Celestron Neximage

[greenninja]

I was wondering what people's opinions were on the Celestron NexImage - which although I've seen it billed as a CCD, I'm sure is based on a webcam platform.

Think of picking one up specifically for planetary and luanr imaging

Paul

[cootuk]

What scope were you thinking of using with it?

I just bought one.

You'll need to get your focal length up to 4000mm+ (F30ish?) to get detail on planets by the looks of it.

I'm looking for a new scope as a 500mm FL scope with barlows just doesn't hack it...saturn appears as a small blob with a ring, but no detail.

Maybe a 1000FL scope with x4/x5 barlow?

The planets move across the eyepiece failry quick at these mags, so you may need a drive too?

[jgs001]

Paul, I believe it's based on the same CCD and components as the Philips toucam and SPC900 webcam ranges. I don't know how much that is selling for, but it might be worth looking also at the QHY5v, it's sold as a guide camera, but it has about the same chip size, but is capable of much higher frame rates. The Philips webcams are USB 1 so to avoid compression of the data from the camera you are limited to around 10 to 15 fps. The QHY5v is USB 2 so can operate much faster (I've hit 83fps but that has other issues ..) I don't think it's that much more than the Neximage, but is about half the price of the dmk type cameras. It's cmos instead of CCD but I've not had a problem with that in use so far. (I've had some odd lines which I think was either an older driver or dodgy cable, I changed both at once, so am not sure... )

[Demonperformer]

I've used Neximage with the 6SE to get Mars, Jupiter (and its moons), Saturn and Uranus, and a load of moon shots. Posted quite a few on the forum. Just started last year and most are fairly early shots. Easy to use. Can recommend Robin(rwg)'s capture software (Sharpcap).

[Daz1969]

Hi Paul, I used to have one of these and the reducer ,it was a great little cam,easy to use and gave great results.

I would have one again no worries:)

Daz

[red dwalf]

great camera, easy to use, same as the philips webcams only the software is different, great way to start imaging as these are easy touse but you might need to get the f ratio to about 30+ for best results on some smaller planets, i`ve done f 20 useing a barlow on Jupiter and resized the image and it came out great for my first effort

[greenninja]

Excellent - I'll check out the QHY5v too.

I'll initially be using it with a Skywatcher 120 'frac - with a 1000mm focal length.

As I understand it the camera works like 5mm eyepiece - which should give a magnification of 200x? Am I correct in this assumption?

[red dwalf]

i believe it`s more like a 6mm eyepiece but whats in 1mm,

[dark knight]

I've got one complete with the reducer that you can buy off me for £70, think they cost up to £130ish new + the redcucer, so it would save you a few quid. The only reason I'm selling it is because I do more DSO imaging than planets and I have an Atik 1HSII.

Carl

PS. It is the equivalent to a 6mm eye piece. Just let me know Paul so I can put it in the for sale section if you do not want it.

[greenninja]

Hi Carl - sounds like a deal to me - if you pop it up I'll take it!

[BlueAstra]

I have a Neximage, and I've posted a few shots of planets and the moon with it. I use it with WXAstrocapture. Sometimes use it with a x3 barlow. You can also mod it for long exposure and RAW download. Take a look here:

How do I set RAW modes and long exposures with NexImage?

Yes, that is Celestron showing people how to third party mod their own cameras

[peter liddle]

got one at xmas, not used it yet, but did have to download the phillips web cam

software to make it work, the disc sent with it would not work,

[peter liddle]

finaly got some raw footage with the neximage on my 8ins dob.

got the vid onto photo bucket, here is the url

there is a bit of atmospheric shimmering, i think i was in the

plume track of next doors boiler, another snag to go along with

light polution, will move to the end of the garden next time.

please will someone at least let me know if they managed to

load up the vid and see it,

thanks

[peter liddle]

omg it worked, erm correction to vid script

not a nextstar cam, its a neximage

and not an unchanced moons surface, its an unchanged surface,

well it was my first try, !!!!

[No-i-dear]

Hope you don't mind me posting a couple of questions, but does the Philips 900 require a similar long focal length?

Also, is the Neximage the same as the TS Optics cam?

Great vid by the way Peter!

[stephen_usher]

As posted elsewhere on the forums, here's an instructional video I made about creating a Jupiter time-lapse using my NexImage and Meade LX90 8" 'scope:

http://youtu.be/i9SROEO09HM