Need suggestions on a good modern camera.

[Throwaway2229292]

I currently have the Neximage 5 and in all honesty I'm having a hard time getting on with it. I bought it years ago and just never got around to using it because of life. I have a newtonian scope and I've spent countless hours trying to figure it out and more hours reading up on how to use it and how to combat the effects of a newtonian. I just cannot seem to get an image of Saturn or Jupiter in it. I move it around very carefully and nothing. I slot my eyepieces in and have zero trouble. I put my barlow in and no problems. I've tried the camera on its own and with a 2x barlow, nothing. I move it around very carefully in each direction, nothing. I slot my eyepiece in and see it fine. I've tried the method of sloting the eyepiece or barlow in and out and focusing for the length of the camera, nothing. I have the eyepiece slotted up to the length of the camera and have it more or less perfectly focused and then slot the camera in carefully and getting nothing but a black screen with red, blue and green dots. Honestly getting very fed up. On doing more research on Neximage 5 in multiple forums I don't get a good look on the camera. Seems a lot of people don't like it and recommend something else.

[MarkAR]

Could it be that you need to add spacers to achieve the correct back focus?

[Throwaway2229292]

5 minutes ago, MarkAR said:

Could it be that you need to add spacers to achieve the correct back focus?

This is what it looks like, it already has some space on it.


I'd be very surprised if it needs more. From everything I've been learning and from people who've been giving me advice they've all said more space is actually worse because it makes focusing harder or impossible and worsens the image quality.

[MarkAR]

Just remembered that some newtonian have extremely short back focus and it can be almost impossible to focus a camera.

What scope do you have?

[Throwaway2229292]

9 minutes ago, MarkAR said:

Just remembered that some newtonian have extremely short back focus and it can be almost impossible to focus a camera.

What scope do you have?

XT10G

[pete_l]

First, check that the camera actually works!
Take it out of your telescope and see if your imaging software (I have one of these cameras) can tell the difference between the camera in light and when you place your hand over the sensor. If that shows any sort of difference, then at least you know the camera is working.

After that, in daylight put the camera in your telescope aim at some landscape: a building or something equally large. Now do whatever it takes to get an image through your telescope. It may be that because the telescope sends too much light to the camera, you will have to put a paper screen over the telescope aperture, with just a small hole (2-3cm), That will limit the amount of light getting through.

Until you can get a focussed image like this, there is no point trying for a target in the sky.

Be aware that the sensor on these cameras is tiny. Your telescope will have to be pointed exactly at the object you are trying to image. So once you have got your daytime target visible, align your finder so that your image is precisely in the cross-hairs of your finder. Otherwise you will never be able to find a small target like a planet, just by dead reckoning.

Edited June 25, 2020 by pete_l

[happy-kat]

This camera works fine with sharpcap I suggest you use that and first aim for the Moon (after verifying the camera is working)

[happy-kat]

I've got a neximage 5. It will take good video of the Moon and similar planet targets. It will not take useable long exposures even though it can technically as the noise is just too great. I used it using sharpcap I've used it on Windows 8.1 and W10 home and pro editions.

You will need to find the right distance when inserted in the focuser tube to reach focus on the target then done tune with the focuser knobs. Sharpcap on auto mode will manage the settings.

[michael8554]

To add to pete_I and happy-kat's excellent advice:

If you do find it will focus on your scope on a distant object during the day - not a given - without altering the focus, make marks or take measurements, so that you can find that position again.

Then insert an eyepiece and slide it up and down in the focuser until it too is in focus.

Make a mark on the nosepiece so you can insert that eyepiece in the same position so that it's in focus and so you can centre your target.

A reticle eyepiece will increase your chances of hitting the target with the tiny camera sensor:

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/specialist/skywatcher-125mm-illuminated-reticle-eyepiece.html

Parfocal Rings give a more precise positioning.

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/adapters/astro-essentials-parfocal-rings.html

Michael