Hey everyone!!
I've been using a ZWO OSC camera along with other ZWO products to run my scope for a while now, but I'm considering making the switch to a mono setup. Specifically, I'm looking at the 2600MM with Antlia filters.
I currently own an Asiair, and I'm wondering whether it’s better to stick with it for a mono setup or completely shift to NINA. I've heard that Asiair's versatility, especially regarding filter offsets, isn’t great for mono, which is a concern for me.
However, I'm also reluctant to make a financial investment in a NUC and a power box to switch over to NINA. So, I'm in a bit of a dilemma here.
I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences. What are the pros and cons of sticking with Asiair vs. making the switch to NINA? Any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks in advance!
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Aymen Aissa:
Hey everyone!!
I've been using a ZWO OSC camera along with other ZWO products to run my scope for a while now, but I'm considering making the switch to a mono setup. Specifically, I'm looking at the 2600MM with Antlia filters.
I currently own an Asiair, and I'm wondering whether it’s better to stick with it for a mono setup or completely shift to NINA. I've heard that Asiair's versatility, especially regarding filter offsets, isn’t great for mono, which is a concern for me.
However, I'm also reluctant to make a financial investment in a NUC and a power box to switch over to NINA. So, I'm in a bit of a dilemma here.
I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences. What are the pros and cons of sticking with Asiair vs. making the switch to NINA? Any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks in advance! I just made the switch you are talking about going from a 183mc pro with asi air to 294mm pro with nina setup. now what I would do is, get the mono cam but first stick to the asi air, and learn mono imaging first. if you are going from asi air to Nina its already a learning curve jump, and adding to learn mono on top of that is quite the challenge  . im not saying its impossible, just saying you could maybe first ease in with the asi air, if you want to upgrade later there is plenty of time to spend money. but that's just my opinion on what I would do clear skies
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In theory, it doesn't really matter which software/device you use as long it offers you the options you need. But the ASI air is a finished product without much possibility to get beyond the things you usually do with it. Now it depends on you and your interests. I am a DIY guy and I try to automate my stuff as much as possible. Although there are so many options out there, I decided to go with a windows PC (I use more of them now). There are so many ideas I had to be able to automate stuff without going out to the equipment which simply would not be possible with the ASI air, that the PC was one of two options. The second one was a Raspberry with either Stellarmate or Astroberry software on it. But I am not a Linux guy. More importantly, NINA would not be usable with this OS.
Since I tried NINA, I never had the need to go for something else. Every function I wished that would exist was implemented at some point. Some of my hardware stuff is controlled by external scripts. And it never failed so far. I really love it. Many parts of my rig would not work without windows or NINA. So that was a no brainer for ME…
If you like the simple stuff and just want to image with a device you know, the ASI air might be great. But you are restricted to the ZWO stuff and as soon as you'd like to have options in equipment, you are limited. I know there are many people out there that love it. I totally understand that. But it's not my kind of thing.
Another huge thing for me is reliability. A wifi connection is a weak solution for me and at least where my scopes are located, I would have a lot of trouble. I tried it. This is a reason for me not to use the ASI air, too.
As you already might have guessed, I totally love NINA and its flexibility !!!
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Depends on what part of the hobby you like more. I like the “astro” part, not the software part. The asiair works for what I need it to do, others like more control.
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I started with the ASIAir 3 years ago, with an OSC camera, and it was the perfect introduction to AP. About 12 mths ago I moved to mono and found the ASIAir wasn't really great for using multiple filters, mainly because I would get through a session without completing a even set of images for each filter since you can't set up a repeating sequence such as r, g, b ...you have to run all the reds, then all the greens, and then all the blues for example. So I moved to NINA and it was great; however long the session lasted, I'd end up with an even set of subs for each filter. However, I've recently had lots of issues with NINA, mainly around focussing and guiding, and despite lots of troubleshooting I can't get them to perform satisfactorily. So I've switched back to the ASIAir for the past couple of nights (imaging right now as I'm typing this) and it's so refreshing to have everything work so quickly and easily. So despite the aforementioned limitations with filters, and the fact that NINA is brilliant software, I'm going to stick with the ASIAir because I have better things to do than wrestle with software in the dark.  |
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I have not used the ASIAir, but I couldn't imagine doing mono without filter focus offsets, which I understand the ASIAir doesn't have. As Frank Alvaro just mentioned, it allows you to run sequences that takes subs in R, G, B, etc… without having to run autofocus on each filter. This is done by calculating where the focuser should be for each filter relative to the primary autofocus filter (typically the Lum filter). So even if you get a couple hours cloud-free for example, you at least have a "full set" of data.
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If you buy nice parafocal filters then you don't need to worry so much about focus shift when changing filters. In this case the ASIAIR could work just fine for straightforward plans.
I bought the very nice Antlia Dark LRGB in 36mm round and ran an extensive training session in the Nina filter offset wizard and after a couple hours of testing it came up with filter offsets of L:0, R:0, G:0, B:7 on my Esprit 100ED.
