Will this lightbox be suitable for flats?

[jimbo747]

Decided I need to start doing flat frames so looking at best way of going about it. This light box/stencil led pad appealed to me, its cheap >£30, can be powered by usb, and brightness can be adjusted.

The only thing I'm not sure about is if it gives me the correct colour for flats.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/311102187539?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Anyone use one or know if it will do the job?

cheers

[Scott]

its what I use although from memory, I paid more than that

[Bizibilder]

I use one with my DSLR and it works fine - good price too!

[jimbo747]

Cheers, will go for one of those then!

[Xiga]

I use one with my DSLR and it works fine - good price too!

How do you hold it in place, if you're not supposed to move the scope and camera?

[jimbo747]

How do you hold it in place, if you're not supposed to move the scope and camera?

I thought you were just not meant to move the camera or focuser? I was intending lying the pad on the ground and resting the scope/cam on top, pad seems tough enough, otherwise I'd fashion a holder like I did for my solar film and point scope up towards zenith. Will probably be a few months before I get to try it unless a clear night happens to fall on a friday/saturday

[Astrosurf]

You can move the scope, just not anything in the optical train.

Alexxx

[Zakalwe]

I use an even cheaper LED flat ceiling panel. Colour isn't important (AFAIK)...its the brightness across the field that's used.

[Psychobilly]

Some test results and experiments with them in this thread...

http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/236672-decent-quality-flats-for-dslr/?p=2567108

I run mine off one of those "emergency" mobile phone chargers - I picked up a couple of Kodak ones from an Esso garage a while back...

Peter...

[laser_jock99]

An A3 light box is better. 

The important thing is to move the light box around a bit whilst taking the flats. They are unevenly illuminated so you don't want to be pointing in the same place for the whole set.

[jimbo747]

A good pro tip there, laser!

[Bizibilder]

I just set the scope vertical (ie pointing directly upwards) and place the lightpanel on top of it.  Take flats and then remove lightpanel*  park scope.

*If you forget to remove the lightpanel before hitting the "park" command the scope moves and the lightpanel will slide off and land on one corner.  This will break the corner of the lightpanel.  You then have to buy a new lightpanel.  How do I know this??