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kw6562
Authoritative Ignoramus

Reged: 06/25/08

Loc: MA

Re: QUANTIX HELP......... new

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[Re: kw6562]
#4629163 - 06/08/11 10:16 PM

One thing that really impressed me was the cooling - the setpoint was -30C and it maintained it without problems. As expected there wasn't any evidence of condensation on the window - looks like its a tight vacuum. --Keith

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macona
super member

Reged: 05/18/11

Loc: Beaverton, OR

Re: QUANTIX HELP......... new

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[Re: kw6562]
#4629287 - 06/08/11 11:15 PM

Quote:

Here's my image - 10X1m - I think I had a gain setting wrong or I shouldn't have saved the files as tifs, because I had very little dynamic range, although I could see a bit of nebulosity in the images when they were taken. Anyway something wasn't right but the camera appears to be free of major defects. I intend to completely characterize it when I get a chance.

Are you using the RSImage software? If so, check you gain setting. It defaults to 3 which is the most sensitive and has the lowest dynamic range. 1 is the least sensitive and most range.

What are your settings. I just cant get a image. It sees light and dark but nothing coherent. Weirdest thing is with the lens completely covered I am still seeing light.

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shurik
super member

Reged: 10/07/07

Re: QUANTIX HELP......... new

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[Re: kw6562]
#4629310 - 06/08/11 11:30 PM

Keith, which program do you use to control the camera, is it connected to laptop (any requirement for additional card reader adapters?), how log does it take to download each frame?
do you think it can be controlled by any common astroimaging softs. (maxim Dl, sky, CCDSoft etc...) or I guess ASCOM drive has to be written for it ?

thanks, Alex

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macona
super member

Reged: 05/18/11

Loc: Beaverton, OR

Re: QUANTIX HELP......... new

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[Re: shurik]
#4629344 - 06/09/11 12:01 AM

CCDSoft and MaximDL both support PVCAM which is how these cameras talk.

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gnabgib
sage

Reged: 06/05/05

Loc: Fall River MIlls Ca.

Re: QUANTIX HELP......... new

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[Re: sullij1]
#4629361 - 06/09/11 12:16 AM

Quote:

YAAAAAAAAAAEEEEEE an image!!!!!!!!

Thanks!

I second this opinion!!! Got me stoked. Finally have a clear night so I'm set up waiting for it to get dark to try my camera out! There are three gain settings that are set by the software so be sure to check out ALL the menu items!
I will try to post an image later tonight. I just hope the cloud gods have not noticed the "scope in the driveway"!

Thanks kw6562

Kevin

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macona
super member

Reged: 05/18/11

Loc: Beaverton, OR

Re: QUANTIX HELP......... new

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[Re: gnabgib]
#4629396 - 06/09/11 12:52 AM Attachment (40 downloads)

Well, I think I have a bad camera. Tried it on three different computers, Mac and PC, and same result. This:

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gnabgib
sage

Reged: 06/05/05

Loc: Fall River MIlls Ca.

Re: QUANTIX HELP......... new

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[Re: macona]
#4629411 - 06/09/11 01:05 AM Attachment (55 downloads)

My FIRST image with this camera. No darks, flats etc just a 30 second and its not even dark out yet! Can use some more focusing but I just wanted to share. Definitely going to build some sort of shutter.

Kevin

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gnabgib
sage

Reged: 06/05/05

Loc: Fall River MIlls Ca.

Re: QUANTIX HELP......... new

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[Re: gnabgib]
#4629480 - 06/09/11 02:45 AM Attachment (52 downloads)

A couple more images then off to bed. Gotta haul hay tomorrow!

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gnabgib
sage

Reged: 06/05/05

Loc: Fall River MIlls Ca.

Re: QUANTIX HELP......... new

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[Re: gnabgib]
#4629481 - 06/09/11 02:46 AM Attachment (55 downloads)

And;

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gnabgib
sage

Reged: 06/05/05

Loc: Fall River MIlls Ca.

Re: QUANTIX HELP......... new

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[Re: gnabgib]
#4629484 - 06/09/11 02:54 AM

Macona;
If you suspect a bad camera contact David at aitechnology who sold the units. They gave the Ebay people a 14 day non doa warranty. I know he still has a few units so get yours exchanged. I think these cameras are going to be a lot of fun.
The images I posted tonight had no guiding and only a bit of stretch applied. Once we start applying all the tricks there should be some incredible results.

Kevin

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sullij1
Pooh-Bah

Reged: 11/08/08

Re: QUANTIX HELP......... new

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[Re: gnabgib]
#4629939 - 06/09/11 11:12 AM

Kevin,

Those are awsome! How long were the exposures? The cam picked up an enormus amount of faint detail in the the arms of 101 and 51. For first lights that is very impressive! That is seriously good news for the cams quality.

Thanks for the post.

