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Post by davy on Apr 21, 2018 9:15:46 GMT
First night I've managed to get out and try the star adventurer,, was not out long clouds came rolling in,, I just tried my dslr and lens try it out,,loving this set up ,,I had 75-300mm lens and camfi adapter and just took pictures, to check star trails ect,,, was very pleased,, next phase is test video capture
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Post by davy on Apr 21, 2018 23:32:06 GMT
Bit of testing with the zwo 178 ,, zwo to eos adapter,, eos to fd adapter and fd lens,, can't get it to focus,, tried filter wheel and not even close,, was the Same with dslr. The fd lenses are dead ducks unless someone can shine a light on how get it focused,, used up to 50mm in focal tube spacers to no avail,,
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Post by howie1 on Apr 22, 2018 0:12:56 GMT
davy, You can shoot me down in flames for saying this ... and ok, no problems I will understand ... But I can't help feel that you might be missing out on getting some great images in those infrequent good nights over there. Missing out because on those rare good nights you are not going out to actually do astronomy at all ... you're out there to instead to try to get some combination working. I totally get the weather there is much worse than ours. I understand your desire for multiscope/camera system so on the occasional clear times, you can capture an object at various FL and FOV and with both stills and video ... all at the same time. But I can't help but feel for your mental health (and wallet) maybe take a break from new stuff. On the rare occasion it is good weather, just get out there with a known working rig of DSLR+lens+SA (which you've proven works nicely). Or maybe asi178+72ed or asi178+ed80 which is also a known workable combo. Hope you understand what I'm saying here mate. I'd love to see you posting images Sorry if I have offended you. All the best davy.
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Post by davy on Apr 22, 2018 0:54:48 GMT
No offence at all,, some guys dive right in and buy equipment and do the visual and astrophotography and do all the usual stuff and a couple of years later end up bored and move on,, me I came into this with a plan in mind and to the most have stuck to it apart from starting the forum. That definitely wasn't in the grand plan.
The reason I got into astronomy was because of carol, she went through a cancer operation and needed a lot of help and support physically and mentally for me to do that I needed a hobby that taxed my mind and didn't have me master it and bin it in six months,, I went through a lot of thinking and came up with astronomy,, Reason being ,, nobody is going to learn this in ten lifetimes. Sorted,, that will do for me,, I'm practising this for twenty years,, this is my retirement hobby,, never seen it any other way,,, this is me taking my time and incorporating other things into the hobby to take my mind off carol's health issues,, three years after her first cancer operation a second was required this has had a big impact on her health and has the knock on effect to myself,, So yip I look to do the impossible , improbable and down right crazy,, to keep me sane 😂. But I enjoy it.. look at the transition in your own journey,, heading towards astrophotography,, I'm just on the slow boat,, Been out doing a bit last couple if nights and it wasn't hassle free ,, everyone has weather and equipment issues so I don't get bothered with it ,, I just take it as it comes,,, I probably get more enjoyment in the hands on tech side than seeing pretty images,, lol I'm still perfecting my lunar images, Patrick Moore said you could spend a lifetime just looking at the moon and he is right,, possible I may try dso's next year, Kit wise I'm close to what I want and need and then I can go out to play more. Took some lunar images tonight and actually used dss to stack images 😀 I very rarely post images ,, I always liked looking at others,, but if I'm doing up my hall soon I need some images soon 😂.
This isn't just my only hobby,lol,, I do tutoring at the pipe band two nights a week, came out of retirement last week and will be playing as a competition drummer this Saturday,, two weeks to compose and Learn a set, MSR ( march-strathspey-reel) lol and you think astronomy is hard,, you should see and listen my leading drummer lol.
Also working on my laser cutter/ engraver fitting air assist and doing new sublimation designs for pipe band mugs,, embroidery designs and digitising for band as well.. And flat out at work,, no rest for the wicked 😈
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Post by davy on Apr 22, 2018 1:15:52 GMT
Ok it's a test job,, first and last image this year till I perfect it,, think it's my third time out in six months or more,, it's ap, canon 600d, 300mm zoom lens f9 iso 400 think 1/125 second exposure fifteen images stacked,, had poor seeing,, camfi was loosing connection and to top it off my SD card crashed and I lost 100 images of the moon And my mental health was coming into question 😤
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Post by davy on Apr 22, 2018 12:22:33 GMT
Think I've found the trouble with the fd lenses non focus. There are two types of adapters ,,and I got the wrong one, allows you to fit the the lens but it gives a very soft out of focus image. This is the type I got And it's drove me off my head, Only way I finally found out was going through camera videos on utube. I found that the adapter i should have is one that has a lens built into it to achieve focus to infinity. So this should solve the problem,, will start putting pocket money away again lol and get back to this
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Post by davy on Apr 22, 2018 12:52:52 GMT
Some interesting video's to see how the fd lens on the eos,,
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Post by davy on Apr 22, 2018 13:11:26 GMT
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Post by davy on Apr 23, 2018 17:24:28 GMT
The ovl focuser came today for skywatcher evostar ed80,, WOW looks very nice and looking great,, no free play in focal tube ,, very very nice upgrade,, just need to fit it now,
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New kit
Apr 24, 2018 23:36:15 GMT
via mobile
Post by davy on Apr 24, 2018 23:36:15 GMT
Another list of woes. Went to take the stock focuser off the ed 80, first screw head shears off, , second I get out, third the star head of the screw cams out,, going to need to try vice grips or drill the head off the screw, soft crap screws into alloy, mmm great idea skywatcher,, not 😂
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Post by davy on Apr 25, 2018 12:25:20 GMT
New fd lens converter came today 😀
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Post by davy on Apr 25, 2018 22:03:36 GMT
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Post by Dragon Man on Apr 26, 2018 7:56:07 GMT
Woo-hooo! About time something went right for you Davy
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Post by davy on Apr 26, 2018 9:52:31 GMT
Well chuffed with it, now watch the price of fd lenses shoot up in price in eBay lol 😂
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Post by Dragon Man on Apr 26, 2018 11:59:28 GMT
Well chuffed with it, now watch the price of fd lenses shoot up in price in eBay lol 😂 It would be a kick in the butt if they all of a sudden went down in price
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Post by davy on Apr 26, 2018 12:07:00 GMT
Well chuffed with it, now watch the price of fd lenses shoot up in price in eBay lol 😂 It would be a kick in the butt if they all of a sudden went down in price I got my two lenses before posting 😂 didn't want a bidding war on eBay wae any of you guys,
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Post by davy on Apr 30, 2018 17:13:45 GMT
Great news for my sanity... The best update on the new kit front.
Zwo asi178mc camera is back and I'm rather pleased to say that I've jumped in and hooked it all up to laptop,,, Wait for it YES... The zwo to eos adapter and the new fd to eos adapter with corrective lens and a cheeky wee f2.8 zoom lens and can achieve focus,, sunny and bright here in Scotland today,, must be our summer, and the wee thing if beauty is focused a treat. Happy days
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Post by davy on Apr 30, 2018 22:01:22 GMT
Left the camera running for an hour ,,no problems,,old camera always shut down a few times,, so good to go. I held off getting the second tripod ball head until I was positive the kit was going to work,, Same ball head ordered, this allows me to mount both my dslr and lens and zwo and lens at same time, Too bright till about 11pm just now probably weekend Ile be ready to get properly set up
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Post by Dragon Man on May 1, 2018 12:05:21 GMT
Happy Days Davy As long as you get happy 'nights' too
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Post by davy on May 1, 2018 12:11:59 GMT
Starting to stay light till late on now, so won't get anything done on work days ,, weekend astronomer now
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