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Phone camera images


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Hi Folks!

Just an idea. I've seen loads of photos here and elsewhere of photos taken with phone cameras and some are really good, but in reality there are few targets available. I want to encourage people to post their work, all kinds, but I personally don't feel right about posting them as they seem so basic compared with all the complicated and time consuming efforts that most imagers suffer/enjoy.

I was wondering if we should have a new imaging section just for them, where people can post their pics, questions and tips. You can of course already post them in "sketches/unconventional" but these are really almost the most conventional of all, just point and click.

As at the beginning it's just an idea (it may have already been brought up before), what do others think?

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Astrophotography takes some artistic skills and proper use of equipment, but basic snaps with mobiles seem's easy enough. You just got to hold the camera steady! Do we need a new section?  folk can just place their images in their own galleries. My android and nikon imageas are not locked and free to peruse?

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nothing wrong with basic images, mixing with images that have taken 20+ hours to take. i gives a nice contrast between the different approaches. i have taken some cracking widefield views with my mobile. mostly when solar events, sundogs, arcs occur and its the camera on me.

that said i would certainly post in any "new" section that may be added.

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You mustn't frown on Phone cam imagery at all. They are as valid as those taken with any other equipment.

Of course the high end imagers will get better results, but it's to be expected, and desired.

I don't have knowledge enough on mobile camera capabilities from the technical POV,

regarding prolonged exposures and control. Cradles to allow them to be offered up to the telescope focuser were used

in the early days, but I've no Idea if modern phones can be  cradles. Remote operation would also be

desired, but again, could Bluetooth be exploited in that way?, I don't know.

However, be all that as it may, astro images via phones has been prevalent over the years, and some fantastic lunar pictures have

graced this forum as a result. No need to segregate phone imagery, they are all welcome in the same sections

Carry on with what you are doing, you'll be surprised at what you can accomplish with your phone cameras.

Good luck with it.

Ron.

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I just post my snaps in the imaging section but hopefully with enough self deprecation so that the guys who really know what they are doing realise I know my place in the food chain ;-)

Nothing wrong with phone camera imaging, I use it as a quick and easy way of keeping a record and of sharing things.

I use an Orion SteadyPix holder, normally with BGO eyepieces and an app called ProCam which allows better camera control.

The moon is nice and easy, I've tried the sun too (through a Herschel wedge) which worked ok but more tricky. I need to try some doubles or clusters next.

Here are a few which I've posted before....

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7746f909b6ad5a10504ea4c85923c3e5.jpg

a7d2bfd7925e915b3e6d9273e81f20fc.jpg

ed9de704e76778bafed6ee0caea34791.jpg

3384cf9dbaf99bc8a84cbec156b28d22.jpg

964bffeb4e63df9e3ab74bfff47318ac.jpg

c40a0fec281405b0e1308d42f17fcf86.jpg

efda9f872fd332f15822362aec1bd300.jpg

3dec3e1a05425e9ff7dc169e3c4c0374.jpg

61ecf00f2ad38b4ee2a27ed1fe30e17f.jpg

So, not amazing, but quick and quite pleasing

Cheers,

Stu

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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I use this, with an iPhone 5. Works well with smooth sided BGO's and similar, looks like it would also work with larger ep's but not sure how it would cope with eyepieces with angled sides

http://www.scsastro.co.uk/catalogue/orion-steadypix-universal-smartphone-telescope-photo-adapter-5693.htm

Stu

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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Maybe an Afocal section? that way anyone using a point and shoot could also contribute...? some pleasing pictures above. well done all. I do have a whole gallery (again not locked) all with Afocal shots including Jupiter...was with a point a shoot in a bracket on a manual mount leading the planet with a 10 second timer. This was also then using the cameras optical zoom as well.

med_gallery_27945_2469_72688.jpg

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Saturn is just that bit further away of course.... i have a similar shot.

DSO's need the powered mount and then polar aligned...also don't think a phone will cut it as you need longer exposures of around 30 seconds. Have a go with a simple point and shoot as well and compare them.

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Asur84 I don't use any gadget to hold the phone steady, I just rest on the eyecup and slowly move the camera around until the object is in view and in a good position, if it's the moon by this time it's usually moved, so adjust scope and work again. You have to be quite quick with no tracking. Once it's in view it's usually overexposed so you have to wait a couple of seconds for the phones camera to make its adjustments.

I've also sometimes found that while an image may look good on the phones small screen, when it's transferred to my ipad it looks out of focus.

All in all it takes time and patience to get a decent image, as Astrosurf says "no way are these phone images just point and shoot".

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