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sullij1
Pooh-Bah

Reged: 11/08/08

Re: QUANTIX HELP......... new

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[Re: macona]
#4629949 - 06/09/11 11:21 AM

Quote:

Well, I think I have a bad camera. Tried it on three different computers, Mac and PC, and same result. This:

Don't be to quick to write it off, that is the way my first image looked without a cover on the lens before I caped the lens and took my dark. You said you did some shots through your scope, Did your scope shots look like this?

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macona
super member

Reged: 05/18/11

Loc: Beaverton, OR

Re: QUANTIX HELP......... new

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[Re: gnabgib]
#4629952 - 06/09/11 11:25 AM

I sent off an email last night. Here's hoping. I want to play too...

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macona
super member

Reged: 05/18/11

Loc: Beaverton, OR

Re: QUANTIX HELP......... new

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[Re: sullij1]
#4630004 - 06/09/11 12:03 PM

Quote:

Quote:

Well, I think I have a bad camera. Tried it on three different computers, Mac and PC, and same result. This:

Don't be to quick to write it off, that is the way my first image looked without a cover on the lens before I caped the lens and took my dark. You said you did some shots through your scope, Did your scope shots look like this?

What was the process you used to take the dark? Did you use the calibrate menu item?

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macona
super member

Reged: 05/18/11

Loc: Beaverton, OR

Re: QUANTIX HELP......... new

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[Re: macona]
#4630085 - 06/09/11 12:37 PM

I found some open source microscopy software that supports PVCAM as well, might be interesting to play with. I will have to try later.

http://valelab.ucsf.edu/~MM/MMwiki/index.php/Micro-Manager

I sent an email to Photometrics about the problem. Maybe they know what I am doing wrong.

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gnabgib
sage

Reged: 06/05/05

Loc: Fall River MIlls Ca.

Re: QUANTIX HELP......... new

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[Re: sullij1]
#4630201 - 06/09/11 01:42 PM

Quote:

Kevin,

Those are awsome! How long were the exposures? The cam picked up an enormus amount of faint detail in the the arms of 101 and 51. For first lights that is very impressive! That is seriously good news for the cams quality.

Thanks for the post.

Exposures
M57 30secs
M101 60secs
M51 60secs

Kevin

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gnabgib
sage

Reged: 06/05/05

Loc: Fall River MIlls Ca.

Re: QUANTIX HELP......... new

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[Re: kw6562]
#4630216 - 06/09/11 01:47 PM

Quote:

One thing that really impressed me was the cooling - the setpoint was -30C and it maintained it without problems. As expected there wasn't any evidence of condensation on the window - looks like its a tight vacuum. --Keith

I agree with Keith's experience! Cooling was rock solid at -30c AND this was using just the built in fans! The camera body was BARELY warm to the touch. So far I am impressed with this camera AND my first night's use was a LOT of fun!!!

Kevin

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macona
super member

Reged: 05/18/11

Loc: Beaverton, OR

Re: QUANTIX HELP......... new

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[Re: gnabgib]
#4630340 - 06/09/11 02:18 PM

Just got work from a Photometrics Tech Engineer and he says it sounds like a hardware issue.

Need to get him my SN which is at home.

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sullij1
Pooh-Bah

Reged: 11/08/08

Re: QUANTIX HELP......... new

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[Re: macona]
#4630481 - 06/09/11 03:15 PM

Quote:

Quote:

Quote:

Well, I think I have a bad camera. Tried it on three different computers, Mac and PC, and same result. This:

Don't be to quick to write it off, that is the way my first image looked without a cover on the lens before I caped the lens and took my dark. You said you did some shots through your scope, Did your scope shots look like this?

What was the process you used to take the dark? Did you use the calibrate menu item?

My prior post of portions of the process end this post but as I am at work and going from memory without looking at the software the process I used in RS Image was to cap the lens, Open RS Image, let RS Image aquire the camera( there is a menu you can open to ensure RS Image has aquired the camera),use the calibrate function, go to the exposure menu set a 180 second exposure, select aquire image, after 180 seconds Save the image to the desktop as a tiff and followed the process below.

Just to be accurate; I acquired the dark image in the RS Image program that came with the cam (good software, lots of options). Moved the image to Photoshop, ran up the exposure until defects started to show and stopped. Saved the image as a 512k tiff, and reopened the tiff in nebulosity. Nebulosity is unforgiving and shows all the detail, good or bad. I then used the JPG “save as appears” option in Nebulosity’s file menu. This showed me what I wanted to know about the chip. I think nothing that darks, flats and a lil hot pixel removal can’t deal with. Please correct me if I am wrong.

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sullij1
Pooh-Bah

Reged: 11/08/08

Re: QUANTIX HELP......... new

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[Re: gnabgib]
#4630494 - 06/09/11 03:21 PM

Quote:

Quote:

Kevin,

Those are awsome! How long were the exposures? The cam picked up an enormus amount of faint detail in the the arms of 101 and 51. For first lights that is very impressive! That is seriously good news for the cams quality.

Thanks for the post.

Exposures
M57 30secs
M101 60secs
M51 60secs

Kevin

That kind of detail in 30 and 60 second shots, all I gotta say is

We have the bargain of the year!

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