Does Guide cam + Planetary Cam = DMK21?

[tooth_dr]

I've been thinking about upgrading my toucam to a DMK21. AFAIK the toucam I have has the same chip as the DMK21 (Sony ICX098BL). I'm aware of the limitations of frame rate with the toucam (USB1.1) versus the DMK21, but are there other significant differences to make it worth changing?

I would also need it as a new guidecam too. I though this would kill two birds with one stone?

Any other suggestions out there? What about a QHY5 or QHY6 for example?

Thanks

Adam

[riklaunim]

You can guide with a DMK21 (somehow, as some people do that). As for advantages over color ToUcam: uncompressed avi (60fps max, 30 fps safe), higher sensitivity (monochrome), good for IR-RGB imaging (but you have to record each channel). Better than this would be Lumenera Skynx 2.0, and even more DMK21 modded with ICX618ALA or a industry cam with such sensor (Point Grey Flea 3 and others?).

Qhy5 is a CMOS, and CMOS is Rubbish compared to DMK21. If you want a camera with autoguider port you can wait a bit for Atik Titan which will be 1/3" CCD with 16 bit AD, 15fps and as all atiks - autoguider port (1/4" 8 bit for DMK21).

[tooth_dr]

You can guide with a DMK21 (somehow, as some people do that). As for advantages over color ToUcam: uncompressed avi (60fps max, 30 fps safe), higher sensitivity (monochrome), good for IR-RGB imaging (but you have to record each channel). Better than this would be Lumenera Skynx 2.0, and even more DMK21 modded with ICX618ALA or a industry cam with such sensor (Point Grey Flea 3 and others?).

Qhy5 is a CMOS, and CMOS is Rubbish compared to DMK21. If you want a camera with autoguider port you can wait a bit for Atik Titan which will be 1/3" CCD with 16 bit AD, 15fps and as all atiks - autoguider port (1/4" 8 bit for DMK21).

Thanks for the reply

My webcam is a modded one (not colour one) with the same chip as the DMK therefore sensitivity should be equal to the DMK? I've used it for LRGB imaging too, so putting those aside, are framerates the only difference or is the DMK less noisy?

Also I image with a DSLR lol so my budget for the guidecam/lunar cam is about 200-300 so probably looking at a secondhand DMK/QHY6, def not a Lumenera/Atik.

Cheers

Adam

[riklaunim]

Titan is initialy priced at 460. DMK is good and not often sold so it will be hard to find one. You could also do some googling of local vendors with USB/Firewire industry cams that can work as better planetary cam (and guiders by the way). They may be cheaper than DMK.

[tooth_dr]

Thanks for the info.

Are you happy with your DMK?

[riklaunim]

Yes, it's very good. I can use Pro Planet 742 ir passing filter on Saturn with 6" Newtonian, and on standard f5 it can catch some DS as well As for industry cams - for example uEye looks nice (1/3 CCD).

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[tooth_dr]

Very nice, seems like a great cam. Just not sure if there would be significant benefit over my ICX098BL toucam, hence the title lol!

[beamish]

I personally wouldn't be too convinced by the Titan- I've got the QHY5 for guiding initially, and it's not bad on Luna but it's not really a planetary cam, but great for guiding ! I've just sold my DMK21 (only had it a week) only because I was fortunate enough to get hold of a Lumenera Lu070 ( board level Lu075/SKYnyx 2-0). Initial test results are SUPERB!! ( ICX42AL Mono).

The problem as I see it is "planetary " cams which offer a bigger chip seem to invariably offer smaller pixels and slower max fps- I spent ages & ages looking thru as many data sheets as I could get my hands on and couldn't find a good compromise -hence settled on the mono DMK21 All that changed with the arrival of the LU though, far more sensitive chip.

[arad85]

Benefits of a DMK are faster frame rate, parameters more controllable than the mono toucam and longer exposure times (assuming you haven't done the LE mod) for guiding. Upside of the QHY is the large chip size but downside is reduced sensitivity plus some issues running it as a dedicated planetary (I've seen web pages where people have had problems trying to get fast shutter speeds out of it and jgs001 on here has had problems with noise on certain exposure settings).

For guiding, the mono webcam will be just as good as the DMK (assuming LE mod). For high framerate planetary - the DMK will beat the webcam/QHY hands down. All IMHO of course

[tooth_dr]

Thanks chaps, yes my toucam is a LX modded SC1.5 one with the monochrome chip. I have it for sale atm. If I get a decent offer on it, I'll let it go and get the DMK. I also have a colour LX modded toucam as well, so I seem to have a bit of overlap on my gear, and it rarely gets used.

[jgs001]

I've the QHY5v, it's a smaller chip than the QHY5, but has a global shutter. I've never had a problem with it for guiding (apart from when I knocked focus out without realising and couldn't find a guide star ). I think the lines issue I was seeing were resolved with an update on the drivers. The biggest headache was getting the drivers installed so I could use both PHD and QGVideo (although not at the same time). I opted for this, as it was half the price of the IS cameras... Had I the money available, I'd have gone with a DMK or some such.

[arad85]

I've the QHY5v...I think the lines issue I was seeing were resolved with an update on the drivers.

Ahh... they've gone now have they? That's good news if they have.

I think the QHY5v sensor is less sensitive than the mono CCD versions though. I'm already struggling with the DMK on Saturn having to have shutter speeds between 1/10 and 1/20th to get anything visible. I'd really like to be up at the 1/30 or 1/60 range though but I need more sensitivity for that...