Newbie needs some advice.

[scorpio1948]

Hi all,

I have just started out in Astronomy, decided to 'Give it a Go' after retiring. I bought a Celestron 114EQ telescope and added a few refinements because of severe arthritis. These included moving the 'Star Finder' further back along the tube and fitting an angled, cross haired finder. Both these now work well, I can even use the Star finder with my glasses on. I had to glue some coins onto the counterweights though, to bring the tube back into balance. OK my question. I wish to purchase an eyepiece digital camera, I made one from a very old web-cam but the results are not as I expected. As I'm a pensioner my funds are limited so I'm looking for a reasonable camera with USB connections for around the £200 mark.

I was thinking of something like the Neximage 5 (£185 on line).

Any suggestions on this or similar cameras would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks all

Scorp.

[LukeSkywatcher]

Hi Scorp

Given the fact that you have severe arthritis, i dont think you want to be messing about with webcams and soldering irons etc to convert it to astronomical use. Therefor i can only say that i think the Celestron Neximage is the ideal solution for you. Its within your budget and no need to fiddle with it to convert it for use with a scope.

I assume you have a laptop or PC that you can hook it up to.

Other who know more may have better ideas, but i think you are on the right track.

Paul

[Steep]

Imaging with that scope and a webcam is never going to be great but when you say an 'eyepiece' camera do you mean you're connecting it onto the actual eyepiece as in digiscoping or slotting it into the eyepiece holder instead of an eyepiece? The neximage would fall into the second category there.

If you have one can you post a sample of an image you've taken? seeing what you've achieved eo far would give folk a better idea of where to go next.

[LukeSkywatcher]

when you say an 'eyepiece' camera do you mean you're connecting it onto the actual eyepiece as in digiscoping or slotting it into the eyepiece holder instead of an eyepiece?

I take it as slotting a cam (such as the Neximage) into the scope rather then attaching a cam to an EP.

[scorpio1948]

Imaging with that scope and a webcam is never going to be great but when you say an 'eyepiece' camera do you mean you're connecting it onto the actual eyepiece as in digiscoping or slotting it into the eyepiece holder instead of an eyepiece? The neximage would fall into the second category there.

If you have one can you post a sample of an image you've taken? seeing what you've achieved eo far would give folk a better idea of where to go next.

Hi, Thanks for the reply. Its slotting into the eyepiece, (to be honest I didn't know there was another type, forgive a newbie). I haven't taken a photograph yet, I only had Web-Cam software and the photo I did try (Terrestrial Object) didn't work out too good, I think it was partly my fault as I couldn't get a clear focus, Tripod Shake when focussing. I have ordered a remote focuser, hopefully that will help. Cheers, Pete.

[scorpio1948]

Hi, Thanks for the reply. Its slotting into the eyepiece, (to be honest I didn't know there was another type, forgive a newbie). I haven't taken a photograph yet, I only had Web-Cam software and the photo I did try (Terrestrial Object) didn't work out too good, I think it was partly my fault as I couldn't get a clear focus, Tripod Shake when focussing. I have ordered a remote focuser, hopefully that will help. Cheers, Pete.

Sorry, should have read 'eyepiece holder. Cheers

[scorpio1948]

when you say an 'eyepiece' camera do you mean you're connecting it onto the actual eyepiece as in digiscoping or slotting it into the eyepiece holder instead of an eyepiece?

I take it as slotting a cam (such as the Neximage) into the scope rather then attaching a cam to an EP.

Hi Paul, Thanks, Yes its slotting into the eyepiece holder. Please see my quoted reply to steep, Cheers Pete.

[scorpio1948]

Hi Scorp

Given the fact that you have severe arthritis, i dont think you want to be messing about with webcams and soldering irons etc to convert it to astronomical use. Therefor i can only say that i think the Celestron Neximage is the ideal solution for you. Its within your budget and no need to fiddle with it to convert it for use with a scope.

I assume you have a laptop or PC that you can hook it up to.

Other who know more may have better ideas, but i think you are on the right track.

