Webcam Imaging Help

[gfletcher]

Hi Guys

Some of you out there are producing some brilliant images of Jupiter .

When imaging with a Toucam do you guys use an IR/UV blocker filter or no filter at all.

I tried last night with the IR/UV filter on and the resultant image after processing through Registax was very odd colourwise.

thanks

Graham

[omneferuss]

it's usually recommended to use the filter.

what white balance did you set in the camera controls ?

[gfletcher]

Auto white balance

[omneferuss]

mmmm...did it look odd on screen.. or after capture, watching the avi, or only after stacking and processing ? do you want to post the pic?

[TheThing]

Yes, pop the photo up. Often the worts critic of a photo is the photographer themselves. Might be as 'odd' as you say.

[gfletcher]

[gfletcher]

This was taken through my Orion ED80 without any barlow hence f7.5.

Will i get improvement if i use my celestron ultima 2X barlow ?

Graham

[riklaunim]

You will get better scale, but you need a bit longer exposures and/or bigger gain to get brighter and better image.

[omneferuss]

I agree.. up the scale a bit. Don't be afraid to dabble with different settings of 'gain' 'brightness' 'gama' and exposure settings, ie frames per second, shutter speed,...

You have a good start there! nothing wrong with that image that can't be improved by a little trial and error playing with adjustments to see what they do.

I think your concern about colour will likely be resolved in brighter exposure along with gama balance as you go.. but you will find it easier to judge your adjustments with more image scale. (just wait 'til you pull out that 10incher for a go at it! )

[Keiran]

Sorry to jump in... I am wanting to have a go at imaging Jupiter through my spc900 web cam, I have a neximage, but i dont like using it... I think the software is rubbish, and cant get along with it....

My question is Graham what software are you using to capture with the webcam...

This is bettwer that my attempt at it sofar, so well done

Thanks Keiran

[gfletcher]

Hi Kieran

That image was taken using K3CCD tools.

I am going to try :

Craterlet and wxAstroCapture ( both can be downloaded FREE )

Graham

[TheThing]

Keiran, use Sharpcap with your webcam for capture software. The latest version (v17?) has all the controls for the spc900.

[chiltonstar]

A similar question from another imaging newbie with a Toucam.....

I've used a Toucam in the past with the supplied Philips VLounge software, which worked ok'ish; I could get a half (well quarter) decent image of Mars with a long focus 4" refractor with/without a Barlow, but couldn't manage to get the webcam to operate at the highest image quality - when I try it, I can only adjust the image quality with medium or low resolution.

I now have a much more meaty PC with Win 7 which I understand from other posts is incompatible with a Toucam unless I go in for a bit of surgery etc which sounds beyond my capabilities.

Question: is it better to get a better, modern webcam which will operate with Win 7 (suggestions?) and a decent software package (again, which?) or struggle with the Toucam?

Chris

[Keiran]

Thanks Hugh and graham

[michaelmorris]

Hi Graham

That picture looks to me like it might be a bit over sharpened and the saturation may be too high. Perhaps, in future, you could try raising the gain a little to give you a brighter to start off with image.

I would definitely try increasing the image scale. Why not use your 250px with the 2 x barlow? That we would give you a larger, brighter image. I use an 8" scope with a 4 x barlow which gives me a large, bright image.