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Pages: 1
Hello
This is really a great forum.
I want to purchase a motorised head for shooting panoramas but i also want to combine this head with astronomy.My question is if a Celestron like this (Celestron Nexstar 102 SLT)
http://www.celestron.com/c3/product.php?ProdID=29 or this one
(NexStar 4SE Computerized Telescope)
http://www.celestron.com/c3/product.php … ProdID=413
can be used (control them ) with PapyWizard?
Or this Sky-watcher could work as a merlin head?
http://www.warehouseexpress.com/buy-sky … e/p1033885
Thanks for any answer.
regards
Last edited by wannapano (2010-08-28 16:15:23)
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Hi!
The NexStar 4SE should do. The 102 wouldn´t.
You need to match both axis in one point.
With the 102 the vertical axis doesn´t meet the horizontal one.
So you have an offset which you can´t compensate.
But if you use ONLY tele lenses that might be no problem - you just have
to avoid closer distance. That means you can´t shoot indoors or in a architectural motifs
outside.
I would not recommend the 102.
best, Klaus
P.S.: i think both of them wouldn´t work with PapyWizard.
Last edited by klausesser (2010-08-28 15:59:44)
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Hello "wannapano", welcome on board ! 
If you want to combine "pano-photography" with motorized Merlin head (+ Papywizard) AND Astronomy (+ eventually astronomy photography) you can go to the next assembly :
Merlin AZ Goto mount : £ 179.00
http://www.opticalvision.co.uk/astronom … an_az_goto
+
SKYMAX-102T (Tube Assembly) 102MM (4") F/1300 MAKSUTOV-CASSEGRAIN TELESCOPE : £ 159.00
http://www.opticalvision.co.uk/astronom … e_assembly
------------------------
170 + 159 = 338.00 £ U.K. suggested retail prices (SRP) including VAT
List of the UK resellers
http://www.opticalvision.co.uk/distribu … TRY_ID=223
+ eventually a tripod, but you have maybe allready one !?
+ eventually a BT module for wireless communication between PC and Merlin !?
With this combination you will have the best compromize of both worlds ...
Good luck ! 
Claude Offline
Hi wannapano.
I went down the route of the Merlin AZ Goto as I wanted the option to use the mount as a portable astronomy setup. It will take a small telescope, ideally a Maksutov in the 90 to 110mm aperture range or a short refractor. I've not tested it out yet, but it should be capable of long exposure widefield imaging with camera lenses, and will be great for visual work on the moon and planets.
The unit comes with a sturdy metal table top base, but it has a 3/8" tripod screw so can be mounted on most standard tripods (Manfrotto, Vebon etc)
See my post for details:
http://www.autopano.net/forum/t9635-new … -goto-user
I got mine from Sherwoods Photographic - Very good service.
Offline
Hello again
I want to thank you all for your replies.Choices are clear now so i will purchase the equipment and i will return to tell you my results.
thank you one more time
regards!
Offline
Hello Greg and "wannapano",
The choice between a Maksutov (like the "SKYMAX-102T") and a short refractor should be oriented by what you want achieve in astronomy ...
The Maksutov' are in general better adapted to the observation (or photography) of the moon, planets and small "stars groups"
The short refractor is better adapted to stars observation and pictures (wide field pictures) but can be replaced by a small camera tele-objectif !!!
The Skymax-102T is 1300 mm in focal !!! He is also excellent for wild animals pictures !
A short refractor is between 60 and 100 mm in focal (= small tele) but generally more expensive then a Makutsov
The wide-field astro-photography is generally made with classical photography objectives between +/- 50 and 125 mm.
Conclusion ?
- A short refractor could be replaced by a good zoom or small prime tele !
- A Maksutov replace big tele-objectives at a much lower price and is complementary to photo material !
Claude Offline
@ claudevh
Thanks for the additional details about which telescope is more suitable .I appreciate that because i spend a lot of time in bird photography (my blog is http://www.walkingandclicking.blogspot.com/) so i want my equipment to has multiple uses.The combination of these 3 kinds of photography (panorama,bird photography and astro photography) can become very expensive if you want good results.At this moment i have various lenses for birds ,but the one i use most is a AF-S NIKKOR 300mm f/2.8G ED VR II with a TC 1.7 X to give me 510mm with very crisp results.This lens is great for 2 reasons:It is a very bright one (f 2.8) and with very high quality optics.In this case i could use a telescope only as a support for classical photography and i try to find the best solution according to my "pocket" for decent astro photography and observation.
