Which GuideCam

[jgs001]

I'm in need of a guidecam. Apart from the chip size and £10... which is best between the QHY5 and the QHY5v ?

I know the QHY5v is listed as a planetary cam, how does the QHY5 perform ?

As much as I'd love an imaging source cam, it's not going to be possible at the moment, the funds aren't available for one.

So which one and why ?

[jgs001]

Or would lx modding my spc900 be sufficient ?

[Sam]

John,

The QHY5 has a bigger sensor than the "v" so there's more chance of getting a guide star. As it happens it's a pretty good lunar camera as well - would do planets, but for colour you'd need some filters.

I used to use my LX SPC900NC and from what I can tell the QHY5 is more sensitive so will pick up more possible guide stars (bigger sensor too). If have the money then the QHY5 would be the best option in this case.

Sam

[steppenwolf]

Hi John, I have used both of these guide cameras and both work well but for autoguiding, the QHY5 is the better bet because of the larger sensor size.

Using my SW 80mm Refractor as the test bed guide 'scope, the QHY5v had a field of view of 38.8’ x 24.8’ against the QHY5's 57.2’ x 45.8’. This gives the QHY5 a greater chance of finding a suitable guide star. However, unusually for a CMOS sensor the QHY5v has a Global Shutter which can result in smoother quality images as it exposes the entire image simultaneously whereas a Rolling Shutter such as that on the QHY5 exposes different portions of the frame at different points in time as it ‘rolls’ through the frame so image quality is better with the QHY5v. The QHY5v also has a faster frame rate capability making it a better lunar/planetary imaging camera when not being used for autoguiding.

[adamsp123]

I vote for the QHY5 as a guidecam, why not have a chat with Bern at Modernastronomy.

[jgs001]

Hmm... Interesting points. With collomaiting rings on my guide scope I'm sort of half leaning toward the v for the high frame rates. If only the prices were hugely different

Pete I'll give Bern a call tomorrow...

[Herakles]

Hi John

I use guide rings on my scope ( ST80 ) . Gotta be honest and say that I can get stars in the smaller FOV, only need the one ! I hummed and hawed between the same two . Ended up getting the 5v because of the higher frame rate and the shutter being better .

Hopefully will be able to try it out proper this week at Galloway SP.

[beamish]

Hmm... Interesting points. With collomaiting rings on my guide scope I'm sort of half leaning toward the v for the high frame rates. If only the prices were hugely different

Pete I'll give Bern a call tomorrow...

You can always reduce the size of the ROI in the 5 to get the same/similar frame rates ! Guiding/lunar.... QHY5, planetary cam 5V my vote.

Karlo

[jgs001]

Thanks for the info Pete...

Karlo, interesting info on the 5... I was kinda hoping the 5v would also be a good guidecam.

[beamish]

Bottom line John is that you can use it for guiding as long as you're happy with the smaller FOV and possibilities of probs finding suitable stars. The 5 is available with a colour chip then you could play with the ROI and frame sizes for fast FPS when using on planets- ought to have a chat with Bern, then of course there's the QHY5T !!! and the 2x new cooled cams coming out v soon using the same chips as the IS 21 & 31 respectively

The choice is such, that I'm stuck too

[jgs001]

As long as they are all around that price, then I'll be in the same stuck... I bet they're not though... I'm going to have a chat with Bern about it.

[beamish]

No idea about the 5T as for other two new ones,

Camera Model: IMG0S(Mono/Color)

CCD: SONY HAD CCD sensor ICX204AL/AK

Resolution: 1024*780

ADC: High quality low noise 14BIT ADC

Data Rate: Maxium 20Mbyte/s

Maxium Download FPS: 25FPS @ full resolution 40FPS at 500*400 (plantary mode)

Note: The maxium FPS is woking in 8bit mode .In 14bit mode the FPS will reduce to half

Analog Gain: 0-36DB

Digital Gain: 1X,2X,4X,16X,32X(For 8bit mode ,use this to boost the low bit range)

Cooling: one Stage -30degree below ambient

Build in SDRAM Buffer: 32MByte

Telescope Interface: 2inch and M42/0.75

Camera Model: IMG0L (Mono/Color)

CCD: SONY HAD CCD sensor ICX098BL/AK

Resolution: 640*480

ADC: High quality low noise 14BIT ADC

Data Rate: Maxium 20Mbyte/s

Maxium Download FPS: 56FPS @ full resolution @8bit 30FPS@full resolution @ 14bit

Analog Gain: 0-36DB

Digital Gain: 1X,2X,4X,16X,32X(For 8bit mode ,use this to boost the low bit range)

Cooling: one Stage -30degree below ambient

Build in SDRAM Buffer: 32MByte

Telescope Interface: 2inch and M42/0.75

"Our suggestion price is

Euro288--Euro320 For IMG0L

Euro430--Euro450 For IMG0S

(Depent on the exchange ratio of CNY:Euro)

(VAT not included)

Different dealer may has some variable of the price."

Karlo

[jgs001]

Interesting cameras Karlo... They seem to be in the same sort of price bracket as the Imaging Source cams. Here's some info on the 5T

Main Features

* Sensor: Micron 1/2inch MT9T001

* Active pixels: 2048*1536

* Pixel Size: 3.2um x 3.2um square

* Support 2*2 hardware Color Binning

* USB2.0 High Speed 24Mpixel/s

* Support Various ROI capture

* Uncompressed Video data

* Builin in Guide Port Guide port, Optic isolated

* Progressive Scan

* Telescope Interface: M42/0.75

* Filter interface: M28.5/0.5 for 1.25inch Filter

* Size: 64mm diameter 26.5-32mm length

But no indication of prices

[beamish]

Interesting cameras Karlo... They seem to be in the same sort of price bracket as the Imaging Source cams.

Aye, but these are cooled !!!

[MikeP]

My experience of using an LX modified SPC900 was not good. Even with long exposures it would only pick up the brightest stars.

Mike

[jgs001]

Thanks Mike

I had a chat with Bern, and we agreed on the 5v...

[jgs001]

Thanks for all the thoughts and comments. the QHY5v is all working, and fitted... just need some clear sky to try it out...