Images from CCD CCTV camera

[mohare]

Hi - first time post.

I was wondering if anyone had advice or experience using CCD CCTV cameras for taking Astro pics/vid.

I am considering buying a CCD CCTV camera ( 1.25" c-mount adapter) as a low cost entry into astro (vid) photography. My budget is to around A$100-150. I was previosly considering converting a webcam but thought CCTV might be a better way to go given I had difficulty finding CCD webcams at reasonable prices.

There would appear to be quite a few reasonable CCTV choices availaible at around my budget with light sensitivity to 0.01, even down to 0.0001Lux using "sense up" some accumulation or frame averaging. I already have cable to convert signal to USB.

I know that ideally a dedicated Astro cam will be best choice, but am reluctant to spend in excess of $500 and so interest in your comments so i dont burn $150 and find out it is not suitable....

Would appreciate your coments. Tx Mark

[ttoyota (Haydn)]

I bought a celestron Neximage (solar System Imager), seems to be ok, but I'm still learing to use it.

[mohare]

Ttoyota, thanks for the reply.

I would be interested to see how it performs, especially how your picture quality progresses as you get more experienced using it. Posts some pics.

Tx Mark

[Karls48 (Karl)]

Hi Mark. I have about 10 security cameras and I tried them all for astro imagining. Most of them are useless for imagining of anything but Moon.The exposure time is too short (1/50 seconds) and S/N ratio (45dB) too low. Exceptions are frame-integrating cameras as some Mintron models (sold here as GStar) and Watec. Those cameras produce good images and can be used to show live views on computer or TV monitor. Unfortunately, they cost way over your budget.
Recently I have noticed cheaper frame integrating cameras appearing on eBay. It may be worth to try one.
Things to look for
Mono camera will have better sensitivity and less noise then colour one.
CCD chip size – 1/3” is OK but ½” is better. Bigger chip= large field of view.
S/N (Signal to noise ratio) should be over 52db. Bigger number = less noise.
Horizontal resolution 600 pixels or better.
PAL format – 795X596. 720X576 is OK as most of Video grabbers will not display anything higher
Frame integration - To calculate exposure time in seconds, divide frame integration number by 2(for interlaced cameras) and then divide result by 25. For example if maximum frame integration =32 then maximum exposure = (32/2)/25=0.64 seconds.

[peter_4059 (Peter)]

Mark,

Which cameras are you looking at for less than $150? I have an old Watec camera (902) that I use for guiding but it would struggle to pick up nebulosity - ok for moon and planets though. I also have a Neximage but find the Watec more sensitive than this.

Peter

[mohare]

Karl, thanks for the reply. Exactly what is was after. I will now search.
(Peter thanks too!).

I had been keeping an eye on EBAY (originally for a web cam), but saw lots of CCTV-ccd's with varing quality and price. A company was selling Samsung SDC-425 CCTV for A$225 delivered. As I recall it had (Color D/N, with 1/3" SuperHAD, 256x frame integraton (sense-Up) and min sensitivity 0.0002 Lux (may be too slow for non guided mounts) but looked OK and was the cause of my original post above.

It seems to fit the specs from Karl's email. I note it is now gone off ebay, but i will keep an eye out as they originally listed 90+ items available, as model run-out stock??

Once again thanks for the reply, and atleast now i know what to look for, and can react promptly next time I find similar item.

Tx Mark