webcams and expriments..

[russellhq]

What I, (and probable every one else) would like is a few hours of clear sky to expriment.

Yes please!

[nicks90]

I dont really know why im doing these experiments with the reducer, i suppose its because i like the idea of a 'tiny telescope' and getting the best image i can from it. Its was not what i started out to do, but the wait for a load of bits from china has me side tracked, and its fun. 'Tiny Telescope'. I like that, maybe we could have some sort of competition when there are more clear skys to see who can come up with the best image from a web cam and focal reducer and no other optics or telescope involved. A sort of reverse "apature fever".

Simon

starts having a serious look at them little <£5 mini monoculars on ebay.... hmmmmmmm take the back lense out and fit a webcam on a sliding tube to get focus and mount it on the piggy back camera bolt on the ota ring!

it would be about 4" long!!!!

[mikehab]

starts having a serious look at them little <£5 mini monoculars on ebay.... hmmmmmmm take the back lense out and fit a webcam on a sliding tube to get focus and mount it on the piggy back camera bolt on the ota ring!

it would be about 4" long!!!!

You mean something like this?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HX-12X35D-Adjustable-Monocular-Telescope-Lens-Black-for-Sporting-Hunting-/390532165978?pt=UK_Photography_Binoculars_Monoculars&hash=item5aed87f15a

Possible conversion to a guidescope?

[simonmc]

Mmmm. Not thought of that. Saw these ones:- http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-Black-Monocular-Telescope-10x25-Multi-coated-Lens-Camping-Hunting-Sport-EA-/360513771600?pt=UK_Photography_Telescopes&hash=item53f04b9850 . They are a whopping £2.39 for a 10x25 monoclular.

Also saw these:- http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/16-x-40-Monocular-Telescope-40mm-Caliber-For-Sport-Camping-/190687068388?pt=UK_Photography_Telescopes&hash=item2c65d5c0e4 at a much more expensive £6.68.

The second may be the better choice, still not much money but with a 40mm objective.Now thats got me thinking. Maybe convert the removed back lens to an EP. Not that i need any.

Simon

[simonmc]

Well i bought 2 15x32 monoculars from ebay. One for the car and one to play with. After looking it seems they all have a prism arragement in them either roof type or a porro. Anyhow got the porro type as i read they give a better view but at this price bracket i doubt it makes that much difference!

Simon

[nicks90]

Pictures are now mandatory in this thread!

[simonmc]

When the interesting bits arrive from the fareast, i will post some.

Im now wondering how the objective is held on the monoculars, I have this wild hope that the whole lot unscrews from the prism section, and its less than 19mm diameter. I have some 19mm 2011 ali bar in stock which is shouting at me to be turned into an adapter for the webcam, maybe with an integral 1/4" unc thread.. Also would be nice if one of those UV/IR cut filters for a video cam would fit the objective thread... Could be handy...

Simon.

[simonmc]

just thought i would add this here. Its the specs for omnivisions SCCB protocol used in some of there cmos sensors.

http://www.ovt.com/download_document.php?type=document&DID=63

I also found links to the ov07720 CMOS and OV538 USB chips used in the PS3 eye. Might be useful if sombody wants to mess with the drivers or firmware.

http://www.zhopper.narod.ru/mobile/ov7720_ov7221_full.pdf CMOS sensor

http://www.dzsc.com/uploadfile/company/200351/2009328214425469.pdf Camera Bridge Processor

Simon

[simonmc]

Those last 2 links wont work. I will post them again.

http://www.dzsc.com/uploadfile/company/200351/2009328214425469.pdf

The datasheet for the Cmos sensor seems to have disapeared???

Simon

[russellhq]

The datasheet for the Cmos sensor seems to have disapeared???

Simon

I think your link to the CMOS pdf is broken, this one seems to work:

http://www.zhopper.n...ov7221_full.pdf

[simonmc]

I think your link to the CMOS pdf is broken, this one seems to work:

http://www.zhopper.n...ov7221_full.pdf

Cheers. Thats the one i was trying to link to. Think it may have included my discription of what the link was in the link. I had a quick look at the data sheets this morning and the CMOS and usb bridge on the PS3 has a fair bit of potential.

