Electroluminescent Panel - What is the current choice?

[BargeGazer]

I need to get/adapt an ELD for use with my Explore Scientific 80ED and Mak 127 to make Flats.

What is the current thinking on the best choice of panels to base one on (uk) and any advise on power supply.

Many thanks

David

[Dr_Ju_ju]

I bought one from here http://elwirecraft.co.uk/, which came with a power supply etc. They come in standard A1-A6 sizes, but I bought a square 250mm panel, which I then sandwiched between 2 cardboard sheets to keep it flat & safe...

[swag72]

I've just seen someone on FB having made a light panel using one of these panels from Light Rabbit https://www.lightrabbit.co.uk/ If you are on FB I can send you a link to what he's done

[Uplooker]

I bought one of these :-

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B00J3NRAV2/ref=mp_s_a_1_14?ie=UTF8&qid=1477384024&sr=8-14&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=huion

[Bizibilder]

I also bought a Huion "light panel" - works well with my DSLR.  Comes with a power supply.

[Davey-T]

Heard good reports of these, expensive butyou get what you pay for.

Dave

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/flat-field-generators/artesky-premium-250mm-flat-field-generator.html

[Gina]

That one that FLO are now selling looks much better than my old panel which I think was from a German manufacturer.

[BargeGazer]

Thanks everyone. I think I shall go for the Huion for a starter. Price looks right for a bit of experimenting. I am sure the FLO version is a lot better but it is a bit pricey as a starter.

David

[RayD]

In order to get mine to give me a really constant lighting level I clipped some paper on the front, and then just turn it on full each time.  It's quite hard to maintain the same level otherwise as the button is touch sensitive and if you hold for more than 2 seconds or so changes lighting level.

The one I got was 12v, which is handy, but I think they also do USB powered ones also now.

It does work well though and may well work for you out the box on full brightness, but on my Atik 460EX that was just too bright without the paper clipped on the screen, and trying to dim it to the same point each time is just a bit too hit and miss. 

[Gina]

I dug me electroluminescent panel out from a mess of wire on the warm room bench and took it indoors to test.  It's a Gerd Neumann and it's still working.  Quite a dim glow of about 160mm diameter - too small for the MN190 but alright for the Esprit 80ED and lenses.  There is no adjustment for brightness.  It runs off 12v and connects with banana plugs so I'll add a pair of banana sockets to my power box.

[BargeGazer]

I have ordered the Huion. i will post any comments I have.

Thanks again everyone.

[ChrisLX200]

I find my Huion is very good - albeit still too bright even on the lowest setting, I need to use 2 sheets of A3 cartridge paper in front of it. The mechanical shutter of my Moravian G4 camera means I need to work around 10sec exposure minimum to avoid uneven field illumination.

ChrisH

[Hicks]

On 25/10/2016 at 20:54, Gina said:

I dug me electroluminescent panel out from a mess of wire on the warm room bench and took it indoors to test.  It's a Gerd Neumann and it's still working.  Quite a dim glow of about 160mm diameter - too small for the MN190 but alright for the Esprit 80ED and lenses.  There is no adjustment for brightness.  It runs off 12v and connects with banana plugs so I'll add a pair of banana sockets to my power box.

I've got a Gerd Neumann too although it has a 12v inverter with a 2.5mm (or was it 2.1) DC socket . Only used it for mono images so far (8" version) but it works really well for those, better than my previous (and much larger) diy led flat box. It's supposed to be suitable for use with a wide range of filters although I've yet to put that to the test. Maybe next winter

sales bit with spectrum examples

I built a small enclosure out of foam board to allow it to fit over my scope regardless of current orientation. Didn't want to move scope upwards due to the inevitable mirror shift in the lx90 rendering the flat less optimal.

Also, from what I've read, some experienced issues with the way the cable was secured to the flat panel but as mine is secured inside a small box now I can't see it being an issue.

As with others, it's a little bright but my camera doesn't have a shutter and can handle it with a low enough exposure duration. I expect the extra brightness might turn out to be useful when it comes to taking flats of various filters. Gerd neumann do sell a few types of neutral density films for their panels, I've not used them though.

Looks like there's quite a few more options on the market now though. Just bear in the mind the above link if you're using filters. How accurate theirs is vs others, I've not seen any reports, be interested in reading it if anyone finds one though

[Vox45]

I was thinking of getting this

https://www.adafruit.com/products/414

It can be cut out to any shape so I am planning on cutting one and fit it in the dust cap of my 80ED...

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Measures 20 cm x 15 cm (7.9" x 5.9"), about 0.5mm thick. Its covered in what seems to be PVC, the panel is thus spill proof - but note that the connector is NOT waterproof, just a bit of heatshrink. This isn't something we would suggest leaving outdoors for extended periods.

Comes with a matching high power 12V inverter and a female DC jack so you can plug it directly into a 12V supply. The inverter is a 'potted waterproof type' and is thus very quiet

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I read somewhere that there is something about the type of light or spectre that we need to be careful of. Anyone knows about this ?

[michael8554]

Presumably you're buying the white version, which still looks fairly blue?

Michael