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Post by Deleted on Jan 3, 2014 19:32:19 GMT
Hi All,
Newbie to the group, registered yesterday & thanks for the welcome messages.
I would like to use a basic camera / webcam in conjunction with a APM 60mm finder scope (which accepts a standard 11 /4" eyepiece) for use as an electronic / video finder scope. Any suggestions & recommendations would be appreciated. I want to use this in conjunction with the main scope/video which are a C11/MallinCam combo.
I look forward to hearing what the group would recommend.
Pat
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Post by Deleted on Jan 3, 2014 21:04:51 GMT
Hi pat I don't think a webcam will cut it as it just isn't sensitive enough. They are good for planets and the moon but that's about it unfortunately. If you can pick up a LN 300 that would do it and its very small.
Oh and have a look at Equipment modifications and finder scope suggestions.
Carl
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Post by Deleted on Jan 3, 2014 22:32:50 GMT
Hi All,
Newbie to the group, registered yesterday & thanks for the welcome messages.
I would like to use a basic camera / webcam in conjunction with a APM 60mm finder scope (which accepts a standard 11 /4" eyepiece) for use as an electronic / video finder scope. Any suggestions & recommendations would be appreciated. I want to use this in conjunction with the main scope/video which are a C11/MallinCam combo.
I look forward to hearing what the group would recommend.
Pat
Hello Pat and welcome from me, Your set up is similar to mine as I'm also using a C11 with a Mallincam. I'm also looking to use a smaller refractor scope as a finder. Once I have the scope I plan to use one of my CCTV cameras which has the same spec as the Samsung SBC2000 but the camera Carl has suggested would be better or you could look at the new Mallincam Micro which is an excellent price. Lots of options Regards Karl
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Post by Deleted on Jan 4, 2014 0:06:39 GMT
Thanks for the suggestions guys. I will do a bit more research. Not sure where I can get a LN300 whilst the Mallincam Micro seems a very reasonable solution.
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Post by johnno on Jan 4, 2014 2:47:14 GMT
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Post by Dragon Man on Jan 4, 2014 12:44:16 GMT
I second the motion on the Mallincam Micro. Not only are the Mods already done but it also comes with a Nosepiece (1.25" eyepiece adapter), AC power supply, 25 feet video/power cable and BNC to RCA adapter on the $169 kit. Saves you having to hunt those down. All you'll need is a cheap Video Grabber. And you can also use it as a nice little Video Astronomy camera if the urge ever takes you.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 5, 2015 14:15:41 GMT
Hi All I'm using an ASI034MC on a skywatcher finder using a cmount to finder adapter available from Modern Astronomy. It uses firecapture software through USB 2.0 and is excellent. The view is absolutely stunning and i can use it to center an alignment star very quickly indeed using the software reticle. The added advantage is being usb it has only one cable and is powered by that cable too. Oh and as all settings are on screen no OSDcable needed Geoff
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Post by Dragon Man on Jan 5, 2015 15:04:49 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jan 5, 2015 15:27:50 GMT
the casing unscrews
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Post by Dragon Man on Jan 5, 2015 15:32:08 GMT
Ahhhh OK. That would help get the factory IR filter out.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 5, 2015 15:32:51 GMT
here is single frame capture M82 with ASI034MC
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Post by Dragon Man on Jan 5, 2015 15:47:44 GMT
That's pretty good Geoff. What was the frame exposure time? EDIT: I just read that the ASI034MC can go up to 60 seconds long exposure!!! COOL! Makes it very versatile. The Phillips cameras have to be modified to do long exposure. One of my ToUcams is modded and I really enjoyed using it. Looks like the ASI034MC would be great straight out of the box (after removing that IR filter)
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Post by Deleted on Jan 6, 2015 2:19:11 GMT
I had just posted on the subject of Micro Ex versus Sammie when I saw this post. I didnt realize the Micro Ex had been modified. That would account for the difference in brightness ( if that is the correct description ) that I see between the AliExpress camera and the Micro Ex. However if you were looking for a cheap option Pat on your finder then the AliExpress camera works pretty well. The $69 USD includes free shipping to Australia but that may not be relevant to you. I have used it on the Orion Shortube 80 which is piggybacked on my Lx90 10" and it works well. For Australians the shipping from the US is a killer .I am not sure what it would cost to the UK but shipping costs are a big fraction of overall cost of the Micro Ex for us. Paul
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Post by Dragon Man on Jan 6, 2015 16:05:28 GMT
Paul, there are quite a few differences between the LN-300 and the Micro-Ex.
Rock gets the LnTech company to make the Micro-Ex the way he re-designed it for Astro purposes.
The Micro-Ex features that the LN-300 doesn't have: - Full heat shield over the main board to keep heat away from the plastic CCD sensor to reduce hot pixels, - RS 485 rear socket for camera control, - Extra gain, - RJ 11 processor, not RJ 7, (also, the RJ 11 processor is reprogrammed to Rock's specs for greater noise control and increase sensitivity) - Lower internal Voltage to reduce heat, - Red LED on rear to maintain night vision.
That's quite a few features for a camera that only costs $99.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 7, 2015 2:51:42 GMT
Thanks Ken That accounts for why the image was darker and there were more hot pixels in the cheaper model. I ramped up the brightness on the Aliexpress with all other settings the same as the Micro Ex but the images were still darker. Just wish I had a scope and cameras with me to fiddle with settings. It is meant to be 37 degrees today and too hot for the beach.
On a previous topic, I piggybacked my celestron 102 refractor onto the LX90 10" but had trouble with goto accuracy so have put the Shorttube80 back which works much better. (The Micro Ex was on the 102 and the Xtreme on the LX90.)The 102 is back on its rather flimsy Alt Az mount which struggles with a flip mirror and 24mm eyepiece plus the Micro Ex. I am still keen to use the 102 with this lightweight camera so I am forced go Micro Ex only with a red dot finder as my finder. The camera FOV with focal reducer is around 1.3 degrees compared to about double that with the eyepiece . I haven't tried it yet but is that enough FOV to use a red dot finder only ? (I really do need some toys here with me) Paul
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Post by Dragon Man on Jan 7, 2015 9:56:41 GMT
Yeah 38c here today too. Too hot to do anything, and now we have the thunderstorms. Hope they cool us down a bit.
Yeah, Goto's tend to be slightly out on piggy-backed scopes. All to do with flexure. The top scope does move a fraction, especially when layed over sideways with R.A. layed right over to the East or West. The movement is almost unmeasurable, but at the magnifications we work at (eg: 100x), if the piggy-backed scope moves just 2 or 3 hair-thicknesses, the image changes by about the width of 200-300 hairs. Enough to move it off the sensor.
The heavier the piggy-backed scope the more flexure movement. Simple physics of 'Leverage'.
As for the red dot finder, I don't know. I don't use them. I did have one but never found it accurate enough. It only ever put me in the 'area', not the 'spot'.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 11, 2015 9:24:47 GMT
I have two cameras I use for my camera assisted finderscopes (I prefer using the orion 70mm finderscope); the mallincam micro and the gstar ex2. I'd recommend the micro for the job as the ex2 is too expensive to use just as a finder. On the Orion 70mm the fov is a degree or two native without a telecompressor/focal reducer and it has greatly assisted me in aligning and finding objects in the scope whilst sitting in a control room out of the cold.
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Post by Dragon Man on Jan 11, 2015 12:00:04 GMT
I agree Dean. The Gstar-Ex is too expensive just to be a finder camera. Imagine how much more they would costs for our UK & USA friends when you add International freight and taxes!
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