Seben DKA2 Universal Digiscoping Digital Camera and Videocamera Adapter

[EagleC]

I got one of these for my birthday, anyone else using one? There where no instructions (as seems to be common with seben kit) and I have a couple of things that I'm finding confusing. I'm using it with a SW Heritage 130P.

First, 'integrated fine adjustment'... where?

Second, there is a screw opposite the clamp that appears to do nothing?

Third, another screw at the end of the bar the camera attaches to - why?

Fourth, the clamp compresses the focuser thread so it becomes hard to turn. If I leave the clamp loose the camera is not secure. I can get round this if I'm careful but it does make it harder to use.

Last, I really struggled with this on my first attempt. This may be partly because I'm using a small compact with a 15 second exposure time (lumix set to stary sky scene mode with 2 second delay) so I can't see what's imaged until after the picture is taken and processed which for a 15second exposure is 30 seconds. So far I'm got just black, plus one with an off center white blur.. In the EP before swinging the camera in the way I had a lovely image of Jupiter using a 7mm and barlow showing the stripes quite clearly. I'll try again perhaps on a more obvious target like the moon but if you know of anything that might help I'd love to hear! 

[Cornelius Varley]

I think the clamp is intended to fit around the eyepiece, not the focuser.

[EagleC]

oh... well in that case it would spin as I focused which would be quite awkward!

I'll give it a try, tonight if the sky is clear enough. Thanks for such a speedy response

[proflight2000]

I cannot say I am aware of this kit and to be honest the scope as well. What I am aware of is that to obtain good results taking pictures of stars you need a good tracking scope and a good camera that is capable of sucking in as much of the light as possible, a 15 second exposure on a sky that is not being tracked or tracked poorly will really get you nothing, even with a camera suited for such exposures, asking it to obtain decent results from a standstill position whilst the earth is moving will if anything give you star trailing. The earth moves 15 degrees in 1 hour, break that down into smaller segments and although it may seem not a great deal in the scheme of things, to a little camera it is a nightmare. Normally as far as I recall, cameras doing this are pointed through the eyepiece, so if you are zoomed right in to a subject it will soon move across the field of view.

Basically, is your scope able to track? if so, how have you set it up to track, polar aligned etc etc. In the worst scenario, take loads of pics of the moon and get used to what the camera is capable of, it may well be asking it a lot to go for wonderful sky shots through a scope of the main sky. all the best.

[EagleC]

Hi Proflight2000,

I'm not expecting great results I'm after something that will simply act as a reminder of what I was looking at. If jupiter looks like a fuzzy disk with a trail I'd be happy for the moment. Going forwards I'm sure to get fussier but right now I'm getting nothing at all. 

The Heritage 130P is a 130mm reflector F6.5 on a dobsonian mount. No tracking

[Cornelius Varley]

oh... well in that case it would spin as I focused which would be quite awkward!

I'll give it a try, tonight if the sky is clear enough. Thanks for such a speedy response

That would be a problem with the Heritage 130

[happy-kat]

I find best to gain focus first then carefully remove eye piece and attach camera gubbins then carefully place back in the focuser and with luck you should still have focus.

You may want to dry run this as I had to adjust the balance point on the tube when I had a camera hanging off the eye piece.

[EagleC]

Thanks, some great tips as always. Sadly overcast here at the moment.