ASI174 Bad choice for Lunt 60?

keithtc

I am moving into astroimaging mostly solar and lunar, and have been considering the ZWO ASI 174. However I just read that "the "pixel size too large for a Lunt 60". This comment seems to be in in reference to the ASI174 camera. Would it still apply to the ASI178?

Help is greatly appreciated

riklaunim

You can always use a Barlow. IMX174 gets max resolution at somewhere f/21-30, while IMX178 at f/8-12. As lunt 60 is f/8.3 then you could use it with ASI178MM without a Barlow. But sometimes it's good to have less resolution - if the conditions aren't optimal etc. So both cameras can be good.

lowjiber

This is a little late, but I thought I'd share for future readers.

From a solar imaging standpoint, the DMK 51 has been the "ultimate" for years on the Lunt 60. That's all fine and dandy, but they are "old school" from a USB and speed perspective. Add to that the fact that they are no longer available, having "teamed" up with the Skyris brand of cams marketed by Celestron.

When I started looking for another solar cam, several hours of research revealed that the 174MM compared almost exactly with the DMK 51 in terms of resolution, pixel size, etc. The CMOS uses a "global shutter", making it as "quick" as a CCD.

I've had one for about three months of daily use (I live in a desert... plenty of sunshine), and couldn't be happier. The details thru the Lunt 60 are extraordinary.

I've had to add a Peltier cooler to deal with temps in the desert that reach 117 degrees (F) during the summer months, but that's not ZWO's fault.

I strongly recommend at least comparing the 174MM to all the other solar cams on the market. I think you'll agree.