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Which £400 lunar planetary cam...or a minitron...

Psychobilly

By Psychobilly
in Imaging - Discussion

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Psychobilly

Psychobilly

Posted
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Tomorrow is going to be crunch day for the Opticstar - armed with a wodge of e-mails I shall be trying to return it for a refund as I am not prepared to wait another 3 months for software which "might" fix the problems...

So....

Looking to use the potential credit note to get a replacement Lunar/planetary/guidecam...

Thoughhts are one of the lower spec Image source cams (mono?) or an Atik 16 of some description...

I am also toying with a minitron as an alternative for an almost realtime DSO "finder" for the imaging setup...

Any advice please...

Peter....

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Ben Ritchie

Ben Ritchie

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If you want all three of Lunar/planetary/guidecam in one then the DMK works well - not the most sensitive guide camera you'll every find, but perfectly reasonable and a very capable lunar/planetary imager.

The Atik 16ic would be a better guider (and imaging CCD) but at the cost of significantly reduced lunar/planetary performance

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Ben Ritchie

Ben Ritchie

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Do I have this right, have Image Source Issued guiding software for the DMK range of cameras.?

PHD and AstroArt both support the DMK cameras as autoguiders, the Imaging Source software doesn't ... but PHD is free anyway.

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MrEd

MrEd

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If you want all three of Lunar/planetary/guidecam in one then the DMK works well - not the most sensitive guide camera you'll every find, but perfectly reasonable and a very capable lunar/planetary imager.

The Atik 16ic would be a better guider (and imaging CCD) but at the cost of significantly reduced lunar/planetary performance

I agree 100% with ben.

Thats as good as it gets (apart from the QHY5v)

Ed

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Psychobilly

Psychobilly

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Ben/ED - Thanks for that...

DK - No - not yet.... but it needs to be given a fair chance... :icon_rolleyes:

I already have a decent guidecam in the DSI II which ideally I want to leave setup onthe 500mm f8 guidescope so guiding is a secondary role really occasionally i might want to pop it on the 8" for "tighter" guiding ...

I might re-visit the opticstar if they ever get decent software written for it... but I am fed up of waiting round until then with an £400 white aluminium paper weight...

Peter....

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Psychobilly

Psychobilly

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Thanks Nick...

I have yet to fail to find a guidestar with the DSI IIC on the 500m f8... even though its the OSC version... I know the monos are much better...

It will be a case of let battle commence in the morning then... or this afternoon maybe... hmmmm

So just to confirm Nick it's the 21AU04.AS the Mono one without IR cut...

Peter...

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rikyuu

rikyuu

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Did you mean Mintron?:icon_rolleyes: If so I have one of those (12V6) and they are VERY sensitive. In fact I managed to see the flame nebula live and after capturing a frame, with some image adjustment also got the horshead nebula with 60mm TV zoom lens!! It would make a super-sensitive guide camera, which is was I was eventually going to keep it for, but I've opted for a simple ALT-AZ GOTO setup now.

I might be interested in selling it if you are interested. Been in 2 minds whether to sell or keep for the future, but let me know if you are interested.

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NickH

NickH

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Yup that's the one

I have yet NOT to find a guide star with a bog standard DSI-C in PHD, unlike the QHY5, which I got rid of a week after it arrived (on loan)

DMK are superb...great planetary cams for sure...just a gnats away from the skynyx in overall sensitivity etc

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Psychobilly

Psychobilly

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Cheera all for the helpful advice...

Hopefully will get one "ordered" tomorrow and have it by the end of the week...

Then I suppose i'll need a set of RGB filters and a manual filter wheel?... I have UV/IR cut and some narrow band ones already..

Just need someone to give me a hand with the final dialling in of the collimation of the SCT - hopefully get a practical demo at Salisbury... :icon_rolleyes:

Peter...

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Dangerous-Dave

Dangerous-Dave

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Comiserations about the Opticstar, a mate had similar problems with this camera. regarding DMKs, I have used the DMK21AU04 to guide (with PHD/GPUSB) for about 18 months and it does a great job. The only problem is it can sometimes be tricky to get a guidestar onto the 1/4" chip - guiderings or an X-Y locator are a must. I've ordered a flip mirror to assist as well. The DMK31 is 1/3" and the 41 is 1/2" but the price goes up exponentially and you sacrifice framerate for planetary. (41 is max 15fps IIRC)

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Psychobilly

Psychobilly

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Cheers Dave...

its a standby guidecam as John as my spare at the moment - I have dedicated guidecam adn guidescope scope on the 3 OTA setup (DSI IIC on 500m f8) but want soemthing that can be pressed into service in the 8"...

Its the lunar planetary performance thats the most important anything else is a bonus...

I think Nick and Ed have convinced me which way to go...

Peter...

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Psychobilly

Psychobilly

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John... I dont want/need it back...

The need if for a decent palnetary/lunar cam - until I have tried with a decent camera i will never know if it's going to be my thing.... I have already discounted "visual" as grey fuzzy blobs don't do anything for me... I ratehr let technology compensate for the shortcomings in my eyesight...

I don't want to disturb the guidescope/cam setup but every now and again i hanker back to the days when i used to image through the M72 anbd guide through the 8" ... bit of overkill... but used to have cracking reults ....

Peter...

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Dangerous-Dave

Dangerous-Dave

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Cheers Dave...

its a standby guidecam as John as my spare at the moment - I have dedicated guidecam adn guidescope scope on the 3 OTA setup (DSI IIC on 500m f8) but want soemthing that can be pressed into service in the 8"...

Its the lunar planetary performance thats the most important anything else is a bonus...

I think Nick and Ed have convinced me which way to go...

Peter...

Yep it's a no brainer. RGB sounds harder than it is. The DMK will be great for Mars this winter.

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NickH

NickH

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modded Toucam is an ICX098BL chipset typically, which is the same as the DMK 21AU04 series. RAW mod that and you have a cracking setup

Just a lot slower and the software (nothing I have seen yet compares to the AS Capture app for just all round usability) not as good

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Psychobilly

Psychobilly

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Hi Arthur,

I have already got the scopes (CPC 800XLT and Megrez 72 on fixed pier and wedge in the observatory)

Yes modded toucams are pretty niffty and a cheaper alternative... but I am expecting to negotiate a swap deal for the camera as the Opticstar has proven to be "not fit for purpose" ... I can't be bothered to wait another 3 months for software which might actually allow me to use the camera...

Peter...

Next question...

Filter advice...

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