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Which cheap webcam to use?


JohnnyD333

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After reading quite a few posts and through personal experience, Ive decided to try a different webcam.  However, I don't know how much of a difference it will make.  Im curious what everyone thinks.

Currently been using an Orion Starshoot USB Eyepiece (original model).  While I have had success with it, reading posts about webcams seem to find certain abilities important that this webcam doesn't possess.  The Frame Rate goes at a max of 12 fps, no matter the resolution.  Native resolution is 320x280 I believe, which I believe doesn't matter too much, along with a .1 MP sensor.  

I recently modded a PS Eye camera I had stored away.  Native resolution in the 640 range, a .3 MP sensor,  and it can pump out a steady 60 fps.  Doing a daytime test, it looks much better than my old webcam.  My question is..... will any of these specs matter.  Im aware of the biggest factors in all this, which the telescope and the seeing conditions.  But does frame rate and resolution matter that much?  Thanks everyone, amazing how much I learn from these forums.

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Thats interesting, I just started using 3D Printers in my classroom last year.  Ill give it a look.  I guess, in the end, I am curious about what part of the webcam is most important for planetary imaging (frame rate, resolution etc.)  

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Resolution in terms of the number of pixels isn't that important at all.  A smaller sensor just makes it more awkward to find the target and keep it visible.  Being able to get a reasonable frame rate helps because it can give you plenty of frames to stack over a short period of time, but there's no point pumping out huge numbers of inadequately exposed frames.  Sensitivity is probably high up there on the list of important features.

James

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Thanks James, I got the sense that resolution is much less important compared to sensitiivity.  When I look at marketed astro webcams, they would often boast about 1.3 - 5 MP sensors, but forum members never seemed concerned with it.  I read in an old forum here, ill link it if I can find it, about using anything under 30 FPS being inadequate.  Ive found some success using 12 FPS, but like you said, would it make much difference doing it faster with a higher FPS.  Ill have to do some experimenting.  Thanks again.  Cheers

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For what it was I got perfectly acceptable results from my SPC900 at 10fps.

If I'd had a better mount at the time and more accurately aligned I could probably have reduced the resolution and got higher frame rates, but I had to work with what I had :)

James

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