guide camera

[Fay]

any advice on the best guide camera? thanks.

[MarkS]

I use a QHY5 and I'm very happy with it.

[RobertM]

I've used a few including a Meade DSI, QHY5, Atik 16ic and Lodestar and I have to say that in my opinion the latter is the best of those for guiding.  The only downside is the naff guiding cable connector but you can either buy a plastic clip or cobble something up yourself if you do use a guide that way.  For myself I guide from the PC thought the mount so that's not an issue.  The Atik 16ic would be the best but needs cooler power and has slowish downloads plus its a lot bigger.

The worst have been the Meade and QHY5 by a long way, you will get several orders of magnitude more guide stars with the other two.  With the lodestar I can quite often see the target I'm imaging in a 5-10 second exposure with 50mm finder guider.

Hope that helps
Robert

PS. Shouldn't this be in technical ?

[Mike]

I have a QHY5 and it is not very sensitive. I would also go with the Lodestar for my next choice.

[Fay]

Thanks everyone

[Carole]

Fay I have been using a QHY5 and had no problems with it at all since I sorted out the calibration steps in PHD a long time ago.  I very rarely have to adjust the guide screws to find a guide star.

Carole

[Mike]

Its decent for its price Carole but lacks sensitivity. You need a farily decent guide scope aperture to get anything out of it.

[JohnP]

Well I still use my self-modified webcam from like 10 years ago. I also now have my excellent little Atik 16ic that I plan to use since I bought the 314 off Carole but haven't got round to trying it out as a guide cam yet. I would suggest if you could pick up a used 16ic for not too much you wouldn't go far wrong.

John

[Fay]

Thanks. i am going to try out the DMK today, cant see why it would not be suitable as I used to use the Toucam modified webcam ok, but that has serial connector. DMK is straight into USB.

[Rocket Pooch]

Don't you have an StarLight express camera knocking about somewhere?

[Fay]

yes i am using that, but would like to eliminate the brick & power cable. a contribution to tidying up my cables!!!!!!!

[Rocket Pooch]

Oh ok, well QHY6 or Loadstar they are super sensitive and small, no issues with software with either.  If you do that I'll buy your SE off you.

Chris