Imaging Source USB DFK21AU04 CCD camera

[goldblade1983]

Hi

Imaging Source USB DFK21AU04 CCD camera

Has anyone used this before for guiding (ideally with ST80).

What's it like?

I'm assuming cause it's colour it might be harder to get guidestar (less sensitivity) but if not impossible I have the opportunity of buying one relatively cheaply.

Still weighing up whether to get one that plugs into a laptop like this or get a Synguider stand alone guider so comments would be appreciated.

Thanks

Brian

[Psychobilly]

I have used colour guide cams in the past they were Meade DSI Ic and Meade DSI IIc  and the mono version of the DMK21AU04AS as well... All lhave been OK 

Synguider v Cam + PC....>

I had one of the first synguiders and to be honest if you have a PC available then I would go the cam+PC route.  I have used a Samsung NC10 for guiding in the past with the DMK21AU04AS  it doesn't need anything too fancy... 

The Synguider works Ok especially if it's matched to an ST80 but it can be a bit of a faff to use depending where in the sky your pointing and an  EP made parafocal with it and having a similar FOV is pretty much essential....

What mount are you going to be guiding?

Peter...

[goldblade1983]

Neq6 with wo gt81, Sony dslr (until I can get a ccd next year ) and st80 piggyback on top)

[Psychobilly]

Neq6 with wo gt81, Sony dslr (until I can get a ccd next year ) and st80 piggyback on top)

Ok    With the NEQ6 you won't need to worry about needing an ST4 Guideport adaptor for the PC then... As you can use pulse guiding  http://eq-mod.sourceforge.net/docs/EQASCOM_Guiding.pdf

Peter....

[goldblade1983]

Anyone else had experience with this specific cam?  It has a terrible name and there's lots of different versions of this camera out there.

My queries can really be bottomed out as follows:

1) Can this camera be detected by autoguiding software (currently have an old laptop running XP Pro for this)

2) Is the sensor going to be good enough

3) Recommended set up and wiring

[JamesF]

For what it's worth, the DxK21 cameras are all 640x480 1/4" sensors.  The DMK21 is mono, the DBK21 is colour and the DFK21 is colour with an IR cut filter.  The AU04 models are all based on the same sensor as the SPC900 -- the Sony ICX098.  The AU618 models are based on the Sony ICX618 sensor which has greater sensitivity.  The "U" means it's USB.  "F" instead means it's FireWIre.  I believe the "A" means it's intended for the astronomy market, as TIS sell near-identical cameras into all sorts of different markets -- machine vision, microscopy and industrial control, for instance.

I'm not personally convinced that the DFK21.AU04 is a great choice for a guide camera.  It may work, but it's unlikely to work as well as a camera with a larger sensor or more sensitive sensor.  I might be tempted to suggest that even a "relatively cheap" one might not be that much less than, say, a used mono QHY5 which with a much larger sensor and a QE of 56% compared with the 38% of the DFK21 (I think) would probably do the job much better.

James

[goldblade1983]

Been offered one for 90 quid. I was hoping to get a camera that could do both colour planetary with my lx90 and also double up for guiding (the latter being more important).

[goldblade1983]

Went for qhy5 off of eBay. Don't think it will be coming off cable. Can someone tell me what I will need to get (my laptop has usb and also a comm port).

Cheers

Brian

[goldblade1983]

With cable... I meant