[Aavso-photometry] Re: [AAVSO-DIS] SBIG's New Low-Cost Photometric CCD Camera

[arne]

Petriew, Vance wrote:
> Last spring while I was shopping for a CCD camera, I ran across the SBIG ST-402ME as a low cost cooled CCD camera.  Since I was interested in doing photometry, I asked SBIG if they were offering BVRI filters as an alternative to RGB filters for their internal filter wheel.  Their answer was that the BVRI filters would be too thick to fit into the internal carousel and that they'd investigate it further.
>  
> Well to pleasant surprise, SBIG is now offering an internal filter wheel with BVIC filters (as recommended by Arne).  This new option for doing photometry is about $1000 less than using an ST-7XMEI and CFW8.  Along with the added cooling capacity, this looks like a real bargain for getting starting in CCD photometry.
>  
> http://www.sbig.com/sbwhtmls/402bvi.htm
>  
Yes; Alan Holmes and I discussed this in several emails, as well as in
person at the SAS meeting last May.  I think their special ST402
interference BVI filters will work fine.  Last word I had was that
the new filter "wheel" won't be available for a couple of months,
but you should check with SBIG.  This is a relatively lost cost
way of getting into CCD photometry; the ST-402 is similar to the
ST-7 except it does not have the extra autoguiding chip.

There are several new cameras near production that I've heard about,
and Meade has released their upgraded DSI-Pro camera with a bigger
CCD.  I have a DSI-color for which I need to finish tests.  If you
want to get into CCD photometry, the price continues to drop.  However,
the added telescope and computer complexity of CCD vs. visual observing
will be a serious obstacle to cross, so CCD observing isn't for
everyone.  Visual observations will remain important for a long
time to come.
Arne