Guide Cameras

QHY5 - Guide camera from £179 - The Industry Standard!

Excellent affordable USB2 guiding camera with large 1/2 inch CMOS sensor, for easy guide star acquisition, and small 5.2um square pixels for accurate guiding. Onboard ST4 Opto-Isolated guide port and powered by the USB2 bus. Can be used as a basic Lunar/Planetary imager with the supplied software, and even for experiments in Deep Sky imaging. Same camera as the Orion StarShoot Autoguider but at a much better price!

Package includes camera, nosepiece, dust cap, quickstart guide, CD and USB cable, ST4 autoguide cable is optional.

Software:

System driver, ASCOM driver & capture application (Win 2K, XP, Vista, Windows 7 32/64 bit). ASCOM driver works with PHD Guiding, Maxim, AstroArt, CCDSoft, Nebulosity and software that can connect using the ASCOM V5 platform.

Tech Specs:

Micron MT9M001 1/2inch CMOS sensor, 1280 x 1024 Active pixels, 1.3 megapixels, Pixel Size: 5.2um x 5.2um, Peak QE = 56%, USB2.0 High Speed download; 24Mpixel/s 15 FPS @ 1280 x 1024; 50 FPS@ 640 x 480 Uncompressed Video data, Built in Opto Isolated Guide Port Progressive Scan, ROI support,

Telescope Interface: female T thread + 1.25" nosepiece, Size: 64mm diameter 26.5-32mm length.

Camera colour can vary

QHY5v Guide / Planetary camera - from £189.00

Ultra fast Planetary / Guide camera with high frame rates and guide port.

Versatile high speed CMOS camera capable of very high frame rates, a real alternative to cameras from The Imaging Source. Makes a highly effective guide camera (uses the same sensor as the LVI Smart Guider) and basic Deep Sky imager. Same camera as the Orion StarShoot Planetary Imager and AutoGuider - at a fraction of the price! Package includes camera, nosepiece, dust cap, quickstart guide, CD and USB2 cable, ST4 autoguide cable is optional.

Software:

System driver, ASCOM driver & capture application (Win 2K, XP, Vista, Windows 7 32/64 bit). ASCOM driver works with PHD Guiding, Maxim, AstroArt, CCDSoft, Nebulosity and software that can connect using the ASCOM V5 platform.

Tech Specs:

Micron MT9V032 1/3 inch CMOS sensor, 752 x 480, Pixel Size: 6um x 6um, USB2.0 High Speed download; 24Mpixel/s Up to 55 fps, Uncompressed Video data, Built in Opto Isolated Guide Port, Whole array shutter, ROI support,

Telescope Interface: female T thread + 1.25" nosepiece, Size: 64mm diameter 26.5-32mm length.

Camera colour can vary

QHY6 - High Sensitivity Guide / Deep Sky Imaging Camera - from £299

A cooled 16 bit camera with a highly sensitive 1/3" Mono Exview CCD, which offers excellent guiding performance and entry level imaging.

The QHY6 is exceptional in that it can be used either with or without external power, for guiding, or with an external 12 volt power source for cooled long exposure imaging. It's equipped with an ST4 Opto Isolated guide port.

Package includes camera, 1.25" nosepiece, dust cap, quickstart guide and 3m USB2 cable.

Software:

System driver, ASCOM driver & capture application (Win 2K, XP, Vista. Windows 7 32/64 bit), Plugin for Guidemaster.

ASCOM driver works with PHD Guiding, Maxim, AstroArt, CCDSoft, Nebulosity and all other software that can use the ASCOM V5 platform.

Tech Specs:

Sony ICX259AL, Total pixels: 795x596, Active pixels:752x582 (440k pixels), Pixel Size: 6.5µm x 6.25µm, 1/3 inch Mono Exview CCD, Readout noise: 7 -10 e @600 Kpixel/s, QE: 65% at 580nm, Microlensing on chip, ABG: -115dB, Low noise 16bit ADC with CDS and Preamp.
USB2.0 High Speed interface, Built in 6pin Guide Port, One stage Peltier cooled.

Starlight Xpress Lodestar - Ultimate Sensitivity for £385

The Lodestar is the new compact autoguider from Starlight Xpress. Featuring the very sensitive 1/2" Sony ICX429AL Mono Exview CCD making guide star aquisition easier then ever before, it's compatible with most mounts with a standard autoguider port.

Package includes camera, 1.25" nosepiece, dust cap, user guide, windows software and guide cable.

Software:

Windows software, plugin for Maxim DL/CCD, AstroArt compatability to follow.

