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Has anyone heard of/used ACS Advanced Camera Services for DSLR modification?


parallaxerr

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I've been searching for a NIKON DSLR modding service on and off for over a year, but never had any joy finding a UK based service, only those in North America. However, last night a new search result came up - Advanced Camera Services

http://advancedcameraservices.co.uk/

Has anyone heard of or used this company? I phoned for a quote and they can mod my D3200 to full spectrum for £324 all in, I'd have to spend a lot more on a large chip CCD/CMOS to get the arcsecond/pixel resolution that the D3200 gives with my scope.

My thinking is that I can have a bash at HA narrowband B+W with an HA filter from my light polluted garden or OSC with a UV/IR cut filter from darker skies, or combine both. I have read that modded DSLR narrowband imaging is a little more tedious than with a CCD, but funds dictate my approach.

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1 hour ago, swag72 said:

I used these guys years ago when I had a Canon nodded for IR use. They also had the main lens I was going to use so that they could adjust it to focus.

They were good and I was happy with their service.

So it seems that they've been around for some time. Perhaps my previous search terms weren't specific enough to return them as a result!

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  • 2 weeks later...

You should check out JTWAstronomy.  My D5300 is currently with them for modification. After VAT the price was €177 but you'll also have to add on a bit to post it to them too too (they're based in Amsterdam). Cost me about another £15 to post it to them, the price above includes return delivery. The guys name is Mark, if you drop him an email he can send you a PayPal invoice. 

I was in the same boat as you and also phoned ACS but was put off by the price (I was only willing to spend £150, £200 at the very most). Mine is due back this Thursday but it will probably be another week or two before I can test it, so unfortunately I can't comment on their QA, but based on the products they do they seem to be a pretty professional outfit. 

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For the benefit of others, here are the details of the conversation I had with Mark at JTWAstronomy:

Price was €177 for an APS-C Nikon D5300. A Full Frame camera would likely cost a bit more.

The mod they recommend for DSLR's is now is a BBAR coated 700 nm shortpass filter, no additional blocking (i.e IR/UV) is required as this allows H-a but nothing beyond this.

They also reposition the sensor for sharper images and to retain auto and infinity focus.

The automatic sensor-cleaning function is usually retained. If possible they can move the transducer to the filter. It's not guaranteed but almost certainly possible. Maybe 2% of camera models make this impossible.

It comes with a 2 year limited warranty (make of that what you will)

Once they receive the camera, the turnaround time is usually 1 week

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Wow that is cheap, happy days mate ?

I would have thought there'd be no difference in price between our cameras, what with them both being crop sensors, but maybe the more modern D5300 is more difficult to do.

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@Xiga, have you got your camera back yet?

I was suprised at the price too, like you say, I assume the D3200 is easier also it's an obsolete model now although it's the same sensor as D3300/D3400. Anyway it's currently on it's way to Amsterdam, postage cost £16 insured & tracked so the total cost of the mod will be circa £130, gotta be happy with that.

Marks communication has been excellent to be fair, he's had me send the camera to his home address because he's busy at the moment, but promises to get it turned around inside a week. Fingers crossed it all works out.

Thanks again for the heads up :)

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On 15/09/2017 at 11:29, parallaxerr said:

@Xiga, have you got your camera back yet?

I was suprised at the price too, like you say, I assume the D3200 is easier also it's an obsolete model now although it's the same sensor as D3300/D3400. Anyway it's currently on it's way to Amsterdam, postage cost £16 insured & tracked so the total cost of the mod will be circa £130, gotta be happy with that.

Marks communication has been excellent to be fair, he's had me send the camera to his home address because he's busy at the moment, but promises to get it turned around inside a week. Fingers crossed it all works out.

Thanks again for the heads up :)

Hi there. Yeah the camera arrived back safe and sound. I was hoping for some clear skies last night but got clouded out so I couldn't test it out properly. But what I can say is this:

Auto focus still works fine 

Pictures have a definite red hue, which is encouraging, ?

The sensor-cleaning function still works fine

I took a few quick flats and stretched them to the limit in PS. I couldn't make out a single mark of any kind anywhere. I only used the basic 18-55mm kit lens rather than my telescope, but it looks like the sensor came back in perfect condition, if anything maybe even cleaner than it was when I sent it ?

Overall I'm more than happy with the service. As soon as I manage a first light I'll post something up. With the weather the way it is at present, expect that to be sometime in the new year ?

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