Nebulosity? Images Plus? other alternative to DSLRFocus?

[rogerg]

G'day all,

I'm looking to get my portable setup back up and running. It hasn't been running well since I bought my new laptop with Vista (6 months ago now!) because DSLRFocus doesn't run.

I'm on a tight budget (saving for a wedding!) so am after the best bang for buck to replace DSLRFocus.

I'm aware of Nebulosity (http://www.stark-labs.com/nebulosity.html), Images Plus (http://www.mlunsold.com/index.html), and MiximDSLR (http://www.cyanogen.com/maxim_features.php).

The prices vary quite wildly and for the price of $60 Nebulosity is hard to go past.

Are there any other alternatives I should be looking at?

What exactly I want: Control of my Canon 350D from the laptop to enable easy focusing and image capture. My canon can connect via USB or RS232 (I have both cables which were compatible with DSLRFocus). Focus is manual on my portable setup, me using an orion acufocus, so no need for integrated focuser control from the software.

Any image processing capabilities provided by the software are an added bonus but definitely not required.

In theory I guide using a Q-Guider (in theory because I rarely get the whole setup running well enough to guide). So I guess there's a chance some of the options can do the autoguiding too, like with CCDSoft and SBIG cameras how it's all integrated in the one app. But I'm not sure about that and it's not required ad CCDSoft can continue to do the guiding using the Q-Guider for me.

:)

Thanks,
Roger.

[browndog]

If you are after a really cheap option you could:

1) Use DSLR Shutter for image acquisition, FREE
http://www.stark-labs.com/DSLR_Shutter.html

2) Create your own Hartmann or Bahtinov Mask for focusing, FREE

There are definetly better options out there – but it does work :thumbsup:

[leinad]

Hi Roger,

I've been using Nebulosity 2 and found it to be excellent, powerful program. For someone new like me, image capturing and focusing is easy to use.
You may be looking for the more advanced functionalities; see here; You can download the full manual.
http://www.stark-labs.com/downloads_files/Nebulosity2Docs.pdf

[bojan]

How about getting rid of Vista ?

[rogerg]

Good ideas, thanks! I have used DSLR Shutter together with the standard EOS utilities that come with the camera and found that worked well for taking the sequence of long exposures. Putting the Bohtinov Mask with that might work well enough :thumbsup: ... but I am tempted by an all inclusive program like Nebulosity... :screwy:



Thanks for your comments about how you find it, good to hear. :thumbsup:

[turbo_pascale]

I've been using DSLR Focus for years.
Apparently, Version 4 is close to release.
If you are a member of the DSLRFocus yahoo group, there are links to videos of the new interface and tools/functionaility.

I'm not holding my breath for any immediate release, but there has definately been a serious flurry of activity by Chris Venter recently. I'm looking forward to a new version!

Turbo

[rogerg]

Interesting.

I don't think I'd pay for DSLRFocus again considering the long lack of support & new versions, which could easily happen again. But, it's perhaps an option... Thanks!

[iceman]

I use ImagesPlus for focus and image acquisition, as well as aligning/stacking once the images are taken.

It's not super cheap but it's a very powerful program.

[bojan]

Perhaps Focus Assist will work on Vista?
http://www.xmission.com/~jstanley/focusassist/ (http://www.xmission.com/%7Ejstanley/focusassist/)
It is free, and quite adequate, especially when combined with magnifier (also free) and Bahtinov mask.
http://www.iconico.com/magnifier/

[rogerg]

Thanks :thumbsup: .. I'll download it and give it a shot.

[Terry B]

You can control EOS cameras with Audela (http://www.audela.org/english_audela.php) and it is free. I use it for CCD capture with my home built CCD but haven't tried the EOS feature as my EOS is a 40D and has it's own good capture software.
Just download it and give it a go. It will aslo control a mount via ascom.

[bojan]

It is interesting to note that it seems the majority of most excellent and free software for amateurs is offered from France (or French speaking areas) :-) Iris, Audine, CdC, Virtual Moon.. Audela.. first applications for QuickCam.. to name but a few...

Vive la France! :-)

[tonybarry]

+1 for Nebulosity - I am using a Macintosh laptop and Neb 2.0 does the job. Note I am quite new to the game so there may be other solutions out there ...

Regards,
Tony Barry

[rogerg]

Thanks to everyone for thir replies. I hope to give a few of the options a try tonight.



Thanks Terry, I'll add Audela to the list to try. :thumbsup:



Yes, I had noticed this ... it's interesting. oh well, good on 'em! :)



Thanks Tony :thumbsup:

[rogerg]

Thanks for all the feedback on this.

I have been testing Nebulosity 2 over the last while and on Friday night bought a license to it. It's such a huge improvement on what functionality I had with DSLRFocus I wish I had switched over sooner :thumbsup:

The Frame & Focus, and fine focus functionality of Nebulosity 2 is great. Everything is so much easier to use than was with DSLRFocus.

I do wish Nebulosity 2 would save the CR2 downloads as CR2 files rather than 3 FITS files, but I can work with that no problem, just takes a little more effort to split them in to their colours in processing.

Thanks all,

Roger.

[leinad]

Glad you found a winner Roger. Great program. :thumbsup: