Jeff J.
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 01/16/06
Posts: 1127
Loc: Las Cruces, NM
|
|
Yes, the 2" vs. 1.25" eyepiece is a good question (one that I asked myself a little while back).
A quote from Al Nagler at the TeleVue site sums it up:
"...a common misperception, that 2" eyepieces are somehow better. They are in only one sense: the 2" barrel allows a larger field stop and hence a larger field. Our 22mm Panoptic is exactly the same design as our 35mm Panoptic."
It boils down to what does the visual back of your scope allow (in terms of field stop).
Jeff
--------------------
Tak TOA-130F
Tak FS-60C
Tak EM200 Temma II
QSI 540wsg
http://jeffjastro.com
|
Jeff J.
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 01/16/06
Posts: 1127
Loc: Las Cruces, NM
|
|
Hi Loafer,
I do not know if I saw your earlier Orion image, but I liked this one a lot. Also, I was impressed that you got the Ring Nebula...very nice! Btw, I understand regarding the processing to bring out the detail. With limited exposure times possible for these cameras, it is understandable! 
Jeff
--------------------
Tak TOA-130F
Tak FS-60C
Tak EM200 Temma II
QSI 540wsg
http://jeffjastro.com
|
jackomojones
member
Reged: 01/30/06
Posts: 79
Loc: Northern Ontario
|
|
Hi All,
I have been snooping around my local electronics stores looking for a decent Canon digital camera that I can use for Astropics and as a regular camera. Since this is the cannon users group, can anyone comment on the Cannon S2-1S and the Powershot A610/A620? Is there one which is superior as an astropic camera? And can you control any of these models remotely?
Thanks!
--------------------
jackomojones
8" Lx200 GPS w Wedge, 2" CI Diagonal
Cannon 20D
5.1" Skywatcher Newt. Reflector f/7
Eq2 Mount. Orion RA motor Drive
Northern Ontario
Canada
|
Jeff J.
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 01/16/06
Posts: 1127
Loc: Las Cruces, NM
|
|
Hi Jack,
I think it depends on what kind of imaging you wish to do. If you want to do planetary, my opinion is the movie modes of the cameras should be compared.
I think most of the newer digital cameras can be controlled remotely (whether point and shoot or DSLR). My S1 IS is remote controllable either using my computer or an IR remote, so I am sure the S2 is the same.
Best wishes,
Jeff
--------------------
Tak TOA-130F
Tak FS-60C
Tak EM200 Temma II
QSI 540wsg
http://jeffjastro.com
|
vi100
sage
Reged: 10/15/04
Posts: 207
Loc: Santa Pola (Spain)
|
|
Hello:
This is the first image I took ussing an SkyWatcher ED80 and my Canon PS A75.
Processed with Registax. 389 frames from 450 taken in 640x480 format. Resampled 2X and resized 75% after wavelets.
The image is blue-green because I use a Lumicon Deep-Sky filter to enhage the contrast. I use a 6mm ortho eyepiece and hold the camera by hand.
I wish you like it.
--------------------
QHY9+CFW+OAG+Lodestar
NEQ6 Pro, ED127CF, TSAPO65Q
----------------------------
MPC J49 Observatorio Santa Pola
buscandocometas.blogspot.com
Fotografía Lunar. My own Lunar100.
http://fotografialunar.blogspot.com
Edited by vi100 (04/09/06 06:13 PM)
|
Ari K.
member
Reged: 06/10/05
Posts: 24
|
|
Finally had clear and steady skies again in Maryland, so I took another shot at Saturn.
Ari K.
Edited by Ari K. (04/09/06 11:38 PM)
|
WFieldPhotoGuy
super member
Reged: 09/05/04
Posts: 127
Loc: Texas, USA
|
|
Here are two lunar photos done with the Canon A510 through a 80mm Short Tube with a 20mm Kelner. Focus is still somewhat of a mystery. I went back out the next night and couldn't get prcise focus again. Time to refine my process.
