Astro imaging

[Campy]

Hi All,

Please help. I am new to this. I have a sky watcher 150P scope and a Nikon D3200 camera. When looking at moon I have a prefect picture but when I try and look at it on my PC or view it on the LCD screen it is totally black. What am I doing wrong?

Regards

Paul

[michael8554]

Sorry Campy, much more detail needed:

"When looking at moon I have a prefect picture"  -  where are you seeing this, through the camera's viewfinder?

"view it on the LCD screen"  -  is this in Live View mode, or reviewing after making an exposure?

"look at it on my PC"  -  is this using a video lead from the camera, or what?

How is the camera attached to your 150P?

Michael

[carastro]

Are you looking at the Moon through an eyepiece and then putting a camera in and getting a black screen?  

It is likely the focus is completely different with the camera in place.  

I am not familiar with the Nikon, but I presume it has a live view function.  

Are you slightly nudging the position of the scope when you change from eyepiece to camera?

Carole 

[Campy]

Sorry, I am looking through the LCD screen / viewfinder and have a good picture. I have attached the camera to the telescope using a T2 ring and adaptor with a Barlow X2 lens fitted. After taking a picture I have looked at the picture through the LCD and attached the camera to my laptop with a USB /micro HDMI lead but all I see is a black picture. I have tried this in daylight and at night but still the same outcome.

[brrttpaul]

Yes but when you have the camera attached to the scope are you then looking at live view/screen?  May sound stupid but I have done it myself have you taken the lens cover off the scope. You can look through the scope with an eyepiece and have everything in focus but when you attach the camera you would have to focus again as it will be out

[carastro]

So let me get this clear.  You are looking through your Viewfiender/at your LCD screen with a camera lens fitted?

Then removing the lens, putting on a T2 ring and adapter and then attaching it to a telescope with a 2 x barlow and only getting a black picture?

Is this right?

I would suggest you do the following:

Look through the telescope with an eyepiece and make sure it is pointing at the Moon. Have your camera already to insert into the telescope but without the barlow.  Remove the eyepiece, look again into the "hole" where the eyepiece was and make sure the Moon is still there.  insert the camera nosepiece without the barlow and connect to the laptop.  Is the Moon still there even if out of focus?

Make sure the Moon is central and add the barlow if you still need to and focus.  

If not, what sort of mount do you have?  Is it tracking, if not you could be losing the Moon before you insert the camera.  

It is possible that focus can't be reached with this scope and a DSLR.  

Carole 

[Tommohawk]

Hi All,

Please help. I am new to this. I have a sky watcher 150P scope and a Nikon D3200 camera. When looking at moon I have a prefect picture but when I try and look at it on my PC or view it on the LCD screen it is totally black. What am I doing wrong?

Regards

Paul

Sorry to be bearer of bad news, but I had the same problem. Its not possible - the only thing you can do is output via HDMI to eg a TV screen.  Busy now, will post more detail later.

[Tommohawk]

Having re-read you post I see you have connected to laptop using HDMI lead

 and attached the camera to my laptop with a USB /micro HDMI lead but all I see is a black picture. I have tried this in daylight and at night but still the same outcome.

When I ran into this problem I couldn't find any laptops with HDMI inputs, so I gave up on the D3200. It should be possible to connect your camera to a device with HDMi input - but are you sure your laptop has this? Or are you connected using standard cable ie USB input on laptop?

[Campy]

Hi All,

My camera is connected to the telescope and when I look through the viewfinder or LCD screen and I have a good view of the moon. I then take a picture and still have a good view of the moon through the viewfinder / LCD screen. I then detach the camera and try and view the picture I have just taken but all I see is a blank / black screen. I have then attached a lens to the camera and just taken a normal picture, when I view this it is fine.

[Campy]

Hi All again,

Just looking at the photos I took of the moon, The picture is there but is very dark. It may be that I have the settings wrong. Could it be the ISO and shutter speed settings?

[Tommohawk]

If you have a picture, then your there or thereabouts! Remember that your normal camera lens is typically used in auto mode. Are you setting you mode dial to "M"?

[Campy]

Tommohawk,

Yes I have the camera on M, I tried it again in daylight and managed to get a picture. I am just waiting now for a clear, dry night to try again.

[T-WING]

Hi All again,

Just looking at the photos I took of the moon, The picture is there but is very dark. It may be that I have the settings wrong. Could it be the ISO and shutter speed settings?

Yes, try iso320 and shutter 1/160. Any barlow between will further darken the picture.

[CaptnSpaulding]

Sounds to me like you just need to play with settings - higher ISO, longer exposure, wider aperture etc. Sounds like there is not enough light being captured.