Compact Crux

[Mickoid (Michael)]

A clear night in Melbourne gave me the opportunity to try out the Canon G12 compact camera with a CHDK firmware override. Not the best conditions I know but this test with a 13 day old moon at 96% illumination, pushed it to the limit. Results are promising, so I will look forward to future tests under darker skies.

10 x 1 min subs, darks but no flats @ 1000 iso. Full zoom at f4.5. Sightron Nano Tracker.

[Atmos (Colin)]

Not bad at all! Surprised you got anything with that moon around haha
Never considered using one of the Canon G series for astro work.

[Mickoid (Michael)]

Originally Posted by Atmos

Not bad at all! Surprised you got anything with that moon around haha
Never considered using one of the Canon G series for astro work.

Thanks Colin, I did have to darken the background a fair bit to disguise the moon glow. You can pick up the older G series cameras pretty cheap now. I like the ones with the ccd sensors rather than the cmos sensors for astrophotography, I feel they are more sensitive to Ha but I'm not sure why. Should there be a difference?

[leon]

From what you mentioned Michael, and the conditions a mighty fine effort indeed, keep at it mate.

Leon

[cometcatcher (Kevin)]

Very impressive. If you can do that with a full moon I can only imagine what a moon free sky would produce.

[Atmos (Colin)]

Originally Posted by Mickoid

Thanks Colin, I did have to darken the background a fair bit to disguise the moon glow. You can pick up the older G series cameras pretty cheap now. I like the ones with the ccd sensors rather than the cmos sensors for astrophotography, I feel they are more sensitive to Ha but I'm not sure why. Should there be a difference?

From what I've been able to notice, CCD have a stronger red response than blue while CMOS sensors are the reverse, stronger blue than red.

[Anth10 (Anthony M)]

Wow! I would never have believed you could produce something like this using a compact camera. It certainly packs a punch, colour is fantastic and stars are more than respectable. The background provides great contrast and all of this from such a small sensor! You've discovered something here worth pursuing Mickoid, look forward to more of the same, interesting to compare under a new moon sky,(when the clouds cooperate)
Well done.

[Mickoid (Michael)]

To Colin, Kevin, Leon and Anthony10. Thanks for the compliments and comments. Nothing too special with what I'm doing with the compacts, it's just that most of us who own one probably would not have tried them out on astro stuff. I like the challenge of stepping outside the square and trying something different occasionally. They're light on my Nano Tracker so there's no concern of overloading it and you can put them in your pocket after you've finished with them! Something to play with when you can't be bothered dragging out the big stuff.