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Planetary Imaging with DSLR Video Mode?


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Took this. My first time attempting Jupiter with my DSLR. Kept losing Jupiter when trying barlow. Very new to using a barlow guess I need to play with getting it centered correctly and exposure.

Anyway this is at 5x zoom in byeos.

Canon 1100d on my SW 200p 8" scope. Run through PIPP, then Registax stacking and wavelets, then final process in ps CS2.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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I use a 2x Barlow on my Canon for planetary work but also BYEOS x5 feature to get a decent sized image

it seems there is a nikon version of BYEOS available now, you may want to check that out

I just tried the beta release version, it is still not really stable yet. It can't even detects my camera. Maybe have to wait longer.

Just modded a LIfecam yesterday, as an alternative for the time being. 

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I'm so glad this is still going. I was going to use my DSLR the other night after doing some captures with my webcam, but I forgot! But it started clouding over anyway. Ah well, maybe next time.

Me too, been waiting for you guys to sort out all the settings and equipment issues :)

Dave

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Here's a Jupiter and a Mars from yesterday night. I think they go to show that seeing really is the main factor in getting a half decent result.... Finally the seeing seemed to be quite stable. These are way better than any of my previous attempts and I've changed nothing in the equipment line up. Oh for clear still skies!

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These were both with a 2x Barlow, the C8 edge and the 60D in crop video mode, captured with EOS Utils, processed with PIPP and Registax6.

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I had a go at Mars when it was quite low early evening - think I'll try again when it's a bit higher.

Taken with 3XBarlow with C9.25 and Canon 550d using BYE with 5x digital zoom. Processed in PIPP then R6 and Paintshop Pro. I can't seem to get those crisp images even though I checked the collimation and did a focus using a mask and Arcturus.

Peter

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Here's a Jupiter and a Mars from yesterday night. I think they go to show that seeing really is the main factor in getting a half decent result.... Finally the seeing seemed to be quite stable. These are way better than any of my previous attempts and I've changed nothing in the equipment line up. Oh for clear still skies!

These were both with a 2x Barlow, the C8 edge and the 60D in crop video mode, captured with EOS Utils, processed with PIPP and Registax6.

Cracking images!

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As I alluded to above, I am not happy with the sharpness of my images either using the DSLR or my planetary images using my DFK21. I see images on here from people using similar equipment and wonder why some of them are so much clearer like Photogav's above.

Now my images shown above were taken on the 16th when the seeing was very good. I had checked the scopes collimation and got spot on focus using a Bahtinov mask on Arcturus. However, I always seem to get slightly fuzzy images even after stacking and processing with PIPP and R6 with final tweeking in Paintshop Pro V5.

Most of my images are taken over the roofs of houses because we have houses to the South and North of us. I usually use a LPF to help darken the sky and take at least 2000 images in my AVI's of a rule.

Question - can I not get sharp images like Photogav because I shoot over dwellings or is there another reason?

I would love to get your input as I really want to sharpen up these images. All contributions gratefully accepted as they say.

A reminder of my Mars image.

Peter :sad2:

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Peter, I wish that I could offer you the answer...

I was pretty much in exactly the same frame of mind as you until I managed to get these images. My pics of Jupiter were fuzzy and just not sharp. There was some gross level detail there, as in the bands were showing and a blurry blob where the GRS was, but never any detail in the bands...

I think that the answer is simply 'the seeing'. I shot the footage for the images above on 15th April and I think I was just lucky and that it was a particularly clear night. It did seem to be clear, in that the stars were not twinkling nearly as much as usual and as I shot the video, I did think that the image on the liveview screen did appear much clearer than ever before.

In my post above I said that I hadn't changed anything in the optical set up - well, that is in fact a slight lie I now realise... I had fiddled with the collimation of the scope a few days earlier. It appeared pretty well collimated before the fiddle I think, but I bought a set of Bob's Knobs and fitted them. After a heck of a lot of fiddling and swearing I finally got to some semblance of collimation! The out of focus star pattern does now seem pretty concentric and central. Anyway, that is the only change equipment wise and I'm pretty certain that it hasn't made a vast difference to my end results. Perhaps I'm wrong?