Tech Specs:

• CCD type: ICX429AL Sony Exview interline CCD with low dark current and vertical anti-blooming.
• CCD Full resolution Pixel data: Pixel size: 8.2µM x 8.4µM, Image format: 752 x 580 pixels
• CCD Image area: 6.4mm (Horizontal) x 4.75mm (Vertical).
• CCD quality: Grade 1
• Spectral Response: QE max at 620nM (~65%), 35% at 400nM and 770nM
• Readout Noise: Less than 15 electrons RMS - typically only 10 electrons.
• Full-well capacity: Greater than 50,000 e- (unbinned)
• Anti-blooming: Overload margin greater than 1000x.
• Dark current: Dark frame saturation time greater than 1 hour. Less than 0.1 electrons/second @ + 10°C ambient.
• Data format: 16 bits.
• System gain: 0.9 electrons per ADU
• Computer Interface: Built-in USB 2.0 compatible interface.
• Image download time: Typically 0.2 seconds at full resolution using USB 2.0.
• Power requirements: USB powered.
• Cooling system: Ambient air cooling.
• Size: 32 x 72mm anodised aluminium barrel with 25 x 0.75mm 'C mount' thread at the CCD window end & input/output plugs at rear.
• Weight: approx. 50g.

LVI Smartguider 2 - £408 **Now Available!**

The LVI SmartGuider 2 Imaging Control System (SG 2) goes way beyond the simple concept of mere autoguiding. All Astrophotographers know that perfect autoguiding is vital for achieving pinpoint stars in spite of the many hours required for collecting light with various filters and modern CCDs and DSLR-cameras. But that’s not all. Successful imaging is the result of a complex process that requires various electronical components to flawlessly cooperate in unison.

SG 2 - DOES EVERYTHING
The LVI SmartGuider 2 Imaging Control System constitues an integrated solution which governs the whole process required to produce unparalleled astrophotos with the least amount of effort and in a fun and easy way. No laptop required! No problems in the field! Perfect imaging control is performed with the help of the matured SG2 guiding camera, the SG 2-REFLEX remote control software for DSLR-cameras, Feathertouch(TM) and Baader-Steeldrive(TM) focus control software and the MGA adapt-all mount relay box with additional remote thermo probe.

THE MGA (MULTI GUIDING ADAPTER)
The LVI SmartGuider 2 comes complete with the dedicated MGA opto-relay box which connects all of your imaging equipment (mount, DSLR, focuser).

Brightstar Mammut L429 - a sensitive dual purpose camera for just £448

Mammutt is the new autoguider/imager from Brightstar. It features the very same sensitive 1/2" Sony ICX429ALL Mono Exview CCD that's used in the Lodestar and Mintron 12V6, making guide star acquisition extremely easy. It's compatible with mounts that use a standard ST4 autoguider port and other methods too, such as ASCOM.

This premium performance camera is probably the most sensitive guide camera available to the amateur today and can operate with or without cooling enabled.

The package includes camera with ST4 port and T thread, 1.25" nosepiece, dust cap, CD with drivers, capture software and quick start guide, as well as ST4, USB and 12V power cables.

Software: Windows driver, ASCOM driver and "Night Watch Studio" capture software.

• CCD type: Sony ICX429ALL Exview interline CCD.
• CCD Pixel data: Pixel size 8.3µM x 8.6µM,
• Image format: 752 x 580 pixels
• CCD Size: 7.40mm (Horizontal) x 5.95mm (Vertical).
• CCD quality: Grade 1
• Spectral Response: QE max at 620nM (~65%), 35% at 400nM and 770n
• Data format: 16 bits.
• System gain: Approx 0.9 electrons per ADU
• Computer Interface: Built-in USB 2.0 compatible interface.
• Image download time: From 50ns (using ROI) to .8 sec (full frame and fast download mode) using USB 2.0.
• Power requirements: USB bus powered for guiding, 12 volts < 1A when cooling is required for imaging.
• Cooling system: Peltier & fan (12 volt power) or ambient air cooling (USB bus power).
• Size: 97 x 97 x 49mm.
• Weight: Approx 385g.

Brightstar Camera Rotator - £439

At last an Affordable Field Rotator!

Useful for Field De-Rotation for AltAzimuth Imaging, Guide Star Finding with an Off Axis Guider and Precise Object Framing.

Specification

Skywatcher Guidescope Mount - £125

Features full alt-azimuth control for quick and precise alignment of guidescope.

Standard Sky-Watcher/Vixen dovetail saddle plate.

Fits onto Sky-Watcher tube ring via camera mounting bracket.

An extremely robust and practical unit.