Is Astrophotography Possible for UNDER $500?
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- Опубліковано 3 чер 2024
- Three kits each under $500 will battle it out in a ONE NIGHT Astrophotography SHOWDOWN! If you are a beginner considering jumping in to astrophotography, this video will help with a first purchase. I review the DWARF II Smart Telescope, the ZWO Seestar S50, and the 3D-printed OG Star Tracker with a used DSLR/Lens/Tripod.
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Gear reviewed in this video
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Dwarf II Smart Telescope: dwarflab.com/
ZWO Seestar S50: store.seestar.com/NICO or bit.ly/3MBSFVw
OG Star Tracker Kit: www.ogstartech.com/eshop/
OG Star Tracker 3D-print yourself: tinyurl.com/OGStar3D
Used Canon T7 DSLR: ebay.us/bSAlS7
Used Canon 75-300 Lens: ebay.us/H5EPXV
Used Bogen 3001 Tripod: ebay.us/EmyF4s
Lens Warmer: amzn.to/3O3usrN
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Table of Contents
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0:00 The contenders are...
1:00 Disclosures / Thank yous
1:29 DWARF II Smart Telescope
8:16 ZWO Seestar S50
13:45 OG Star Tracker Kit
22:26 Final Image Comparisons
23:45 Final Thoughts
25:40 Patreon / Credits
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Video and Music Credits
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Flight Through the Orion Nebula in Visible and Infrared Light
NASA, ESA, and F. Summers, G. Bacon, Z. Levay, J. DePasquale, L. Hustak, L. Frattare, M. Robberto, M. Gennaro (STScI), R. Hurt (Caltech/IPAC), M. Kornmesser (ESA)
Acknowledgement: A. Fujii, R. Gendler
Public Domain
Eyes on the Skies - Zooming into the Pleiades Cluster
Credit: ESA/Hubble (M. Kornmesser & L. L. Christensen)
Public Domain
Last Odyssey and Arcade Romance by ELFL
Licensed through Epidemic Sound
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Social:
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Twitter: @nebulaphotos
Instagram: @nebulaphotosdotcom
Astrobin: www.astrobin.com/users/2ghouls/
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Channel Disclosures
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I am a member of the High Point Scientific, Agena Astro, eBay, ZWO, All-Star Telescopes, B&H Photo Video, Astrobin, and Amazon affiliate programs. Product links in my video descriptions are typically affiliate links, which means, at no extra cost to you, I will make a commission if you click them and purchase something. I also have working relationships with the following companies/brands to receive products to test: Askar, ZWO, DwarfLab, OG Star Tech, Svbony, High Point Scientific, Agena Astro, QHYCCD, WOBoyz, SmallRig, Venus Optics, Astrogear.net, Night Sky Camera, Woodland Hills Camera & Telescope, Hunt's Photo & Video. Any gear received for review and/or brand deals will be fully disclosed in the video. If you have any questions about any of this, please get in touch.
Notes/Corrections:
-Due to an editing mistake I implied you should connect power to the OG Star Tracker and then connect to the stepper motor. The opposite is true, always connect the cable from the RA port on the control box to the stepper motor first, and then connect the power cable.
-I did these tests in early December before the new version of the Dwarf app was released. The new version includes better autofocus and unlocks 1x1 binning which several commenters say improves image quality. I haven't been able to test it myself yet due to poor weather.
-ZWO and DwarfLab will release future upgrades to the respective apps. When I talked about an upgrade path with the OG Star Tracker, I was talking about hardware upgrades. Some software upgrades can certainly improve a product and solve problems. For example, if ZWO adds a mosaic mode for the Seestar that would help with the composition / small field of view issue.
-Will add more notes/corrections as they occur to me or people point them out.
Thanks for watching, Nico
Thanks for your hard work reviewing these things. The OG sounded like i twas tailor made for me, so I ended up ordering the hardware kit to assemble. As a 3D printing enthusiast this sounds like an amazing project that is actually useful because it also allows much longer exposures once completed!