--------------------
Home Made Barn Door Mount
Apogee HD Mount (CG5 Clone)
Apogee 80mm AT
|
WFieldPhotoGuy
super member
Reged: 09/05/04
Posts: 127
Loc: Texas, USA
|
|
And here is a 1:1 crop from the same photo. I did enlarge this in photoshop a little to get this scale.
--------------------
Home Made Barn Door Mount
Apogee HD Mount (CG5 Clone)
Apogee 80mm AT
|
The Loafer
super member
Reged: 10/16/05
Posts: 107
Loc: Ontario, Canada
|
|
Ari K: Wow! Not much more I can say!!!
vi100: you imaged the GRS very well, congrats!
WFieldPhotoGuy: I think your full size moon pic is incredibly clear, something my PS doesn't seem to be able to give me (ok, maybe it's time I blamed me and create a Hartmann's mask to help with the focus).
|
The Loafer
super member
Reged: 10/16/05
Posts: 107
Loc: Ontario, Canada
|
|
Now for something different with the Powershot: Northern Lights from two nights ago.
|
asfoxesden
member
Reged: 10/24/04
Posts: 15
Loc: Pittsburgh, PA
|
|
Hello folks,
I've been trying to do some imaging with my Canon Powershot A80 for the last year or two on and off. I'd been doing handheld stuff at the eyepiece until Christmas when my wife got me the Scopetronic's set up so I can attach the A80 right into the focusser. Oh I guess I should mention that I'm using a Meade 114mm Reflector with my 26mm Meade 4000 Super Plossel locked into the bracket.
Well, last Saturday evening, April 8, in the midst of a gusty night on the hill, I nabbed a few blurry pictures of the moon, the best of which is here;
Single photo. Not stacked.
I also tried a couple shots of M35 and this is where my question really begins. I've noticed that the camera is sensitive enough on the moon that the image can be seen on the small display screen on the back of my A80. Yet, it doesn't seem sensitive enough to show a bright open star cluster. So with just the camera I have to assume that if the image is there when I pull my EP and side the AP rig into the focusser...carefully...that the target is still there.
My scope doesn't track so I have to keep my exposure times to a second or less to avoid star tracks.
Well Saturday night, when I got back home and dumped the photo's onto my computer and opened them up in Photoshop, my pictures of M35 were just black, empty photos...with the exception of my bad pixel. Any ideas on how to correct this or confirmation that the sensor is senstive enough to show me something on the display screen?
Question #2; I have yet to find the option for picture formatting. Is there an option to get the data into another format other than .jpg? I just want to confirm it's really not there.
I'd also be nice to get the photograph information, exposure, f ratio, etc, to show up with the digital information.
Question #3: Is there a good guide for AP using these Powershot cameras effectively?
Thanks ahead of time.
Clear, dark skies!
Edited by asfoxesden (04/10/06 02:17 PM)
|
The Loafer
super member
Reged: 10/16/05
Posts: 107
Loc: Ontario, Canada
|
|
asfoxesden,
I'll try to answer some of your questions, though I am certainly not an expert.
moon picture: I think you framed it well, but it seems not in focus. Focusing has been probably my biggest challenge thus far and found that, if possible, it's best to focus the scope, then attach the camera and set it to manual focus mode (I also use a A80, press down on the digital pad to go into manual focus mode).
Answer 1: Outside of the moon and planets, I really don't know what else you will be able to image without having a drive. Maybe a few bright stars, but that may be a limit imposed by your present scope/mount.
Answer 2: Sorry, the A80 is limited to jpg. However, I find shooting at the higher rez, I still get a capable pic.
