Solar camera?

[Helen]

I'm getting back into solar imaging, and wondering whether it's time to upgrade my solar camera.  I'm using an old skyris 274 for speed, or the asi1600 for fov.  The asi1600 runs at 2 or 3fps though, so catching the good seeing is challenging.  So I wondered what the current weapon of choice is for good resolution but at fast frame rate?

Thanks

Helen

[Ibbo!]

I am currently under the solar cover taking sers.

I guess mine are out of date as I'm using the Point Grey(now Flir) Chameleon giving me full disc at 50 to58 fps on the Lunt 60mm.

This cam will also give me upto 160 fps using ROI on brighter planets.

To do this with full disc I had to also upgrade the PC to a fast SSD I have since installed a PCIe ssd (not allPC,scan takeone) and this has eliminated buffering.

My Point grey Blackfly gives me upto 45fps

I also have a ZWO colour 178 that can do around 200fps but hat ihave only used for planets with the C11 or luna with the ED80.

I have pulled the Blackfly out of semi retirement as it does not give me NR,s with the powermatewhich the Chameleon does.

It might also be better with the Cak on the ED 80 as the Chameleon gives me a problem with vignetting with BF600.

I am waiting while lockdown ends so Ican get my FS 60 back which is more suited f/lwise with the Cak.

[Davey-T]

I've procrastinated along with Steve, still using PGBFLY from a few years ago also got a Skyris 274 somewhere.

I guess USB3 is the way to go nowadays, I recently bought a ZWO ASI178MM to use with the Lunt LS60 which works ok.

Dave

[Helen]

Thanks both 😁. I was having problems with nr with the powermate and the asi yesterday too.. 🥺

Helen

[Ibbo!]

The Chameleon is USB3 the Blackfly is GigE (New power over ethernet injecter arrived yesterday)

Larger cams and new toys have another isuue I have collected over 60 of data this afters.😁

Be careful out there apply sunscreen - Imissed a bit and have a red right foot.

[Helen]

Life is full of compromises 🤔

I haven't been out today, it's been cloudy/hazy, but yesterday I did overdo it a bit... more a hydration than sunburn issue though.

I've been saving to a usb3 external hard drive (storage on my laptop is limited) and that might be throttling speed a bit.  It's probably worth some experimenting...  My new obs PC has a 1tb sad, so maybe a long cable and try that.

Helen

[Ibbo!]

My  Chameleon buffered with external HHD

[Zakalwe]

Any disk that relies on spinning iron will struggle with today's high speed USB3 cams. You will need SSD storage to keep up allied to USB3.

[Zakalwe]

1 hour ago, Helen said:

Thanks both 😁. I was having problems with nr with the powermate and the asi yesterday too.. 🥺

Helen

Powermates are well known for generating Newton's Rings. Get a Rowan Astronomy (or similar) tilt adapter in there.

[newbie alert]

6 hours ago, Zakalwe said:

Powermates are well known for generating Newton's Rings. Get a Rowan Astronomy (or similar) tilt adapter in there.

On the subject of tilt adapters, where do you use it as most that I've seen are m42 size and most camera's are c threads ..

Something I need to sort, as with a pst mod..

[tooth_dr]

13 minutes ago, newbie alert said:

On the subject of tilt adapters, where do you use it as most that I've seen are m42 size and most camera's are c threads ..

Something I need to sort, as with a pst mod..

I use a 290mm and it’s t thread so fits my tile adapter ok. Can’t you get a t to c adapter? Back focus shouldnt be a problem. 

Edited May 21, 2020 by tooth_dr

[newbie alert]

7 hours ago, tooth_dr said:

I use a 290mm and it’s t thread so fits my tile adapter ok. Can’t you get a t to c adapter? Back focus shouldnt be a problem. 

Cheers Adam, but I've not got any t threads in imaging train

[Zakalwe]

7 hours ago, newbie alert said:

On the subject of tilt adapters, where do you use it as most that I've seen are m42 size and most camera's are c threads ..

Something I need to sort, as with a pst mod..

Directly in front of the camera. I use a ZWO camera that has T-Threads as standard.

[newbie alert]

4 minutes ago, Zakalwe said:

Directly in front of the camera. I use a ZWO camera that has T-Threads as standard.

Ok, think the penny finally dropped..

[Zakalwe]

16 hours ago, Helen said:

I'm getting back into solar imaging, and wondering whether it's time to upgrade my solar camera.  I'm using an old skyris 274 for speed, or the asi1600 for fov.  The asi1600 runs at 2 or 3fps though, so catching the good seeing is challenging.  So I wondered what the current weapon of choice is for good resolution but at fast frame rate?

Thanks

Helen

What scope are you using? You'll need to match the pixel size with the focal length.

I use a ZWO174 with my Quark and it partners well with that. The 5.86 micron pixels match the long focal length that the Quark inbuilt Barlow produces. On my Lunt 60mm however, the pixels are too large. It's just about OK if I Barlow the Lunt to the point where I need to do a three-pane mosaic to get the full disc. Ideally the Lunt needs something with much smaller pixels.

Another point to consider is the electronic shutter. Ideally a global shutter is needed. A rolling shutter can produce artefacts at high frame-speed, especially when fast moving objects are being imaged (solar flares or regions around active sunspots)

Edited May 22, 2020 by Zakalwe

[Merlin66]

I use both the ASI 174 and the ASI 1600....

I can get >15 fps with the ASI 1600 with the SM60/ ED80 and a USB3 and SSD drive.