@@GeorgeTodericiI can tell you it's a lot of fun to assemble, and even more fun when you capture ur first image!
When a green laser fades out in the cold it's not because the laser isn't working, it's the frequency doubler that stops working. If your laser doesn't have a good quality IR cut filter on the front it can leak out a very dangerous amount of invisible near IR radiation.
Basically you should NEVER use cheap green lasers in the cold, and you should consider any green laser that has visibly faded due to cold to be an extreme eye hazard
I think the Seestar represents excellent value for money - especially as it has a apochromatic lense/triplet which normally costs thousands. I would love to get into the hobby more, but I cannot afford to spend the thousands required for a dedicated rig or the time - I have a young baby to look after. However, I think the Seestar provides a gateway for people like me who have maybe and hour to spare, to simply go out and capture some really nice pictures without spending hours setting up a rig.
The Seestar is excellent value for 500 dollars, for some reason its priced the equivalent of 760 dollars in the EU, which sucks.
agree. I am living in Shanghai which has 30million people (you can imagine how the light pollution in the night can be) and own only 1-2 hours in night. S50 allow me to bring it to the top of my apartment building in midnight to take a photo for a nebula which I never seen before. As you said, it is a perfect gateway for me.
Same boat!!!
I just ordered s50 and nebula filter. I didn’t even take a pic of the moon in my life. 0 astrophotography experience. I am really excited!!
@@VisualObserver Hows it going? :D any update?
The complexity is part of the enjoyment for me. Yes it was frustrating when I started with a star tracker DSLR and Lens, but once I mastered how to use it the sense of achievement when I actually managed to image a dso ( the double cluster) for the first time, even though it wasn't as good as those taken with a smart scope was still priceless. As I got more into the hobby I upgraded my set up and added to it. I now own a fully automated set up.but still use my original DSLR set up as well, and still thoroughly enjoy using it though I tend to use the Samyang/Rokinon 135 f2 lens these days or maybe a Cat 51.
You should research the SeeStar more because it is in it's early evolution and continues to be improved ... soon to include automatic mosaic mode to let you enlarge the field of view to any size that you require. Also, they say they plan to add more granular, manual controls for exposures. All of these and more features will come with simple firmware updates for free. I've already experienced 2 firmware updates and they were simple and amazing!
I hope you are right on the mosaic. It’s the only thing I really need from it at this point.
Sorry if this is a dumb question but I wanted to check, will those come as updates to the current S50 or will those come with the next version of the telescope (so a new telescope all together)? I’m considering getting an s50 but would rather wait if an updated version is coming out soon. Thanks!!
@@mellevandendungen6412 We just received our S50 and there was an update ready which added planetary mode and, I believe, more focusing and exposure time control. Our present firm ware level is 2.06. However, as soon as ours arrived, we discovered that we had inadvertently doomed SW OH to rainy, overcast skies for the foreseeable future! ☹️
This channel and the OG Star Tracker got me into this hobby. I was in the lucky situation of having a good camera and lens, as well as a 3D printer. So, for less than 50€ I was able to get started.
are you happy with your og star tracker? does it do the job?
Glad to see the star tracker rig cleaned up, DIY for the win 💪
I think a really important Pro you left out on the Seestar is that it comes with a duo-band filter built in at the $500 price range whereas the dwarf does not. That filter allows for imaging in light polluted areas!
The video already made me want it, but now I want it even more!!! :D
The UHC filter is kinda useless tbh. It's meant for sodium lamps but all the lights near me are LED. Nothing beats just going to a dark sight or getting a real dual narrowband filter.
@@iphoneawesome123 it’s not actually a UHC filter it’s a dual band pass filter for Ha and SII. I own a Seestar and use it from home to image nebulae. The broadband targets are near impossible from home and require a dark site. But it’s really nice being able to see nebulae from home at this price point. My other rigs are a RASA 11 with a Triad Quad band filter and a Radian 61 with Ha, SII, and O3 filters. While no where near as good as those setups it’s a great little package at a fraction of the cost.
