First, you can get less expensive CCD cameras.

The SBIG ST-237A is much cheaper, although it's now primitive. The ST-7 is around $2500. Starlight Xpress makes some relatively inexpensive CCD cameras (sub $2500), although their CCDs tend to be microarray CCDS, so the images can be rather soft and require post-processing to sharpen them.

You can also buy used equipment at reasonable prices. Try www.astromart.com for CCD equipment. There's always someone looking to upgrade, so you can usually save $500-$1000 (sometimes more). Some people buy CCD cameras and try them a few times and get disappointed with the results. (It sounds so easy, and it ain't!!!!) So, they end up selling stuff at a good discount.

I bought a used STV Deluxe on AstroMart for $1950. New, it's about $2,600. It was only used a few times. Even the user manual was pristine. No dogears or smudged pages. Everything was like new.

Mitch

Glenn E. Mitchell II, Ph.D. (aka Mitch)
10" f/10 Meade LX-200 GPS (Big Blue) s/n 01088
Supercharged at ASO by Dr. Clay Sherrod, # 2314-2010
N 30° 30' 49.2" / W 084° 20' 13.8"

• low cost modif of 8sec of sony dig camera - edouard - November 4, 2003 - 19:03 UTC