Starting webcam imaging

[scottphillips]

Hey guys, can't afford a decent DSLR at the moment so read up about webcam imaging,

Now I have a crappy little webcam so I attached a black tune to it that fit nicely into my scope but there was no way I could focus on the moon at all !!

So could anyone give me advice on maybe a new webcam or what am I doing wrong ?

[JamesF]

Have you removed the lens from the webcam?

James

[happy-kat]

In day light on a very far away object (not the sun!) See if can focus, move webcam in and out and see in what direction focus is to work out whether to make the black tube longer or shorter. You have to mod the webcam to remove it's lens you are using the telescope as the lens.

[RichM63]

As per the 2 above.

But also check your capture settings. The Moon is so bright that you might think that the bright blob is out of focus when in fact it is totally burnt out on screen.

My settings for the old Toucam (now deceased) in SharpCap

[Philips SPC 900NC PC Camera]
Frame Divisor=1
Resolution=640x480
Frame Rate (fps)=10,00
Colour Space / Compression=YUY2
Exposure=-10
Brightness=64
Contrast=32
Saturation=0
Gamma=16
ColorEnable=255
BacklightCompensation=0
Gain=30

2000 frames and then process (me) PIPP, RegiStax, but you can just use RegiStax.

Best of luck.

[scottphillips]

I couldn't dissemble the webcam the screw wouldn't come out so just attached the tube to it ?

[ronin]

As James said the lens at the front needs to come off.

Then fit your tube and that will usually have to go into the diagonal a little way as the webcam sensor has to sit at the focal plane of the scope. You may be able to put the tube in the diagonal and wind the focuser in enough but that may not always be possible. Simply insufficent mechanical travel.

They may be a lens and small filter, put the filter back in if it comes out when extracting the lens. You need the filter more for protection then anything, although it does the job of blocking the unwanted IR.

[RT65CB-SWL]

What webcam is it?

[CSM]

What is your scope and webcam and whereabouts are you?

[scottphillips]

Only have a small travelscope 70 but have awesome views of the moon and have been able to take decent images of the moon and also saturn and jupiter using my iPhone but it's really tricky so I fancied webcam imaging so I could have a stable image and the option to stack them !! Gonna purchase a new webcam tomorrow and tell you how it goes :L

[Feral Rabbit]

Which webcam are you getting?

You don't need a brand new webcam Scott, just make sure it has a CCD not a CMOS sensor (I think I'm right in saying that) I have a Logitech Quickcam Pro 4000 which I got off an online auction site for £15. The mod was fiddly but very easy to do. I had to look up re drivers as Logitech don't support this camera on Windows 7 up but I loaded on Vista 64 bit (I have Windows 7 premium 64 bit) and after a little fiddle it now works on my laptop.

[scottphillips]

I have been told that Asda do good ones for £5 !! Any links on how to remove a lens ?

[happy-kat]

Reading one of your other posts you already have a webcam what is it?

Might find some one has removed the lens on it and can help get the lens off your one.