Starlight Xpress MX516

Ratings:Top:Astronomy:Equipment Reviews:CCDs:Starlight Xpress MX516

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Starlight Xpress MX516
For an astro-imager on a tight budget, Starlight Xpress's MX516 camera is a screaming deal. Imaging performance is good - OK, it's an entry level camera and there are compromises, but it has reasonable sensitivity from infrared to ultraviolet and decently low noise. The optional Star 2000 autoguiding interface allows long exposures with marginal scope mounts, making the MX516 the only camera in its price class to image AND guide at the same time (It can reliably guide on 12th magnitude stars with an 8" sct and 1 second guide exposures. The compact 2" camera housing fits nicely into 2" focusers, allowing variable focal lengths when used with a focal reducer on a SCT. Pentax screw threads in the camera barrel allow the use of camera lenses (with extension tube) for wide-field shots. The camera is rugged and simple to use, except for the standard camera control software, which is a bit clunky. Extra-cost Astroart software provides serious image processing with good camera control and autoguiding functionality. Yes, Star 2000 results in pesky amplifier glow in the upper left corner of the image, and the chip sensitiviy is reduced, but two 15 minute images beat thirty+ 30 second images any day (or night), especially when I can be in the house with a cup of hot chocolate while the camera is taking care of business in the cold observatory. USB provides brisk 1.6 second full-frame downloads and faster sub-frames for focusing and, with short guide exposures, for guiding. Yeah, more pixels would be nice, but the chip has good dynamic range with its big pixels. I knock off points for the nuisance amplifier glow and the standard clunky software, but add in Astroart, USB, and Star 2000 and the MX516 is an incredible value for LOTS less than $2000.

Overall Rating: 9
Performance:8 Ease of Use:9 Value:10
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
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Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=142649

Starlight Xpress MX516
This was my first ccd camera & i loved it!
when the image came to view a few seconds after taking it, it was awsome!
very good camera response & quick download to my laptop via usb. This is a very easy camera to learn ccd imaging from, & you can get some awsome images once you learn the tricks on how to image process with the included image processing software.
I used an LX 200 8" to do the imaging f6.3 without a wedge properly polar aligned.
the trick to do low cost imaging, is to use several 1 to 3 minute shots then combine them via the software provided or get some affordable image stacking software & stack them for a really great image.

Overall Rating: 9
Performance:9 Ease of Use:9 Value:10
Weight: 16 (Trustworthy Vote)
Date:
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Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=257557

Starlight Xpress MX516
Beautiful. I especially love the styling from the first part of the session- the aqua and cherry red. It’s just darling. I have a skirt just that shade of blue from a million years ago from the Gap… it might be time for a reoG!shi-ningafreat job, that first shot… it’s the money shot Bek!

Overall Rating: 5
Performance:5 Ease of Use:0 Value:5
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
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Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=611322

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