Testing and squeezing few webcams

[riklaunim]

I'm playing with 3 webcams to check what's possible with modern low and high end cams. Research project to check the cams and some software that supports them. For now I've used SharpCap and did a moon test. I've also made some Jupiter images but they turn out bad - due to unfinished modding of the cams (blue annoying LED) or to high focal ratio for a cam with small pixels... The results for now are (SCT 8", f/10):

Microsoft LifeCam HD-5000, USB 2.0

True USB 2.0 camera. One of best (gives HD video). Semi size CMOS. Probably with 2,2 pixels.

RGB24, 30 FPS, IR/UV cut

RGB24, 30 FPS, Pro Planet 742, max zoom for 640x480

RGB24, 30 FPS, Pro Planet 742

i420, 30 FPS, UV/Ir Cut

RGB24, 10 FPS at 1280x800, Ir-UV Cut

RGB24, 10 FPS at 1280x800, Pro Planet 742

Logitech QuickCam Messanger USB 1.1

Few years old, USB 1.1, good brand. CMOS sensor, looks like 1/4"

RGB24 and i420, 15FPS, Pro Planet 742, 47 and 131 frame stack

Media-Tech MT4023 USB 1.1

Cheapest camera, USB 1.1. It has CMOS sensor smaller than 1/4"

YUY2, 5 and 4 FPS, Pro Planet 742

Compare with Ir Moon shots with:

- DMK21

- Basler Ace

ToDo:

- kill the led in LifeCam

- do propper Jupiter test

- check few other apps (not only astro-specific)

[riklaunim]

Made some more Jupiter tests with LifeCam 5000-HD. I've covered the blue LED, and I've switched off auto-exposure in LifeCam application (so SharpCap settings aren't overriden). 640x480 at 30 FPS, RGB24. Zoom gives the resolution which you would get at 1280 resolution.

Pro Planet 742 no zoom:

Pro Planet 742 zoom max:

IR-UV Cut No zoom and max zoom:

[Celeste]

All I see is the dreaded red X i'm afraid

I am interested to see which is the best webcam

[riklaunim]

You can't see the images?

[teh_orph]

Good comparison. Question - what's the zoom about? Is it some kind of driver interpolation thing? If so, any idea if there's any extra data coming in or if it's "just bigger"?

Cheers!

[riklaunim]

1280x800 is a max resolution for this cam. When I use smaller resolution - the whole frame is fitted to that resolution so I guess that zoom available only on lower resolution is just a ROI of the matrix and at max zoom it's just bin 1, compared to some bin X without it.

It's rather not interpolation as HD video must be of good quality. The sensor is 1/2-1/3" I think, and it has smaller pixels than 5,6 in ICX098 (D*K21, SPC900/880).

[Celeste]

Ahh yes Ican see them now, PC must have been having having an off day

Thanks for the 'review'