Paul

Hi Again Paul, This is just a testing phase for me, you could say I'm in the experimental stage so I don't want to fork out too much cash until I have a better idea of what I'm doing. So far I love this new hobby, even with the drawbacks of British weather. Once I get a better grip on the subject I will probably upgrade (Time and Money Permitting), also taking it easy on the cash outlay keeps the wife happy Cheers Pete.

[scorpio1948]

Hi Again Paul, This is just a testing phase for me, you could say I'm in the experimental stage so I don't want to fork out too much cash until I have a better idea of what I'm doing. So far I love this new hobby, even with the drawbacks of British weather. Once I get a better grip on the subject I will probably upgrade (Time and Money Permitting), also taking it easy on the cash outlay keeps the wife happy Cheers Pete.

PS Yup, I have both, PC and Laptop. Cheers.

[Hzadbhat]

Hi there. I don't image, but will be in the future and will definately go straight to a purpose built telescope camera I can attach to a computer.

I work in the engineering game (complete with grubby fingernails) and could easily make something, but, through reading and talking, I have found that the best option is to just go and buy something.

I can give you no advice whatsoever as to which camera to buy. I don't know enough, but i'm sure the folks here will be happy to offer advice.

[shirva]

hi scorp....you say you did not get expected views from webcam...can I ask what you wish to view with a camera....lunar ,planetary,deep sky....the types of cameras all have plus and negatives ,,,webcams are ok on the moon and planets ,,,deepsky well there are no limit to what you could spend in that department. I started on a webcam on the moon and was happy with results but like a lot of budding astrophotograpers deep sky and widefield has a big attraction..i had bought a canon 400d but with no live view its a pain the rear some of the positions you need to get into to use view finder, and hard to find some objects unless really bright ,ive jumped in a bit with a ex cctv camera and it is more sensitive than a webcam...the Samsung scb2000 is a great choice and very adaptable if you look out on ebay you can pick one up for under £100 and a usb capture card with leads are very cheap too.it is a bit more tricky to set up but more flexible than a webcam. if you have a pocket type digital gamera a simple bracket can be fitted to scope and take pictures down eye piece ...davy

[scorpio1948]

Hi Both, Thanks for your replies. As much as I would like to view deep skies I don't think my current telescope would be up to the job, (Celestron 114EQ), unless I had ultra perfect viewing conditions. Could be wrong, up to now I've never tried. For now I'll stick to our Solar System, as a pure newbie its fascinating. I'll probably think about Deep Sky once I've finished exploring our local system. One of the biggest problems with the web cam was getting a sharp focus, I found the EQ mount that came with the telescope a little unsteady, even though I've tightened every bolt on the thing. I've just fitted an electric remote focuser, hopefully that will take out some of the shake when focussing. I've only just found out that you can get a few types of cameras, thanks to this forum, one fits into the eyepiece holder like my converted web-cam and one fits over the eyepiece itself. I have been thinking of the Neximage 5, seems a good buy, but if anyone knows any different please let me know. I did know about the various camera mounts, but would like live viewing via my computer. Anyway , once again, many thanks, every tip and bits of advice are deeply appreciated. Cheers Pete.

[Carl Reade]

I would also suggest the Samsung 2000p. I purchased mine recently for around £85. I used it for the first time last week for deep sky and it was outstanding. With different settings it can do both planetary and deep sky. It will bring deepsky objects live on your screen in about 10 seconds and can be used without a drive.

One thing I would add is most do a mod which involves removing the IR lense inside for use on deepsky which is fiddley. There are photo guides of this online. For the planets you can then add an IR filter to your eyepeice adapter.

Hope this helps Carl

[shirva]

Hi Carl ...when I modded mine with heat sink and fan I could not get the screws out the board. .not wishing to wreck it I decided to leave it in....scorp the Samsung prob a better option.

[scorpio1948]

I would also suggest the Samsung 2000p. I purchased mine recently for around £85. I used it for the first time last week for deep sky and it was outstanding. With different settings it can do both planetary and deep sky. It will bring deepsky objects live on your screen in about 10 seconds and can be used without a drive.

One thing I would add is most do a mod which involves removing the IR lense inside for use on deepsky which is fiddley. There are photo guides of this online. For the planets you can then add an IR filter to your eyepeice adapter.

