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Jim Chung
Vendor - Icodome

Reged: 12/07/05

Loc: Toronto

Re: Icodome now converting DSLRs to true monochrome new

[Re: Mary B]
#5645082 - 01/26/13 08:31 PM

Mary,

It would have been helpful if you had included some text with your image because right now I have no idea why you posted this image on MY THREAD. I really fail to see the relevance of it, perhaps you would be so kind as to remove it.

Post Extras:

Jim Chung
Vendor - Icodome

Reged: 12/07/05

Loc: Toronto

Re: Icodome now converting DSLRs to true monochrom new

[Re: Jim Chung]
#5645631 - 01/27/13 08:51 AM Attachment (19 downloads)

This morning I just finished converting my first Nikon D5100 to monochrome! Can't wait to try some narrowband imaging!

Down the street with 720nm IR pass filter on D5100 (full size):

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/4852049/D5100IR720nm.jpg

Edited by Jim Chung (01/27/13 11:08 AM)

Post Extras:

bilgebay
Post Laureate

Reged: 11/06/08

Loc: Türkiye - Istanbul and Marmari...

Re: Icodome now converting DSLRs to true monochrome new

[Re: Mary B]
#5647957 - 01/28/13 12:02 PM

Guys, I am in! Jim will kindly purchase a brand new D5100 for me and modify.

This was my dream since I have started astroimaging with a DSLR.

I must confess, BackyardNIK has a great share in my decision making process!

Nikon Brotherhood

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guyroch
Vendor (BackyardEOS)

Reged: 01/22/08

Loc: 3rd rock from the sun, Canada

Re: Icodome now converting DSLRs to true monochrome new

[Re: bilgebay]
#5649447 - 01/28/13 11:06 PM

Quote:

Guys, I am in! Jim will kindly purchase a brand new D5100 for me and modify.

This was my dream since I have started astroimaging with a DSLR.

I must confess, BackyardNIK has a great share in my decision making process!

Nikon Brotherhood

Thanks Sedat. You were one of the first adopters of BackyardEOS back in the days and now you'll be one of the first for BackyardNIK. WooHoo

Guylain

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bilgebay
Post Laureate

Reged: 11/06/08

Loc: Türkiye - Istanbul and Marmari...

Re: Icodome now converting DSLRs to true monochrome new

[Re: guyroch]
#5649638 - 01/29/13 02:10 AM

Guylain, I am even willing to pay for BackyardNIK as of today! I have no doubt at all that it will make the life of Nikon owners extemely easy!

I will have a mono DSLR, it will be my first Nikon ever and it will be contolled by your brainchild, BackyardXXX! Woohoooo me! What else can I wish for !

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guyroch
Vendor (BackyardEOS)

Reged: 01/22/08

Loc: 3rd rock from the sun, Canada

Re: Icodome now converting DSLRs to true monochrome new

[Re: bilgebay]
#5649760 - 01/29/13 06:57 AM

Quote:

Guylain, I am even willing to pay for BackyardNIK as of today! I have no doubt at all that it will make the life of Nikon owners extemely easy!

I will have a mono DSLR, it will be my first Nikon ever and it will be contolled by your brainchild, BackyardXXX! Woohoooo me! What else can I wish for !

No prepaid... although you're not the first one to suggest it.

The D5100 is also my fisrt mono DSLR, my first attempt at astrophotography with a Nikon.

What else you can wish for... how about no clouds for a full month when we get our mono DSLR

Regards,

Guylain

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Jason B
My wife says I am Obsessed...

Reged: 06/21/04

Loc: Mid-Michigan

Re: Icodome now converting DSLRs to true monochrome new

[Re: guyroch]
#5650186 - 01/29/13 12:17 PM

Quote:

What else you can wish for... how about no clouds for a full month when we get our mono DSLR

Regards,

Guylain

And no moon....

Post Extras:

bilgebay
Post Laureate

Reged: 11/06/08

Loc: Türkiye - Istanbul and Marmari...