@@iphoneawesome123 You can ask your municipality to remove those lights. I asked ours and within 24 hours the street light was gone and now our little spot is super dark.
@@iphoneawesome123but it is a duo band, specifically to capture nebulae. It does make a world of difference! After a couple minutes you can capture, for example, the Horse nebulae under bortle 6-7 skies!
Personally I already went with the more dedicated path, but I do think I might pick up something like the Seestar for when I just want to be able to show the night sky to friends whilst camping and such due to the being able to get fairly quick results. Thank you for the informative video, Nico!
I am really excited for this one. I have been waiting for Nico to review these smart telescopes specifically the Seestar as I own one now!
working on printing my og star tracker. cant wait to see if it works!
In fact, once you have a little experience, the star tracker and zoom lens+used camera are a great option🎉
I just finished building my OG Star Tracker. Really looking forward to a clear night to test it out 😁😁😁
Excellent review!
Awesome video Nico!
Great comparison. Ive been using a Sky Watcher Star Adventurer (an older one before they added Go To) a Canon 80d and various lenses.
My goal is to do as much astrophotography as I can with equipment that can be used for everyday photography. In fact the only dedicated astrophotography equipment I've bought is the Star Adventurer drive.
Im never going to get the results that people who spend thousands on equipment get but I have fun and have been happy with the shots I get.
As a beginner looking to get into the hobby, I really appreciated this video!
Wow, I was NOT expecting the DSLR one to look that good. Honestly for me, I think a good star tracker paired with a telephoto lens on my mirrorless camera will be more than enough!
true, but keep in mind that Nico is an incredibly accomplished DSO image maker. Average user results will likely not be as good!
@@northernman22 True, Nico is amazing and I definitely don't expect to get as good results as him, especially since I live in ✨bortle 7✨ but as someone who already has the camera and lens I might as well just spend the 500 on a good EQ mount and try and learn the skills right?
@@slavicprincess absolutely
I'm by no means an accomplished image editor when it comes to astrophotography but I've gotten some very good results (imo) simply by following tutorial videos on UA-cam.
An excellent comparison for a beginner like me. I would like to try out astrophotography without having to spend a few thousand euros. For me the Seestar is probably the most interesting offer. Thanks for the video, subscription and like are fixed
Thank you so much for this video. As much as I love the idea of the Seestar,, it takes the fun away from doing it yourself. So I asked my brother if he could do the 3d print OG one since it has so many pros and a better price then a regular tracker. Super excited to see you review it!!
Great video, up until recently my only astrophotography was clamping my phone to my telescope eyepiece or using my dslr untracked. I've recently purchased a Dwarf 2, and I'm more than happy with the result. I love watching these astrophotography videos, but I haven't got the time or money to invest into a propper rig, the Dwarf 2 suits me perfectly.
I love OGST DSLR.
Difficult setups improve my skills at the same time. For example, if I learn to obtain the positions of various objects such as stars and nebulae to know their positions, and various other knowledge.
This is King HOBBY.
Awesome!!! I've been doing astro with my cannon camera for some time, and I've been debating a more expensive setup or just getting one of these smart telescopes. Thanks so much for the video. It was super helpful.
Already have trackers and eq mounts so the filters that come with the the seestar are what sold me on getting one. I can plop the thing down and be up and running with it and then go fiddle with my other camera settings /filter / mounting solutions while the seestar is up and running! The seestar is also quick enough to set up that it allows for 'sucker hole' astrophotography! 😉👍
YEHA NICO, I waited long for this kind of video of you. You are my personal
ASTRO BOB ROSS❤❤❤
I recommend you every time if someone wants to learn astro. Must be a few 100 people already. You are really THE BEST👍👍👍
Thank you so much for this video! Its just what I needed
I bought the dwarf to use while backpacking it’s done it’s job as a portable anywhere scope and is decent for what it is. Otherwise I use a 6” sct or Sony A73 on a star tracker for any other stuff at home. Great videos and very informative as usual!
