should i expect better with my quark

[iwols]

hi just using a quark on a 100mm quad stepped down to about 72mm with a erf filter,using a electronic focuser so i can use small steps for focusing,image taken with a screen grab ,used both an asi 178mc and asi462mc camera,think i should be getting something better any advice really appreciated thanks also tried adjusting quark with the knob on the quark

 

Edited July 7, 2022 by iwols

[iwols]

slightly better but not as sharp on the edge and no prominences?

[assouptro]

Hi iwols 

I use a mono camera most of the time so tricky to compare but it does look “blurred” 

It could be that there was high thin cloud blurring the sun? That does happen

I tend to stay at 10ms frame rate call up the histogram and adjust the gain to get the histogram around 80%, that normally gets surface detail (I also normally have my quark knob all the way round or up to 2 clicks off the end, unfortunately I can’t say which end! You have to wait a couple of min for it to get to the right temp)

for the prominences, I turn the gain and gamma up, the surface is white ( over exposed) but the proms appear

You could have a faulty Quark? I have heard they can be a big of a lottery? 

Was it bought new? 
I hope you get it sorted? 

Cheers 

Bryan 

[iwols]

thanks bought new but ive been told it is oversampled by a lot so may need a ccd with a larger pixel um??

[Elp]

Did you focus on the overexposed version of the sun first (white circle and prominences clear to see) as it's easier to get the edge pin sharp, take your prominences images, then shorten the exposure to take the surface detail. For a fully detailed image you then blend the two.

You can image with a colour camera but most of the fine detail photos are done with mono cameras as they're more sensitive due to utilising all the pixels, if you're using colour a UV/IR filter on the front may help a little.

Edited July 8, 2022 by Elp

[iwols]

well just tried my 414ex ,is it my eyes but does this look better although im now getting what i think are newtonian rings

 

[Altocumulus]

Yep, they be newton's  rings. 

Can you slightly tilt the cam in its holder?

 

I'd be inclined to use the normal apperture for a while, see how that goes.

Edited July 8, 2022 by Altocumulus

[Ibbo!]

As Mark said on Solar Chat try 2x2 binning and capping it down with the 178.

Leave the gamma off for the time being.

Lowish gain 1/3 usually works with my set up.

 

Just noticed you was using an MC.

Mono cameras work best for solar.

 

With the 414 they are indeed NR's but it does look better