Re: Icodome now converting DSLRs to true monochrome new

[Re: guyroch]
#5651590 - 01/30/13 03:51 AM

Quote:

What else you can wish for... how about no clouds for a full month when we get our mono DSLR

Regards,

Guylain

That, Guylain, I am wishing for all the time

I will quadruple my wish time and dither between wishing sessions so that when our D5100 cameras arrive, we can immediately start shooting!

Post Extras:

bilgebay
Post Laureate

Reged: 11/06/08

Loc: Türkiye - Istanbul and Marmari...

Re: Icodome now converting DSLRs to true monochrome new

[Re: Jason B]
#5651592 - 01/30/13 03:54 AM

Quote:

And no moon....

Hi Jason,

I guess, we will not be minding moon being around with our mono cameras

We can shoot narrow band just for bragging

What do you say Guylain

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Alfredo Beltran
sage

Reged: 08/01/10

Loc: Bogota, Colombia

Re: Icodome now converting DSLRs to true monochrome new

[Re: bilgebay]
#5651701 - 01/30/13 07:12 AM

Quote:

Hi Jason,

I guess, we will not be minding moon being around with our mono cameras We can shoot narrow band just for bragging What do you say Guylain

Hi Sedat

I was wondering about this. Given the size of the APS-C sensor, what filter wheel could be suitable to keep the right focal distance? I also think filters should be 2" to avoid serious vignetting. Do Nikon DSLRs have the same focal distance as Canons (55 mm with T-ring)?

Also, to do narrow band typically 15 min are needed, so how will thermal signal affect each sub? At very long subs the cooling capabilities of CCD cameras is more important...

Post Extras:

bilgebay
Post Laureate

Reged: 11/06/08

Loc: Türkiye - Istanbul and Marmari...

Re: Icodome now converting DSLRs to true monochrome new

[Re: Alfredo Beltran]
#5651712 - 01/30/13 07:27 AM

Hi Alfredo,

I am planning to use this camera with Hyperstar. So exposures will be much less than 10 minutes for narrow band and maximum 2 minutes for LRGB exposures, depending on the target. I don't think I will have a problem with the thermal signal.

The Nikons, I just learned from another thread, has 46,5mm back focus from bayonet to sensor. Filter wheel is not an option with camera lenses and Hyperstar. For Hyperstar, I will buy the relevant adapter from Starizona and for camera lenses I will develop a solution to fit a 2" filter inside the camera of an off the shelf solution is not available.

For shooting with a refractor or SCT, I will be using a filter wheel without an issue I believe.

Post Extras:

Jim Chung
Vendor - Icodome

Reged: 12/07/05

Loc: Toronto

Re: Icodome now converting DSLRs to true monochrome new

[Re: Alfredo Beltran]
#5651719 - 01/30/13 07:34 AM

Hi Alfredo,

Although it's always nice to get a full well of photons, it's not necessary to have 15 minute subexposures for narrowband imaging. I've gotten good data with my QSI532 using the extremely narrow Astrodon 3nm Ha filter with just 5 minute subs. What's important is the SNR and the Nikon D5100 appears to have good noise control so you can get by with much shorter subs. You can see in my earlier posting with the much older D90, I only used 2 minute subexposures with a 2" Baader Ha filter (7nm window) and got very good results, especially for a DSLR!

Jim

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Alfredo Beltran
sage

Reged: 08/01/10

Loc: Bogota, Colombia

Re: Icodome now converting DSLRs to true monochrome new

[Re: Jim Chung]
#5651820 - 01/30/13 08:55 AM

Jim: By all means that is an impressive shot. I think the plus of a mono DSLR is the FOV compared to CCD cameras and the cost.

Sedat: I agree. Hyperstar exposure times are a lot lower, so that will take care of it. At prime focus with a low thermal signal camera and cold ambient temperatures thermal noise shouldn't be a huge issue

Best regards

Alfredo

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zerro1
Postmaster

Reged: 08/02/09

Loc: Smokey Point , 48.12°N 122.25°...