Answer 3: There is an article posted on this site titled "Canon Powershot Digital Camera for Basic Astrophotography". You can find it here:
http://www.cloudynights.com/item.php?item_id=2
General comments:
For the moon, I find single pics, high rez, manual mode (speed set to approx 1/100, best to experiment with your scope). Set the iso to 100 (or even 50). I was using ISO 400, but would notice noise in the picture caused by the CCD. Aperture value: approx 4.friendly telescope supplier mentioned it may help to use a lower iso and he was 100% right (see next picture in this thread).
For the planets, I use the video mode, as stacking really comes in handy. However, the A80 has only a 320*240 max rez, so you'll have to accept this limitation. It may be possible to get better results by stacking individual frames (actually forget the "may be", I'm sure it is when one looks at the resolution...). However, I have not had good success with individual frames, registax LOVES AVI's (though I have to convert it first).
For anything else (ie: a few nebula's, wide field constellation, Clusters, galaxies) the little bit of success was only made possible by maximizing the exposure time to 15 seconds and ISO 400. I'm not sure how you can bypass this limitation with your present setup as the canon PS series just isn't sensitive enough to get the required detail at 1 second exposures.
Good luck, keep trying and post those pics. I know with the setup you have, you can probably get pretty good moon pics.
|
The Loafer
super member
Reged: 10/16/05
Posts: 107
Loc: Ontario, Canada
|
|
here's my lates pic, my best moon picture thus far. Although I didn't get a chance to make a Hartmann's mask to improve the focus, I did get better results with manual exposure and the use of ISO 100.
|
PeeinIan
member
Reged: 03/03/06
Posts: 48
Loc: Buckhorn Ontario Canada
|
|
Hi Guys, well after many, many, many cloudy nights I finally had a clear sky and oddly enough the blinding moon was my target as well.
--------------------
 Ian
8" LX200GPS UHTC
Canon A95
|
PeeinIan
member
Reged: 03/03/06
Posts: 48
Loc: Buckhorn Ontario Canada
|
|
and a closer view.
--------------------
Ian
8" LX200GPS UHTC
Canon A95
|
expandingsponge
member
Reged: 11/27/05
Posts: 39
|
|
Meade LXD75 AR6 6 inch achro refractor
2x Shorty barlow
12 mm Radian eyepiece
3 X zoom
CANON A75 about 450 frames taken
Registax three
stacked
resized
some wavelit processing
|
Claude M.
member
Reged: 11/08/05
Posts: 81
Loc: Quebec, Canada
|
|
Hi all,
This is a shot of M13 taken with an A75 on a Skywatcher 130mm Newt.
The final image is a stack of 75 15sec images.
Hope you'll enjoy.
Bye,
Claude M.
Edited by Claude M. (04/20/06 03:54 PM)
|
PeeinIan
member
Reged: 03/03/06
Posts: 48
Loc: Buckhorn Ontario Canada
|
|
Hey Claude nice job on the glob, I kind of think M13 looks like a spider or some kind of bug. 
I had some luck with is the other night as well, it was my best night yet.
Here are some of my results.
Jupiter
15mm ep and 2x barlow
movie mode
stack of 300 in registax
some wavelet processing
--------------------
Ian
8" LX200GPS UHTC
Canon A95
Edited by PeeinIan (04/21/06 06:34 PM)
|
PeeinIan
member
Reged: 03/03/06
Posts: 48
Loc: Buckhorn Ontario Canada
|
|
M27 Dumbbell
32mm ep
f/2.8
3x15s
stacked in registax
some processing in Photoshop.
--------------------
Ian
8" LX200GPS UHTC
Canon A95
Edited by PeeinIan (04/21/06 06:30 PM)
|
PeeinIan
member
Reged: 03/03/06
Posts: 48
Loc: Buckhorn Ontario Canada
|
|
M57 Ring Nebula
32mm ep
f/2.8
15s
some processing in Photoshop
--------------------
Ian
8" LX200GPS UHTC
Canon A95
Edited by PeeinIan (04/21/06 06:27 PM)
|
Previous
Index
Next
Threaded
[Re: 
Edit
Reply
Quote