Hope this helps Carl

Thanks Carl, I'll take a look as soon as I come out of this forum, Cheers Pete.

[scorpio1948]

Hi Carl ...when I modded mine with heat sink and fan I could not get the screws out the board. .not wishing to wreck it I decided to leave it in....scorp the Samsung prob a better option.

Hi, Thanks shirva, Like I said to Carl, I'll definitely take it into consideration, unfortunately I suffer from Arthritis in both hands so fiddly jobs are a no go area, still I could always ask one of my sons to do it for me. Cheers Pete.

[scorpio1948]

Hi Both, Please excuse my newbie status. Just took a look at the Samsung, very impressive, but a little over my head at the moment. A couple of questions (hope you don't mind), (1) Is it easy to fit to my (Starter) telescope, Celestron 114 EQ, and what extra equipment would I need. IE: to fit my web cam to my Lens Holder I simply replaced the lens with an old 35mm film case. Perfect size 1.25", (2) Does it include software, USB connection, if not what software is available for it and how do I connect it to my computer. (3) Finally,; What do you use for a Power source. Actually one more question (LOL) How do I get my return key to work on this Forum? Cheers, Pete.

I would also suggest the Samsung 2000p. I purchased mine recently for around £85. I used it for the first time last week for deep sky and it was outstanding. With different settings it can do both planetary and deep sky. It will bring deepsky objects live on your screen in about 10 seconds and can be used without a drive.

One thing I would add is most do a mod which involves removing the IR lenses inside for use on deepsky which is fiddley. There are photo guides of this online. For the planets you can then add an IR filter to your eyepeice adapter.

Hope this helps Carl

Hi Carl ...when I modded mine with heat sink and fan I could not get the screws out the board. .not wishing to wreck it I decided to leave it in....scorp the Samsung prob a better option.

Is it easy to fit this to my Starter Telescope

[Carl Reade]

Hi Scorp, I will try and answer,

1 The camera comes without a lense. To connect to the scope you require a C mount eyepeice adapter which is a 1.25 barrel which just screws into the cam then you place it into the focuser as you would a webcam. £12 on Ebay. Same idea as the film case but film case wouldnt be strong enough.

2 As the cam is really for CCTV it only has a composite video out. The advantage of this is you can plug the cam directly into any TV and get a picture on screen straight away. To use a computer and record the images is slightly different.

First you require a thing called a frame grabber. All this does is convert the TV signal from the cam to USB. Then the USB end plugs into the computer. I use a free program called WXastrocapture. Then you can record on your laptop. Its the same sort of thing you use to convert old VHS tapes to DVD. There are different types again I purchased one called Dazzle 100 off Ebay for about £20.

3 The cam is 12 Volt DC with two screw terminals on the rear. I personally use a 12 Volt car battery which I also use to power the scope. But you can use a 12 Volt 500ma mains supply.

Im sure others can guide you different types of cams available. This is the only type I have used bar a webcam.

The main advantage of this one is that to capture DSOs the cam only requires at least about 10 secs it self stacks the frames it takes and is rated at 0.00001 Lux very low light which means you dont absolutley require a driven mount although they are I would say essential for planets. One thing I should mention I think webcams and this type give around 200x mag I think. If your scope can handle that but it should do.

The return button may require a hammer lol. Im by no means an expert at all I've just got back into astronomy recently.

Hopefully this info is useful cheers Carl.

[shirva]

Scorpio I totally agree with what Carl says ...ok it has to be set up a bit on the menu of the camera but on a bright moon where most would have to put filters on for the brightness you can adjust the shutter value so it can save you money on long run. ..the usb film grabber I got from eBay for under a tenner you would need a bnc to rca connector and a rca cable also cheap on ebay. ..Davy

[shirva]

Scorpio ....also if you have a photography tripod you could invest in a lens and use the Samsung on it and still use your scope for visual use...try the cloudy nights website for a lot more info on video astronomy the Americans have taken to this more than us brits to me its a cheap way into astronomy and its more friendly to infirm or disabled astronomers ...a goto mount may be another good investment for you or even just a controlled motorized mount with your arthritis. .Davy

[LukeSkywatcher]

I'm not sure if this is worth considering but i'll mention it anyway. If you have a Canon EOS camera (such as a 450D,1000D etc), and a laptop to take outside with you................there is a piece of free software online called EOS Camera Movie Record.

