Yet Another AllSkyCamera Build

[happy-kat]

Being very fortunate to acquire the NexImage 5 camera (thank you FLO and to my for once ability to squash procrastination just in time!) I have several intended uses for it, one will be an All Sky Cam but it wont be left setup all the time, as the camera will be used for imaging the Moon and Jupiter etc.

So I just hit the buy button on one of these:

The intention is to design a wooden case for it using materials we already have. It wont be left outside all night at this time so does not have to be pelting rain proof. In a draw somewhere are a couple hand warmers so that can help with dew for the few hours it will running.

[Alien 13]

That sounds like a good idea, I would like something similar that could be used on nights of interest like Meteor showers etc.

Alan 

[happy-kat]

That was my thinking too, for nights of interest. I'll also try the lens on the old toucam but that's a small chip and doesn't do any long exposure but it might give another option. The neximage 5 supports long exposure the chip pdf was a useful read plus the driver came from the manufacture of the chip I'm using.

[RichM63]

Yup, certainly a good idea HK. Have you not got any big old Tupperware that you could adapt for a weather proof case? Just a thought.

[happy-kat]

Not that we can think of but we will have a rummage as that sounds ideal, if not we have some exterior ply left over from various jobs.

[happy-kat]

Excellent reminder just added by Stu, the Lyrids... Best get on with this project.

[happy-kat]

Lens arrived today, yey

 

[happy-kat]

There's no adapter on the end as shown in the seller's image... Going to contact seller to ask.

Edit: checking the for sale item the lens is as the photo showed, all is good.

Edited February 25, 2018 by happy-kat

[happy-kat]

Next job is to work out the distance the senor needs to be from the bottom of the lens to reach focus. The bottom of the lens does screw into the thread on the camera, only I need to be very careful as there is very little clearance over the sensor chip, I may need to to use some form of spacer between the two depending on focus distance tests.

[swag72]

I'm looking into an All Sky build myself and this lens was one I came up with...... I'll be interested to hear how it all goes  While I continue to investigate

Edited February 25, 2018 by swag72

[Jonk]

On 2/24/2018 at 09:55, happy-kat said:

There's no adapter on the end as shown in the seller's image... Going to contact seller to ask.

There won't be, I had the same question - don't waste your time, he replies to say 'advert was as per the images', although he's used a stock image as well as a photo and the stock image shows the adaptor. You might need a 5-6mm spacer depending on the camera to be used.

1 hour ago, swag72 said:

I'll be interested to hear how it all goes

Go for it, I think it's great and for around £50 or whatever it blows the 'freebie' meteor lenses away.

[swag72]

8 hours ago, Jonk said:

There won't be, I had the same question - don't waste your time, he replies to say 'advert was as per the images', although he's used a stock image as well as a photo and the stock image shows the adaptor. You might need a 5-6mm spacer depending on the camera to be used.

Go for it, I think it's great and for around £50 or whatever it blows the 'freebie' meteor lenses away.

Sorry I'm being a bit thick here - Does this screw directly onto a C thread then or is there an adaptor needed?

[happy-kat]

The lens screws directly into a c thread on my camera. It is just a question is the bottom of the lens the correct distance from the camera or will a spacer be needed to place it slightly further away.

The lens is a male c mount thread the camera has a female c mount thread.

Edited February 26, 2018 by happy-kat

[Jkulin]

I'm actually doing exactly the same thing with the same lens but using a QHY5L-11C camera.

I purchased off fleabay a couple of the 5mm extension tubes and just screwed them together, not sure if it will be enough but they do other sizes as well, so there should be enough sizes to get it to focus.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/UK-FAST-SHIP-C-CS-Mount-Lens-Adapter-Ring-Extension-Tube-For-CCTV-Camera-5mm/272950505030?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

I also purchased a 4" Dome to go over it from this link: -

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/4-Indoor-Outdoor-CCTV-Clear-Acrylic-Camera-Dome-Housing-Cover-Replacement-UK/152638376140?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

I got the lens for £30 by making an offer, so don't pay the full price: -

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fujinon-DF1-4HB-L1-Fish-Eye-C-Mount-Lens-with-Lens-Protectors-Brand-New/252289716694?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

Sara, if you remove the existing extension collar, then these wills crew straight into the C Thread, I made the mistake of not checking how the lens would screw in, until someone on here put me right.

I plan to get a small project box from Maplins next time I am out that way and mount it in there. I only plan to use it when I am imaging, firstly so I can keep an eye on the clouds and secondly so I can capture the night sky.

What software are people using for the time lapse?

[happy-kat]

5mm spacer and dome arrived today.

To reach focus I will need to add a few tap washers I think to pack out an extra 1-2mm of gap that there is to get good contact between lens and camera at focus point, I think the off centre is because the lens is not being held well as it is not done up.

Edit: the capture circle is way bigger than the image when viewed on a tablet looks, just sight corner cut off.

Edited March 2, 2018 by happy-kat

[Jkulin]

So Happy-kat you are using SharpCap to capture your time lapse, have you found that the best for the time lapse?

[happy-kat]

I may or may use allskyeye I haven't made a decision yet.

[happy-kat]

First home made spacer is too fat so off to the scraps bin again to see what else I might pack the gap with to get the right distance.

Sharpcap currently is creating huge avi files for just 5 frames pushing over 70Mb in file size that my hard disc can not sustain. I am having to use RGB24 as RGB8 creates awful moire pattern on the frames.

[happy-kat]

Summery days but was in B&Q so we picked up an assortment of grommets pictured here along with the existing 5mm spacer. Will see how it works later. I also need to get remote desktop going on the 7 inch W10 tablet so that I can see and control sharpcap whilst outside as the camera will be connected to the desktop. Jupiter is there so I need to do at least the remote desktop.

[happy-kat]

I will need to try to stretch the smallest one to fit as currently the grommet is slightly to fat still.

As a side thought I can't use this lens with the 1100d as the lens needs to get closer to the sensor then the mirror allows.

[Gina]

That lens works rather well with a ZWO ASI185MC camera.  Just slight cropping of the full view at top and bottom but unless you really have views to the horizon all round it won't bother you.  That is what I am using in my ASC.  The camera will work in the daytime as well as at night except in full sunlight when it does overload at minimum exposure.  A DSLR has far too larger a sensor.

Edited June 5, 2018 by Gina

[happy-kat]

Thanks.

I was thinking the DSLR (had I been able to get the lens choose enough to the sensor) would have given me an all in one milky way shot for the newest imaging challenge.

[Gina]

The image field of that Fujinon fish-eye lens is around 6mm diameter so you would only get a small circular image in your large rectangular frame.  The ZWO camera covers all but a tiny bit of the whole 185° view of that lens.  It easily covers the whole of the Milky Way.

This image was taken last year and captured a rare occurrence of the Aurora Borealis this far south as well as the Milky Way.

[happy-kat]

Unfortunately the neximage and PC are not holiday travel friendly, hence seeing what other ideas I could come up with for when on holiday. I do have W10 tablet but the neximage 5 needs juice from the USB port so does not fire up on a tablet.

I briefly digressed from the all sky camera project, which is making very slow progress.

[happy-kat]

Testing today with grommets and then rubber bands. Grommets too big and rubber bands proved the spacing size but unreliable as need fiddling every coupling. Have sourced a 1mm spacer which will help as the remaining gap will be easier to pad out.