I recently purchased an ASIair Pro (which I am impressed with) and have been using the ASI224 as my main camera with a 290mini mounted to the ZWO autoguider scope and would like to shift to using one of my Pentax DSLRs for wider-field work. I understand the Pentax is not one of the supported DSLRs according to your documentation. However, it is possible to use ASIair Pro and the autoguider camera/scope for autoguiding? My workflow would be something like:

1) Leave the ASI224 in place

2) Perform the PA

3) Select and go-to target

4) Swap ASI224 for my DSLR

5) Focus DSLR

6) Program DSLR intervalometer

7) Begin autoguiding

8) Begin capturing with DSLR


Does this sound doable?

Instead of swapping the camera physically, you can also switch the ASIAIR "Main Camera" to use your guide camera and guide scope to perform the polar alignment.


When you are done with polar alignment, switch your guide camera back as the ASIAIR's "guide camera."


If your guide scope is aligned with your main OTA, you can use the guide scope to do plate solving too.


That way, you won't accidentally move the tripod while physically swapping cameras.


One other thing that you can try, if you have an extra spare OTA. Don't need to be sophisticated -- a second "guide scope" would do. Tell ASIAIR that this other OTA and the ASI224 is your main camera. But don't AutoRun, and instead use your intervalometer. Do your polar alignment and plate solving using this secondary OTA. Think of your DSLR and current OTA as piggy-backing on an ASIAIR based system.


Chen

Thank you for the reply… I ended up following the workflow that I had detailed and that operationally worked fine. I wonder if there’s any possibility that ZWO will develop the interface between the air pro and other DSLRs like Sony and Pentax?

Clayhaus wrote:

Thank you for the reply… I ended up following the workflow that I had detailed and that operationally worked fine. I wonder if there’s any possibility that ZWO will develop the interface between the air pro and other DSLRs like Sony and Pentax?

We are going to add more DSLRs and MLs support in v1.5. When the public beta is ready, you can try.

    14 days later
    5 months later

    Hi. I have the same "problem" and would be very happy if pentax will be supported some day. I can also understand that you have other priorities due to the small market share of pentax. Is there a possibility to use the Asiair as "dumb" shutter control via the small 2.5mm adapter (the "DSLR"-labeled socket)? So without the nice features like plate solving and live pictures, just the exposure plan? Thank you :-)

    20 days later

    Plus one one adding Pentax DSLR support! That would be great!

    3 years later

    It is November 25, 2023 and still no news about a support for PENTAX K1-II? Please!

    Pepiton Conveyed to our ASIAIR team to see if will consider this in the future

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