RE: [APML] OT: Digital Tech Pan Imaging

[John Mirtle <spampit@shaw.ca>]

Looks like there is some hope for us b & w guys if we can afford a CCD.

Marty

- - - - - - - - -

	Excellent Pacman Marty! Hopefully we have a couple more years of
your TP images to look forward to. 
	Ever since the tech pan scare way back in early 2002 (or was it
2001?) I have been looking for a digital replacement for my 8" Schmidt
camera. A 3 or 4 degree FOV able to shoot deep h-alpha images. Like Jim, I
latched on to a "cheap" cast-off SBIG camera on Astromart and found that a
180mm telephoto lens gave me about the same field as the Schmidt. This is
the same 180mm f2.8 Olympus lens that many of you have seen on my web site's
h-alpha page, it works with CCD as well! My "new" old ST-8 is about 10 years
old. Fully depreciated and when combined with the 180mm makes a pretty good
substitute for the Schmidt. 
	However, as I am in Canada, the north pole isn't far away. :) Using
all this CCD gear in the winter really isn't practical! So, when winter
hits, I intend to continue with the Schmidt and tech pan as long as I can.
When the tech pan runs out.....? For those looking for a digital Schmidt,
have a look at http://www.astrofoto.ca/john/ccd.htm and scroll down to the
ST8 images. The weather hasn't been great this year but there are a couple
of new ones up. The Veil and Crescent regions I am quite pleased with. This
isn't the same as shooting tech pan, but it beats sitting around the house
thinking about the old days! 

John Mirtle
Calgary, Ab. Canada

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