EP projection with ZWO ASI224MC?

[SalehRam]

Hello guys, apologies for having my first post here, I like usually to start in the welcome section but I could not wait

So I've got my ZWO ASI224MC on the way and this will be my very first camera. Before I used to take photos using my mobile phone's camera (Google Pixel XL), and for me it is a pretty impressive piece of camera on a cell phone.

Of course I used EP projection and I was able to get some nice photos for Saturn through this setup.

I would like to ask about techniques or tools or anyway I can keep using EP projection with the ASI224MC once I get it.. Will this be possible at all? and are there any special mounts or holders for the camera or any extension tubes that I can get and place the camera on top of the EP with it?

My current equipment are a 4" refractor (Celestron Omni XLT 102mm) with GSO focuser and RACI finder, 2x barlow, 25mm, 14mm, and 10mm EPs.

For reference here is the latest Saturn image I had with my phone camera.. The colors are a bit off but I'm still beginner in processing the images and give them good colors.... This was taken using a 10mm with 2x barlow and I set my phone's camera to the maximum digital zoom...

Appreciate your input!

[johninderby]

Hi and welcome.

First of all with your new camera no eyepiece is needed. The camera fits in the scope instead of the eyepiece. 

Just connect the camera to your laptop, tablet or phone to capture the images. Of course it’s a bit more complicated than that but that’s the idea.

Suggest looking through the imaging section of the forum to get some ideas.

[SalehRam]

48 minutes ago, johninderby said:

Hi and welcome.

First of all with your new camera no eyepiece is needed. The camera fits in the scope instead of the eyepiece. 

Just connect the camera to your laptop, tablet or phone to capture the images. Of course it’s a bit more complicated than that but that’s the idea.

Suggest looking through the imaging section of the forum to get some ideas.

Thanks for the reply!

Well, I'm aware about the camera that don't need an eyepiece (and that's why I wanted it really, it saves time and it is a dedicated astro camera at the end, with better sensor and specs..), and I just need to insert it in the diagonal.. But I just wanted to know about the possibility of doing the same stuff that I was doing with my cell phone using the new camera of if anyone has actually tried it..

[Cornelius Varley]

1 minute ago, SalehRam said:

Thanks for the reply!

Well, I'm aware about the camera that don't need an eyepiece (and that's why I wanted it really, it saves time and it is a dedicated astro camera at the end, with better sensor and specs..), and I just need to insert it in the diagonal.. But I just wanted to know about the possibility of doing the same stuff that I was doing with my cell phone using the new camera of if anyone has actually tried it..

It would be possible to use eyepiece projection with the camera but unnecessary. To increase the image scale it would be better to use a barlow or powermate. Nor do you need a diagonal, just insert the camera into the focuser tube. 

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Welcome to SGL, Saleh! Some good advice has already been given. I think your first image is excellent, especially given that it is a phone camera shot, and the aperture used is just 4". I would be very pleased with that. Given that your scope is F/10, I would simply use the 2x Barlow, which should give good resolution given the pixel size of the camera. I generally use my ASI224MC with my Celestron C8 at about F/20 using a 2x tele-centric lens (similar to a Barlow), which gives good results.