DSLR cooling

[primordial atom]

very interested to hear the achievements of Gina here http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/163752-dslr-cooling-to-near-ambient-with-fan-cooler/

ANy reduction in noise in a dslr is most welcome.

I managed to achieve the same reduction resulting in the sensor running at around ambient, (a four fold reduction in noise) without any camera modification or cumbersome cooler boxes for a measly sum of £25 !!! 

It will only work with dslr's with a screen on a hinge because it is the area directly behind the sensor that I used to apply the cooling

[primordial atom]

Been trying to get this to a useable prototype stage, here it is....

Below is the heat sink with 2 copper plates screwed to it to get some distance between the camera and heat sink.
Can I publically thank Graham Steelfixer for modifying the heat sink and attaching the copper plates, great job Graham. It would have taken me years to file it down and get it flat enough to get good contact with the copper.

Below is the peltier on the heat sink joined with a good smear of thermal grease and a bakerlite plate to position everything correctly behind the sensor in the back of the camera

Below is the unit attached to the back of the 600D, elastic bands seem a bit crude but they actually perform the job admirably.

So results ?.......... well I know from imaging with this camera that the sensor runs at 10 - 12 deg above ambient, this cooler reduces the temp by about that amount so the sensor will run at about ambient, that was pretty much my goal when setting out on this project.
Ok so it's not -30C I hear you say but in winter when the temp is freezing or below, then that 12 deg will be a massive bonus.
I believe noise doubles every 6 deg so that equates to a 4 fold reduction in noise.

I can improve it by insulating the back of the heat sink, it gets very warm and must bleed heat back into the camera body.

No modification to the camera necessary at all, all you need is a camera with a screen on a hinge.

[Alien 13]

Ingenious I might have to try this I am wondering if even a simple heatsink would offer any marginal benifits too.

Alan

[Gina]

It definitely does when used with a coldfinger   I tried that a while back and posted about it.

[primordial atom]

Ingenious I might have to try this I am wondering if even a simple heatsink would offer any marginal benifits too.

Alan

Do you mean without any active cooling ?

[Alien 13]

Do you mean without any active cooling ?

 

Yes I have noticed that even having the screen flipped out and the battery located in a grip improves things on a long session.

Alan

[primordial atom]

Yes I have noticed that even having the screen flipped out and the battery located in a grip improves things on a long session.

Alan

Good idea, not really thought swinging the screen out would help but I can see that it certainly would.

I normally use a/c when imaging to avoid untimely battery changes, does the battery add heat ?

[Alien 13]

The battery can be an internal heat source causing a slight gradient across the sensor its probably more noticeable with long exposures used in asto work.

I know the liveview screen warms up I use it as my primary method of focussing.

Alan