Software to opperate Canon cameras and guide

[alan potts]

Looking for advice on software to opperate Canon cameras. i have 3, though only one is setup for astro photography at the moment. I want something to give hopefully a live view for focus, and programable to say take 60x 30sec or what ever.

Are there programs that do this as well as guide the scope, Or do you have to have a special program for guiding?

Finally I have several fairly powerful laptops ( Lenovo T420 thinkpads 8&4 gigs ram) will one run two sets of software without issue.

Alan

[tooth_dr]

AstroPhotography Tool sounds suitable for your job Alan.

 

https://ideiki.com/astro/Default.aspx

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

+1 for APT from me as well. Haven't guided with it yet, however

[LightBucket]

+1 for APT excellent software with all the functions you will need, and more plus works well with PHD guide software..

[tooth_dr]

As Lightbucket says it works very well with PHD and this will allow you to 'dither' your exposures, as well as platesolve to find targets.

http://www.stark-labs.com/phdguiding.html

https://openphdguiding.org/

[PeterCPC]

Backyard EOS is very good.

Peter

[alan potts]

Now I remember APT is actually developed by a Bulgarian that lives in Sofia, or at least that is what I was told my my Meade Dealer friend. Peter thaanks for the Backyard option, I will try them and buy the one I like the most.

Now just needs to stop raining.

[alan potts]

58 minutes ago, tooth_dr said:

As Lightbucket says it works very well with PHD and this will allow you to 'dither' your exposures, as well as platesolve to find targets.

http://www.stark-labs.com/phdguiding.html

https://openphdguiding.org/

Do you think my laptops will drive both, for outside I prefer to use the T420 with 4 gig of ram, it has an i5 enhanced processor or the T410 which is not quite as quick but also 4gig ram.

.

[tooth_dr]

33 minutes ago, alan potts said:

Do you think my laptops will drive both, for outside I prefer to use the T420 with 4 gig of ram, it has an i5 enhanced processor or the T410 which is not quite as quick but also 4gig ram.

.

I run mine all off a £28 PC off ebay, dual core, 2.something GHZ, 160GB HDD, 1 0r 2 gig of RAM.  I think you will be ok.

[alan potts]

7 minutes ago, tooth_dr said:

I run mine all off a £28 PC off ebay, dual core, 2.something GHZ, 160GB HDD, 1 0r 2 gig of RAM.  I think you will be ok.

I have to say having looked at these I have a bit of learning to do, I only have a Brightstar Mammut L429 to use as a guide camera so I may have to look for drivers, still must learn to walk before running.

[michaelmorris]

30 minutes ago, alan potts said:

I have to say having looked at these I have a bit of learning to do, I only have a Brightstar Mammut L429 to use as a guide camera so I may have to look for drivers, still must learn to walk before running.

Look for ASCOM drivers, it will make compatibility way easier.

[sloz1664]

1 hour ago, alan potts said:

I have to say having looked at these I have a bit of learning to do, I only have a Brightstar Mammut L429 to use as a guide camera so I may have to look for drivers, still must learn to walk before running.

Hi Alan,

I still have the software available for my now departed Mammut camera, if you still require them.

Steve

[alan potts]

43 minutes ago, sloz1664 said:

Hi Alan,

I still have the software available for my now departed Mammut camera, if you still require them.

Steve

Very kind of you Steve, I guess I have the same here somewhere. I bought this last time I was in England which is about 41/2 years ago, and I have never used it. It was new so I guess I too have a disk somewhere, I imagine that is what I am looking for, a disk? Did you guide with it?

Alan

[sloz1664]

Hi Alan,

Yes I did, it makes a good guide camera.

Steve

[alan potts]

8 hours ago, sloz1664 said:

Hi Alan,

Yes I did, it makes a good guide camera.

Steve

Steve,

I found my disk and put the Ascom platform into a laptop but the the program that is on the disk does not work, Nightwatch Studio I think, it kept closing. I recall before this happened and my mate who is an IT wizard did something to get it going. However am I correct in the belief you don't actually need this to guide with? After all the PHD or APT do the guiding I guess the Ascom software just allows the camera to be recognised. I have a few scopes i could actually use to guide with so no issues their. Look complicated to me though, at the moment.

Strangely it went into the other laptop I use outside so I guess it don't like the old Dell even though it is a very good one.

Can you give me a idea of what needs to be done to guide with one, in simple terms if you can, I put the drivers in the laptop and everything from Ascom, if you can find time to give me a step by step run down I would be grateful.

Alan

[sloz1664]

Hi Alan,

Yes you don't need the Nightwatch Studio to guide. It was Brightstar's imaging software. You will need the Ascom driver to interface with PHD2. BTW what imaging software are you g+oing to use t+o capture your images.

Steve

[alan potts]

On 02/12/2017 at 11:18, sloz1664 said:

Hi Alan

Yes you don't need the Nightwatch Studio to guide. It was Brightstar's imaging software. You will need the Ascom driver to interface with PHD2. BTW what imaging software are you g+oing to use t+o capture your images.

Steve

I got the Nightwatch working on one laptop anyway. What do I type in for the Ascom driver just Brightstar Mammut?   I have the free version of APT but if I like will buy it, maywell also look at Backyard Eos as well. Lights, Darks etc I stack in DSS and play with the finished item in PS6.

I am still poor at the finishing end by my own standards but getting there. It is the guiding end where I really do know nothing. At the moment I am just doing 30sec subs but getting some pleasing results. If I get on with the dark artI intend to get a Atik, maybe 460.

[sloz1664]

Hi Alan,

I suggest you download PHD2. Open it up and read the impatient Instructions found in the Help Tab. This will forward you to other topics. You can also find lots of tutorials on Youtube.

Steve

[bottletopburly]

+1 for APT ,more info on the APT forum  

[RyanJacques]

Hello! Sorry for picking up such an old thread, I read that someone may have the drivers for the l429 bright star cam? I would be super grateful if anyone could provide them for me 😁