Alternative To SharpCap For Canon DSLR

[Mikey0368]

I've tried all the tricks I can find but I can't get my Canon 600D to work with SharpCap. I also have DSLRController on a Samsung tablet, can I use that just as well to create video files or is there a better alternative?

Thanks.

[kendg]

I use BYEOS to capture videos with my Canon 600D.

Works pretty nicely.

[aatdalton]

APT Astrophotography Tool has worked well for me. 

[knobby]

+1 for APT

[jjosefsen]

https://nighttime-imaging.eu/

Free..

 

[Atreta]

I also use apt and recommend it. 

[Mikey0368]

Thanks folks, I'll have a look at APT.

[david_taurus83]

APT is the best and it's free. It can control your Canon or Nikon dslr, astro cams, the mount, filter wheels, electronic focuser, GOTO capability, platesolving, auto meridian flip....it just does everything!

 

Except mosaics!

 

 

[rickwayne]

You know, I just posted a smiley in another thread about getting banned if I plugged Ekos one more time...but hey, it'll do mosaics in addition to everything else.

[Mikey0368]

I've installed APT and I'm just fiddling about with it this afternoon, trying to take some pictures of the moon between the clouds. However, when I go to Live View I'm just getting a white rectangle.  Any idea what I'm missing?

 

[barkis]

A lot of work has gone into APT, and  Ivo deserves a huge Thank You for his practical contribution to Astro Photography. He had improved it"s various, and very useful mechanisms over it"s many versions.   The main plus is the price, which is very reasonable, and incorporates updates during each  version. So a a big thanks from me Ivo.

Ron.

 

[david_taurus83]

24 minutes ago, Mikey07 said:

I've installed APT and I'm just fiddling about with it this afternoon, trying to take some pictures of the moon between the clouds. However, when I go to Live View I'm just getting a white rectangle.  Any idea what I'm missing?

 

Been a while since I used a DSLR on APT but I'm sure the Live View uses whatever exposure you've set in the drop down menu. Your on 30s which is way too high for the moon at night time, never mind day time. Try exposures of less than a second and lower your ISO to around 200. ISO 800 is a happy medium for DSO work btw.

[symmetal]

For live view the exposure is always very short, with a fraction of a second being the longest, so setting a long liveview exposure doesn't give you a more 'exposed' image. It only simulates a long exposure up to a point by increasing the gain. Very short exposures will influence the live view if it's within the live view exposure range. It's best to use ISO to adjust the liveview 'exposure'. When you select liveview in APT I believe it automatically switches to the highest ISO setting, so you may need to reduce the ISO to a lower value (after you've selected liveview) to get a better exposed view. For liveview moonshots as David says, use ISO 100 or 200, and an exposure of around 1/50 or so.

Alan

[Mikey0368]

Thanks folks. It did indeed default to the higher values but there's no change when I set it to 1/100 and ISO 100.

[symmetal]

During the day you may need to go to 1/500 or 1/1000 exposure when looking at the sky on liveview or it will still be overexposed I expect.

Alan

[david_taurus83]

Yes start at the lowest setting and work your way up. You sure the camera is in focus?

[Mikey0368]

Thanks for that folks, you've helped me work it out. I need to set the exposure to around 1/1000 and ISO 100 to get Live View through the day.

I now have a splendid picture of a distant tree!

[barkis]

A tree, on the Moon,,? Blimey who'd believe it. 😁.    Joking aside, you've got it Sussed now.

Ron.

 

[MarsG76]

+ vote for APT..... awesome astro tool