Newbie needing advice on webcams

[TracyH]

I am a very new stargazer! I joined my local astronomy group in March and bought my first telescope about a month ago.

I have a skywatcher 150PL and have been taking some pics of the sun and moon with my camera phone with occasional half decent results. I wanted to buy a webcam to use for imaging but wanted some advice of what I should look for, or if anyone can recommend one.

Any help would be great! ☺

Thanks

Tracy

[happy-kat]

Hi and welcome

Do you have a budget in mind?

Are you using solar filter when imaging the sun?

[TracyH]

Hi happy-kat

Thanks for replying ☺

Yes I am using a solar filter for the sun.

Was looking at webcams earlier around £50/60. Is that too cheap? Should I spend a bit more?

Tracy

[ronin]

Is the 150PL on an EQ or Alt/Az mount or is it a dobsonian mount?

Just a bit unsure if it is on a manual dobsonian how well an image would come out. The general idea being to track the sun for a short time, get an avi file and stacjk the best (say) 30% frames.

As the 150PL has a focal length of 1200mm that means that the image of the sun is just under 11mm and I am not aware of a webcam that has a chip big enough to capture it all in one go.  So you will be limited to "bits" of the sun.

I would almost say get one for around £20, unless there is a specific reason for one up at £50. I am not sure waht advantage a £50 one has over a £20 one. Although there are ones that are 5M pixels which may be worth considering.

I suspect chip size will be one aspect to investigate.

[TracyH]

Is the 150PL on an EQ or Alt/Az mount or is it a dobsonian mount?

Just a bit unsure if it is on a manual dobsonian how well an image would come out. The general idea being to track the sun for a short time, get an avi file and stacjk the best (say) 30% frames.

As the 150PL has a focal length of 1200mm that means that the image of the sun is just under 11mm and I am not aware of a webcam that has a chip big enough to capture it all in one go.  So you will be limited to "bits" of the sun.

I would almost say get one for around £20, unless there is a specific reason for one up at £50. I am not sure waht advantage a £50 one has over a £20 one. Although there are ones that are 5M pixels which may be worth considering.

I suspect chip size will be one aspect to investigate.

Thanks for the reply.

It's on a EQ3-2 mount, I haven't got a motor yet but that's on the list of things I 'need' to get next!!

Tracy

[Dr_Ju_ju]

Watch it, you'll soon be on the slippery slope to being totally broke...

But if you insist, this M$ camera http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Microsoft-LifeCam-VX-1000-VGA-Webcam-/161749606451?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item25a9072033 which is easily modifiable, to add this nosepiece http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Webcam-Adaptor-to-Fit-1-25-Eyepiece-Tube-Holder-with-Built-in-Filter-BNC-Sale-/371368532634, which then replaces the scope eyepiece and your away....

But you really need to get a better mount, save your money and don't get the motors for your EQ3, but save a little more & get an EQ5 with the motors etc. http://www.firstlightoptics.com/skywatcher-mounts/skywatcher-eq5-pro-synscan-goto.html

Then you can really start sliding down the slope with computer control, guiding etc.

[TracyH]

Watch it, you'll soon be on the slippery slope to being totally broke...

But if you insist, this M$ camera http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Microsoft-LifeCam-VX-1000-VGA-Webcam-/161749606451?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item25a9072033 which is easily modifiable, to add this nosepiece http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Webcam-Adaptor-to-Fit-1-25-Eyepiece-Tube-Holder-with-Built-in-Filter-BNC-Sale-/371368532634, which then replaces the scope eyepiece and your away....

But you really need to get a better mount, save your money and don't get the motors for your EQ3, but save a little more & get an EQ5 with the motors etc. http://www.firstlightoptics.com/skywatcher-mounts/skywatcher-eq5-pro-synscan-goto.html

Then you can really start sliding down the slope with computer control, guiding etc.

Thanks for the help 

I've been warned about how slippery that slope is!!

I'll look into a better mount later on, I definitely don't have the money for that at the moment!

Is it better to get a Full HD webcam, or does that not matter? Is there a minimum MP I should go for?

[happy-kat]

I spent £5 on mine but it is very basic Xbox webcam.

What operating system will you be using it on, only the Phillips SPC900 is in price range but being old (second hand) may be finicky to get going.

My tablet battery turned off half way through typing my reply last night.

[happy-kat]

This is a related read.

http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/168060-spc900-vs-xbox-live-webcam-vs-lifecam-cinema/?fromsearch=1

If you have a webcam in mind then search on here first to see if other members had any success on it.

A common capture programme to use is sharpcap.

I spent £5 on xbox, I then bought one of eBay for £4.5 whilst the £4.5 was great on the moon it was not sensitive enough for Jupiter.

I would look to buy an old webcam rather than a new one unless very cheap or you got a dedicated astro one.

[jimbo747]

Thanks for the help 

I've been warned about how slippery that slope is!!