Re: Icodome now converting DSLRs to true monochrome new

[Re: Alfredo Beltran]
#5653275 - 01/30/13 09:50 PM Attachment (18 downloads)

Quote:

I was wondering about this. Given the size of the APS-C sensor, what filter wheel could be suitable to keep the right focal distance? I also think filters should be 2" to avoid serious vignetting. Do Nikon DSLRs have the same focal distance as Canons (55 mm with T-ring)?

I'm using a Quantix KAF6303E mono camera 33mm diagonal sensor. The snout of the CCD is designed with a nikon lens connection and distance from sensor to lens connection is 46mm. Filter wheel is connected to a Nikon T-ring so I suppose that adds about 10mm. I'm using 2" mounted baader filters in an Orion manual filter wheel and see next to nothing for vignetting at 35 second Luminance and even 10 minute narrow band subs through my AT65EDQ or my AT66ED.

A similar config on one of these DSLR's should work well... at least well enough that flats could clean it up "IMHO".

Edited by zerro1 (01/30/13 09:55 PM)

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MikeCMP
super member

Reged: 07/12/11

Loc: Chardon OH

Re: Icodome now converting DSLRs to true monochrome [Re: Jim Chung]
#5665756 - 02/06/13 06:06 PM

Can someone clear up a little bit of info for me? I have read the 5100 offers "Visually Lossless" compression, whereas the 7000 has a RAW NEF mode with no compression. From what I can gather, the only difference is that the highlights in the 5100 are affected by this, but most reviews of these camera do not use them for super long exposures of star fields

Since a few folks have both cameras it might be interesting to see if there is a difference, thought how a difference would be measured is beyond my meager abilities however

Mike

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orlyandico
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 08/10/09

Loc: Singapore

Re: Icodome now converting DSLRs to true monochrome new

[Re: MikeCMP]
#5676962 - 02/13/13 02:30 AM

Jim, so how goes the QHY8 conversion?

I assume after removing the Bayer filter and micro-lenses, the cover plate is still replaced so the sensor is not bare?

Isn't there going to be a measurable reduction in QE with the micro-lenses gone?

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fetoma
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 09/26/06

Loc: Southern New Jersey

Re: Icodome now converting DSLRs to true monochrome new

[Re: orlyandico]
#5685219 - 02/17/13 01:22 PM

I believe Jim ran into a snag on the QHY8 and put that project on hold for now.

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orlyandico
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 08/10/09

Loc: Singapore

Re: Icodome now converting DSLRs to true monochrome new

[Re: fetoma]
#5685248 - 02/17/13 01:37 PM

He told me he has so many Nikons to convert that he's postponed the 8.

In answer to my prior question.. in the KAF-3200 product sheet it shows about 20% reduction in QE if there are no micro-lenses (E vs ME model).

Post Extras:

ccs_hello
Postmaster

Reged: 07/03/04

Re: Icodome now converting DSLRs to true monochrome new

[Re: orlyandico]
#5685361 - 02/17/13 02:44 PM

Please note teh referred KAF3200 mono is a
(1) large pixel 6.8x6.8um,
(2) monochrome (not Bayer array),
(3) full-frame readout (i.e., not interline type) thus much less circuit,
(4) CCD

The story on CMOS RGBG primary-color Bayer 4.78x4.78um active-pixel (typically 4T structure) image sensor is quite different.

Clear Skies!

ccs_hello

Post Extras:

fetoma
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 09/26/06

Loc: Southern New Jersey

Re: Icodome now converting DSLRs to true monochrome new

[Re: ccs_hello]
#5685464 - 02/17/13 04:14 PM

This is a quote from Jim in another post:

"With regret I have to announce a halt to my QHY8 monochrome conversion development. QHY does utilize a Nikon sensor platform from the D40/D50 family but while very similar and definitely a Nikon product, it is neither a D40 or D50 sensor board but some strange hybrid. Releasing the board was difficult because QHY decided to cover the PCB surface with a silicone sealant which effectively becomes a glue. I must have been tired as well because I damaged the sensor wires while removing the Bayer layer and now have to contact QHY to see if they have any extras. The idea of just swapping Nikon D40 sensor boards is definitely not feasible."

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