350D.. Finally!!!!!! hehe .. a few Q's.

[EzyStyles (Eric)]

yep i get it. like looking down into a straw and you can see the side of the barrel. so 2" all the way? no worries Tony. doh!! and i just bought a 1.25 uv/ir filter few days ago.. lol

[Geoff45 (Geoff)]

Originally Posted by EzyStyles

Hi Guys,

My birthday is next week and i found out that im getting a 350D!! yayy!!! . I've been telling my gf about the canon 350d for astrowork (should have told her about the SBIG's ) and she decided to organise with my friends to get one.

I don't think im planning to mod it .. not just yet but was wondering what rings/adapters will i need to mount to camera on my 2" focuser? also what software cables etc etc.. and how to go by with the setting up process.

thanks

A happy man finally.

You could also consider Jerry Lodriguss's ebook on photography with a DSLR bfor $US40 (http://www.astropix.com/GADC/GADC.HTM ) It has a wealth of useful info.

[Geoff45 (Geoff)]

Originally Posted by EzyStyles

in regards to geoffs post, i was thinking of the shoestring adapter to control the exposures. If i use the USB cable, i can save all taken images onto the laptop instead of the memory card? do i have to order from hutech with the 12v constant power? or i can get that locally from eg: ted's camera etc? Is it that much of a difference with a modded 350 than an unmodded one? Besides the colour difference from what i have seen around here, anything else?

thanks for the help so far guys.

I couldn't find anything on the canon website about an adapter to use with12v, but that doesn't mean that there isn't one. You can get battery packs, but I think they only hold 2 of the normal canon batteries. To save onto the computer you need software(eg ImagesPlus). The usb cable (Dick Smith) is just needed to extend the short cable that comes with the camera. The Hap Griffen cable is needed if you want to take bulb exposures with computer control, otherwise you are limited to a max of 30sec. If you control the camera by hand, you can take any exposure you want. I have heard of people making these themselves. From what I remember (you'll have to check this) the shoestring adapter assumes you already have a Canon TC-80N3 remote control (which won't work with the 350D without the adapter). I thought it was easier just to get the whole assembly from Hutech. I have had some trouble directly downloading to the computer--there are occasional hangups, so I just prefer to keep it simple. Take the pictures with the camera, put the memory card in a card reader (about $30 from any camera store) and download to the computer using drag and drop.

[EzyStyles (Eric)]

thanks geoff for your informative post. I was thinking of using DSLR Focus to capture and focus my shots. I guess thats probably like ImagePlus. Is it just an ordinary USB cable? i know i shouldnt ask too many q's yet until i get the darn camera first lol.. sometime today

[RB (Andrew)]

Hey.....is it your Birthday today Eric?
Happy Birthday, if it is.

[Geoff45 (Geoff)]

Originally Posted by EzyStyles

thanks geoff for your informative post. I was thinking of using DSLR Focus to capture and focus my shots. I guess thats probably like ImagePlus. Is it just an ordinary USB cable? i know i shouldnt ask too many q's yet until i get the darn camera first lol.. sometime today

Actually it's a usb extension cable. One end goes onto the usb cable supplied with the camera and the other goes into the computer. I have one about 3m long which gives you plenty of room between telescope and computer.

[[1ponders] (Paul)]

FWIW Eric, I wouldn't worry too much about downloading direct to the computer, assuming of course you have at least a 512 memory card in the camera. It takes considerable time to download from camera to computer and the only real advantage I see is that you have the image on your computer to look at, you can't do much else with it until you complete your imaging run as well as collecting darks and flats.

Also which everway you go a focus assist program is a mind saver (I'd be a mental case without DSLR Focus). You can go crazy trying to focus visually, or take an image-zoom in-refocus-take and image-zoom in- refocus-take an image- zoom in- refocus.....

Must haves;
Shoestring adapter and cables for autoguiding
Powered USB2 hub in lieu of usb extension (especially if you are guiding with the DSI and wanting to dowload direct from the camera.)
DSLR Focus and camer shutter release cable (usually a serial cable, thought they might come usb now ) Or use ImagesPlus.

[JohnG (John)]

Hi Eric

Like Paul, FWIW, this is what I use with my 350D and it has worked successfully without a hitch for the last 12 months.

DSUSB and DSCBL-01 and 03 from Shoestring Astronomy and a long USB cable from Hap Giffin, nothing else.

Focus and Automation using DSLRFocus and for processing, ImagesPlus 2.75.
ImagesPlus 2.80 is now the current release and it has similar focussing and automation to DSLRFocus. I don't use the Canon Timer as there is no need for it when everything is attached to my Laptop, DSLRFocus does the timing and sequencing for long exposures. I use the native Canon software to look at my shots whilst they are on the Laptop.

I also have several spare batteries but no longer use that system, because I image under a dome, I have the Canon AC Adapter so power useage is no longer a problem.

I download direct to my Laptop as it is more conveniant for me to have individual directories for Lights, Flats, Darks and Bias shots, never had any dramas doing it this way.

Oh, and BTW, if you haven't done it yet, check Menu 3 and change the Communication over to PC otherwise it will not talk to your Laptop or PC.

Cheers

JohnG

EDIT: Forgot to mention, your downloads will be almost instantaneous if your Laptop is USB 2.0

[Striker (Tony)]

I have the identical equipment as JohnG..same cables same software and same AC power supply and use the software in the same way.

If you have a laptop already which I know you do I wouldn't be bothering spending money on large capacity memory cards for the canon...I have 2gig and it never gets used.....Paul's computer must be slow as it should only take around 2 seconds for a raw file of 7mb to be transfered to your computer thats plenty of time as you should allow 15 seconds between exposures just to allow for the chip to cool a little.

