DSI's

xelasnave · #1 12-10-2007, 10:07 AM

Well my DSI's (2 of) have arrived

.

Installed one OK

... no sky to play with but I managed some bush shots so generally it seems to work

...
I was prepared for the worst given my experience with getting the lpi working.

I am busy with other things so I wont get a go for a while ... I think the wish list is near complete...HA the only thing left.

alex

Ric · #2 13-10-2007, 12:54 AM

Congrats Alex on your new arrivals. I hope you have a lot of fun with them and I looking forward to your first images.

Ha is a lot of fun as well, I think you will enjoy that as well.

Cheers

Glenhuon (Bill) · #3 13-10-2007, 07:25 AM

Just about to try my colour DSI on some backyard daylight shots. Been busy on other things so not really had the chance to properly test it yet. Ballaratdragons thread on his problems has been followed with interest and some trepidation, so prepared with powered USB hub and USB 2.0 adapter for the laptop. The Surplusshed 80x400 scope was completed yesterday, will use that for a combined test session. All being well, I'll post a few images later.

Cheers
Bill

xelasnave · #4 13-10-2007, 08:39 AM

Bill I will be firing thru an 80 x 400.
I was surprised because I dont have the hub yet for the laptop....I guess thats because its only a short cable.
alex

Glenhuon (Bill) · #5 13-10-2007, 07:48 PM

Managed to get it into focus today, but had to use a polarising filter as the screen was just white in daylight. Just tried on Jupiter. All I get is noise even with the cover on the objective

Tried all sorts of settings, no joy so far. (1 1/2 hours later) Managed to get some sort of image through the 150 newt, but pretty blurry. My opinion of the DSI thus far would not be repeatable in polite company.

xelasnave · #6 14-10-2007, 06:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Glenhuon

Managed to get it into focus today, but had to use a polarising filter as the screen was just white in daylight. Just tried on Jupiter. All I get is noise even with the cover on the objective

Tried all sorts of settings, no joy so far. (1 1/2 hours later) Managed to get some sort of image through the 150 newt, but pretty blurry. My opinion of the DSI thus far would not be repeatable in polite company.

I am sorry your experience was not all you may have hoped for

.
I had a good run last night and tried imaging with the dsi thru the little 80 x 400.
It will be my guide scope.. I dont think one would want much longer F/L with this cam

.

I was interested to see how a long exposure would go so set it for 8 minutes and sat whatching the screen..I had a faint image of the spider which I thought would come up with a long exposure... how disappointed I was when the time was up and no image

...

I looked up from the screen to notice a big cloud had rolled in

...dam.. but this has happened to me before

.
But the dsi worked very well I can not complain about it in any respect

.

The mount (eq6) is brilliant and finally a 8 minute run showed minimal distortion of the stars...I think the slight distortion was due to focus being a little bit off.

The Ra slows a little but after playing all night I did not have to reposition the guide star other than push the RA button a little.

Polar must be perfect..well after 6 months of tweaking one would hope so.

I used the PE training as a timer whilst hand guiding for the 150sn and the 300d and did not have to correct much at all...got some nine minutes (the duration of the PE training run) of Orion at 100 iso , 200 iso and 400iso... stars nice and round

... very happy so very very happy

. So the mount was trained over and over and over again.

Stayed up all night .. finally giving it in at 4.45 am...
But there is still so much to do... downloading photos takes so long and waiting out 9 minutes looking at a little star leaves one sortta ..er funny... I felt disoriented after a while.

Getiing a sharp focus with the scope (80x400) was a chalenge as the tube flops about... but still very happy given the scope limitations.

alex

ballaratdragons (Ken) · #7 14-10-2007, 10:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Glenhuon

Managed to get it into focus today, but had to use a polarising filter as the screen was just white in daylight. Just tried on Jupiter. All I get is noise even with the cover on the objective

Tried all sorts of settings, no joy so far. (1 1/2 hours later) Managed to get some sort of image through the 150 newt, but pretty blurry. My opinion of the DSI thus far would not be repeatable in polite company.

sounds familiar!

xelasnave · #8 14-10-2007, 11:31 PM

I say it was not as easy as having a view finder as with the 300d..although one gets a dim image with a dslr one does have an instant image to adjust... focusing on a dsi is a twiddle and wait a bit afair.

