Best imaging camera?

[Flame Nebula]

Hi, 

I'm gathering information on this, and hopefully some experienced planetary imagers can help me. 

Assumption : scope = SW 200pds on AZEQ6.

I've done a few hours research on imaging cameras and looked on astrobin specifically at images taken with a 200pds.

From what I've learned so far, I've seen very good images taken with a variety of cameras, usually zwo ones, using a 200pds.But, these were either 2.9 micron pixel size or 3.75. I did think smaller was better, but some superb images of jupiter and albedo detail on ganymede were achieved with a asi224mc (I was really surprised by the ganymede view, as I didn't think 8" could pick out albedo details). What I've also noticed is that they almost all use 3-5x Barlow. As I understand, this is to obtain the desired arcseconds per pixel of 0.1-0.25, for the specific scope, depending on seeing. I also noted that the exceptional images I found took huge number of frames (40000!, at 100fps,10ms per frame, way more frames than I've read is normal, i. e approx 5000) and with a 5x extender, would have been 0.15"/pixel (usually associated with very good /excellent seeing) . Perhaps they had excellent seeing and the huge number of frames pulled out exceptional detail from a few percent of total? I also note that nearly every image from various imagers, included the use of a zwo adc. Since I understand these operate best at f20 or higher, to minimise abberations, that would imply a 4x Barlow or more for an F5 scope. Maybe this explains why the particular imager went with the larger pixel sized 224mc rather than say the 2.9 microns in say a 662mc, so as to keep abberations limited, whilst satisfying the required arcseconds /pixel he wanted. 

Anyway, it seems that I could follow a similar path. 

However, I wanted to get some opinions on this. Would you agree on 224mc,zwo adc and 5x Barlow? Or something different? 

Since I'll be able to track fairly accurately with the az-eq6, what would be the best camera to use, assuming a zwo adc is in place. 

Thanks 

Mark 

[Cosmic Geoff]

A question. How do you intend to fit an ADC to a 200PDS, given the extra path introduced by the length of the ADC, and the limited focuser travel of the typical Newtonian?

[Flame Nebula]

6 minutes ago, Cosmic Geoff said:

A question. How do you intend to fit an ADC to a 200PDS, given the extra path introduced by the length of the ADC, and the limited focuser travel of the typical Newtonian?

Hi Cosmic Geoff, 

I don't know, but many of the imagers on astrobin using a 200pds seems to have managed it, so it must be possible. 😉

Mark 

[Elp]

Youve missed the point that the 224mc is particularly popular because of its IR sensitivity, for more detail in planetary you use an IR pass filter and add that to your RGB data. It's also very competitively priced.

[Flame Nebula]

3 hours ago, Elp said:

Youve missed the point that the 224mc is particularly popular because of its IR sensitivity, for more detail in planetary you use an IR pass filter and add that to your RGB data. It's also very competitively priced.

Hi Elp, 

I'm still learning, 😉. 

I've seen that a UV/IR cut filter is often used, but hadn't looked into that yet. But, I will be. 

Thanks for pointing this out

Thanks 

Mark 

[Elp]

Most astro cameras (not all) have an all pass glass in front of the sensor (sometimes classed as AR anti reflective, zwo have a few others), if it's all pass that's when you use a UV/IR or luminence filter to reduce the IR bloat you get from allowing that through to the sensor. The filter is usually used in DSO imaging to reduce star bloat, and ensuring sharper detail and luminosity of the RGB levels.

[Flame Nebula]

2 minutes ago, Elp said:

Most astro cameras (not all) have an all pass glass in front of the sensor (sometimes classed as AR anti reflective, zwo have a few others), if it's all pass that's when you use a UV/IR or luminence filter to reduce the IR bloat you get from allowing that through to the sensor. The filter is usually used in DSO imaging to reduce star bloat, and ensuring sharper detail and luminosity of the RGB levels.

Thanks Elp👍

How does this improve the planetary detail? What would happen if it wasn't used? 

Mark

[Elp]

This should explain it:

https://www.planetary-astronomy-and-imaging.com/en/ir-cut-filter-asi224mc/

 

[Flame Nebula]

9 minutes ago, Elp said:

This should explain it:

https://www.planetary-astronomy-and-imaging.com/en/ir-cut-filter-asi224mc/

 

Thanks Elp 

Mark