Anybody got this cheap camera off ebay?

[DeanSL]

I'm currently using a borrowed old Celestron Neximage like this one http://www.beststuff.co.uk/store/images/P/celestron_neximage-01.jpg.

It's okay for where I am at the moment. I can't envisage purchasing any expensive gear, so cheap and cheerful it is. I've seen this one on ebay from China, just wanted to know if anyone knows how it compares to what I am currently using? (or indeed to the current incarnation https://www.cameraconcepts.com/store2/images/P/1.image-651.jpg )

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/General-0-91-1-25-31-7mm-Smart-Webcam-2MP-USB-Astronomical-Telescope-Tracking-/400841793326?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item5d54085f2e

I did do a search but only found one reference on an Australian forum.
 

[Thalestris24]

Hi

I wouldn't bother with it myself. It looks to be just an 8-bit webcam packaged in an eyepiece-type housing. I don't know the neximage but it probably won't be any better and may not be as good.They don't mention whether they provide any software.

Louise

[gkec]

I don't know about that cam on Ebay but a lot of people rate the XBox 360 cam which can be picked up for under £5. I do have two of these, one modded, but haven't used them as I have not got an adapter for it yet. As you are nearby in Oxford you are welcome to have one.

Although the Xbox cam is lower resolution than the Chinese Ebay one, but similar to the one you are using.

[jimbo747]

Wont be that good, will just be a tiny webcam sensor with tiny pixels and at best 30fps where the image will be extremely dim. Try a ps3 eyecam if budget is tight, say £10, another £10 for a ir block 1.25 adapter, £5 for an m12 lens adapter and then optionally some project box to put it in, add heat sinks etc. Will take pics at 75fps (usable on jupiter with my 127 mak) so gets you lots of frames to play with which is important and gives you uncompressed frames too.  

Otherwise I'm selling a new ready built one on there for £39 on ebay and astrobuysell, can't list on here yet.

[Scorpius]

I'm currently using a borrowed old Celestron Neximage like this one http://www.beststuff.co.uk/store/images/P/celestron_neximage-01.jpg.

It's okay for where I am at the moment. I can't envisage purchasing any expensive gear, so cheap and cheerful it is. I've seen this one on ebay from China, just wanted to know if anyone knows how it compares to what I am currently using? (or indeed to the current incarnation https://www.cameraconcepts.com/store2/images/P/1.image-651.jpg )

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/General-0-91-1-25-31-7mm-Smart-Webcam-2MP-USB-Astronomical-Telescope-Tracking-/400841793326?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item5d54085f2e

I did do a search but only found one reference on an Australian forum.

I’m generally leery of things that sound too good to be true so for me personally, I’d be hesitant of purchasing a Chinese knock-off on eBay. One thing it seems to be lacking in the somewhat short list of specs is an IR cut filter which I believe is something you would want for planetary imaging and if you look at the pictures - it’s shown connected to a microscope but there’s no picture of it connected to a telescope.

Regarding the original Neximage you have borrowed, don’t have any experience with it but understand it was quite a breakthrough in technology at the time it was introduced. I do however have the Neximage 5 - http://www.celestron.com/browse-shop/astronomy/astroimaging-cameras/neximage-5-solar-system-imager-(5mp) - and have been very happy with the images I’ve obtained with it so far. It’s designed strictly as a solar system imager so it would not be appropriate for DSO’s except for the very brightest ones and even then the FOV is quite narrow. Not good for deep sky but great for planets since they are also very small but it needs to be used in conjunction with a longer focal length scope to realize its potential.  It comes with the icap imaging software which is fairly basic but has worked well and they even throw in a copy of Registax 6 although that’s a free download anyway. There’s plenty of info out there on the Neximage 5, and I would encourage you to read the reviews before making any purchase but basically it’s a 5 MP, color, 16 bit video camera designed for solar system astrophotography.

Therefore, as someone who actually owns and uses this camera, I would say it does a good job at what it was designed for when used with an appropriate aperture/focal length scope and a stable mount with good tracking but it is not dirt cheap ($199 US) however good equipment, especially in this hobby, is rarely cheap.

The two images below are the result of stacking frames from videos taken with the Neximage 5 attached to an 8” SCT so as the old saying goes “ a picture is worth a thousand words”.

Good luck in your quest for a reasonably priced, entry level, planetary video cam and may clear skies be with you once you find it...

[DeanSL]

Thanks for all the replies, I've taken gkecs offer of a camera (and he only lives around the corner from my parents!). The Neximage 5 is out of my budget for this year, however if I obtain pictures like yours Scorpions with one using my setup I would be more than happy, so will defiantly look to one of those in the future.

[Mick J]

I seem to remember the original neximage camera being like the philips webcams, same chip and possibly usb1, cannot seem to find much on the web, but I bet someone will know.  May be worth trying and treating it as a philips 900.  

You may find this post interesting, JamesF seems to know his way around these things.

[JamesF]

I seem to remember the original neximage camera being like the philips webcams, same chip and possibly usb1, cannot seem to find much on the web, but I bet someone will know.  May be worth trying and treating it as a philips 900.  

My recollection is also that the original Neximage used the same sensor as the SPC900. though the firmware is presumably different and that can affect overall performance.  If it is pretty much the same camera then I suspect very few webcams are going to perform much better than the Neximage does.

There is a rumour that the Neximage 5 can be flashed with the firmware for the TIS camera on which it is based and that it performs better as a result, but I have no personal experience of that.

James

[DeanSL]

Yes, the Neximage camera I'm borrowing is based on the Philips, I had to download the Philips driver to get it to work on my Windows 8.1 tablet.

[JamesF]

In that case I think you'd struggle to find much. if anything, for less than £100 (and possibly a fair bit more) that will match it.

James

[DeanSL]

Thanks, I'll cut my teeth with the MS cam after I give back the Neximage.

[Mick J]

Yea, you are down St Giles' early September, swings and roundabouts. The old neximage has a good ccd but is usb1 - slow frame rate 5 or 10 a second at best.  Modern webcams usb2, higher frame rate but cmos, and not so good for low light.  Keep your options open on the neximage.  Play and have fun      

catch yer later

[DeanSL]

Well the Neximage has been returned to its owner, but thanks to the generosity of  gkec and speedy delivery of the adaptor he recommended I already have a replacement, shame about the clouds!

I managed to try it lunchtime in the scope pointed at a tree thiugh

[StarSeeker]

that looks exactly like my image set up! apart from i left the cam base on, even down to the end cap, joys optics off ebay for the adapter by any chance?

[DeanSL]

that looks exactly like my image set up! apart from i left the cam base on, even down to the end cap, joys optics off ebay for the adapter by any chance?

Spot on! gkec sent me the link, I only had to take the small lump off the nose of the webcams and it screwed straight in, no filing down. Also came with an ir filter.

[DeanSL]

First image with it tonight, not too bad, the colour fringing (is that what it is called?, the blue and orange bits on the edges) is probably the main problem.

[DeanSL]

When I say not too bad, I really mean I'm happy with it for a first attempt with a new camera and limited experience!

[riklaunim]

Atmospheric dispersion. It goes down when the object gets higher on the sky.

[JamesF]

First image with it tonight, not too bad, the colour fringing (is that what it is called?, the blue and orange bits on the edges) is probably the main problem.

jupiter220315.png

If you're using Registax, it has an "RGB Align" option that allows you to correct that.

James

[DeanSL]

Yes, I'm using Registax so will have a play tomorrow. (after having a read on how to use it!!) Also took a look at the Moon.