going crazy? can't get focus

[troypiggo]

I have a C9.25 that I don't use very often, and if I do it's been for visual. When I do that, I use a diagonal with the eyepieces, but I can achieve focus no worries.

But plug in my DBK21 into the back, and I can't for the life of me get it focused. This is with or without 2.5x powermate. I pointed it near the Moon tonight, figuring it's pretty bright and a good starting point to focus on. I can't even see a change in brightness and I slew past it and full in or full out focus.

Thought it could be the camera is the problem, but shine a torch in the scope and it does flare up and show up on the video. So the camera is working.

Thing that's driving me nuts is that I'm sure when I first got it I did do some playing around with the same camera and powermate, and did get focus and results.

Please give me some tips/tricks to get this thing in focus before I toss the thing off the balcony or have myself committed to an asylum. I must be missing something stupid.

[jjjnettie]

Maybe you need to change the camera settings? It's pretty damn bright that moon. It can overwhelm the camera.
Drop the gain maybe?
Our Jen is outside tonight taking her first images of the moon through Johnnie. She sent me her first pic!!! Awesome.

[Jen]

:D thanks to JJJ ;) dont give up Troy keep going i just gotta get my focus right and make sure i dont overcook next time :rolleyes: but i will get there here is my first pic with the web cam taken just a while ago :P


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:D

[troypiggo]

Awesome Jen!

JJJ - I had the settings all on auto, so I'd have thought it would automatically adjust for bright and dark?

[RobF]

How about pointing it at the moon with minimal or no diagonal etc in place then moving in and out by hand until you see it momentarily pass in and out of focus Troy? Should give you an idea if you're way in or out away from focus when trying with all the focuser gear in place. I have a lot of trouble with my Newt find focus with and then again without a powermate in place for planetary, particularly if pointing at something faint. Very different to CCD setup.

[Jen]

take 2 :D they slowly getting better ;)

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[jjjnettie]

Change your settings to manual Troy.
Take control of the camera.

[troypiggo]

Thanks Rob. Tried the manually moving in and out holding it. I'm absolutely baffled. Clouds come over now too :(

[troypiggo]

Hmm, that's the advice I give everyone with DSLRs :lol:
Reckon I should take some of my own medicine? :D
Will do that next time.

[jjjnettie]

Have a couple of drinks Troy, and play with it in the morning. Maybe mark on the draw tube where you achieve focus, so you don't have to fish around for it in the dark.

[bmitchell82]

Be a man Troy... TAKE CONTROL!!! hahahaha but great advice

[troypiggo]

Me grumpy. Beddy-byes. Nighty-night all :)

[troypiggo]

Ok, I'm out at my scope again. I'm missing something.

Camera is set to 30fps, 1/30s, average gain settings I think. The scope is focused with an eyepiece in it. I put the camera in. I know it's connected and working by putting a torch in the end of scope and see it on screen.

I pull the camera slowly out of the barrel and can't get focus. Can't even see a faint hint of a star. Can't see the Moon yet over my very limited horizon, but it's not far away. But the star is Fomalhaut, so no exactly dim either.

[traveller]

Maybe post some images to help us see what you saw? Are you doing prime focus without Barlow first? My limited experience tell s me it's a place to start. If it's getting increased focuses as you draw out, you may have reached your focusing limit? Maybe borrow an extension tube to see it will help?
Bo:shrug:

[troypiggo]

I can't post an image of what I saw. I only get focus with the eyepiece and looking into it. If I take the eyepiece out and put the camera in, I can only see black unless I shine a torch in the end of the scope.

Can get focus with eyepieces both with and without a diagonal, which would be the same effect as an extension tube I'd imagine? So I'm assuming that focus with camera should at least be possible in one of those configurations.

Yes, I'm prime focus and trying without Powermate first.

Moon is almost over the roof soon, so hoping that'll help. Puh-leeease!

I just don't get what's going wrong.

[troypiggo]

Ok, near full moon saved the day. Bright as and now got focus. Sorry for the silly thread, all.

[RickS]

Troy,

Sorry, I have no idea what your problem is, but I do have a DBK 31AF03.AS that you're welcome to borrow if you want to check if it's an issue with your camera...

Is it worth trying to find focus with a daytime target? I found that useful when first trying to figure out what combination of adapters would bring my CCD cameras to the right distance on my scopes.

Cheers,
Rick.

[troypiggo]

She's all good, thanks Rick. Got focus now with the full moon.

[RickS]

Glad to hear you got it sorted, Troy!

[jjjnettie]

nice to know the moon is good for something.
Happy you've got it sorted now Troy.

[troypiggo]

Thanks JJJ. :D

[Jen]

yayyyyyy go Troy go :D looking forward to seeing some pics ;)

[RobF]

I can relate Troy - it really is surprisingly hard to find correct focus for my toucam/reflector/mpcc arrangement sometimes, particuarly with the relatively small FOV, which is tightened far further if you have a barlow in there. A nice big moon is good for something at least ;)