You would need to buy the proper t-ring etc (not expensive) to connect the camera to your scope. Then you simply connect the camera to your laptop which has the installed software on it.

This lets you take movies of the night sky (or day time movies) on the camera if it does not have built in video capture.

Ive tried it a bit with my 450D and desktop and it works great during the day. I have not tried it with a scope/laptop combo because i dont do imaging really.

Worth downloading the software and playing about with it, IF you own an EOS camera.

http://sourceforge.net/projects/eos-movrec/

[scorpio1948]

Hi All, First a big thank you for all your advice, it has taken away a lot of confusion. I have decided to get a Neximage 5 for now, or something very similar, (I've read a few bad reports about the Neximage 5 ???) The main reason is in about a year or so I will probably be upgrading to a larger scope, once I become more proficient at my new pastime. Meanwhile I will concentrate on our own back yard and perhaps some nearby Galaxies' such as Andromeda. The advice about the Computerised Goto Mount, I have already considered this and its on my shopping list, first I've got to buy the wife something ( just to keep her happy LOL) , NO, I don't think a Moon Filter would count; LOL. I'm very grateful for the advice and help I've received in this thread, I still have a lot to learn, but this forum has given me a lot more confidence. Cheers All Pete

Hi Scorp, I will try and answer,

1 The camera comes without a lense. To connect to the scope you require a C mount eyepeice adapter which is a 1.25 barrel which just screws into the cam then you place it into the focuser as you would a webcam. £12 on Ebay. Same idea as the film case but film case wouldnt be strong enough.

2 As the cam is really for CCTV it only has a composite video out. The advantage of this is you can plug the cam directly into any TV and get a picture on screen straight away. To use a computer and record the images is slightly different.

First you require a thing called a frame grabber. All this does is convert the TV signal from the cam to USB. Then the USB end plugs into the computer. I use a free program called WXastrocapture. Then you can record on your laptop. Its the same sort of thing you use to convert old VHS tapes to DVD. There are different types again I purchased one called Dazzle 100 off Ebay for about £20.

3 The cam is 12 Volt DC with two screw terminals on the rear. I personally use a 12 Volt car battery which I also use to power the scope. But you can use a 12 Volt 500ma mains supply.

Im sure others can guide you different types of cams available. This is the only type I have used bar a webcam.

The main advantage of this one is that to capture DSOs the cam only requires at least about 10 secs it self stacks the frames it takes and is rated at 0.00001 Lux very low light which means you dont absolutley require a driven mount although they are I would say essential for planets. One thing I should mention I think webcams and this type give around 200x mag I think. If your scope can handle that but it should do.

The return button may require a hammer lol. Im by no means an expert at all I've just got back into astronomy recently.

Hopefully this info is useful cheers Carl.

Scorpio ....also if you have a photography tripod you could invest in a lens and use the Samsung on it and still use your scope for visual use...try the cloudy nights website for a lot more info on video astronomy the Americans have taken to this more than us brits to me its a cheap way into astronomy and its more friendly to infirm or disabled astronomers ...a goto mount may be another good investment for you or even just a controlled motorized mount with your arthritis. .Davy

I'm not sure if this is worth considering but i'll mention it anyway. If you have a Canon EOS camera (such as a 450D,1000D etc), and a laptop to take outside with you................there is a piece of free software online called EOS Camera Movie Record.

You would need to buy the proper t-ring etc (not expensive) to connect the camera to your scope. Then you simply connect the camera to your laptop which has the installed software on it.

This lets you take movies of the night sky (or day time movies) on the camera if it does not have built in video capture.

Ive tried it a bit with my 450D and desktop and it works great during the day. I have not tried it with a scope/laptop combo because i dont do imaging really.

Worth downloading the software and playing about with it, IF you own an EOS camera.

http://sourceforge.n...cts/eos-movrec/

[shirva]

Good luck and clear skies Pete....Davy