Hi John,
Ok, I'm a newby too, I've been imaging less than a year now, and had similar aprehentions a year ago. I started using a SV102 that was originally bought exclusively for visual use, mounted on a GM8, had to buy a new laptop because I din't have one, and wound up paying too much for a used parallel ST8 on astromart.
Here's what I've learned so farr:
1) Great equipment makes a big difference, but you have to learn how to use it too. The only way to do that is to go image something, and you can't image anything untill you have a complete system, that is compatible and works together. Every system, no matter how expensive, will have to be tuned and de-bugged. Expect to have problems and frustrations, plan to minimize them if you can, but be prepared to invest more time and money to remedy them when they occur. The initial investment to get started in imaging is intimidating for us mere mortals with modest incomes, use the time while you're saving, to read all you can before hand, and deliberately plan how to spend your money to build the best system you can afford! Because unless you're rich, you won't be able to afford to buy and sell CCD cameras and high end equatorial mounts like some people do eyepieces.
2) The most important component of any imaging system is the mount. Nothing else matters if the mount sucks. I spent an additional $400 on accessories, just to get my GM8 to work for autoguiding, and it did work fairly well. It was the weakest most limiting component of my system though, so... My first major equipment change, was to sell my GM8 and buy an EM200 Temma. Invest the majority of your money in the best mount you can afford, and anything else you scrimp on, will be MUCH easier to make due with. I can now comfortably wait, as I consider whether to try to upgrade my camera, or my scope next.
3) Wait and plan rather than rush out and buy what you can afford now. I've got a lot of buddies who have been trying to learn imaging as long or longer than I have, some have spent as much or more time and money than I have, and are yet to take their first recognisable images. Hold out till you can afford that SBIG, it's worth it! I'm not saying there arn't guys who can do better with other equipment, but.... I have a great friend who's been trying to get started in imaging with a HX916 on a 10" LX200 for two years now, and sadly I don't think he's shown me one recongisable image yet.
4) Budget money for software, not just hardware! In most cases it's just as expensive, is even more important to the quality of your images, and has a much steeper learning curve!
5) Concentrate on the fundamentals first. Why would I wory about stuff like dithering or advanced color processing, if I can't even take a decent flat frame?
6) It's great when you can hang out with folks who know what they're doing. The handfull of experienced imagers in my area, have been cool, and often invite me to go out with them, but.... are usually buisy doing their own thing, or their schedules arn't compatable with mine, so I don't get to benefit from their imput as much as I'd like. I bought Wodowski's book, and and it's a great refrence, be prepaired to use it like one. You will read and re-read certain parts till you figure out particular tasks, which can be a challenge, because you won't have all the equipment or software he's refering to!
JDBraddy