A flip mirror would give this advantage to a dsi.

Given the small field of view thru the 80 x 400 I imagine something around 800 (thats about an 80ed) or greater would be difficult to manage.. doable but difficult.

Anyways I am very happy, I have followed many who have spoken about their experiences and expected I would be the next asking for help and tranquilizers ..but not so.

alex

ballaratdragons (Ken) · #9 14-10-2007, 11:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xelasnave

focusing on a dsi is a twiddle and wait a bit afair.
alex

I find focussing with the DSI very hard, Alex. I can't get sharp stars like with the Toucam. For example, I spent well over half an hour tonight to get stars as sharp as I could get them. It seems to give a binned type of image, but it isn't binned. Even tiny pinpoint stars seem to take up surrounding pixels and form funny shapes! It seems impossible to get a four pixel star to use four pixels. Rather it takes up about 6 - 8 pixels. And not always square.

And yep, before you ask, the seeing is about 9/10 tonight. Dead calm and Trans is 10/10.

xelasnave · #10 15-10-2007, 12:12 AM

I should be out there but I did not sleep last night so I did not go home to observe take photos etc...
I found the stars were odd shapes but thought it was focus and basically my fault.
But it was to be for guiding but to be honest your work with the webcam gave me an interest to have a go at imaging with the dsi... I got Orion but even with the small field of view I could not resolve any of the stars in the Trap to my satisfaction.
My impression was that to get a decent image one would have to be careful not to let too much by...
Still they will do the job I have mentally assigned to them..guiding.
I did want to try and put them on the binos ... I had in mind two binos and four cams...different filtures 4 times more data in a given period but I doubt I can make that happen...
alex

ballaratdragons (Ken) · #11 15-10-2007, 12:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xelasnave

I found the stars were odd shapes but thought it was focus and basically my fault.

Nope, it's the camera. Stars make wierd shapes, making focussing a nightmare.

Quote:

Originally Posted by xelasnave

but to be honest your work with the webcam gave me an interest to have a go at imaging with the dsi...

Wow, thank you.

Quote:

Originally Posted by xelasnave

I got Orion but even with the small field of view I could not resolve any of the stars in the Trap to my satisfaction.

Yep, sounds about right.

Quote:

Originally Posted by xelasnave

I did want to try and put them on the binos ... I had in mind two binos and four cams...different filtures 4 times more data in a given period but I doubt I can make that happen...
alex

You might invent the 4 camera multi-filter imaging device

xelasnave · #12 15-10-2007, 08:51 AM

quote " You might invent the 4 camera multi-filter imaging device "
It is being done Ken. There are advantages in this approach.
alex

Glenhuon (Bill) · #13 15-10-2007, 10:45 AM

Your a brave man Alex

I'm tearing my hair out just trying to get my one to do something usable.
I don't know if the DSI's have a built in IR filter but have just ordered one from Andrews anyway. To help with thermal noise and speed cooling I've just found that a fan from an Intel P3 CPU clips on the DSI cooling fins nicely. Will give that a spin to (if you'll pardon the pun).

Bill

Quote:

Originally Posted by xelasnave

quote " You might invent the 4 camera multi-filter imaging device "
It is being done Ken. There are advantages in this approach.
alex

Karls48 (Karl) · #14 15-10-2007, 02:30 PM

DSI Pro seems to work as guider. I tried it with Meade ETX-105 and it works OK. I’m going to use it with GE mount fitted with Autostar and DS motors (when I will get it working satisfactory). As the Imager, well I did not have much luck with it and ETX. Very difficult to focus. But I tried it with F5 refractor and it produce better images then with ETX. Maybe it needs fast scope.

ballaratdragons (Ken) · #15 15-10-2007, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Karls48

Very difficult to focus. But I tried it with F5 refractor and it produce better images then with ETX. Maybe it needs fast scope.

I am using it at f4.

Glenhuon (Bill) · #16 16-10-2007, 09:15 AM

Here's my best effort so far with the DSI hooked up to the 150 x 750 newtonian. Had to use the polarizing filter again. I tried a few images of Jupiter but got nothing usable. The first image is a stacked raw one done in Registack, the second one has had some processing in Paintshop Pro. They are still showing over exposure, looks like I might have to stack another filter