Planetary Imaging with DSLR Video Mode?

[NorrinRadd]

Alex... Yes that's the same and just fits one end straight to your DSLR and the other is simply a 1.25" eye piece male so slots into the scope as per normal. Alas I have an SCT so not sure of how you image but I'm guessing it's the same principle.

Peter ... Locating with DSLR is the easiest of all using BYE. Obviously you still need to have your finder scope tuned in and then with BYE up on normal view you should see your planet on screen. Best to get tin the centre but with BYE you can re set the "middle" for the 5x by clicking on the zoom box and moving it a bit :-)

Just to be clear I've been using the SCT with a 20mm plossl so it fits in the Meade tube, and then also use the 5x on top ! You can stretch the 20mm a but with the Meade holder ie by making your camera Sensor further away. I have tried 11mm eye pieces but the mag is too much on the mirror as your simply spreading the light so your better off using less, even a 23 mm is nice. No Barlows used.

Would love to see if it works for you.

[PeterCPC]

Two nights ago the seeing was quite poor but I had a go at EP using a 20mm lens. I tried Jupiter first but not very pleased with the result which seemed blurred on one side? Tried Mars but just could not get a focus because of the very poor seeing. Even though the seeing was not good for this test I cannot really see any advantage to using EP over using a Barlow. EP also adds weight to the mount over just using a Barlow.

Peter

[Astrosurf]

Peter, did you focus on a bright star first? The image looks a tad out-of-focus. As has been said on here, good seeing is crucial. Don't give up!

[PeterCPC]

No, I focused on the moons of Jupiter but the seeing was not good. I could not focus on Mars at all - so wobbly.

Peter

[NorrinRadd]

Had a bit more success on Tuesday albeit lots of duff videos from terrible dew issues all over the place and wrecking all but one capture. So I was pleased with my new Mars effort which is a lot cleaner than I've managed before and has had little processing other than wavelets .

Pretty certain the "pimple" is from the shadow of Elysium Fossea area with Elysium Mons which I didn't think was possible with my dslr.

Canon 5d mk11 video , 20mm plossl projected , c11, BYE .

[Astrosurf]

Excellent job Simon! I wish I could get that!

Peter, do try focusing on a bright star first. It's soooo much easier.

[PeterCPC]

Yes Alex I do normally but I had so little time (dodging clouds) that I went for the quickest and, obviously, worst option. One of these days we might get some clear nights - who knows!

Peter

[Astrosurf]

I know what you mean. With this weather you get what you can!

[Astrosurf]

Me again! Does APT have a 5X zoom mode? Many people prefer APT for general astro work, so I'd rather just buy that than buy the two!

I'm trying to get my head around the difference with Move Crop Mode and Digital Zoom. My 600D doesn't have the former so I guess that's why I'd use 5X on the software. Digital Zoom in video mode isn't supposed to give very good resolution.

What I don't quite get is why use short exposures at a high frame rate on Manual mode. Why not just shoot video? Or have I answered my own question about Digital Zoom on video mode myself?!

Head's spinning!

[PeterCPC]

Me again! Does APT have a 5X zoom mode? Many people prefer APT for general astro work, so I'd rather just buy that than buy the two!

I'm trying to get my head around the difference with Move Crop Mode and Digital Zoom. My 600D doesn't have the former so I guess that's why I'd use 5X on the software. Digital Zoom in video mode isn't supposed to give very good resolution.

What I don't quite get is why use short exposures at a high frame rate on Manual mode. Why not just shoot video? Or have I answered my own question about Digital Zoom on video mode myself?!

Head's spinning!  and 

I can't help you on APT - never used it.

As to your second question. Short exposures at high frame rate = video. That's what a video is as far as I am aware. BYE gives you an AVI (audio video interleave) and the same number of shots as stills should you want to stack some individual frames.

Peter

[Astrosurf]

Thanks Peter

[Davey-T]

Keep reading through this thread and trying to round up all the necessary bits, just waiting for T adaptor for the Powermate to arrive and will have a try, hopefully we'll get some clear skies while Mars is still well placed and then have a go at Saturn, an all together trickier target I'm led to believe.

Dave

[oldpink]

Saturn can be tricky due to it being low on the horizon Esp up here in Scotland

[Owmuchonomy]

Alex... Yes that's the same and just fits one end straight to your DSLR and the other is simply a 1.25" eye piece male so slots into the scope as per normal. Alas I have an SCT so not sure of how you image but I'm guessing it's the same principle.

