webcam to astrocam

[prabal276]

Hello, the whole SGL community.

This Prabal here.  

I have a very old web cam with a vvvvvvvvvvery smudgy view      I converted it into a astrocam following some utube videos and am going to maiden it today with me c60 refractor . Will post the images after some time. Is somebody out there with a webcam/astrocam with a smudgy view and getting clear photos   (using some hacks/barlows) .also please guide me.

     thank you in advance     

[Astrosurf]

Hi Prabal. What are you going to image? Planets?

Alexxx

[cockney]

cool i have been using the microsoft lifecam hd for a while now and it produces a good image/video on a good night. i have yet to buy a barlow and try but can't wait to see your out come. i brought a couple of samsung 415 security camera for DSO there ok but will upgrade in a few months. good luck. my profile picture is taken with the life cam and a 250p SW prime focus. still new to all this myself so try not to laugh to hard oh and i hope that smudge don't get in the way to much   

[prabal276]

hello,

         alex and cockney

I am going to image planets. and i also face the same problem as cockney i do not have a barlow. Ok, u may call it a useless barlow  (which comes with small refractors like mine) as it does not focus. i will directly attach the web cam to the diagonal after the planet  is focused and centered. will post the outcomes tommorow. my web cam is smudgy and the skies of new delhi are filled with LP and Air Pollution so please do not expect good results also will try with the barlow. 

[Pete Presland]

if you do struggle with the planets, you could always try the moon to begin with. it is much easier to find and keep in the field of view and will get your more familiar with the seetings of the camera.

[prabal276]

yesterday i tried a go with my converted webcam but that piece of Rubbish did nothing did'nt even focus or show the unfocused mars        . i have a feeling that ill be needing a new ccd webcam      

[Astrosurf]

I second Pete. Do the Moon first. I'm not familiar with your scope and am hopeless at focal lengths re focusing etc! Planets would be pretty small in your refractor. I have to use a 3X Barlow with my 200P to get a decent-sized image and that has a 1000mm focal length, so expect a little dot!

Good luck!

[cockney]

i went out last night. clear here for a few hours but i still had trouble with mars. i did try n post a pic but failed on that one.

[prabal276]

my converted webcam has become completly useless! the moon also cannot be photographed!

i am throwing it away

-Prabal

[D4N]

Prabal, have you ever achieved focus with a camera in your scope?

Just asking since some scopes it might not be possible.

Focusing a camera is different to focusing an eye piece, the camera needs to be much closer to the scope, you may not have enough focuser travel to achieve this.

Also you need to ensure your exposure and gain are right.

Try with the moon or a far away object first, get a nice bright blob on screen then adjust focus so it becomes a disc. Drop exposure and gain so it goes greyer (that might be a word?), now adjust focus to get detail.

Newtonians scopes in particular can suffer from lack of focuser travel to reach prime focus. This is because if they made the focuser tube longer it would obstruct the light path too much, shorter and you would need extensions for visual.

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