So, I say again, I really do think that seeing is key and the really great images that get posted on SGL are taken from good dark sites on nights that have really good seeing. It is possible that shooting over houses nearby, especially if they have their heating on, will significantly affect your images. Perhaps a trip to a dark sky location would answer that one? Maybe the 16th wasn't as clear as you thought? All the good images that have appeared on SGL recently were shot on the 15th.

The other thing to consider is 'focus' itself. I focused on a nearby bright star, but then did fiddle with focus when on target. I did a number of takes with different focus adjustments. I haven't processed them all yet, but just went for the avi that appeared best to quickly process and see what they were like - the results posted earlier. One other point with focus - I have to use glasses for computer work these days (the horrible truth about the mid-forties!) and I normally forget to take them outside when using the telescope. I did take them out on the 15th and found it much easier to actually see the liveview screen! Don't know if you wear glasses or not?!?!

Don't get down about it, keep trying and eventually 'the planets will align' and you will get that image that makes you sit back and say wow! That's what I'm hoping for my imaging anyway - one day surely!!

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Gav

Thanks for that. I do wear glasses but I wear them all the time. The seeing here on the 15th was worse than on the 16th.

It's reassuring that I am not missing something obvious anyway. I think that I will just have to accept a bit of fuzziness as I have never managed to get really sharp images here.

I did consider a ADC adapter but the cost is prohibitive and I'm not convinced anyway.

I am not able to take the scope to a dark site - oh well, onwards and upwards! Mid forties = young - enjoy while you can.

Regards

Peter

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Hi all, been away from the forum for a while, house move , babies etc. Have been getting back into the fray of late and I saw this post which I've been trying to do as well. I took two pics taken over the lag few weeks . Both done in video mode from Canon 5dmk 11 via BYE , 5x zoom, projected via 20mm Tele Vue . C11 . Think it was About 800 frames used on each. I've been trying to get it a bit sharper etc but I seem to be hitting a barrier now.

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Simon, your images are so incredible I want to throw in the towel right now! I just don't seem to have any luck with planets. A friend set up my Canon for planetary (without Barlow) the other night (in a hurry) and the result was horrendous (poss collimation). EP projection is something I've not thought of.

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Thanks Alex that's very kind. :-)

It works pretty good via projection and you can get some huge images but you can't push too far as the light just spreads out of course and you don't need to as you get issues with big pixels etc. I'm trying to get them crisper had a play with the Mars one again and got it a bit better in processing but I still lack the fjner detail people are getting with tiny planet cams. But hey, I'm all for giving the DSLR a better name for planet work as they always get over looked !

Seeing was ok so pleeeease don't give up , just keep fiddling with different bits and distances from camera to projected lens. I stick my plossls in a Meade projection holder which can also be extended and increase the mag.

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Thanks Alex that's very kind. :-)

It works pretty good via projection and you can get some huge images but you can't push too far as the light just spreads out of course and you don't need to as you get issues with big pixels etc. I'm trying to get them crisper had a play with the Mars one again and got it a bit better in processing but I still lack the fjner detail people are getting with tiny planet cams. But hey, I'm all for giving the DSLR a better name for planet work as they always get over looked !

Seeing was ok so pleeeease don't give up , just keep fiddling with different bits and distances from camera to projected lens. I stick my plossls in a Meade projection holder which can also be extended and increase the mag.

I have never tried eyepiece projection. Do you think that you would have the same sort of result by using the 5X digital zoom function in BYE?

I can't help feeling that to try EP with a 10mm eyepiece for example it would be that much more difficult getting Mars on screen. Did you have any problems locating Mars with the EP method and such a small FOV?

I tried using my DFK21 camera on Mars a few nights ago and it was an absolute nightmare trying to find it without knowing what exposure/gain/gamma to give it and not knowing which way to focus.

Peter

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