Excellent video as always! The Dwarf and Seestar will bring many new people into taking images of the night sky ("what telescope should I get for my 8 year old child to get them started"?) and many of them will want to improve their images and therefore buy more kit. I bought a Seestar for portability and for a rapid set up, it is brilliant. Clear nights are rare and the Seestar can have you up and imaging inside 5 minutes. I don't think I've ever managed to polar align an EQ mount in that time. Field rotation on the smaller field of view isn't wonderful especially on larger objects. I suspect a mosaic mode may get added as purchasers are already trying that on Andromeda and Orion. Not brilliant for the Moon, Sun and planets though. I started out with a Camera and an Omegon minitrack which is a great budget entry point.
An excellent presentation of different equipment, as always, Nico! 👍🏼😎
What you have to bear in mind with the OG StarTrecker is that it only has a payload of 3 kg.☝🏼
This may sound quite high at first, but it quickly becomes relatively low.
This means that if you have a decent camera mount and a reasonably good camera with a good zoom lens, you can easily break the 3 kg limit!😩
Thank you for this. I do love the ease of the auto ones but I have the DSLR and just need to get out more to try to get this done.
The dwarf2 telescope massively improved with the new app enabling 1x1 bin (4k). In addition, it can be polar aligned if you buy a better tripod and a wedge. This will remove field rotation an improve stacking. It is a pity your review was done using the old app (bin2).
You make a very good case for the inexpensive DSLR and tracker, but only for folks w/ skills. Nicely done.
I appreciate and clearly see the flexibility of a tracker. Either the Dwarf or Seestar are better fit for my needs and wants. I'm leaning towards the Seestar but am (somewhat) patiently watching the software develop for both. Great video! Hopefully you can do a follow up in the future after more software and hardware revisions on all 3.
In the advanced features in the Seestar, you can adjust the exposures from 10 to 20 or 30 seconds.. You can also manually focus by switching on the Focus tab in advanced features and you can attach a 3D printed bahtinov mask for precision focus.
You can put the 499 smart telescope on a alt az mout and polar align it. Then put your location to the north pole and voila. No more field rotation.
DSLR much more enjoyable to use, produces better images, upgradeable.
The other 2, fun on a camping trip.
I would love to have the sea star for camping. Thanks Nico, very good comparison.
Loved the details, would love to see your steps for processing from the Seestar
A big pro for the Dwarf is the possibility to easily polar align it and reduce most of the field rotation
It's not a big pro, but it's an option for those who want to pursue it. People are discovering the SeeStar can be eq mounted, and it will plate solve to a polar alignment. Hopefully ZWO will make some advanced options available for those who want to pursue them.
It's awesome that you were featured in an Fstoppers article.
Clear skies
this day dwarf 3 is selling, think best offer with starvis 2 sony chip. think seestar s50 2 is coming also soon....
I already have a star adventure 2i but the Seestar is kinda interesting in that its quick to get running and is likely cheaper than a decent telephoto lens for the focal length you get, plus since its setup and leave I could set it up for a smaller deep sky target and let it go while playing with the more complicated setup...I might have to keep my eye on the smart telescope space.
Excellent reviews! - OK, I just watched the whole video - I've got to tell you: I finally have a dedicated Astro Cam (it's only an ASI178MC); but you make me want to go out and buy a DSLR again! LoL! Seriously though, you always make DSLR's look so good! 😀
wow ! done it again!
real good overview of those systems!
I bet a 135 F2 paired to the OG would be enough to keep one busy for a few years!
I'll send you my unit to review when it's done 👍
auto PA plus goto and auto focus using 135 F2 and camera of your choice... DSLR or dedicated astro and filter wheel...
still debating on Microsoft pc Vs app based Linux thingie... read SBC ...
Wow. If the SeeStar could include an upgraded version that can rotate with the target, i'd probably buy it! Outstanding value and quality - but the FOV is a bummer. Cant wait to see v2
Great comparaison. Seestar being the king as always.
