Kodak KAF-8300M

[Somnium]

Hi All

i was just curious about some of the CCD cameras out there. it seems that many of them use the same components (KAF 8300M sensor for example) but sell at considerably different price points. can anyone tell me why this is? it is just that you get a filter wheel with the QSI camera or is there difference in the cooling capability or software? or should you just go for the cheapest option for any given sensor ?

Atik $2799
http://www.bintel.com.au/Astrophotography/Atik-CCD-Cameras/Atik-383L--Mono/1670/productview.aspx

QSI $4899
http://www.bintel.com.au/Astrophotography/QSI-CCD-Cameras/QSI-683ws/915/productview.aspx

SBIG $????
https://www.sbig.com/products/cameras/stf-series/stf/stf-8300m/

[RobF]

Hi Aidan

Certainly the QSIs tend to have built in filter wheel assemblies.

Not sure, but SBIG might have built in guider chip.
You pay for the engineering of the housing and electronics too, which can have a bearing on background noise.

What about the humble QHY9 while you're checking out 8300s?

[White Rabbit]

Cooling is a factor as well. It costs more the further below ambient temp you go.

[Exfso]

Aiden, PM Paul Haese about SBIG, he will give you the word on SBIG, you may not want to hear, he is having all sorts of issues.:rolleyes:

[pluto]

I don't know what issues Paul is having but my STT-8300M hasn't missed a beat.
Cools quickly and accurately and will happily sit at 55 below ambient using about 60% cooling power. I run it a -35 most of the year and I might raise that to -25 over the couple of really hot months of summer.

I chose the SBIG because I was interested in a complete package that works well together with self guiding filter wheel and AO.

[Strawb]

I really like my G2-8300 - good info here http://www.astroshop.com.au/products/details.asp?id=MAS-073D

[Somnium]

interesting ... i didn't even realise the QHY9 was the same chip, that looks like a good camera. i would love to get into some science imaging, things like tracking occultations. does anyone know if there is software which can accurately track the brightness of individual stars ? and is it only available for certain cameras ?

[Star Catcher]

Yes (Tangra) http://www.hristopavlov.net/ can be used to reduce your data and develop a light curve for asteroid occultations, typically using videos. Video is used to identify a fleeting drop or increase in magnitude. If the event is bright enough, up to 25 frames per second or time slices can be recorded. A newer cross platform version is being developed here: http://www.hristopavlov.net/Tangra3/

Another older piece of software that can also do the job is Limovie http://astro-limovie.info/

Occultations measurements are possible using a still capture CCD, but the longish download times limits the accuracy for timing critical events.

If you actually meant to get measurements for astrometry e.g. supernovas, variable stars then a mono CCD is great, even better if you run with UBVRI filters to get more scientific. Any number of programs can perform astrometry on your calibrated data.

Ted

[Peter Ward]

For the record.

Paul is not using a SBIG STT8300.

The problems with Paul's kit have been addressed promptly, with no questions asked & under warranty...which is 2 years.

[RickS]

The sensor too? The fine print in the Apogee and FLI warranties say that the warranty on the sensor is up to the original manufacturer, so the start date and the length of the sensor warranty isn't linked to warranty on the camera as a whole. I found that out with a camera still months within warranty which had a sensor warranty within days of expiring when I found a problem... I was lucky that time :)

[Peter Ward]

SBIG has recently added support for GPS based absolute time to their CCDOPS program. Synching it with the PC’s high speed clock they obtain time resolution approaching 1 millisecond.

The ST-I with CCDOPS can collect and record about 6 frames a second...not as good as video...but the absolute time-base may well prove more accurate

[Peter Ward]

True.

The sensors are only warrantied for a year. The camera electronics have two years.

But the start date, in either case, with SBIG is the date of purchase.

[RickS]

Great, thanks Peter. Useful to know...

[Shiraz]

As Ted and Peter have pointed out Aidan, you would be better off with a video camera for occultation timing. You could potentially get very high accuracy using one of the low cost CMOS cameras (eg ASI120/QHY5) at up to maybe 100Hz framerate with Firecapture software providing ms accurate timestamping.

From the Firecapture manual : " timestamp with milliseconds accuracy directly into the captured data. This is useful whenever you need to know the exact time each frame (e.g. occultation data)".