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I’m with Claudio on this one!! Keep your current setup, get the mono camera and run it with an asiair to learn that then maybe make an investment into a Nina setup
The other way you could do it is by getting the monochrome camera and doing a few sessions with it controlled by an asiair then just connecting it to a laptop (providing you already have one) and doing a few sessions with it that way via Nina!! Afterwards you can then make your own informed decision based on your own experiences ya know!!
I’ve just started shooting with the 2600mm coming straight from a dslr, I tried Nina when I first started in the hobby late last year and didn’t really like it so went for an asiair and found that a lot easier for starting out but I haven’t found shooting mono with the asiair a problem even without the offset control
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Claudio Boicu:
Aymen Aissa:
Hey everyone!!
I've been using a ZWO OSC camera along with other ZWO products to run my scope for a while now, but I'm considering making the switch to a mono setup. Specifically, I'm looking at the 2600MM with Antlia filters.
I currently own an Asiair, and I'm wondering whether it’s better to stick with it for a mono setup or completely shift to NINA. I've heard that Asiair's versatility, especially regarding filter offsets, isn’t great for mono, which is a concern for me.
However, I'm also reluctant to make a financial investment in a NUC and a power box to switch over to NINA. So, I'm in a bit of a dilemma here.
I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences. What are the pros and cons of sticking with Asiair vs. making the switch to NINA? Any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks in advance!
I just made the switch you are talking about going from a 183mc pro with asi air to 294mm pro with nina setup. now what I would do is, get the mono cam but first stick to the asi air, and learn mono imaging first. if you are going from asi air to Nina its already a learning curve jump, and adding to learn mono on top of that is quite the challenge. im not saying its impossible, just saying you could maybe first ease in with the asi air, if you want to upgrade later there is plenty of time to spend money. but that's just my opinion on what I would do
clear skies I like your approach, Claudio. I think i will phaseout my transition not to get overwhelmed with the new process. Also, aiming to start planetary imaging at some point, the switch will then be justified.
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Christian Großmann:
In theory, it doesn't really matter which software/device you use as long it offers you the options you need. But the ASI air is a finished product without much possibility to get beyond the things you usually do with it. Now it depends on you and your interests. I am a DIY guy and I try to automate my stuff as much as possible. Although there are so many options out there, I decided to go with a windows PC (I use more of them now). There are so many ideas I had to be able to automate stuff without going out to the equipment which simply would not be possible with the ASI air, that the PC was one of two options. The second one was a Raspberry with either Stellarmate or Astroberry software on it. But I am not a Linux guy. More importantly, NINA would not be usable with this OS.
Since I tried NINA, I never had the need to go for something else. Every function I wished that would exist was implemented at some point. Some of my hardware stuff is controlled by external scripts. And it never failed so far. I really love it. Many parts of my rig would not work without windows or NINA. So that was a no brainer for ME...
If you like the simple stuff and just want to image with a device you know, the ASI air might be great. But you are restricted to the ZWO stuff and as soon as you'd like to have options in equipment, you are limited. I know there are many people out there that love it. I totally understand that. But it's not my kind of thing.
Another huge thing for me is reliability. A wifi connection is a weak solution for me and at least where my scopes are located, I would have a lot of trouble. I tried it. This is a reason for me not to use the ASI air, too.
As you already might have guessed, I totally love NINA and its flexibility !!! Thanks for the detailed insight, Christian !! You’ve definitely highlighted some key points that I’ve been considering. Your experience with NINA, particularly the flexibility and ability to automate and integrate various hardware, is really appealing especially when starting planetary or solar imaging. I’m still weighing the pros and cons, especially with the financial investment required for NINA, but as mentioned by Claudio, a staggered transition will be ideal at this point. Thanks again for sharing your experience—it’s incredibly helpful!
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Sam Badcock:
I’m with Claudio on this one!! Keep your current setup, get the mono camera and run it with an asiair to learn that then maybe make an investment into a Nina setup
The other way you could do it is by getting the monochrome camera and doing a few sessions with it controlled by an asiair then just connecting it to a laptop (providing you already have one) and doing a few sessions with it that way via Nina!! Afterwards you can then make your own informed decision based on your own experiences ya know!!
I’ve just started shooting with the 2600mm coming straight from a dslr, I tried Nina when I first started in the hobby late last year and didn’t really like it so went for an asiair and found that a lot easier for starting out but I haven’t found shooting mono with the asiair a problem even without the offset control Totally agree with you Sam, i will follow this route.
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John Stone:
If you buy nice parafocal filters then you don't need to worry so much about focus shift when changing filters. In this case the ASIAIR could work just fine for straightforward plans.
I bought the very nice Antlia Dark LRGB in 36mm round and ran an extensive training session in the Nina filter offset wizard and after a couple hours of testing it came up with filter offsets of L:0, R:0, G:0, B:7 on my Esprit 100ED. I’ve heard great things about Antlia performance, especially in terms of being parfocal. How are the results with SHO ?
