Which Mono Webcam?

[NightCal]

I'm looking at different options for a mono webcam for lunar, solar and planetary imaging. I presently have a colour Toucam Pro II (Eeprom using Astrobond 'special settings'). The plan is to use the mono webcam for lunar imaging and planetary luminance layer imaging both with an IR pass filter - the colour Toucam will provide planetary RGB data. I would also like to use the mono webcam for UV imaging of Venus and imaging the Sun in white light and eventually in H-Alpha. I have no plans to use it for either tri-colour imaging with RGB filters or long-exposure stuff.

As I see it I have three options:
Lumenera - The housing market in the UK is in freefall at the moment so couldn't sell my house to buy one.
DMK 21AU04.AS (£264) - Almost the ideal camera, but blows my entire budget for the next 6-12 months; so no imaging of the Sun or (Venus in UV) as I won't be able to afford the filters. It could easily be another 2 years before I could afford both of these.
RAW-modified mono Toucam (£105) - Same chip as the DMK, so same benefit of increased resolution and sensitivity, but captures only up to 10fps, not the 30-60fps of the DMK.

If I get the mono Toucam, it makes the swapping between the colour and mono Toucams for L(RGB) planetary imaging much simpler as they will be pretty much parfocal. It will also allow me to get the UV and solar white light filters, and buy a copy of K3CCDtools3 and still have leave me with £25 towards the next big purchase - a filter-modified Canon 350D (£390).

On the other hand, the DMK will be more future proof (hopefully), more rugged, and give me the very best chance of catching the best picture possible of my favourite imaging target, the Moon.

Oh decisions, decisions. ... :help::help::shrug::shrug::help2::h elp2::confuse2::confuse2::confuse3: :confuse3:

[Dennis]

I’d go for the DMK as most people who have upgraded from a ToUcam find it to be a definite step up in image quality. Its worth it just for the cute blue metal cube – it looks really cool compared to a piece of moulded plastic!

As the DMK is an industrial webcam, I suspect the design, materials and components would be superior to that of the more commercial ToUcam. Certainly in my experience the image is cleaner and less noisy at high gain compared to the ToUcam.

Cheers

Dennis

[Matty P]

Hi Micheal,

The DMK is definitely the way to go. Like Dennis has said, it is a big step up in sensitivity and image quality.

Being able to capture upto 60fps when imaging makes a huge difference. It allows you to capture thousands of frames in fraction of the time that it would take a ToUcam to capture. So if you are looking to create a RGB image, the DMK is perfect.

If you can afford it, go for the DMK. :thumbsup:

[Merlin66]

I've got a collection of webcam type cameras, and since getting the DMK I only use the LPI for guiding.....
As the others say, its a great investment ( also gives long exposures!)
Either the USB or the firewire; I have the firewire and bought the cable cheaply from OPT.

[NightCal]

I couldn't give a **** what it looks like!

[NightCal]

Hi. I'm not planning to use the DMK for three filter RGB imaging. I'm going to use it for luminance layer only. My existing colour Toucam will handle the RGB side of planetary imaging.