Which camera or web cam?

[AstroJOE]

Like many on here I want to get into a bit of colour astro imaging....

I've read a lot about the Phillips SPC900 webcam and how great that is....but its hard to come by at the moment and I don't really like buying 2nd hand!

I then started looking at the Orion Starshoot IV Colour camera available from Telescope House for around £90-£100. Seems to be a half decent entry level webcam.

I was also been considering the Celestron Neximage web cam which is circa £130. Also half decent at entry level.

Now today I've stumbled across 2 CCD cameras on the market at the top end of my budget...

1) DFK 21AU04.AS Colour (£274 from FLO)

2) Celestron NexImage 5mp SolarSystem Imager (£249 from Astronomia)

I have a SkyMAX 127 Mak so would mainly be using it for planetary/lunar imagining although i'd like to have a go at some DSO as well...... particularly when I get round to upgrading my current setup

Does anyone have any experience of any of the above and/or able to offer some advice?? I'm confused.....

JOE

[riklaunim]

- I wouldn't recommend any lowe-end planetary camera like the NexImage (old or the new 5Mpix) or Orion StarShoot

- if you want a good webcam try MS Lifecam Studio (or smaller Cinema maybe).

- if you want something dedicated & good - mono would be better - DMK21AU618 (not the old 04) or if really color - DBK/DFK21AU618. (you can start with mono imaging only without RGB filters and a wheel, just with one IR-passing/not-cutting filter).

- There are also bit cheaper more "exotic" dedicated cams like Point Grey Chameleon, IDS UI-1240LE-M-GL and alike.

- There are also CMOS entry levels cameras - better than the Orion/NexImage but not as good as the new DMK21 or Chameleon - ASI130MM, DMK72/22, Point Grey Firefly 0.3Mpix, (or QHY5* family but it lacks good software). Try to use mono-only from those. Most of them are more lunar oriented.

[malc-c]

Rik,

What sort of images can you get with the DMK21AU618 - The text in most adverts go on about the 60fps rate, but what targets could you image using lower rates... are these cameras just planetary / Luna cameras ?

[riklaunim]

I now use DMK21AU618 and at the moment it's the best planetary camera. It's also very good for Moon - but due to small frame it's good at catching "single" interesting craters at once. It's not meant for DS imaging but for some objects it can work nicely (very small bright planetary nebulae at high resolution, globular clusters etc.) - you catch hundreds or thousands of frames on few sec exposures (or less + limited gain).

You can check my gallery: My Astro Images [page: 1] - most of the planetary stuff is done with that DMK, few with Chameleon or that IDS camera, and older with Basler Ace (the same CCD as in new DMK)... and even older with the old DMK

[AstroJOE]

Thanks for advice...you've talked me out of the low end planetary webcams!

Being new to all this i'd really appreciate it if you could explain the main differences between the DFK 21AU04.AS Colour and the DFK 21AU618.AS Colour (apart from the £75 price difference!!)

Also why would Monochrome be better than colour..... and seemingly more expensive when comparing like for like models?

I'm more keen to get colour images to be honest......unless I'm missing something?

Appreciate your help with this....

JOE

[riklaunim]

main differences between the DFK 21AU04.AS Colour and the DFK 21AU618.AS Colour

The 618 model has a much newer sensor that is much more sensitive (you can use shorter exposures or lower gain with this one). Also in the new 618 model there are no circular artifacts at 60 FPS (they are in the old model so it can use 30 FPS max). The old DFK21 nowadays is just to expensive to what it offers There are alternatives to DFK 21AU04.AS that are cheaper and/or give bit more - like DFK22/PGR Firefly 0.3/iNova PLA-C+ (or their mono variations).

Also why would Monochrome be better than colour..... and seemingly more expensive when comparing like for like models?

I'm more keen to get colour images to be honest......unless I'm missing something?

Color camera is quicker at producing color images. Mono is quicker at producing sharper/clearer mono images made with usually an infrared passing filter. They also can do color images but that requires R,G,B filters and a filter wheel.

Moon and Sun usually are imaged as mono with a mono camera (Moon in infrared, and Sun in a H-alpha scope or Baader Astrosolar + Solar Continuum filter). Planets have nice colors, however in our case planets like Saturn (dim and low above horizon) will be a hard target for color camera (or R,G,B in a mono camera), but easier for a infraredish broad filter (for a mono image). Bright planets like Jupiter or Mars are "easy" for any camera. Venus likes mono cams as cloud details are in UV and infrared.

It's all about choices.

[AstroJOE]

Appreciate the advice - thanks

[malc-c]

Rik, thanks for the info - those images of Saturn are fantastic.