DSLR questions

[UnderTheRain]

Hi I've been reading a lot of threads about using a DSLR for imaging but I have some noob questions. Do you use software and a laptop to control the exposure time? (my dad's lending me a Canon eos 400 but I haven't got me hands on it yet) and I've been reading about hot spots and thermal noise on the ccd do you use any kind of cooling on the camera? If so what do you use?

Thanks

Brian

[Black Knight]

You can use a laptop, yes. There are apps such as APT and BackyardEOS, although many get by quite well with the standard EOS utilities.

You need to take dark and bias frames to help control the noise, both pretty easy to do. As for cooling, I have seen several quite ingenious solutions knocking about, although I can't remember if it was on SGL or eslewhere. Google would probably help.

[x6gas]

When you are getting started I wouldn't worry too much about cooling, especially now we are getting into winter when the nights will be colder anyway (assuming the clouds ever shift, that is).

Tethered shooting (connecting your camera to a computer and using that to control your exposures) is pretty easy if you have a laptop out there anyway, for example running planetarium software and / or driving your 'scope. This means you can leave your set up to it, but the same thing can be achieved with camera sequencers...

HTH

[UnderTheRain]

Thanks guys I think I need to go and play a bit :-)

Brian

[x6gas]

Thanks guys I think I need to go and play a bit :-)

Brian

Always the best way in my humble experience!

[Bizibilder]

The thing you can't do is operate the camera button with your finger! All you do is shake the whole apparatus and end up with an image that has wobbled its way all over the place! So the way to go is:

You can start with a simple remote shutter release - the problem is you have to stand near the camera and operate the shutter - boring! Next up is a remote timer type shutter release - these can be "programmed" to run an imaging sequence while you go and do something more interesting. Finally you can connect to a laptop and run a sequence and collect your data direct to the computer.

Hope this helps.