Neewbie Frustrations

[Shelster1973]

It seems to me that astro imaging is one very confusing and also one very expensive hobby (won't mention frustration of settign up scope in clear blue skies only to nip in for a cuppa and then come out to see skies completely clouded over)

Astrograph - Chekc

Shiny GOTO mount - check

Nikon D7100 for taking images - check

Various adaptors to get camera onto tube - check

Various adaptors to get USB to serial - check

10m cables for camera and serial for mount - check

Any software that recognises the camera and can capture images from it - not a chance.

Have tried various software packages and none that I try seem to be able to recognise that I have attached my Nikon and will grab images from it.  Not sure if it is a USB issue or just the fact that everything seems to be geared towards Canon cameras. 

Not tried controlling the mount from the computer yet, but feel I will be looking for some more software (and cash outlay) for this one.  Mount came with a disc that had what I was hoping would be software to control teh mount, but it just seems to be a planetarium.

Apologies for rant, no sleep and frustrating work tends to make me grumpy......

On a slightly more positive note, has anyone had any luck with Nikons?

[Thalestris24]

Hi

I understand there is a BackyardNikon being developed. If you register at the following you should be able to download a beta:

http://forum.otelescope.com/post/finally%E2%80%A6-backyardnikon-v1-beta01-is-released-6838201?pid=1282245117

Hth

Louise

[Shelster1973]

Hi

I understand there is a BackyardNikon being developed. If you register at the following you should be able to download a beta:

http://forum.otelescope.com/post/finally%E2%80%A6-backyardnikon-v1-beta01-is-released-6838201?pid=1282245117

Hth

Louise

Many thaks...jyst registered and will check it out.

Will be very handy if that works.

[lensman57]

It seems to me that astro imaging is one very confusing and also one very expensive hobby (won't mention frustration of settign up scope in clear blue skies only to nip in for a cuppa and then come out to see skies completely clouded over)

Astrograph - Chekc

Shiny GOTO mount - check

Nikon D7100 for taking images - check

Various adaptors to get camera onto tube - check

Various adaptors to get USB to serial - check

10m cables for camera and serial for mount - check

Any software that recognises the camera and can capture images from it - not a chance.

Have tried various software packages and none that I try seem to be able to recognise that I have attached my Nikon and will grab images from it.  Not sure if it is a USB issue or just the fact that everything seems to be geared towards Canon cameras. 

Not tried controlling the mount from the computer yet, but feel I will be looking for some more software (and cash outlay) for this one.  Mount came with a disc that had what I was hoping would be software to control teh mount, but it just seems to be a planetarium.

Apologies for rant, no sleep and frustrating work tends to make me grumpy......

On a slightly more positive note, has anyone had any luck with Nikons?

Hi,

You are correct on all accounts, the EQMOD and CDC software can control your mount using a computer but the AVX handset control is very accurate anyway. Here is a link to a Nikon Tethering software that is free, it is not an AP one  but  more for general photography but it does most of what you want to start with.

A.G

http://digicamcontrol.com/

[wxsatuser]

Imagesplus can control Nikons, I believe it will control your Nikon with just the usb lead.

Here is the link.......any queries just email Mike

http://www.mlunsold.com/ILCameraControl.html

[wxsatuser]

Hi,

You are correct on all accounts, the EQMOD and CDC software can control your mount using a computer but the AVX handset control is very accurate anyway. Here is a link to a Nikon Tethering software that is free, it is not an AP one  but  more for general photography but it does most of what you want to start with.

A.G

http://digicamcontrol.com/

Yes.....EQMOD and CdC work well together and they are free, add an xbox360 controller and you have a nice system.

I do not use the hand controller on my HEQ5 as the above is so much easier.

[glowingturnip]

I ended up writing my own tethering software for my D80 using this wrapper - http://sourceforge.net/projects/nikoncswrapper/.

Sadly it's very model specific and for XP (my old field laptop), but you can have the code if you're that way inclined

[Shelster1973]

I ended up writing my own tethering software for my D80 using this wrapper - http://sourceforge.net/projects/nikoncswrapper/.

Sadly it's very model specific and for XP (my old field laptop), but you can have the code if you're that way inclined

Many thanks for the offer but I know nothing about coding, so would be wasted on me.

Going to try out the ones mentioned here during the weekend (Mrs S in work Sat / Sun so can play to my hearts content) and see how I get on

[Shelster1973]

Minor update - BackYard Nikon works for what I want, which is a winner.  A few issues with it at present but it is beta.  Will report them on the forum later on too.

PHD finds my mount, so that's good.  Just need a guide camera and suitable adaptor for my finderscope to have that working ok.

