A few ToUcam Questions...

[sheeny]

It's arrived, just today. A nice shiny new ToUcam Pro with the long exposure mod. Just connected it to the lappy and all is working OK.

Question 1: How does the long exposure mod work? i.e. do I need another bit of software? I have just been playing with vRecord in the standard software, but this doesn't seem to support long exposures. (I expect it'll be a while before I seriously try some long exposures... I'll start short and grow into it!)

Question 2: I've seen mention of an IR filter for the ToUcam. How important is it, and what benefits will it give me? I didn't order one when I ordered the camera 'cause I didn't know about it then (perhaps it just didn't click:o ).

Question 3: What other software should I get hold of? I have Registax (but I'm very low on the learning curve), Photoshop, and I've just downloaded the K3CCDTools but haven't installed it yet. Anything else?

BTW I have an Olympus OM adapter coming from Mogg Adapters which should be interesting to play with when I get it. I have a heap of Zuiko lenses...

Al.

[[1ponders]]

K3 will allow you to use the long exposure. You'll find the required settings under the Option>Settings>Camera tab.

Can't help you with much else on the long exposure stuff

[davidpretorius]

gday sheeny.

k3ccd is a good one, but i prefer to use desire. a little less pretty, but i find it easier to use.

i also use qfocus for my planetary stuff cos k3ccd keeps freezing on my computer.

I like iris to do a lot of processing with. I have a couple of articles i have written for toucam and planets and then basic dso stuff as well (http://precons.com/iis/Articles/)

also desire can be downloaded from here. (http://precons.com/iis/downloads)

i believe a IR filter on mars is getting to the stage of being a must for me, but i will wait until next year. I will go the baader or wait until i get a filter wheel for the b/w chip i have for the toucam

[Robert_T]

Hi sheeny, the IR filter is mostly useful for planetary imaging to reduce blurring caused by the IR light falling on the chip slightly offset to the RGB colour channels (or something like that ;) ). It seems particularly important with Mars though I have produced some good images without one on Jupiter. I have the Baader UV/IR block which works well.

Sounds like you already have all you need for software. K3CCD to capture and automatically name and save your avi's (u can process them in here too using the platenatry wizard which is simpler if perhaps less effective than registax), then Registax for stacking and wavelets and photoshop can do all the touchup and colour balancing. I've been getting by without Photoshop but have bought Astra Image 2 instead which allows splitting, separate deconvolution processing, and combining of colour frames.

cheers,

[sheeny]

Thanks for that David. That'll give me some options if I have problems with K3!;)

Al.

[sheeny]

Thanks Robert and Paul... so I haven't gone too far off track yet! :nerd:


Al.

[iceman]

Others have said it all.. The IR filter is a must for Mars, but for Saturn and Jupiter it appears to be not so necessary, though I leave mine on all the time as it stops any more dust getting on the CCD.

Which reminds me, I need to try again to get the current dust spots off mine :(