First atempt with webcam and digital camera.

[Dom_01]

Thursday night was a brilliant clear night so i thought i'd have a first try with using a webcam (MS Lifecam Cinema) and digital camera (Canon 550D).

Unfortunately my dreams of capturing amazing pictures didn't work out. I wanted to attach my digi cam to my Explorer 200p but i figured i didn't have the correct adaptor. The only way i could see that i could get the camera against the focuser was to turn the telescope so that the focuser was pointing skywards, and balance the cam... not something i was prepared to do... could anyone please send me a link to the correct adapter? thank you.

I was then hoping to have some luck with the webcam. I was using SharpCap, which looks like a great application! attached to a SW 80 OTA. However i couldn't focus on the moon (which was very clear on Thursday). All i got was a white blur. Is this maybe a collimation issue? Is it a case of plug the webcam in and 'Bob's your Uncle'?

Any advice or pointers would be much appreciated. Anyway, a couple of pics of me set up, ready to go

Dom

[182570]

Have you modified the webcam? if not then there are some excellent tutorials on the web,also you can buy from Billetparts a holder for the cam that fits into your focusser just the same as your eyepiece.

[Dom_01]

Yes, the webcam has been modified, and a great case purchased from Billetparts. Is it possible that the moon was too bright?

On the plus side i did manage to get a great view of Saturn on the night!

[182570]

sorry misunderstood you,the webcams arn't designed to be used with an eyepiece most people use them with a barlow,so the adapter fits into the barlow then both go into the focusser.

[Carl M]

You will need an extension to get focus with the webcam on the ST80, I just use a barlow with the lens taken out to be able to focus.

[Carl83]

Of the topic here but how's your mount handle all that gear?

Is that a guid scope you have set up?

Carl

[idbvideo]

For your Canon you need a Tring adaptor such as this T Mount for Canon EOS | Telescope Accessories | Rother Valley Optics

FLO seem to be out of stock.

For AP you need a motorised mount, the only problem with the EQ5 is that it will not be very stable with all that gear on top of it.

[malc-c]

Dom,

A few observations:

* Your mount is not motorised so tracing any object with a web cam, or attempting AP with a dSLR is going to be challenging to say the least.

* The scope seems to be a a very low angle for your location, which would mean that the mount isn't polar aligned and you will thus need to manually track in both RA and DEC access to follow a target. Precise polar alignment is key to getting good images with little star trailing as possible 9well within the limits of the mount)

* Personally I can't see the point in having a guide scope if the mount is undriven.

* The EQ5 is fine for visual, but with a 200P is already on the max weight limit for the mount. Bolting on an ST80, dSLR and cables is really asking a lot of the EQ5.

As others have already mentioned, out of the box an MS Lifecam need to be stripped down and re-housed in either a 1.25" film canister or custom casing from Billet Parts. You then drop that into the 1.25" focuser in place of a eyepiece, and then use software such as Sharpcap, WXAstro etc to change the settings and capture some footage. For direct connection of a dSLR camera body you need the T ring Ian linked to in his post. You then unscrew the 1.25" section where the eyepiece normally goes leaving the 2" ring The T ring then screws into the exposed thread on the 2" ring.

I would also suggest you invest in a Bahtinove Mask to aid focusing - works with both web cams and dSLRs.

[Dom_01]

Thank you for the feedback, advice and suggestions. I think i've got all the answers i was after.

Yes the mount is not perfect, and with the ST80 attached it really struggles to stay fixed in a position. It was my first try with the ST80 docked, and i could see straight away, it wasn't ideal.

My next upgrade is a new mount, but upgrading a mount is quite expensive. I got the ST80 as a future guide scope (when i have a new mount), but also to let younger family members have a look at the nights sky.

Thanks

Dom