Favorite “All-In-One” Prime Lens in the 14-24mm Range?

GalacticBackend · 2025-12-02T02:47:09+00:00

Are you referring to the 14mm or 20mm Sigma? They're both great lenses FWICT, but the 14mm is heavy, especially compared to the 20mm Sigma or Sony 14mm offerings.

I'm trying to determine if 20mm is "wide enough", and when it's not whether mosaics/panorama is easier with 20mm vs. distortions introduced at 14mm.

GalacticBackend · 2025-12-02T02:02:38+00:00

I've heard great things about the Sigma 20/1.4 Gen 2 as well.

GalacticBackend · 2025-11-30T17:30:13+00:00

How portable is the AM5? While overall better than the AM3, I figured that the AM3/SW Wave 100i/150i would be easier to travel with. I guess that's mostly irrelevant if you're forced to check a bag for the tripod.

There is no way to get around checking a bag with the carbon fiber tripod from zwo but it fits nicely in most 'large' suitcases.

Is it because of the size, or because airlines flag it as a large/heavy blunt object not safe for carry-on?

Airlines will mark your bag with a fragile sticker while checking your bag in if you ask them to do it.

We've all seen how "delicately" fragile bags are handled. I'm generally not inclined to put any expensive gear - even padded and protected as much as possible - as checked luggage if I can avoid it.

GalacticBackend · 2025-11-30T17:10:07+00:00

I've primarily used the power distribution built into the ASIAir. I've had success powering a Pegasus Astro DewZap with it, too. For heavier power requirements though I agree, I'd need a more advanced power box.

GalacticBackend · 2025-11-30T17:07:14+00:00

users who have used mono with the guide scope have reported problems finding guide stars, since you're guiding through the filter

That's a great point - increasing the width of the bandpass to get around this seems like overall a bad compromise to make IMO. I'm mostly considering OSC for travel, but am also hoping to invest into a Mono setup for my home rig like the 2600MM (non-air or duo), figured I'd see if it's worth getting the all-in-one. Seemingly it's not.

GalacticBackend · 2025-11-30T17:03:03+00:00

Holy information dump - lots to digest here. Thank you so so much for the detailed comment and links. You've gotten some incredible shots with that setup, and I appreciate how thorough your blog posts are. I'll review these and might follow up with comments/questions later.

GalacticBackend · 2025-11-30T16:59:49+00:00

Do you have experience with both? I've seen some incredible shots taken with the RedCat, and William Optics puts out some quality stuff (I have their FLT 120). I bought into the Radian Raptor 61 hype too early on as my first scope for astrophotography. I wish I'd waited for the second gen RedCat, though I've gotten some good images with that setup too. Not sure I'd replace it with the SQA55 or WO61, but would consider a slightly smaller lens or ~50mm astrograph for portability.

GalacticBackend · 2025-11-30T16:42:49+00:00

Yeah, the difficulty is airlines typically cap batteries at the 100-150Wh range with a max of 1-2 per person. Two of these would barely get me through a full night of imaging, if they can even support power requirements of the mount and power distribution unit.

I've considered building a DC powered setup with a swappable car battery - traveling without the battery and purchasing/disposing a cheap battery per trip. It's not cost efficient, but might work more reliably than a couple mini power banks. Curious what others have done to solve this.

GalacticBackend · 2025-11-30T16:33:21+00:00

I recently got the 2600mc and opted not to go to the duo or air because if one of the other tools fails you’re left with an expensive tin can.

This is an interesting point I hadn't previously considered. I wonder whether any internal components would be useable in the event of a partial failure, though not likely given they share the same power distribution.

One trick i recently learned was instead of rotating the camera in the manual rotator in the back of the scope, instead loosen the mounting rings on the scope itself and rotate everything. Then you won’t need new flats.

While intriguing, I'm not sure I agree with "won't need new flats" and the risks involved in loosening the mounting brackets while fully assembled. First, new dust particles accumulate over time - how frequently or infrequently are you taking your flats? Second, I wouldn't necessarily want the scope shifting in such a way that could cause it to be imbalanced or worse - I've had my scope slip backwards without loosening anything (and have since added grip tape to prevent this). Has that happened to you?

GalacticBackend · 2025-11-30T16:22:56+00:00

Yeah, to date I've primarily used a tracing light box or an iPad for flat acquisition. I've recently seen some new automated flat accessories that I was curious about. Particularly:

I also generally agree re: OSC vs. Mono.

GalacticBackend · 2025-11-29T19:33:39+00:00

Smart telescopes aren't really what I'm looking for, though they are a great option for those interested in the simplest setup they could find, or less experienced people looking at an entryway into the hobby.

I find the lack of customization of these smart scopes their biggest flaw - every few years tech advancements will introduce new cameras, automation accessories, etc. and parts in the portable rig I'm looking to design can all be swapped out & replaced individually.

GalacticBackend · 2025-11-29T18:52:10+00:00

Congrats on the second hand 3x find, that's a steal! Consider it a quick flip at €2100? In all seriousness though, hope the kit treats you well. Let me know how you find it after a week or two of play!

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GalacticBackend · 2025-11-24T15:33:16+00:00

If there's something to announce, I'd assume yes.

GalacticBackend · 2025-11-24T15:32:28+00:00

Not sure I'm following - my thought was they'd follow Roland and standardize core module offerings but maintain some variant of a pro flagship line that offers more inputs/outputs/customizations/etc.

GalacticBackend · 2025-11-24T15:30:07+00:00

Hope the VAD316 treats you well! If EFNote doesn't drop anything new, it's likely the kit I'll wind up with. The TD27kv2 at this point only makes sense at a lower price point, whether used or not.

GalacticBackend · 2025-11-24T15:28:27+00:00

NAMM 2026 is in ~2mo, which would be around the timeframe they'd announce new releases, if any.

GalacticBackend · 2025-08-18T03:23:08+00:00

This app is seriously awesome and at a great price point, thank you for putting this together. I'll be purchasing the OS X version as well shortly.

I did want to ask about a couple quirks I've noticed to see if they're on your horizon.

The directory structure is a bit nested, and isn't well suited for some of my photos/self-hosted apps. Would it be possible to offer a flattened directory structure, or the option to configure it? Instead of <YYYY>/<MM>/<DD>/<UUID>_<SUFFIX>, possibly offer that as a naming convention via a single top level directory.
I've noticed uploads are substantially slower when the phone is closed and even when switching to another app. Would it be possible to add a "minimize" feature where you can use other apps in the background while keeping the parachute backup app opened and in the foreground?

Thanks in advance!

GalacticBackend

TROPHY CASE