From tonight's little effort have found out a few things.  I need to get me a coma corrector as soon as I can, I also need to learn a few more stars 

Also got a might frustrated with my camera and setup.  Through eyepiece can get a great view of planets, even with low mag eyepieces, yet if I connect my camera straight to the tube, can only get them appearing as stars, no detail at all.  Thought this may be due to position of camera in the light path, so though I may get more mag by moving it back.  Found an extension tube in the box of bits that came with the scope, but this is too long as don not have enough travel on the focuser to get the image into focus.....it's just one thing after another with this hobby 

Have found an old Microsoft Lifecam VX-3000 in a drawer when I was clearing out, so will give that a go when the adaptors i got of the bay turn up and see if I can get any better images with that ....... not going to hold my breath on that front.

As they say, everyday is a school day, so will keep on learning (and spending) as I go

Clear skies all

[Shelster1973]

Just doing a bit more Googling and was wondering if this could be one of my answers.  Certainly looks like it will help me out some.......

[ronin]

Reading everything it seems that the problem is that the system you are trying to set up is too complex, at least as a early attempt.

Dump the computer control, use the VX.

Polar align the thing, attach scope and camera, focus camera and plug a remote timer into the camera.

Take 20 30 second exposures of something. Try M101 or the Sombrero Galaxy M104, (no idea if M104 is visible, but 101 is)

Go inside and process.

Just you seem to be getting frustrated building a complex computer system not getting frustrated imaging.

Start simple.

[Shelster1973]

Reading everything it seems that the problem is that the system you are trying to set up is too complex, at least as a early attempt.

Dump the computer control, use the VX.

Polar align the thing, attach scope and camera, focus camera and plug a remote timer into the camera.

Take 20 30 second exposures of something. Try M101 or the Sombrero Galaxy M104, (no idea if M104 is visible, but 101 is)

Go inside and process.

Just you seem to be getting frustrated building a complex computer system not getting frustrated imaging.

Start simple.

Thanks for the advice.

Have binned the computer control for now and just using the hand control so will see what results that brings me.

Unfortunate thing is LP in my area is quite high, so am limited to length of time on exposures, but will see what I can get next time I am out.

Am also looking at YouTube for Polar Aligning too.

Even with taking things 'back to basic' how is this going to help with the resolution / detail of the images I am capturing.  I realise the camera I have has a very high resolution, but surely I will not be able to zoom in that high in processing.......

[MikeODay]

Keep at it - it will all come together eventually.

At easter I purchased my first scope since I was twelve - a 10" newtonian with goto mount. I read up a little before hand and purchased a coma corrector with the scope.

The first thing I did was learn how to polar align using the polar scope. This gives the goto mount a reasonalbe start to perfrom a 3 star alignment.

Next I attach my nikon D300 and using the free DigiCam software in live mode I focus on a very bright star - so far it has been Sirius. With the bright star I get large difraction spikes that help with determining focus.

Next I use the hand control to find the object I want and take a 30 sec ISO800 test image to check composition and focus. All being good I then disconnect the camera from the computer and start taking images.

I have recently worked out the auto guider and I am using that - but for shorter duration images (say 30sec) I have found I don't really need it.

Not sure if any of the above will help with your setup but thought you might want to here from another newbie who has managed to get it all working.

Let me know if you want to try the free camera control software and I'll find the link (not sure if it is the same that Blue Straggler suggested).

All the best.

Mike

[MND]

Im still struggling along with AP. Weather is the main issue but each time I do manage to get out I get a bit closer to what I hope to achieve. I would say try to not get too frustrated and enjoy the journey.

[lensman57]

Just doing a bit more Googling and was wondering if this could be one of my answers.  Certainly looks like it will help me out some.......

I agree with ronin that you are complicating the things too much. I don't see the point of using the CDC EQMOD  as yet, the AVX mount has a very accurate GoTo system much better than my HEQ5 Pro.  I am sure that if you get the Polar alignment right ( use the PA routine of the hand set to start with ) you could start taking 60s exposures unguided using the DSLR until you gain a bit of experience and some results and then start to think about other bits and pieces. 

A.G

[Shelster1973]

Well

Managed to get out tonight with basic setup and have attached image from Mars that I took.....am not happy but as this is only the forth time or so that I have tried to take images am not getting too upset by it.

As I mentioned in earlier post, this looked fine through the eyepiece, yet with camera mounted in prime, it just looks like any other bright star....orange tint due to very nasty LP here in Plymouth.  The images were taken at 5 sec exposure time.  Anything longer and it is a fully orange washout.

Have also noticed that everything isn't round, as can be seen in close up of Mars below.

Am guessing this is an issue with the alignment of my secondary and I will need to rotate that so as to resolve?  Or is it due to something else?