Peter ... Locating with DSLR is the easiest of all using BYE. Obviously you still need to have your finder scope tuned in and then with BYE up on normal view you should see your planet on screen. Best to get tin the centre but with BYE you can re set the "middle" for the 5x by clicking on the zoom box and moving it a bit :-)

Just to be clear I've been using the SCT with a 20mm plossl so it fits in the Meade tube, and then also use the 5x on top ! You can stretch the 20mm a but with the Meade holder ie by making your camera Sensor further away. I have tried 11mm eye pieces but the mag is too much on the mirror as your simply spreading the light so your better off using less, even a 23 mm is nice. No Barlows used.

Would love to see if it works for you.

I've come back to this most excellent thread after some time away. It's a bit late now but I'll post some info tomorrow on extension adapters hopefully which virtually mimics this entry by NorrinRadd. I've only ever tried EP projection and it worked very well for me in crop mode. However I've just purchased a Baader Hyperion 8mm EP and FTRs which has so many options that I'm dying to try that hitched directly to my 600D! Just need some clear sky.

[Owmuchonomy]

I've come back to this most excellent thread after some time away. It's a bit late now but I'll post some info tomorrow on extension adapters hopefully which virtually mimics this entry by NorrinRadd. I've only ever tried EP projection and it worked very well for me in crop mode. However I've just purchased a Baader Hyperion 8mm EP and FTRs which has so many options that I'm dying to try that hitched directly to my 600D! Just need some clear sky.

Ok, here is the link to the RA extension tube I use. I've taken two pics of Jupiter and one of Mars using this and my Cel 25mm Xcel plossl inserted. I use 640 x 480 mode and then Pipp Reg 6 etc.

http://www.telescopehouse.com/acatalog/Revelation_Projection_Camera_Adapter_1_25__-1.html

[NorrinRadd]

Ok, here is the link to the RA extension tube I use. I've taken two pics of Jupiter and one of Mars using this and my Cel 25mm Xcel plossl inserted. I use 640 x 480 mode and then Pipp Reg 6 etc.http://www.telescopehouse.com/acatalog/Revelation_Projection_Camera_Adapter_1_25__-1.html

I concur with Chris, I use a Meade one (pic attached) and drop a 20mm Tele Vue plossl in. :-)

[Astrosurf]

Ok, here is the link to the RA extension tube I use. I've taken two pics of Jupiter and one of Mars using this and my Cel 25mm Xcel plossl inserted. I use 640 x 480 mode and then Pipp Reg 6 etc.

http://www.telescopehouse.com/acatalog/Revelation_Projection_Camera_Adapter_1_25__-1.html

That's what my long tubey thing is that's in my case! Can't remember where it came from, duh!

[PeterCPC]

The skies were less cloudy last night. The seeing was not perfect by any means but I managed the first imaging since 14th April. This was Mars taken with the Canon550d with a 3X Barlow and using the 5X digital zoom in BYE. Put through PIPP and AV!2 then wavelets in R6. A few touches in paintshop Pro V5.

Peter

[Astrosurf]

Nice one! Am just waiting for an adaptor to connect my DSLR to my barlow. Then I'm ready. Oh yeah, and buy APT!

[Davey-T]

Just had a first attempt at this using 60da in crop video mode on f10 SCT with 2x Powermate, looking at it on screen looked like a big fuzzy bouncing orange ball so don't hold out much hope but will try processing it tomorrow.

Dave

[oldpink]

mars always looks like a bouncing orange blob but its surprising what happens when you run it through software

[wxsatuser]

The skies were less cloudy last night. The seeing was not perfect by any means but I managed the first imaging since 14th April. This was Mars taken with the Canon550d with a 3X Barlow and using the 5X digital zoom in BYE. Put through PIPP and AV!2 then wavelets in R6. A few touches in paintshop Pro V5.

Peter

Nice image.

Try using Movie crop mode Peter........you will get a true 1to1 pixel ratio and get better resolution.

[PeterCPC]

Nice image.

Try using Movie crop mode Peter........you will get a true 1to1 pixel ratio and get better resolution.

Can you explain how you do that please. I am using BYE so how would I go about it?

Peter

[wxsatuser]

Cannot help with BYE as I don't use it.

With my 60Da I just record to the internal Extreme SD card.

You will have to get into the video menu and set Movie crop, think you only get the menu when in video mode.

Movie crop just uses the centre of the frame at 640x480 at 1to1 pixel ratio and of course 60fps.

[Owmuchonomy]

Cannot help with BYE as I don't use it.

With my 60Da I just record to the internal Extreme SD card.

You will have to get into the video menu and set Movie crop, think you only get the menu when in video mode.

Movie crop just uses the centre of the frame at 640x480 at 1to1 pixel ratio and of course 60fps.

Yes, the big advantage of my 60D over my 600D is that it runs true movie crop mode at 50 fps and 7x equivalent zoom. No need for a Barlow but I do use EPP with one of my plossls. BYEOS is not necessary; you just use the camera menu. Click my link below you'll see the outcome on Mars and Jupiter this year.