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Help with Imaging...

DemonicOmelette

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DemonicOmelette

DemonicOmelette

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I've built a cheap imitation of an imaging rig... Found an old webcam, sorted out an adapter using an old film canister, and got it mounted on my scope. Now, i need help.

First question, what software does people use for capturing images? I need something witha small footprint, as my laptop has very limited storage....

First attempts at capturing images (with wxastrocapture), I have the tree down the street in focus on the peripheries, but have a MASSIVE black circle in the middle. Presumably caused by the secondary mirror in my Skywatcher 130? The image is shot through a 2x barlow...

What's the next step to making this work?

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glennbech

glennbech

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Hi,

I'm glad that you have managed to get together a rig without going over budget! good on you.

It seems that the next step would be to figure out how to use your kit during daylight first. If you have a huge massive hole in the middle, there is something wrong :-)

Is the rest of the image okay, even with the black hole in it? Have you tried without the barlow? Can you achieve good focus?

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barkis

barkis

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Have you removed the lens from the Webcam? Seems like you can't get focused properly. Apologies if you have taken the lens out.

You will need the original webcam driver installed , and you can download Image Capture free. That what I was advised when I first did mine.

Ron.:)

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beamish

beamish

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Yes, you do need to remove the installed lens on the w/cam- otherwise you will not be able to focus properly on distant objects thru the scope ( I know ,I made the same mistake with one of my w/cams !!)

Once you have your captured images try using Registax v5 to stack and process your avi's (free!! :) )

Karlo

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RichieJarvis

RichieJarvis

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The other way, if you wish to leave the lens in place, is to use eyepiece projection. What you are attempting at the moment is known as 'A-focal imaging'

In Eyepiece Projection, you simple hold the camera against an eyepiece and shoot. Its alot harder doing things that way though - the trick is to hold the camera rigidly inline with the eyepiece. You can buy barrels to do this as well, but obviously that adds to the cost.

Good luck with your imaging rig!

Cheers,

Richie

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RichieJarvis

RichieJarvis

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To my knowledge, only with the internal lens removed - you need to expose the bare chip essentially. I think that this is because you cannot achieve focus with a lens which is intended to focus the same as an eye.

Imagine it like this - in old film cameras, its like a pin-hole camera - no lens in place, just a pinhole - the telescope is the pinhole, and the chip is the film.

Incidentally, this is why the Philips SPC700/900 range are so great, because the lens can be removed and saved for later without damaging the camera - its a clip-in jobby.

Does that help??

Cheers,

Richie

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RobH

RobH

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This is my understanding of it:

Afocal = lens in and hold to eyepiece.

EP projection = lens out and hold to eyepiece.

No....wrong!

Afocal means that the scope is the lens and you put the chip at the focal point of the main objective lens.

EP projection is where you keep the lens on the camera or webcam and by some means hold it to the eyepiece.

Most imaging is afocal, using a webcam with the lens removed, or a DSLR with no lens, or a CCD camera, which doesn't have a lens at all.

With the Phillips webcams mentioned earlier, you remove the lens, and then attach a 1 1/4" adapter and simply put the cam with adapter attached into your scopes focuser, exactly as you would with an eyepiece.

The adapters are cheap and available from several sources...I think I got mine from Telescope House.

Cheers

Rob

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legion48

legion48

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No....wrong!

Afocal means that the scope is the lens and you put the chip at the focal point of the main objective lens.

EP projection is where you keep the lens on the camera or webcam and by some means hold it to the eyepiece.

Most imaging is afocal, using a webcam with the lens removed, or a DSLR with no lens, or a CCD camera, which doesn't have a lens at all.

With the Phillips webcams mentioned earlier, you remove the lens, and then attach a 1 1/4" adapter and simply put the cam with adapter attached into your scopes focuser, exactly as you would with an eyepiece.

The adapters are cheap and available from several sources...I think I got mine from Telescope House.

Cheers

Rob

I dunno Roy, your afocal method sounds like prime focus to me.:)

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RobH

RobH

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Duhhh.....I'm tired

Of course I mean prime focus.....sorry ;)

As I'm in Japan at the moment I suppose I'll have to fall on my sword now :)

The rest of the description is fine though.....isn't it :)

Cheers

Rob

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RichieJarvis

RichieJarvis

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D'oh - sorry - thats my fault - I always get A-Focal and Prime Focus mixed up...

Sorry guys - Yup - please substitute Prime Focus everywhere I wrote A-Focal above :)

To clarify then:

EP Projection - Webcam Lens IN, Held at Eyepiece

Prime Focus - Webcam Lens OUT, no eyepiece in telescope

Sorry for the confusion,

Richie

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RichieJarvis

RichieJarvis

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Looks like its also known as A-Focal: Afocal - Heres another interesting arcticle as well: the astroscopic labs - article: eyepiece projection photography

By the way - I am by no means claiming to be right/correct here - I was just saying my understanding of things. Although, now I think about it, if I connect my DSLR to my meade eyepiece projector, I do NOT put a lens on the DSLR - My memory is getting wobbly now, but I think I did try it once, but didn't get it to work....

I have used my old Olympus 3000D mounted and held against a normal 26mm eyepiece and managed to get images from my old ETX-105, and I have used a webcam without lens at prime-focus on my ETX-105 and LX200R and managed to get images of the moon and planets. I've also used my DSLR and CCD at prime-focus, which is the method I have most experience of.....

Always more to learn, isn't there :)

Cheers,

Richie

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barkis

barkis

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Duhhh.....I'm tired

Of course I mean prime focus.....sorry :eek:

As I'm in Japan at the moment I suppose I'll have to fall on my sword now :eek:

The rest of the description is fine though.....isn't it :)

Cheers

Rob

Please, no Hari Kiri Rob. you're too valuable alive mate.

Japan hey? I would really like to visit that country.

With a Platinum CC if possible.:);).

Ron.

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RobH

RobH

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Please, no Hari Kiri Rob. you're too valuable alive mate.

Japan hey? I would really like to visit that country.

With a Platinum CC if possible.:):).

Ron.

Too late Ron....I'm now one of the undead ;)

Believe me, you need a platinum CC over here.....it's super expensive!

I've been making myself a lot of sandwiches at work and bringing them back to the hotel afterwards.....£40 for breakfast.....I don't think so!

When I've done EP projection, I have used a camera with the lens in.

Prime focus imaging uses the scope as the lens.

Cheers

Rob

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RobH

RobH

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I don't think it's been mentioned yet, but if you use a webcam with the lens removed and an adapter fitted, you will need to add an Infra red filter also.

Chips are very sensitive to IR and if a filter isn't used, images tend to bloat.

The adapters come with a screw thread for adding filters so it isn't a problem.

Cheers

Rob

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