I think I will stick with Imagesplus 2.75 if the only difference is focusing on 2.8 that I would use...I kind of like DSLR focus.

[EzyStyles (Eric)]

Originally Posted by [1ponders]

FWIW Eric, I wouldn't worry too much about downloading direct to the computer, assuming of course you have at least a 512 memory card in the camera. It takes considerable time to download from camera to computer and the only real advantage I see is that you have the image on your computer to look at, you can't do much else with it until you complete your imaging run as well as collecting darks and flats.

Also which everway you go a focus assist program is a mind saver (I'd be a mental case without DSLR Focus). You can go crazy trying to focus visually, or take an image-zoom in-refocus-take and image-zoom in- refocus-take an image- zoom in- refocus.....

Must haves;
Shoestring adapter and cables for autoguiding
Powered USB2 hub in lieu of usb extension (especially if you are guiding with the DSI and wanting to dowload direct from the camera.)
DSLR Focus and camer shutter release cable (usually a serial cable, thought they might come usb now ) Or use ImagesPlus.

Thanks Paul and thanks Andrew for the b'day greetings and i think houghy also from the other post.

I already have the shoestring adapter for autoguiding, today i got myself a 1 gig CF card $37 (soo cheap these days) and powered usb2 hub. So all i need i think right now is the 2" t-thread to mount camera into focuser, DSLR focus, 12v AC cable and shutter release cable? I was thinking of the DSUSB:

http://www.store.shoestringastronomy...roducts_ds.htm

will i be needing any cables from the shoestring store?

apologise for this DSLR newbie asking so many questions. I never use a DSLR camera before. Was playing around over the weekend . gees very complicated equipment indeed (for me anyway ).thanks guys for the great help.

[EzyStyles (Eric)]

Originally Posted by JohnG

Hi Eric

I also have several spare batteries but no longer use that system, because I image under a dome, I have the Canon AC Adapter so power useage is no longer a problem.

I download direct to my Laptop as it is more conveniant for me to have individual directories for Lights, Flats, Darks and Bias shots, never had any dramas doing it this way.

Oh, and BTW, if you haven't done it yet, check Menu 3 and change the Communication over to PC otherwise it will not talk to your Laptop or PC.

Cheers

JohnG

EDIT: Forgot to mention, your downloads will be almost instantaneous if your Laptop is USB 2.0

yep laptop is usb 2.0 . thanks john . is your 12v adapter from canon itself? or can i use a 12v dick smith regulated power? since your setup is same as tony's, i might just follow it.

[JohnG (John)]

Hi Eric

This is what I use, Canon AC to DC adapter kit:

http://www.canon.com.au/products/dcc...tors/1428.html

It still requires 240V but in the dome I don't have a moisture problem that is likely to interfere with it.

I have not had any problems at all with my setup and I believe Tony has had none as well.

Cheers

JohnG

[Geoff45 (Geoff)]

Can someone explain why a powered usb hub is needed? Maybe this is why my laptop sometimes hangs up when camera controlling. How is it powered? Internal batteries or external ac? (in which case it would be difficult for field use).

[Shawn]

Originally Posted by ghsmith45

Can someone explain why a powered usb hub is needed? Maybe this is why my laptop sometimes hangs up when camera controlling. How is it powered? Internal batteries or external ac? (in which case it would be difficult for field use).

love this thread, im still setting up and trying to mimick the scenario I will have on completion of the observatory. I set up a p3 with all the software I needed on it and used R,admin to drive that PC via 80211b, data xfer and and control seem to work fine, cables cut to a minimum. anybody else done this ?,, Have I overlooked something , that when it is implemented I will have truble with ..

[JohnG (John)]

Sorry, can't help you with USB powered hubs, my setup has a desktop P3 controlling the Telescope/Gemini system and planetarium software, GOTO's and sometimes the autoguider although I usually use the ST-4 as a stand alone unit.

My Laptop is used purely for imaging. Eliminates the potential for a groundloop problem.

Cheers

JohnG

[EzyStyles (Eric)]

Originally Posted by ghsmith45

Can someone explain why a powered usb hub is needed? Maybe this is why my laptop sometimes hangs up when camera controlling. How is it powered? Internal batteries or external ac? (in which case it would be difficult for field use).

Hi ghsmith. a power usb hub is just extra usb slots. With some laptops like mne, there are only 2 usb. I have a 7 usb power hub for additional devices. Since certain usb devices such as camera, dsi's etc drains quite alot of power, you will need a "power" usb hub (house hold power) is run all those devices at once.

[EzyStyles (Eric)]

i have got myself the following parts. Should be coming in the mail soon:

- USB Shutter Control Adapter DSUSB
- Cable for Canon, 2.5mm phono 6 feet DSCBL-01
- 6 foot male-female extension cable DSCBL-03
- USB2 extension cable
- Canon AC-DC adapter kit
- DSLR Focus

I still havent gone into Bintel to get a t-thread adapter. Is that all the parts i need?

thanks.

[Geoff45 (Geoff)]

Originally Posted by EzyStyles

i have got myself the following parts. Should be coming in the mail soon:

- USB Shutter Control Adapter DSUSB
- Cable for Canon, 2.5mm phono 6 feet DSCBL-01
- 6 foot male-female extension cable DSCBL-03
- USB2 extension cable
- Canon AC-DC adapter kit
- DSLR Focus

I still havent gone into Bintel to get a t-thread adapter. Is that all the parts i need?

thanks.

Eric, Rule #1 of astrophotography is that you will never have all the parts you need!
Geoff

[Geoff45 (Geoff)]

Originally Posted by ghsmith45

Eric, Rule #1 of astrophotography is that you will never have all the parts you need!
Geoff

See what I mean. canon have just announced the 400D 10.1 megapix camera http://www.canon.com.au/home/story_1541.html