Just a quick note, Dylan gives a good explanation of the 500-rule, which probably applies here:

(It was posted on 1st April)

If that 500 rule is true, I might as well quit (astro)photography right now, because I do not have that kind of budget at all

I think he means Australian dollars, and it was meant as an April fool.

There is plenty of good second hand stuff out there for well under $500 which still retails as expensive. So, with a bit more sincerity, there are ways to do Astro Photography on a budget and still get good results, I started with basic kit, some second hand, some new, and as funds become available I upgrade everything, I intend to let some of my older stuff go second hand as well, but so far I'm still accumulating.

I don't want to hijack the thread, but in short, the more you spend (wisely), the better the results you're likely to get, and perhaps the fewer problems you might have - especially when it comes to all the issues you can have with guiding, auto-focusing, etc...

I use a ZWO 120MM-S to guide with OAG. I have used it in this configuration with an F10 Schmidt-cas and currently in an F6.6 refractor set up. I also use it for polar aligning with a 25mm CCTV lens attached like a polemaster (using SharpCap). It is great value and has not given any trouble unlike most of my other equipment . You could pick one up pretty cheaply second hand.

Mike

Yeah, I know. There are cheap options, but money definitely matters in this hobby. I always try to cheap out any possible way but it usually has (quite) some backlash and sometimes turns out more expensive.


Anyway, it seems like the 120MM/C-S would work. Unfortunately, I have only (rarely) found usb 2.0 options. But even new they're still affordable.
Next up is finding out how to setup my Star Adventurer to communicate with Ekos, but thats for another topic

Best to stay away from the ASI120MM/C (the puck-shaped units) and their 1¼" profile clones (not the ASI -mini variants but the generic mini-style cameras that are technologically clones of the MM/MC) if you're using an Astroberry or a Raspberry Pi:

www.indilib.org/forum/astroberry/6963-as...s-on-astroberry.html

It just really is hit-or-miss with them.

Are you talking about the USB2 version or the USB3 version (i.e. ASI120MM/C-S) here? Because the USB2 versions are known to have issues on modern Linux and Mac systems (and even Windows 10) but the USB3 versions have working flawlessly for me now for several years. I tried 4 different ones on even more different Linux and Mac systems and have never experienced any issue (unless occasionally there was a software issue that was solved here very quickly).


Wouter

I'm referring to the USB2 versions, yes.

The USB3 version, which I referred to as having a 1¼" profile (I believe -S for "slim") are fine. But... the generic T7s are also 1¼" profile, yet they are USB2 and have the same chip as the 120MM/MC USB2.

So to summarize:

ASI120MM/MC USB2 "puck" - stay away
T7/T7C USB2 1¼" profile - stay away
ASI120MM/MC-S USB3 1¼" profile - good to go

Thanks for the clarification. Yes, I fully agree.

Hi
I don't want to be unnecessarily pedantic but I have a "puck" version of the ASI120MM-S which is my most reliable hardware. The point is that the puck shape USB3 (also with -S designation) is still available. However, there are alternative "slim" versions but I believe that the shape is the only difference. At the end of the day you choose which shape suits your set up.
The old USB2 is virtually unusable in indi application in my experience (I bought one on special and ended up exchanging for the USB3).

Mike

Mike,

Come to think of it, I have 2 puck shaped ASI120MC-S cameras and all other -S cameras I have used were puck shaped as well.


Wouter

Have you tried using ekos polar alignment with this 25mm cctv setup? I'm working on that right now and didn't have luck with plate solving. I'm wondering if this will work with its algorithms still since the camera is in-line with the RA axis.