Imaging source camera - new versions

[Sammyb]

Hello all - I was wondering about the new Imaging Source cameras. I was looking at getting one a while ago but there was talk of updating the chip so I thought I would wait.

I see now FLO is selling them.

Has anyone any experience with the updated versions? Are they an improvement - they are £75 extra.

Cheers,

Sam

[Freddie]

They have a more sensitive chip and higher frame rate without issues. There are plenty of comments in the planetary imaging section

[Sammyb]

Thanks Freddie.

Does anyone know if the DBK variant has been updated with the new 618 chip? I've been looking on the IS website an can't see them

Sam

[Freddie]

Yes

The Imaging Source DBK 21AU618.AS and DBK 21AF618.AS video cameras for astronomy.

[riklaunim]

There is a full line of 21AU618 cameras (DBK, DFK, DMK) and they are very powerful in planetary (and lunary) imaging

I use the DMK:

[Sammyb]

Thanks for the responses

Very helpful

[RikM]

Can just ask a quick...

What's the difference between them: DBK, DFK, DMK?

[riklaunim]

DMK - mono

DBK - color without IR/UV block built in

DFK - color with the IR/UV block

[RikM]

Thanks

[Gina]

I'll be having a filter wheel for my DSO imaging and I see some use the mono version with filters for planetary. Is this better than using a colour camera? There will be no cost difference for me but would want to get the best camera for the job. Of course, I could use the mono one for the brighter DSOs too.

[riklaunim]

Is this better than using a colour camera?

It can be if you want to process more stuff It allows you to use easily more filters including broad filters for luminance, or specific like UV filters for Venus, methane band on Jupiter and Saturn. Simple R,G,B imaging may also help limit atmospheric dispersion by refocusing for each channel... and more. Definitely more work

[Gina]

It can be if you want to process more stuff It allows you to use easily more filters including broad filters for luminance, or specific like UV filters for Venus, methane band on Jupiter and Saturn. Simple R,G,B imaging may also help limit atmospheric dispersion by refocusing for each channel... and more. Definitely more work

Thank you

[andyboy1970]

riklaunim, do you ever see the grid lines when pushing the processing?

I use a DMK21AF04 and find I can get these gridlines in my images when processing.

[riklaunim]

do you record at 60FPS or 30 FPS (or lower)? The older model wasn't performing best at 60 FPS (gives circulars artifacts). A good stack should be noise/pattern free (I collect at least 1000 frames).

[andyboy1970]

I usually set to 30fps but I'll check in future as I've pushed 60fps when the seeing has been bad. Cheers.

[JB80]

Hi all, sorry to bump an old thread but I have read a couple of things recently about the IS cameras that say they don't come into focus with the skywatcher focuser and was wondering if anyone has had experience with this?

I want to know mainly because I now don't know if the focuser that came with my 150PL will have enough travel to bring the DMK to focus.

[riklaunim]

Hi all, sorry to bump an old thread but I have read a couple of things recently about the IS cameras that say they don't come into focus with the skywatcher focuser and was wondering if anyone has had experience with this?

Old DMK with 150/750 SW Newton did focus but even so I usually used a Barlow 2x or more.

[andyboy1970]

I have never used it on my 200p but I suspect it won't be a problem with a barlow in the image train.

[JB80]

That's what I'd have thought that a barlow would be an easy fix, what I read the guy shortened his dobsonian by an inch because the focuser didn't have enough 'rack in' which I suppose is simple enough if you can do it but it' not as easy to do with my scope.