor?
That is a tough question, it really depends on the lens sample and how pleased you are with its star shapes... If the lens looks good, just upgrade the camera!
Thanks 🙏
Hi Cuiv,
Would an Apex focal reducer work with a Newtonian? It’s also a coma corrector.
What is the model of telescope that you are using in the video? I didn't hear you mention it. Thanks :)
Hi Cuiv,
How do you clean the primary mirror of the Vixen scope? Does this affect collimation?
I hope you are feeling well. John.
That's the worry - you don't. I think one day I'll send it to Vixen for cleaning...
👍😁🇦🇺🔭
Love your presentations, however, one day is not easy to have the time to absorb all the information, and I know what you are talking about. One suggestion I would like to make is: when talking about ll the various filter options, most newcomers have actually never even seen one in the flesh, so to speak. My suggestion is to show them as you talk about them, show light shining through each one and the different colours they have. I used to teach medical/ scientific and other non scientific imaging to very diverse classes. What many presenters tend to is to assume most know what is being talked about and sometimes we miss many of the simple facts. A series of simple diagrams, say on colour and mono sensors how the pixels are either Bayered or not, and why back illuminated detectors are really useful in astrophotography. I have always varied my teaching methods to quickly get to start at the lowest level eveyone can absorb, if they do not grasp the basic building blocks, they lose interest as the topic becomes more advanced/detailed etc. As the saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words. Peoples attention spans vary widely. Your presentations are excellent in their detail. Mention how taking imges through LRGB, together with the calibration daks, flats, bias frames etc.takes so much longer than a OSC camera. It might mean taking one or more single good OCS camera shots a night due to weather conditions when cloudy conditions exist maybe a better initial result is from a OSC camera as these can be taken between gaps in the clouds. It would be very encouraging for the newcomer to end up with a final image, rather than one with LRGB filters where the clouds prevent exposures with all the separate filters used. My own view is I have different scopes and cameras to suit the many different target types, Solr, Lunar, Deep Sky, clusters, nebulae etc, there is no single universal system. I find it counter productive to try and focal reduce a SCT long FL setup is not getting the best out of what FL the telescope is designed for, similarly, a wide field scope ar camera lens setup is not the best option fo lunar and planetary work. This brings up the uses of cameras with a Global Shutter-(much better for solar, lunar and planetary as all pixels are read out in one go, which helps stop movement. Most cameras have Roling Shutters where the rows of Pixel are read out sequentially-which we see when photogrphing aircraft with props and the weird shapes we see due to the Rolling Shutter. I have many camera's/scope combinations all matched for their applications, stellar photometry, stellar spectroscopy, (high res. Mono and deep sky and nebulae-(generally wide field) Different video camera types for public outreach with images projected onto a large screen. And the list goes on and on. Best wishes from the Southern Cross Observatory-Tasmania 42 South .
@@ShevillMathers All very good points, thanks for the feedback! I plan on showing the actual filters in a later episode about filters, filter wheel, and back focus - I will reiterate how gathering SNR in OSC takes much longer than with LRBG, and the rest! Thank you!
So to be lazy you have to start with 5k of equipment. I thought this would be realistic.
I see you have changed zillion mounts, zillion telescopes, zillion cameras and zillion gizmos. This is not lazy and extremely wasteful. Right?