I’d argue the OG kit is not great though for most people.
I believe that the DIY is very niche (in a already very niche hobby), and will bring difficulties that are not present on a « normal setup » (also, green laser in the sky, be careful of the law).
I think that’s gonna be very frustrating for a new photographer, or just people that knows how to work an automated setup with ASIAir/etc but do not know electronics and unfinished softwares
It’s more of a seasoned geek project for me. Which is cool too!
At star parties and at our community dark sky observing sites (most located in parks), green lasers are strictly prohibited. And they are prohibited in many parks and public locations in general.
Let's just say, if you whip out a green laser at star party you are going to make as many friends as you would if you turned on your truck's high beam lights.
Hi, you have good points. But don't forget about the price which is many times lower than competition.
Today, I plan to add the possibility of buying it with polar scope. And for some people the assembly itself can be part of the fun as the astrophotography itself. You have more personal connection to it.
Also, today, I plan to add an option to buy a fully assembled kit that would work out of the box with laser or polar scope.
I agree that the laser is not the best option, but for many beginners, it's much easier to use than polar scope + cheaper .
I was a few times at a star party, and I asked them if it would be OK to use it before astronomical night for 1 or 2 min, and they agreed. But this depends star party from star party.
Cheers
@@ogstartracker For sure, this kit is marvelous for the people that wants to build something themselves.
I'm not sure the price itself would "pay" for the trouble that it could cause, but I suppose it's down to anybody at this point.
Still, I think this is a dope project and I hope you are having fun with it!
The Seestar can be used when you live in an appartement and have very limited sky view. No polar alignement needed and small enough to put it on you window bench indoors.
The biggest issue I have with the Seestar is that for some reason it points the lens about 30 degrees ahead of the moon. It never finds the moon but could be a software bug when it thinks I live in the UK but actually I am in Brussels timezone that is pretty close to the UK but with +1 or +2 hours ahead of the UTC.
Thanks for the great comparison video! I’ve been wondering how the two single purpose models would fair compared to a camera and tracker.
I so thoroughly enjoy these videos. get to see a bit of what tech and its varying factors can do both in general and for me personally.
and, of course, being a universe fan, I can't help but always love the photos and their magnificent subjects.
What bottle are you at? (must have answered this a thousand times sry....)
Hi nebula phones, any plans on the part 3 of solar eclipse video? Loved the first 2! Can’t wait for the part 3
I have an Omegon Minitrack essential, a old dslr, a few 2nd hand, manual focus prime lenses and a intervalometer. Certainly under 500$. Not Apod images but a lot of fun
As long as it’s fun, that’s the high bar to meet.
Nice review. The fact that there are no upgrades and nothing else to buy with the SeeStar and the Dwarf should definitely be in the "Pros" column. It is super easy to BOAT (blow another thousand) in the astrophotography hobby. It's a slippery slope. And you know no one is going to remain satisfied with the Canon/OG Star Tracker setup. Even you mentioned several upgrades to that rig in this video.
Great reviews! Thank you. I didn't really know about the third option presented.
In commenting to you in the past, we were talking about my Dslr. You were correct that I couldn't get the focuser to go in far enough on my xt8 using my older Dslr. Is there an option of changing my focuser to one that would go in a little further? Recently, I took the time to figure out the focuser travel issue when I was playing around during the daytime and not being able to focus on a far object But the third option presented here might allow me to use the camera I already have.
Last night, I used my recently purchased svbony 305c with my xt8. Seeing the moon move so quickly, it reenforces that I need something to help me track my targets. Hence, it has me thinking about one of the options presented in this video, but also what I dislike about using my xt8 and an astro camera, is when I switch out the eye piece for the camera and i move the xt8 and lose my target. Do I get a better view in my xt8 than I would with one of these smart scopes? I think i would really like the quality of the ZWO, but i don’t want a cut-off picture.