My IR filter turned up today as well.

[simonmc]

Had to go up into the attic earlier and i remembered i had an old 200mm lens up there. Pulled out the case and found some other bits as well.

there is a 200mm lens, my homemade 2" to M42 adapter (i even cast the ali for that one), T2 EOS adapter, M42 and T2 eyepiece projection adapter, and a vivitar telephoto adapter that could be useful maybe.. Some of these bits i thought i had lost. I am really happy about the 2" adapter, the threads i cut on that are a better fit than the comercial ones on the eyepiece projection unit.

Simon

[simonmc]

Had to check again as i could not work out why i made an 2" to M42 adapter. Turns out i was wrong its a 2" T2 adapter and an eos to M42 adapter..

Simon

[simonmc]

Last time i tested the webcams i used a bodged up method involving a camera tripod and bluetack. This obviously was not ideal. So after a trip to B&Q and an offcut of wood, i knocked this up:- (Ignore all the rubish on the carpet, our cat uses a wicker basket as a scraching post and really went to work on it whilst we were out!!)

Side view.

Other side.

This allows a much more rigid fixing to the tripod and only cost 99p. The brackets are 32mm pipe brackets modified so that the nuts can be tightened. I am using nuts at the moment as i cant find my M5 wingnuts..

This much more solid setup means i can do better comparitive tests on the various webcams.

Simon.

[mikehab]

Here's my latest attempt at Jupiter this evening using the XBox webcam through a Nexstar 4SE with 2x Celestron Barlow - probably my best attempt so far but very 'wobbly' original which may explain the slightly wobbly edges....

Mike

[simonmc]

I have taken some avi's as well tonight, through the 127slt but with no barlow. I like yours. Im still trying to remember how to use registax.. Will post in a bit.

Simon

[mikehab]

Mine was pre-processed in "PIPP", then stacked in "AutoStakkert2!" - I don't bother with Registax any more - I seem to have more success with AS2! these days.

[simonmc]

ok this is a quick stack of the xbox cam. 4000 frames at 60fps

This is the first time in about a year i have used the slt and it was not particlarly well aligned, but im quite pleased.

Now to do the PS3 cam.

Simon

[simonmc]

ok this is a quick stack of the PS3 cam. 4000 frames at 60fps

This is the first time in about a year i have used the slt and it was not particlarly well aligned, but im quite pleased.

Now to do the xbox cam.

Simon

[simonmc]

ops dont quite know what happened there but the second one is correct that pic is the PS3 cam. Think i hit the wrong button as the wife was talking to me..

Simon

[simonmc]

ok. Heres one with a barlow on the PS3 cam. Its 8000 frames@75 fps. Still used registax6 and just sort of pressed buttons. I think there is a hint of the GRS?

I will download that software mentioned above and give that a go.

Simon

[simonmc]

Save Avi using pipp and as2. pretty much default settings. I did have to shrink it and adjusted the brightness and stuff. Quite chuffed with this one. These images i got tonight are the first 'proper' ones i have done in about 2 years or so.

Simon

[nicks90]

wow - thats excellent, really nice GRS too

[russellhq]

Great image! What settings did you use for the PS3 camera?

[simonmc]

Arr. SharpCap could not get the settings:- this is all is outputted.

[PS3Eye Camera]

Frame Divisor=1

Resolution=640x480

Colour Space / Compression=RGB32

It was set at fms=75. I know the gain was as low with the exposure higher with the RGB balances around the middle mark.

Thinking about it, it explains why the camera settings are not on the right handside of the capture window, and instead you have to go into options and change them from there which makes it a bit more of a faf. It seems that this could be a ture 75 fps, the avi is just over a minute 40 or so.

I am quite encoraged by these results. I did have a go at M42 last night with the 0.5x FR fitted on the 127slt. Im still going over the avi, but i think i may have set the exposure too long at 0.1 fps, And that the alignment of the mount has to be better. Along with setting the backlash and such like to fine tune it, as it shows some drift. It does show the nebula though all be it blurry! I will post a pick when i processes it better.. I think i also need to look at the focusing as well..

Also i remember i need to write down the settings..

Simon