Modified web-cam

[chiralchemist]

After spending several months hunting down cheap webcams that could be adapted for planetary photography, I finally cracked it last night. Given my frustrations, I thought this might be useful to folks out there in the same sitation.

The first webcam was a very old one donated from a friend (a 'Look' webcam?). I immediately ordered a webcam adater from RVO and set to work taking it apart. Unfortunately the lens mount on the cicuit board won't fit the adapter. Next on the list was a Microsoft lifecam. Same problem here and I almost wrecked it taking it apart. Finally I managed to get hold of a Logitech Quickcam Pro 5000 for £20. After taking it apart (very easy to do; one screw and gentle coaxing apart), the lens came out very easily and the lens mount fits the RVO adapter. In addition, the lens appears to the have the IR filter flitted onto the back, so ther'e's no need to dig it out of the lens mount. I fitted the RVO adapter with a standard 1.25 inch IR / UV filter.

Tried it out last night and it worked like a dream and got lovely footage of the clouds hiding the moon.

So after monthly of fiddling, I finally have a modified web-cam.

[ether823]

I`ve just got a Logitech qiuck cam pro 5000 so I`ll be giving this a go.

[JamesF]

The Lifecams can be modded, but it's rather more work and involves completely taking the camera apart, unsoldering the lens assembly from the circuit board and then re-housing the entire thing.

James

[Andymac79]

The Lifecams can be modded, but it's rather more work and involves completely taking the camera apart, unsoldering the lens assembly from the circuit board and then re-housing the entire thing.

James

[starnut]

These shot's were taken using the same webcam from another member

http://stargazerslou...00#entry1501073

at top of the page

[JamesF]

It's not that bad, to be honest. Getting the camera out of the standard housing is a bit fiddly, but unsoldering the lens unit isn't too bad. I removed the lenses from a 25mm Skywatcher kit eyepiece and rehomed it in that. Actually, the most tricky bit was getting enough paint onto the LED on the sensor PCB to stop it lighting up the sensor. Unlike the Xbox cameras I couldn't pick the LED off because it was so close to other components.

I should put all of them up on the classifieds really as I'm unlikely to use them again. I'll add finding and testing them to my list of things to do...

James

[ether823]

Where did you get your adaper from?

Peter

[ether823]

Is this the one fron Rother Valley Optics http://www.rothervalleyoptics.co.uk/images/newwebcamadaptor.jpg cheers Pete