Also, you were spot on about the green lasers losing their ability to point in the cold, and it happened again last night. Should I get a red laser instead?
23:40 damn i really think its worth the learning curve! I started at photography in dec, starting lessons next week...
And astro photography is one of my interests. So YES ,i am going to invest in this learning curve❤
I’m really enjoying my Seestar S50
Another cheap camera option would be a used Pentax with an O-GPS1 unit attached. For shorter exposures (varies by where you're point in the sky) it will use the camera sensor itself to track the subject. Not really viable for extreme astrophotography, but if you're content editing a single photo at the end, definitely doable.
The trick is finding the camera and the astrotracker at an affordable price. The tracking unit was $150ish, possibly less (been a while since I shopped) and a used camera would hopefully be under that as well. Would need to check which Pentax models are comparable first. If you're feeling flush, some newer models have the tracker built in, but good luck finding one under $500.
If you want to control rotation all you have to do is rotate the photo sensor, not everything else. It doesn't even need to be a full circle.
I started with a DSLR on a modified skywatcher az mount so you know what I favor. The DSLR easily wiped the floor with the other 2, with the 6000x4000 sensor and large field of view and no field rotation to deal with. Angry Seestar owners incoming. 😄 Even though I have one too.
I agree the image quality was higher but the field of view was much wider, its definitely the better setup for growth, adaptability abd image quality but the images from the Seestar was still pretty nice for such an easy setup and the focal length was very nice for smaller deep space objects so thats intriguing, but I might wait and see what happens in the smart telescope space.
Of course the slr camera have the best system , better sensor ,optics options and Bulb mode for logn exposure😊
If you add an android tablet to DSLR you'll be able to do live stacking and plate solving as with SeeStar/Dwarf.
The seestar out of the three would be best for ultimate portability despite the better image quality of the tracker. The dwarf image quality was rubbish in these comparisons. So for outreach, school camps etc the seestar would be a good compromise. Even if it double the price here in Australia
Hey Nico! Absolutely love your channel. I'm just getting into astrophotography. I bought a kit w/ canon rebel t100/eos 4000d. Would I be better to use that for other photography and get like a t3i, or can I use it to learn astrophotography? Thanks for all you do!
Great video. I think I have one of the original 3D printed trackers he sold that uses a bent threaded rod gear driven to the camera platform. It was fragile at the camera attachment area.
hi, That wasn't me. It was someone else.
@@ogstartracker Yah some California store. Yours looks more stable snd accurate.
That 3d Printed tracker looks awesome. I wonder if I can pull that together before April 8?
Nico there has been a new firmware update for the dwarf 2 which has recyified issues with auto focus.
The two things that would revolutionize these scopes would be: (1) an internal derotator to control composition and compensate for field rotation (2) choice of image scale via switching lenses in for short and long focal length.
(1) would be doable at relatively low cost…❤
Mosaic mode on the Seestar is coming
Excellent review! It would be interesting to know your exposure parameters for the DLSR compared to the other two “auto devices,” as well as other parameters like how many dark frames (and light frames) you used when stacking. One other question I have is “why is the Seestar image orange compared to the other two, which have a lot of blue?” And one final comment, “I don’t see the Seestar Narrower FOV being an issue, especially if it yields better results when the DWARF II is cropped to the same size. With the controls on the Seestar you could create a higher resolution panorama from many images (but with a lot more time).” Finally, your videos are what got me into night photography. I have taken Milky Way shots in Big Basin NP, Death Valley, Joshua Tree NP, and Borrego Springs, CA, but I have yet to try deep space photos as I am just not familiar with the objects, object scale, or able to find or identify objects. Is there a good app and/or reference for that? Obviously, I’m lucky enough to live in the Southwest US.
I'm actually surprised at how good the S50 images are. I expected them to be far worse. Certainly not up to par with multi-thousand dollar scopes and cameras, but for $500 I was shocked!
there are a couple crafty ways to make the first two into cheap polar aligned eq.
