Cell Phone A-Focal Adapter

[nvchad2]

Earlier today I was talking with some other users over HERE about a-focal photography and ways to improve results with cell phones.  I started toying with the idea of building my own adapter and when I got home from work I turned it into a reality!

For less than $5 I can now set my phone up and take a-focal images or videos with ease.  No more unsteady shaking as I try to capture photos with my cell phone.  In addition, friends and family will be able to (hopefully) use their phones as well.  It was easy to build and took less than an hour from start to finish and only required a few basic tools (which I already had).

This is my first successful astrophotography DIY project, so let me know what you think!  Suggestions for improvements are also welcome.

I wanted to snap a few pictures with my phone before coming in but the sky was covered in a layer of clouds and it was very cold out (note the snow in the background).  For now I'm just happy knowing that it's going to work in the future on a clear night.

[Stargazer 2013]

cool job..It looks like it works good..maybe take some photos later

[nvchad2]

Thanks. Plan to get some shots as soon as this snow moves out....

[Kirscovitch]

My first thought is snow in Virginia? lol

Honestly it looks like a neat setup though.

[L8-Nite]

Nice idea. 

[Schorhr]

Hi, very nice!

I tried attaching my old android cellphone to my binoculars. I took the eye cup off and taped it to the phone ;-) Worked, but not as neat as your solution.

I even tried the long exposure simulation apps, but as expected, not much use on orion.

[nvchad2]

My first thought is snow in Virginia? lol

Honestly it looks like a neat setup though.

Snow indeed.  Though probably nothing compared to what Wisconsin gets, but snow nonetheless.  I don't mind the stuff, just hate the thick all encompassing clouds that it brings with it!

Hi, very nice!
I tried attaching my old android cellphone to my binoculars. I took the eye cup off and taped it to the phone ;-) Worked, but not as neat as your solution.
I even tried the long exposure simulation apps, but as expected, not much use on orion.

Yea, cell phones aren't really built for astrophotography.  But its still fun to try.    The best part about my set up is that the wooden platform attaches to the focuser tube with an exhaust clamp (round half moon clamp) so I'm able to "swing" the platform around the eyepiece so that the platform is always horizontal, no matter what angle the telescope is at.  Helps keep it balanced.

I'm supposed to have clear skies tonight (w/ terrible seeing of course) so I'm going to try to test it out some more.  If I get any decent results I'll post them here.  Thanks for the compliments everyone.

[Schorhr]

Good luck, cs!

[nvchad2]

Here's a slightly out of focus shot of Venus taken this evening with my cell phone on the adapter.  I'm about to process a few moon shots I took as well.  Had a problem with the cell phone trying to focus incessantly, so very few came out good.  I'm not sure if the brightness of the moon has it confused or if it just can't find enough detail on the surface to stay in focus.

[Schorhr]

Nice!

What phone do you have?

Most android phone applications can be set to infinity, and then focus the rest with the scope.

As for android:

Camera FV-5 lite seems nice, giving all kind of manual options.

as said I tried a few others that offer different long exposure simulations, some really work well enough for plejads and andromeda, within the possibilities of my poor phone's camera chip.

[nvchad2]

Nice!

What phone do you have?

Most android phone applications can be set to infinity, and then focus the rest with the scope.

As for android:

Camera FV-5 lite seems nice, giving all kind of manual options.

as said I tried a few others that offer different long exposure simulations, some really work well enough for plejads and andromeda, within the possibilities of my poor phone's camera chip.

I've got a Samsung Galaxy S4.  I can't seem to find any such setting for the focus, but maybe I'll try Camera FV-5 as you suggested.  Definitely not going to be able to continue with this auto focus stuff.

Anyway, here's the best I could do tonight.  Just a quick edit in Photoshop.

[Schorhr]

Neat, seeing could also be an issue?

With the other app you could try forcing it to infinity and also shorter exposure to compensate for bad seeing.

I don't have the S4, but I would guess it should be capable of doing so as well.

Good luck finding an option or a application that'll take care of the focus issues!

[nvchad2]

Neat, seeing could also be an issue?

With the other app you could try forcing it to infinity and also shorter exposure to compensate for bad seeing.

I don't have the S4, but I would guess it should be capable of doing so as well.

Good luck finding an option or a application that'll take care of the focus issues!

According to ClearDarkSky, the seeing was "poor".  So I would imagine that had a lot to do with it.

I've downloaded a new camera app, so I'm trying to learn to use it.  I usually catch on to stuff pretty quickly so hopefully I can get some better pictures the next night I have clear skies.

[Schorhr]

Great, what app did you go for?

[nvchad2]

Great, what app did you go for?

I had some weird app that was evidently more geared toward image processing.  Which was strange.  It had excellent reviews but I couldn't get it to do what I wanted.  So then I downloaded FV-5 lite, as you suggested, and its extremely easy to use.  Should've listened to you from the start!    I don't know why it doesn't have 5 stars . . . the other one did and it sucked.  haha.

ClearDarkSkies now says I'm facing clouds for the next night or two.  So I guess I'll have to wait a few days to test it out . . .

[Schorhr]

Heh, I am sure there are better apps out there, but it's a jungle! :-)

I have downloaded quite a few, unfortunately many are very restricted demo versions.

The ones with the best "night vision" are fun, though enhance the contrast so much that they are unusable for astronomy. It was amazing however that they could show faint stars even though the "long exposure simulation" could not.

Perhaps one of these days a bored astronomer & programmer will create a imaging app just for the fun of it :-)

[Langy]

Great holder for the phone, just what I could do with.

Do you have any issues with how far the camera lens has to be from the Eye Piece?

I don't know if there is a rule of thumb for the distance or if you should try and get it as close as possible.

Paul