DSLR vs CCD/CMOS

[wxsatuser]

I mulled over the cmos v ccd and the ccd won, in fact it won twice as I have two Atik 383Ls.

CMOS would have to have a serious advantage and then it might be worth changing.

[ollypenrice]

3 hours ago, wxsatuser said:

I mulled over the cmos v ccd and the ccd won, in fact it won twice as I have two Atik 383Ls.

CMOS would have to have a serious advantage and then it might be worth changing.

The price might be considered a serious advantage, as might be the ability to work effectively in many short exposures. This is one way to attack limited clear sky time and the potential frustration of ending up with LRGCloud  .

Also, over on the French forum, an advanced user posted a 'lucky imaging' style CMOS result on the Crab nebula which was easily the best amateur Crab I've ever seen.

Olly

[wxsatuser]

When you changing Olly?
 

 

[mftoet]

My take on this: if you want to acquire a camera for (prime focus) deep sky astrophotography only, buy a cooled mono CCD/CMOS camera. If you also want to be able to use your camera for nightscape, time lapse and daylight photography and if you want to have the option to work without a computer/laptop for acquiring images (by means of using a stand alone autoguider), buy a DSLR. I’m a mobile astrophotographer and have used several CCDs. But after loosing too many clear nights on computer issues (software, USB) I switched to DSLR only. It’s more convenient (easier to set up and brake down) and reliable for field work. 

[ollypenrice]

14 minutes ago, wxsatuser said:

When you changing Olly?
 

 

Hehheh, I've two good CCDs here and a rather old and rough one, but a trial with CMOS is on the cards. What I would like would be a mono version of the full frame 36 meg currently only available in OSC. If that appears, resistance will be difficult!

Olly

[ollypenrice]

3 minutes ago, mftoet said:

My take on this: if you want to acquire a camera for (prime focus) deep sky astrophotography only, buy a cooled mono CCD/CMOS camera. If you also want to be able to use your camera for nightscape, time lapse and daylight photography and if you want to have the option to work without a computer/laptop for acquiring images (by means of using a stand alone uitoguider), buy a DSLR. I’m a mobile astrophotographer and have used several CCDs. But after loosing too many clear nights on computer issues (software, USB) I switched to DSLR only. It’s more convenient (easier to set up and brake down) and reliable for field work. 

...and you have the fast optics on which a DSLR can really thrive.

Olly

[Redscouse]

10 minutes ago, mftoet said:

But after loosing too many clear nights on computer issues (software, USB) I switched to DSLR only.

I had one of them nights recently; if it could go wrong, it did! 
Took just over two hours to get focus and begin guiding. (pulling cables in/out etc.) 

Set up my plan for 10x300s subs. Approx 1.5 mins into the second sub, PHD began beeping away, took a quick look outside and discovered the clouds had rolled in for the night. Hmmm.  

[wxsatuser]

6 minutes ago, Redscouse said:

I had one of them nights recently; if it could go wrong, it did! 
Took just over two hours to get focus and begin guiding. (pulling cables in/out etc.) 

Set up my plan for 10x300s subs. Approx 1.5 mins into the second sub, PHD began beeping away, took a quick look outside and discovered the clouds had rolled in for the night. Hmmm.  

That's par for the course, had many nights like that.

Main thing is to get everything off pat so you can image in short order.

[Stub Mandrel]

Personally I think the CCD versus CMOS debate is rather sterile.

I've done a quick scan of the online literature and it seems that the end of CCD for most 'in space' applications is near due to the ability to produce higher resolution, lower readout noise and faster readout CMOS sensors. CCD continues to be competitive for sensitivity to UV, larger dynamic range and lower cost for custom sensors.

Elsewhere CCDs are increasing being seen as outmoded technology and the investment in CMOS means that in practice on a price/performance basis it is likely to win at almost any price point.

My guess is that lack of development investment in CCD will see it wither on the vine as the apparent shortcomings of CMOS become increasing illusory and high performance, large sensor, cooled CMOS cameras drop in price.

[geoflewis]

9 hours ago, Stub Mandrel said:

My guess is that lack of development investment in CCD will see it wither on the vine as the apparent shortcomings of CMOS become increasing illusory and high performance, large sensor, cooled CMOS cameras drop in price.

I tend to agree. It reminds me somewhat of the 1980s battle between Betamax and VHS. Beta was probably the superior format, but consumers voted VHS with their purchase patterns and other than for professional use Beta died out....

[StuartJPP]

23 hours ago, ollypenrice said:

...and you have the fast optics on which a DSLR can really thrive.

Olly

And you have the skies that mono CCDs thrive on...

What I see is that there isn't a one size fits all, not even a one size fits most...and if there was this hobby would be pretty boring...

I am in a bit of an AP hiatus at the moment (mainly down to weather and now BST) but my lens still sees use for my other hobbies.