Spare QHY5 camera, possible uses?

[04Stefan07 (Stefan)]

I purchased a QHY5L-II to be my guide and solar camera to replace my QHY5. I need a camera that is a bit more sensitive plus I used to have the 5L which I used primarily for solar work in the past which performed great!

Before thinking of selling the QHY5 I wanted to get some ideas on what I can use the camera for?

Any ideas??

[Merlin66 (Ken)]

Stefan,
I still use the QHY5L II for guiding.....
The 3.75 micron pixel is a bit small as is the size (3.85 x 4.8mm) for "best guiding" with my C11 (The Lodestar has 8.2 micron pixels)

IMHO I'd keep it for guiding.

[lazjen (Chris)]

You might be able to convert it to an "all-sky" camera for detecting clouds/weather.

[redbeard (Damien)]

Originally Posted by 04Stefan07

I purchased a QHY5L-II to be my guide and solar camera to replace my QHY5. I need a camera that is a bit more sensitive plus I used to have the 5L which I used primarily for solar work in the past which performed great!

Before thinking of selling the QHY5 I wanted to get some ideas on what I can use the camera for?

Any ideas??

Hi Stefan,

You could turn it into a microscope. Use an old 35 - 50 mm camera lens and a piece of tube to join them about 50 mm long. Then attach it to a stand of some kind where it can be moved up and down to focus. Experiment with the length of the tube to get different magnifications.

I have made 2 of these, one with a Sony surveillance camera and the other with an imagesource camera.

One of the things I use it for is looking at the writing on small electronic chips etc.

Also came in handy when the misses got a very small cactus spine in her foot

You can add a light source of any type you like.

Cheers,

Damien

[04Stefan07 (Stefan)]

Very good ideas.

I’ve got a ZWO which I will be using for a sky camera as it has a higher resolution and better frame rate. The microscope is a good idea too, but I have a similar device I use for coin collecting.

I might put it up for sale unless I double up on making something haha.

Would be nice to have a secondary guide camera working in unison with the first!