Help with Nikon D60 dark frames

[Sunnieboy]

Hi

Complete newbie here just acquired SW200 and HEQ pro mount intially for visuals but currently reading up and investigating using my Nikon D60 for imaging direct from the mount.  I have been able to set up most aspects required and I am in the process of getting a remote control.  My problem is how do I get a 'dark' frame as the camera controls stop the shutter from working stating 'subject too dark'!  There must be an override somewhere but I cannot spot it in the instructions.

Excellent advice from the Lounge, many thanks to all who support it.

 

Sunnie

[knobby]

You need to be in Manual mode and the dark should be at the same shutter speed / ISO as your light frame  ... preferably the same temperature too.

Best to do your imaging (lights) then while packing up cover scope and then take the darks.

[Sunnieboy]

Knobby

Thanks for this, maybe I did not explain fully but at present I am looking at using the camera alone with the mount and not with the scope.  I tried taking a shot with the lens cap on to provide a dark image that was when I got the message.  I will try again tomorrow at different settings for the ISO/speeds.

Sunnie

[michael8554]

Hi Sunnie

The "too dark" message suggests you aren't in Manual mode, that you are allowing the camera to calculate the exposure. 

As I understand it, you set the aperture slightly down from wide open to improve resolution, and then set shutter speed.

The camera shouldn't complain if you decide to go Manual and set an unusual exposure for whatever reason.

Michael

[Sunnieboy]

Michael

 

Thanks, I agree that manual should be manual and do not understand the override by the system, never had this problem with earlier Nikons. I can set to bulb and also lock up the mirror.  Googling the problem came up with some old forum notes (it is an 'old' camera) that indicated with 'noise reduction' on the camera takes its own dark frame and subtracts this before saving.  There certainly is a delay after taking a shot.  Of course this does not help with stacking software where a separate file is required. Still searching and trying different setting.  Cloudy here so nothing else to do.

Regards

Sunnie

 

[knobby]

So are you saying that you are in manual but camera is still saying too dark ?

PS : love your bike ? Is it an Enfeild.

[happy-kat]

If you are unable to turn off in camera noise removal after taking a light frame then I'd use the valuable time after taking your lights to then take bias and flats and don't bother with darks. You might find it better to not use bulb but max at 30 seconds does that by pass the in camera noise suppression occurring?

[Cornelius Varley]

50 minutes ago, knobby said:

 

PS : love your bike ? Is it an Enfeild.

Sunbeam S8

[Sunnieboy]

Knobby/Michael/et al

Eureka

Just after posting I realised that the lens also has an 'Auto/Man' setting. Changing to manual solved the problem.  Thanks for your thoughts.

One more difficulty overcome, only a few hundred left ;-)

 

Yes Sunbeam S8 - It was advertised in the fifties a 'The Gentleman's Motorcycle' but I have got one anyway !

Sunnie