Ideal kit for a serious start in astrophotography
Many of you have asked me the same question: "I want to get into astrophotography, but what should I get to have quality equipment, without blowing my budget?"
This is the kit I recommend, the one I'd take myself if I had to start from scratch: compact, high-performance and scalable.
The apo: Sky-Watcher Evolux 62ED
- Small, light and apochromatic.
- Ideal for beginners: fine, aberration-free stars.
- An instrument that stays with you even after you've evolved.
Price: CHF 449
📷 The heart of the setup: ToupTek camera & optical train
- Main camera: ToupTek ATR585M (Sony IMX585M sensor)
- Ultra-sensitive, very low noise, perfect for deep sky.
- Easy to use and unbeatable value.
- Price: CHF 479
- 8×1.25" motorized filter wheel (RàF): ToupTek 1.25" model
- Optical splitter (OAG): ToupTek OAG
- compact, eliminates the need for a guide-scope
- Price: 139 CHF
- Guidance camera: ToupTek GPM462M
- highly sensitive sensor for precise guidance and planetary/lunar photography
- Price: CHF 145
🎯 Essential accessories
- Focusing motor: ToupTek AAF
- automates focusing for sharp images all night long
- Price: 139 CHF
- LRGB filters: Antlia LRGB V-Pro
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- Exceptional quality, parafocal filters, zero halos.
- An investment that changes everything right from the start.
- Price: CHF 199
🧠 Control & centralization
- On-board computer: ToupTek StellaVita
- on-board computer to manage camera, mount, filters and power supply.
- Everything is centralized, plug & play.
- Price: CHF 299
The GoTo equatorial mount: Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer GTi
- Very popular, compact, lightweight and portable.
- Precise for superb photos.
- Ideal for making progress without getting discouraged.
- Price: CHF 616
✅ Result
- A kit balanced and high-end to get you started.
- Lightweight and portablebut capable of producing incredible images.
- Evolutionary Then add SHO filters for the narrow band.
🎓 Optional: personalized course
To take things a step further, I'm offering a hands-on workshop where you :
- Assemble all the equipment together,
- Start shooting with NINA
- And process your first image live with PixInsight
All of a sudden, you win CHF 145, or in other words, the guidance camera is free!