DSLR Camera mod :-)

[Robculm]

Hi All,

Keeping in mind these are both minimal data (~1h of 5 min subs), no calibration frames, 5 min processing in Startools & yes, I still have some star shape issues to resolve 🙄.

But I was so excited with the result I wanted to share! 😁

M33 obviously. Before & after the camera mod (by Andy Ellis http://www.astronomiser.co.uk/). Received it back yesterday & despite the questionable forecast, managed an hour of reasonably clear sky...

 

[MarsG76]

Massive improvement.... I remember how my modded, and later cooled, DSLR opened up the universe to me too...

 

[Robculm]

Just to add, I realise of course that this is perhaps not the best target for showing off an IR filter mod! I'm looking forward to using it on something like the horsehead nebula in due course... But that said, making something red even redder is perhaps not as exciting as showing the colour where it's just not visible pre-mod!

I excitedly showed the 2 images to my daughter this morning & she said she prefers the 'blue' image! 🤣

Edited October 13, 2021 by Robculm

[michael8554]

Nice work Rob !

Most people call that mod a "Ha Mod", the IR filter remains in place.

If you had the bandpass and the IR filter removed, that's a "Full Spectrum Mod".

Michael

[nephilim]

Big improvement, good job.

 

[Robculm]

Ha, yes, the terminology is somewhat confusing. I didn't have the full spectrum mod, so I guess you could call it the Ha mod, yes.

Now I just need to resolve my star shape problem (which looks like a collimation issue after some more fumbling around with alan keys in the dark last night!)...

[alacant]

23 hours ago, Robculm said:

Before & after

Hi

Excellent. Love it. Removal of the hot mirror really does make the red hit you.

18 minutes ago, Robculm said:

star shape problem

Loosen the mirror clips (even better, remove them and fix the mirror to the cell using silicone sealant) and have a look at the individual frames. Remove any which have elongated, fat or nudged-double stars. Or just run it through ST's Repair module.

Oh, and don't forget to remove the stacking artefacts from around the edges of the stack a good few pixels more than you think;)

Cheers

Edited October 14, 2021 by alacant

[alacant]

25 minutes ago, Robculm said:

fumbling around with alan keys

Fit m4 bolts and thumb nuts. Or just bolts with simple hex-nuts. Or knurled head bolts...

Much easier.

HTH

Edited October 14, 2021 by alacant

[michael8554]

"Removal of the hot mirror really does make the red hit you."

To avoid further confusion, AFAIK "Hot Mirror" refers to the IR Filter, which remains in place in a Ha mod ?

Michael

Edited October 14, 2021 by michael8554

[Robculm]

Here's a link to the description of this on Andy's page:

http://astronomiser.co.uk/filters.htm

So mine was the 'rear filter removal with sensor repositioning'.

[alacant]

2 hours ago, michael8554 said:

AFAIK "Hot Mirror" refers to the IR Filter,

Both filters on an eos are IR.

Remove both for full spectrum, Removal of just the hot mirror is fine for most deep red astro stuff.

HTH

 

 

[michael8554]

So which "hot mirror" do you to remove ?

The # LPF-1 filter passes the visual band and rejects IR, so this remains in place in a Ha mod.

If you remove that and the #LPF-2 filter you have a Full Spectrum mod.

The  #LPF-2  filter is a visual band filter that partly attenuates the Ha end of the spectrum, so only that one is removed for a Ha mod.

Michael

[alacant]

36 minutes ago, michael8554 said:

which "hot mirror"

Don't want to hijak the OP's thread but anyway,..

If you're still not sure, when you're inside, you'll see that the hot mirror has a blue colour to it. On an eos, it's the sandwiched one. 

Good luck and please let us know how you get on.

Cheers and HTH.

[Ohgodwherediditgo]

Did you use a filter for either ? I recently modded my 1000D the same way and now considering a Badder Neodymium in a Bortle 5.

[Robculm]

9 minutes ago, Ohgodwherediditgo said:

Did you use a filter for either ? I recently modded my 1000D the same way and now considering a Badder Neodymium in a Bortle 5.

No, didn't use a filter for either.

I do have a UHC (Explore Scientific) which I've previously been using on nebula targets. Will certainly be experimenting with that on the modded camera at some point. Hopefully there's now enough Ha transmission to warrant it reduntant. Problem I found is that although it certainly helped exagerate the Ha (pre-mod) you lose the natural star colour, rendering them all either blue or red as you're essentially blocking everything in between!