Please share…
@@davidbeecher9143i will try but thanks to yt's massive censorship you may or may not get this msg. cuiv has how on the d2 and another feller later today on astro imaging channel is doing a live one for the s50.
@@davidbeecher9143did my msg get thru? yt doesnt always allow me to mention other vids.
Didn’t come through. The S50 has internal leveling. Have you get past that first. But I’d put it in my GTI and try.
F name initial L name email.
Take a stab.
A big, big benefit of camera and mount IS the learning. You can do that on moonlit nights, if nothing else.
Why learn how to drive a manual car when electric car with L3 autodrive ia quite affordable
I guess I need to learn how to process better. I've taken 1hr long on that same DSLR and it looks similar to the Dwarf 30min...
I use DeepSkyStacker for stacking.
I use Gimp for editing.
I never get them that vibrant.
sold me on the zwo seestar
Im a photographer, I'd love to dabble in astrophotography occasionally. I live in Australia though, i wonder if theres a mount that will auto-align that i can mount my existing kit onto
In February 2023 I made a composite photo of the Orion and Running Man Nebulae using a Nikon Z6, Nikon 100-400 lens at 400mm, and the Move Shoot Move tracker. I stacked and processed 300 5-second images with a result that I was very satisfied with. I can send it to you if you'd like. I believe that you have tried the MSM. The specs for both state that the load capacity is 3 kg and my setup including a ballhead was slightly under that. I see that this type of a setup becomes a challenge to stretch my skills and the capability of my gear, rather than spending money for gear that I would only occasionally use. My question is how would compare the results from the OG Star Tracker and the MSM setups? Thanks.
Dwarf and SeeStar are training wheels :D
The difference between the seestar and the dwarf is insane lol
I like the idea of the OG but living far north I think that motor shaft sticking up would be a problem in many situations.
I love that it uses cameras you may already own so you can reuse investments.
My largest lens is 100mm and heavy! Would the OG handle that?
RE: Far North - There are different options for latitude: 0-25, 25-50, 45-65 degrees. If you live higher than 65 degrees looks like you are out of luck with this design.
RE: Lens - It should, yes. The total payload limit is 3kg / 6.6 lbs. So unless your camera is super heavy, I think it should work well.
How does the OG Star Tracker go in the Southern Hemisphere? I don't think the laser pointers are allowed in Australia
I’d love to start this hobby but my main issue that I live in Brussels, Belgium, and the light pollution is probably the highest in the whole world due to all motorways being lit 24/7. So unless I drive to mountains is impossible to see a starred sky. And that would make it a 1-2 times a year thing
Right. I have .....
Sony A390 DSLR
Minolta Af 4.5-5.6/80-200mm lens
Velbon VGB-3C Tripod
I need a cheap tracker
18:11 if you think about it. You are focussing 440 lightyears into the past!
Focussing back to medieval times😂
Crazy if you think about it
I received a Celestron Astromaster 130EQ Christmas 2022. I cannot see Polaris where I live due to a major airport being 15 minutes northeast of me, making the northern sky too light polluted to see any stars except on the coldest darkest nights of winter. So, maybe half a dozen nights a year. I tried doing the alignment with a compass with no success. So frustrated. I'm considering a GoTo mount, but feel like that's copping out. I really desire to be able to take basic telescope, align it, and then start exploring the sky. I can to a degree, I just have to keep chasing object. Obviously no chance of taking any photos as i don't have a motorized mount.
Well I plunged for the OG star tracker. I'm concerned about the green laser as I live in the city. I will try the NINA but it's Windows and I'm Mac. I do use crossover so hopefully NINA will work. But I'm up for the challenge for a DIY project and working on non-Mac sw. And to see if the intervalometer will work on my Canon M 50. Probably will not but their is some iOS app that says it will work. Fingers crossed. Thanks for the video. Amazing times.
you could use a polar scope. Laser is just cheaper.
You can also just use a hand-held invalvometer. They aren't expensive. But you still need to make sure you get the proper cable for your specific camera. They are all different. A PITA.
