Snaps from my SCB-4000

[great_bear]

Here are some snapshots from my first night testing the Samsung SCB-4000 CCTV Camera to see how it fares for astronomy. I'm not an imager - nor intend to be - these are just unprocessed frame-grabs using the button on my USB video grabber. I quite like how these have turned out, considering that this is North London, there was a bright moon, it was a bit misty, and these snapshots are completely unprocessed (other than adjustments to the settings on the camera/video card)

I think the SCB-4000 CCTV camera has turned out to be a good purchase.

The telescope was just a bog-standard SkyWatcher 130P Newtonian

- it was mounted on an HEQ5 SynTrek for stability.

Clockwise from top, M13, M57, M31 and of course, the Moon.

[RogerTheDodger]

Quite impressive

[PeterW]

what sort of exposre was needed? How much are they and where did you get it from and what software are you using. I have a work colleague wanting to do cheap imaging... the SCB4000 might be an option.

Thanks

PEterW

[riklaunim]

Use DMK21,31,41 - will be better and easier to use. As those TV/Video cameras DMK is also 8-bit and has high gain. What it also has is digital output and not analog that needs a frame grabber (that usually is of low quality). Fish eye artifacts, compression, low resolution etc. - that's bad in TV/Video analog cameras.

With 1-2 sec exposures and max gain you could do this:

Lower gain and bit longer exposures increase dynamic range and allow getting even better images

[Psychobilly]

I have a DMK21AU04AS and a SCB2000 with a SCB-4000 on the way as well as DSI's DSLR's etc.....

But there's something about just having the Scope, camera and a monitor and watching the images appear... I am lookign at as assisted observation rather tahn imaging .. and it's finally got me out using the 8" and the obs again...

But I guess thats why we are the "outcasts" ... Neither Visual Observers or "Imagers"...

Peter...

[philhas]

I have a DMK21AU04AS and a SCB2000 with a SCB-4000 on the way as well as DSI's DSLR's etc.....

But there's something about just having the Scope, camera and a monitor and watching the images appear... I am lookign at as assisted observation rather tahn imaging .. and it's finally got me out using the 8" and the obs again...

But I guess thats why we are the "outcasts" ... Neither Visual Observers or "Imagers"...

Peter...

Hi Peter,

I am interested in trying this, can you recommend somewhere I can pick up an SCB-2000?

Many Thanks

Phil

[great_bear]

I've got no doubt that the DMK 21, 31, 41 etc. are a better option if you want to do astro imaging.

There are better and more expensive options for video-assisted astronomy too; Watec etc.

But this is missing the point.

People are turning to the Samsung cameras because (a) they're cheap, and ( they're fun. You just set up the camera to do all the image integration on-board, point the scope in the right direction and watch as the image gradually develops and improves before your eyes.

It's just a fun way to cut through light-polluted skies; it's not about entering into a photography competition.

There are no fish-eye artifacts when used in this configuration by the way - the telescope projects directly onto the image sensor like any other CCD astro camera.

The SCB-2000 is £86+VAT here <click>

The SCB-4000 is £199+VAT here <click>

I chose the more expensive one since I can see me using it for other non-astro tasks when not attached to the scope.

[great_bear]

I have a work colleague wanting to do cheap imaging...

As riklaunim points out, there are better quality (and more pricey) options for imaging - the attraction of the Samsungs is faff-free video astronomy (faff-free inasmuch as the camera does the work built-in rather than image-processing software on a PC)

In terms of exposure for these pictures above, with the DSOs I put the camera onto "512x Sens-Up" - which means in practice that the image updates every ten seconds or so. Note however, that each refresh brings further quality enhancement, so you might choose to wait 40 seconds or more if you planned on making a snapshot. In less light-polluted skies you could use a faster refresh (x256 or x128 perhaps). For the moon I put it onto 1/2000 second shutter without sens-up, and as such, on-screen it was like a conventional live video feed.

For software, I didn't use anything for processing. Well - I mean there's the home-video capture software that came with my USB frame-grabber - but no astro-processing (or indeed any other type of image-processing) software. That's really the point - that the video out from the camera is good-to-use as-is.

[kev 102 42]

iv got the SCB4000 on the way and i can gaze lying in bed when im ill,i cant wait.........kev

[great_bear]

Oh - forgot to state something very important here:

In my opinion, to get the best out of these Samsung cameras, you really need a rock-solid equatorial tracking mount which has been precisely polar-aligned. When Samsung's processor "sees" a rock-steady image, its image-processing power seems to suddenly take off, darkening the skies and probing deeper for more detail. When the image moves or shakes however, this is lost (at least, that's how it seems to me.)

As always - try before you buy to avoid disappointment

[PeterW]

... no free lunch then!

DMK's have been mentioned in other places, but they do not have the same sensitivity as the EXview equipped cameras. I might have to try the samsung myself.

PEter

[kevin5]

I want to buy the Samsung 4000 is there a difference between version P or PH .

I use my telescope alone at home.

[great_bear]

Hi Kevin.

The PH is the 230-volt mains electricity version, and the P version runs on 12/24 volts, and as such is suitable for running off those jump-start car powerpacks or leisure batteries that many people use for driving their scopes.

[mindburner]

great post this. Would I be right in thinking that the 4000 is better for say a large dob as it has the 1/2 inch ccd rather than the 1/3. This would reduce the need for focal reducer as much. thanks

[great_bear]

The 4000 has a larger true field of view and I've also heard that it has much better image quality, but I've not done the comparison.

[mindburner]

ahh right that is great. I think I will be ordering one of the 4000 models as it does seem to get good feedback

many thanks