Fuji Finepix S2 Pro - whorth it to use?

[m4k3r]

Hi everyone, I was wondering if it's worth using an old 20+ year old DSLR on a Windows XP laptop or should I leave it alone and buy a new camera? (which is younger than Fine S2 Pro) It has a Super CCD sensor, different from Cmos. I'll be give it a try when my astro-rig setup is ready for the good weather!

Some details of the Camera:

FinePix S2 Pro

• Effective megapixels: 6.10
• Total megapixels: 6.50
• Sensor size: 23 x 15.5 mm
• Sensor type: CCD
• Sensor resolution: 3004 x 2030
• Max. image resolution: 4256 x 2848
• Pixel pitch: 7.66 µm
• ISO: 100, 160, 200, 400, 800, 1600
• Shutter speed: 30 sec automatically, longer exp. with remote release (the mechanic one)

I'm excited about the image sensor, it is CCD and not as usual as CMOS sensors and not much found of astropics with this camera on the internet...

[Elp]

Just try it. I've done imaging with compact cameras and mobile phones.

[Paul M]

I'm all for going off piste and making life difficult... so if it can be mounted and reach focus, why not have a play?

You don't mention what file formats it can output. You'll need something like RAW, uncompressed, unfettered even, and readable by the standard astro image processing packages.

If the camera does that, go for it, and share your efforts!

[m4k3r]

12 hours ago, Paul M said:

I'm all for going off piste and making life difficult... so if it can be mounted and reach focus, why not have a play?

You don't mention what file formats it can output. You'll need something like RAW, uncompressed, unfettered even, and readable by the standard astro image processing packages.

If the camera does that, go for it, and share your efforts!

It makes tiff or it's own raw (.Raf) format, that can be coverted to tiff. It think it can be used by DSS.

Edited January 9 by m4k3r
correcting text

[Paul M]

6 hours ago, m4k3r said:

It makes tiff or it's own raw (.Raf) format, that can be coverted to tiff. It think it can be used by DSS.

 LibRaw seems to be able to rip most proprietary ".raw" formats. 

https://www.libraw.org/homepage

I note that ASTAP uses LibRaw for internal automatic conversion of .RAW image files. I know it works with Canon .RAW files and may very well accept Fuji's .RAF format directly.

I use ASTAP most of the time. It does a lot of things!

https://www.hnsky.org/astap

 

 

[m4k3r]

4 hours ago, Paul M said:

I note that ASTAP uses LibRaw for internal automatic conversion of .RAW image files. I know it works with Canon .RAW files and may very well accept Fuji's .RAF format directly.

Paul! Thanks for the links and info, you give me some inspiration, new things to learn!  

I'm still in the work of my mount to improve accuracy and make the goto function working as well. But kind to know the camera is usable! I got some test shoots without any lens on the cam. Just for have some raw images.