webcam image size

[gerry g]

Can anyone tell me how to increase the size of my webcam image so that it fills the screen.

As it stands, the image I currently have is about 60x60 mm in size.

[Revs]

Welcome Gerry

How are you mounting the webcam and what is it mounted on? More info, please.

[cootuk]

...and what program are you using to grab the data?

Do you mean final image size, or the size you see whilst capturing data?

[gerry g]

Hi guys

The webcam is placed directly into the eyepiece holder of the LX200R. The image size I mentioned is the actual sizes as it appears on the pc monitor. I have been told that I will have to obtain additional software to increase the image size so that the image will fill the screen. But what software?

[TheThing]

You need to increase magnifcation to increase size. As it stands, a webcam straight into a scope will be about the same as using a 6mm - 10mm EP.

To increase size, pop the webcam into a Barlow - x2, x3, x4 or even x5 - and you should see a marked improvement.

[gerry g]

I should have been clearer. The final image size is around 60x60mm. I don`t mean the size of any given object as it appears on the screen. I mean the actual picture size. Something like a thumbnail.

[Merlin66]

The webcam image is only 480 x 360 (?) on a 1200 x 960 screen resolution it will appear small.

Some imaging programs will allow you to expand the image but then it looks as if its made from Lego blocks.

[Arushin]

Hi

I had the same problem when I tried to use the default camera software.

Which capture software are you using?

I have several... AstroSnap, K3CCD Tools and SharpCap. Although K3CCD is highly recommended amongst imagers, it really is a matter of personal preference. I use SharpCap for capture and the webcams software only to adjust contract/brightness etc. K3CCDTools is free to download and the registry key for the basic version is free, although you have to update it every 90 days I think.

Hope this helps

[Revs]

If you find out how many pixels the object is across and compare it to the total res of the image, you can work out which barlow will give the right magnification to make the object fill the image better.

Lets say your webcam is 480 x 360 pixels as suggested, and the object is only, say, 60 pixels across, a 4x barlow would probably be good. Bare in mind that, a/ you may want to also fit the moons in the image, and b/ the magnification will vary depending on where you fit the barlow/camera on to the scope (ie, with or without the diagonal).

Hope I haven't confused things