Anyone using Meade DSI?

Anyone here using meade DSI. Im thinking of getting it as an intro to astrophotography.

Stephen,

If you take a look at Astromart, you will find a LOT of people selling their units at dramatically reduced prices. I remember reading somewhere that 10% of users are able to produce something worthwhile, 80% have problems and very mediocre results and the other 10% are a lost cause.

Anyone with CCD experience will remember the now defunct (?) Meade Pictor product line. I have a suspicion (just personal opinion) that the DSI will be deja vue for Meade.

Just my two eurocents ...

Anthony.

Any idea what the problem is??

Stephen - I've been using a DSI since Christmas.

Anthony is right in as much as there have been 'problems' with the DSI-Colour (DSI-C) but the majority of these are down to the hype of Meade, in my opinion.

The DSI-C is touted as enabling the user to take super images the first night out. That may well be true for anyone who has has not dopne astrophotography before. If you have never attempted to take a picture of the heavens through your 'scope (either with a webcam or DSLR or by eyepice projection etc) then prepare for the long haul and a steep learning curve.

Initial issues with the DSI software and the original supplied Infrared filter have now been resolved. But the above disappointed remains for many would-be imagers.

Imaging with a CCD (Meade or otherwise) is not a walk in the park.

However, if you are prepared to learn, be frustrated, kick anything within 10 yards of you regularly, then you might get some decent images :lol:

Take a look at my website - all the deep sky objects were taken with the DSI-C. I've still a way to go to get better images but I have to say that for the price of the DSI, I think its a great way to get started in astrophotography. Unless you just won the lotto of course...

The Yahoo Meade DSI group is an excellent support forum. Take a look - even if you haven't decided to purchase yet, it'll give you food for thought on whether you choose to buy or not. The folks there are always posting images too - so you can see what it can do - good and bad - some of the images are poor, others are stunning (for the price of the DSI-C).

There's a new model out too - the DSI-Pro. This is more sensitive, monochrome (but with colour filters) and more expensive. Currently, even the experieicned imagers are finding it tough to ascend the learning curve of the new model.

As I said above, if you want really good results, you're really talking of getting a CCD that's at least 10 time the price (seriously). But you really need to cut your teeth first - in my opinion, you can't get better value than the DSI-C.

Cheers

Dave McD

Is there a difference between a DSI and a DSI-C?

Sorry Stephen - I should have been a bot more explicit....

The DSI was originally released as just that, the DSI. Its a colour CCD (but I personally just shoot monochrome)

Meade launched the DSI Pro in the last month or two, so a lot of users, to avoid confusion, are now referring to the first released DSI as the DSI-C (ie DSI-Colour) and the DSI-Pro as the DSI-P or DSI-Pro.

The DSI-P is a monochrome CCD only, but is more sensitive than the DSI-C. And of course, newer, oh, and more expensive :lol:

Hoe this helps.

Cheers

Dave McD