@@ogstartrackerwould you mount the polar scope where the laser pen is located? Are the screws there? Thanks.
@@PatternMusicyes, I have one for my Nikon D700 but I have not found any for the Canon M50. If we ever get a clear sky I'm going to try the iOS app. Thanks.
Very interesting video! Are these devices usable in remote locations without internet? Most of my locations have no service. Thanks.
Yes, they are. All three devices can create their own network that your smartphone connects to over Bluetooth/wifi and then you control them from your phone.
I need to rewatch your Siril tutorial.. ran into some error while stacking and I forgot why..
You forget to tell that all of them needs internet to operate em. For example, the place where I'm leaving internet only in the cities and among the highway.
What do you use for processing now?
I would definitely go for the DSLR, it offers the most for the money - and most importantly, far superior image quality. I personally do not like supposedly easy to operate "smart" gadgets that are a dead end because they offer poor optics that cannot be upgraded. In my humble opinion, they are a bad investment, because if you become more interested in this hobby you have to buy a whole new kit. On the other hand, you can slowly upgrade the DSLR kit with less money.
Yes ofc my phone is just 230$ (18999INR) but still it captures dazzling photos of the orion constellation, pleades cluster, beehive and andromwda (very faint) what u just need is a phone, pro mode in it, normal sky (no moonlight or much pollution) and editinv softwares😊
I buy a seeStar because I lazy to set Polar aligment.
you make me miss my cannon sometimes nico. =)
The field of view of Seestar its a problem specially for beginners since some of the most popular DSO, pleiades, Orion nebula and Andromeda gonna be cropped and they're the first target for the most of us. Even so the smart telescopes are interesting to a beginner or someone thar just don't want spend hour assembling mount, telescope, finder scope, computer, lots of cables and fine tuning the whole thing.
for anyone not aware, green laser pointers aren't legal out of the box everywhere, they are controlled in canada for example. make sure to check your local laws before you shoot them into the air because they can interfere with pilots and planes.
Those green laserpointers can be really quite dangerous especially in cold weather.
Firstly , it's actually an infrared laser and the green color is achieved with a crystal that doubles the light frequency. The crystal stops working in cold temperatures, so you basically have an invisible laser that can burn your eyes.
Secondly the cheap ones are ofthen much more powerful than advertised. Like 10 or 100 times more powerful, and most of the light coming from it is invisible infrared, so even a short exposure to a reflection can burn your retina permanently.
If you decide to get one, buy one from a reputable brand. They should have better components, more sensible power and proper IR cut filters to make them safe even in cold weather.
Seastars going used on ebay for more than rrp atm
These smart telescopes should have a rotator for the sensor, so you have bigger freedom how to frame the target (also for maybe compensate for the field rotation). But still, i dont think i would buy one, there is something nice to it, just to take out the rig, assemble it and see your newtonian as the cables are hanging all over the place, and this big pile of mess just start to work together :D
OG seems like a great stepping stone between the smart telescope and beyond………….We all know what that means. 😆 💵💵💵💵💵💵💵💵💵💵💵💵💵💵
The type of videos I needed are finally back!
great Video, thank you. One question that i have as primarily a photographer would be, is there huge variation in the size each photo could be printed at? I believe the seestar has only 2mp, the dwarf II around 8mp, and I have dslr or mirrorless from 24 to 50mp potentially allowing me to print much larger? is this correct?
Yes, although we have to look beyond just resolution when considering printing. Signal to Noise ratio is also important to make an acceptable print, and I don't think the DWARF excels in that arena. In my opinion, the most appropriate setup for prints larger than 4x6" is the DSLR setup.
@@NebulaPhotos Thank you, as I already have a full spectrum converted camera I use for Infrared, it seems that would be the best way to go.
Cheers.
Photography keeps getting easier and affordable! While taking a mind blowing picture is becoming harder.
How i will i buy the canon t7 if everywhere else it costs 400+ euros and on it has like 100 euros shipping fee