My main problem at the moment is not to pay twice for the same result i can get with one buy.That is how you helped me.It is obvious that if i buy the celestron head i have to buy a second one(Merlin) for the panoramas and papywizard compatibility.
thanks again
P.S i already sent a mail to opticalvision to let me know if they ship their products in Greece.I wait for their answer.If they answer yes i will purchase from them the head and the telescope,but if i got it right from a previous post you can sell the BT module for wireless communication (papyMerlin).Is this right or i misunderstood?
regards
Last edited by wannapano (2010-08-29 13:22:55)
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wannapano wrote:
i already sent a mail to opticalvision to let me know if they ship their products in Greece.I wait for their answer.If they answer yes i will purchase from them the head and the telescope,but if i got it right from a previous post you can sell the BT module for wireless communication (papyMerlin).Is this right or i misunderstood?
regards
Opticalvision is wholesale distributor they do not sell direct to the end-customer but supply retailers.
Offline
@mediavets
As far as i can see i will have to locate some retailer..
thanks for the information
P.S If you know some e-shops that can provide me these products please post a link.This survey started because the Merlin/Orion products are not available in Greece (as far as i know from my searches).That is why i started from Celestron and sky-watcher products that are available here.I still try to figure out if this product is an alternative for papywizard instead of merlin sync to go head. http://www.warehouseexpress.com/buy-sky … e/p1033885 A definition on that could help me most.
regards
Last edited by wannapano (2010-08-29 14:39:49)
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Hi Wannapano,
Try here :
http://www.astronomy.gr/ and look for Skywatcher
And have a look on this link:
http://www.autopano.net/wiki-en/action/ … _mount_.3F
Claude Offline
@claude
One more time i want to thank for the help.
When i started searching i made a survey and i understood that Skywatcher and merlin products are probably common made or use common parts or sth like that.So i had already spotted this one for my needs http://www.astronomy.gr/main.cfm?module … mp;id=1772 from the local market (it is from the site you suggested) but i could not find something to ensure that this head is controlled from papywizard since it comes under different name in Greece (In every forum i see it everywhere as a merlin/orion and not as a skywatcher).That is how i found this forum.
So if i understand it right the skywatcher head like in the link i post here and the merlin/orion i find in other european sites are the same for the papywizard,Is this correct?
thanks once more
P.S Maybe for some people what i ask is more than clear but since i will spend some money i want to be as certain as possible.
regards
Last edited by wannapano (2010-08-29 16:33:22)
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@ wannapano,
The link you show isn't the right model ! 
I suggest you that you order from Opticstar.com who deliver everywere in Europe:
http://www.opticstar.com/Run/Nature/Nat … 3_4_10_100
To stay compatible with Pano's and Astronomy, you should choice the second model
"Merlin GOTO Tabletop" order code : ACR20224 , price : £ 179.00 (vat included)
This model is the only one who will permit the "correct" adjustment of the vertical AND horizontal axis for panophotography !
Please read the FAQ's and mostly :
http://www.autopano.net/wiki-en/action/ … _names_.3F
Claude Offline
Wandapano,
This is where I got mine from...
See MERLIN SYNSCAN™ AZ GOTO COMPUTERISED TABLE-TOP ALT-AZIMUTH MOUNT, about half way down the page.
http://www.sherwoods-photo.com/sky_watc … rs_fs.html
There site says they will ship to EU http://www.sherwoods-photo.com/company_info.htm, but you need to email them to get a shipping quotation.
I am not connected to this company, but they have given me good service.
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I have received my merlin head and the papymerlin also.They both work perfectly.Now i just need time to make tests and some decent panos.Before that though i want to thank everyone in the forum who helped to "make" the puzzle work and a special thank to claudevhclaudevh not only for his replies but for the excellent way he treated the delivery of papymerlin.He is one of few people in the world with this kind of professional behavior.He wanted to be assured that papymerlin works before anything else! Thanks again.
I will come back with details so any other like me find my experience useful and save time and money as the other people in the forum saved for me.
regards
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Pages: 1