I'll look into a better mount later on, I definitely don't have the money for that at the moment!

Is it better to get a Full HD webcam, or does that not matter? Is there a minimum MP I should go for?

Webcams tend to have tiny sensors 1/4"

The bigger the pixels, generally the more sensitive it is (ie, avoid anything that says 5mp)

Theres a formula knocking about that tells you the idea focal length and pixel size. The QHY5L-ii for example has a lot less pixels than a neximage 5, but you'll find it gives you far more detail. You'll struggle to fill the pixels on a 640x480 webcam before the image turns to mush.

[TracyH]

This is a related read.

http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/168060-spc900-vs-xbox-live-webcam-vs-lifecam-cinema/?fromsearch=1

If you have a webcam in mind then search on here first to see if other members had any success on it.

A common capture programme to use is sharpcap.

I spent £5 on xbox, I then bought one of eBay for £4.5 whilst the £4.5 was great on the moon it was not sensitive enough for Jupiter.

I would look to buy an old webcam rather than a new one unless very cheap or you got a dedicated astro one.

Thanks for the link.

Just had a quick read through. The xbox webcam is £4.99 on Amazon at the moment

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Official-Microsoft-Xbox-Vision-Webcam/dp/B0054UMR8O

The Lifecam is also on Amazon and isn't expensive, £35.00

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Microsoft-H5D-00014-LifeCam-Cinema-Webcam/dp/B009BT67A8/ref=dp_ob_title_ce

Suppose I should look and see if there is a tutorial for modifying them!

[TracyH]

Just found a 'how to' for modifying the xbox webcam.

http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/131246-xbox-livecam-mod-cliff/

For the sake of a few pounds I might try it!

[happy-kat]

Just a caution I can't get the Xbox to work on windows 8.

[beamer3.6m]

there an lx nodded spc900 in the classifieds.

[Big Chris]

Hi Tracy,

 

I've been using the Xbox camera with some success. Its quite an easy mod if you have the screw in adapter, but I based the rest of the mod on the following link...

 

http://astrobeano.bl...hotography.html

 

There is a bit of a 'banana skin' if you want to use it with Windows 7 though, although the following link gives the workaround. 

 

http://www.astronomy...driver-fix.html

 

In order to get that working however, ensure that Windows 7 update KB978044 is installed first https://support.micr...en-us/kb/978044

 

I captured this (stacked and processed) image of Jupiter a few weeks ago with the Xbox Livecam.....it's far from the best but it gives an idea of what can be achieved (or not as the case may be!).....

 

Cheers

 

Chris

 

[TracyH]

Hi Tracy,

 

I've been using the Xbox camera with some success. Its quite an easy mod if you have the screw in adapter, but I based the rest of the mod on the following link...

 

http://astrobeano.bl...hotography.html

 

There is a bit of a 'banana skin' if you want to use it with Windows 7 though, although the following link gives the workaround. 

 

http://www.astronomy...driver-fix.html

 

In order to get that working however, ensure that Windows 7 update KB978044 is installed first https://support.micr...en-us/kb/978044

 

I captured this (stacked and processed) image of Jupiter a few weeks ago with the Xbox Livecam.....it's far from the best but it gives an idea of what can be achieved (or not as the case may be!).....

 

Cheers

 

Chris

 

22_57_35_2_Processed.png

Thanks Chris

I think I'm going to try the Xbox webcam, it will give me the opportunity to try modifying and if I mess it up I haven't wasted a lot of money! 

Hopefully I can do it 

My laptop will be running Windows XP or Linux. So hopefully the webcam will work - fingers crossed.

I would love to be able to get an image like your one of Jupiter!

[happy-kat]

XP, use sharpcap works fine

[Big Chris]

Thanks Tracy....yes the Xbox camera work just fine with XP. The hardest part of the mod is getting it apart....after that it's plain sailing! Well skies permitting of course ;-)

[TracyH]

XP, use sharpcap works fine

Was told that I should use Registax.  Any opinions??

[TracyH]

Just went into GAME and they had a used Xbox webcam for £1.99!!

Now I need to modify it and not break it! 

[happy-kat]

Sharpcap captures the avi.

Registax processes.

[Purplehayze104]

firecaptures another good capture program i've been using, also ezplanetary thats comes with the QH5Y cams think you can use them with webcams, registax is good too I flit between 5 & 6 depending on which one don't like my avi's

clear skies

regards

john

[Big Chris]

Sharpcap is a bit easier to use then Firecapture imho. Registax is good for stacking, but great for the wavelets feature. Also Auotstakkert 2 is great for stacking. I tend to stack in both and see what works best...

[TracyH]

Sharpcap captures the avi.

Registax processes.

Can you only use avi files? I took video of the Moon on my phone through a telescope and wondered if I could use registax but it's a mp4 file

[happy-kat]

Why not try and if it can't use mp4 see if you can find a file translator on line.