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Frank Alvaro:
I started with the ASIAir 3 years ago, with an OSC camera, and it was the perfect introduction to AP. About 12 mths ago I moved to mono and found the ASIAir wasn't really great for using multiple filters, mainly because I would get through a session without completing a even set of images for each filter since you can't set up a repeating sequence such as r, g, b ...you have to run all the reds, then all the greens, and then all the blues for example. So I moved to NINA and it was great; however long the session lasted, I'd end up with an even set of subs for each filter. However, I've recently had lots of issues with NINA, mainly around focussing and guiding, and despite lots of troubleshooting I can't get them to perform satisfactorily. So I've switched back to the ASIAir for the past couple of nights (imaging right now as I'm typing this) and it's so refreshing to have everything work so quickly and easily. So despite the aforementioned limitations with filters, and the fact that NINA is brilliant software, I'm going to stick with the ASIAir because I have better things to do than wrestle with software in the dark.
This is really valuable to hear from someone who started with Asiair, explored NINA and moved back to Asiair. Your experience highlights exactly what I've been wrestling with—the trade-off between simplicity and flexibility. But knowing that it’s still a solid, reliable choice for many people makes me think it’s worth sticking with for now and maybe exploring NINA more down the road if I really need that advanced control with planetary and solar imaging.Thanks again for your insight, Frank.
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Aymen Aissa:
Frank Alvaro:
I started with the ASIAir 3 years ago, with an OSC camera, and it was the perfect introduction to AP. About 12 mths ago I moved to mono and found the ASIAir wasn't really great for using multiple filters, mainly because I would get through a session without completing a even set of images for each filter since you can't set up a repeating sequence such as r, g, b ...you have to run all the reds, then all the greens, and then all the blues for example. So I moved to NINA and it was great; however long the session lasted, I'd end up with an even set of subs for each filter. However, I've recently had lots of issues with NINA, mainly around focussing and guiding, and despite lots of troubleshooting I can't get them to perform satisfactorily. So I've switched back to the ASIAir for the past couple of nights (imaging right now as I'm typing this) and it's so refreshing to have everything work so quickly and easily. So despite the aforementioned limitations with filters, and the fact that NINA is brilliant software, I'm going to stick with the ASIAir because I have better things to do than wrestle with software in the dark.
This is really valuable to hear from someone who started with Asiair, explored NINA and moved back to Asiair. Your experience highlights exactly what I've been wrestling with—the trade-off between simplicity and flexibility. But knowing that it’s still a solid, reliable choice for many people makes me think it’s worth sticking with for now and maybe exploring NINA more down the road if I really need that advanced control with planetary and solar imaging.Thanks again for your insight, Frank. I'm glad you found it useful. However, last night the ASIAir caused a bit of a problem when I attended a dark sky site with other members of my astronomy club - it connected to another person's unit, even though I was standing right next to mine when I connected. It took about 10 minutes to sort it out, I had to connect to my hot spotting phone via station mode. And I'm still struggling with trying to get an even number of subs for each filter using the ASIAir, so I'm going to devote a few hours tonight troubleshooting NINA because, in the backyard, when it works it works well. But I'll probably still use the ASIAir when I'm out in the field because of its simplicity.
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Aymen Aissa:
John Stone:
If you buy nice parafocal filters then you don't need to worry so much about focus shift when changing filters. In this case the ASIAIR could work just fine for straightforward plans.
I bought the very nice Antlia Dark LRGB in 36mm round and ran an extensive training session in the Nina filter offset wizard and after a couple hours of testing it came up with filter offsets of L:0, R:0, G:0, B:7 on my Esprit 100ED.
I’ve heard great things about Antlia performance, especially in terms of being parfocal. How are the results with SHO ? My NINA filter offsets, using exactly the same filters (RGB, Lum and SHO) on an Esprit 120ED were substantially greater than John's, so I would be cautious using a set of filters on the ASIAir without focussing each filter until you proved for yourself that they really are parfocal.
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NINA provides unparalleled flexibility and features that ASI Air simply will never offer. There is a rich library of community developed plugins that can take what is already and extremely competent sequencing program and elevate it to any level you need. Being able to use NINA is a huge step for moving into more advanced imaging in my opinion and I can fully recommend it. This is of course not to mention the additional flexibility you will get in your future gear selection, as you will not be constrained by the walls of the ZWO ecosystem, as well as the massively limited support for greater control on the ASI Air. It's NINA 100% for me.
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For 15 years, I have been using a great number of mounts and complicated softwares¨, that seemed designed for engineers, and wasted whole nights trying to get things right - slewing, plate-solving, guiding, focusing, etc.
Then I switched - reluctantly, because it looked too different and too simple ! - to the Asiair system. And it appeared nearly miraculous ! Pointing is always perfect, autoguiding starts in less that 10 seconds, the electronic focuser calculates focus for each filter, polar aligment is fast and accurate, etc.
What's more, those lightweight mounts (AM5 and AM3) are very versatile, even with rather heavy telescopes in heavy duty mode, like a 200/1000 newtonian.
I also use ASI Studio for calibrating and stacking my frames, and it works really well.
So all my time is dedicated to imaging, at home and remotely in Spain !
Philippe
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