DMK firewire webcams "price crash" - Page 2

Robert_T · #21 15-11-2006, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by [1ponders]

That is unless you can talk me into a 900nc Rob.

well Paul, the 900nc is very shiny, much shinier than the DMK which looks kinda industrial - does anything else really matter

... oh and don't forget the extra bother with the firewire camera's need their own power supply. I ended up buying a fire-wire PCMCIA card for my lappy that took a 12v i/p that I simply wired up a cigarette lighter plug to it to power up...

by the way I really didn't think I could stomach the mono and filter wheel routines either, but after a few runs it became a non issue....

[1ponders] (Paul) · #22 15-11-2006, 04:35 PM

I've already got the PCMCIA card for the lappy, just don't have anything to run off it. Guess I'd better get a camera then

Where did you pick up your filters and wheel Rob. And what sort of damage are we looking at

Robert_T · #23 15-11-2006, 04:57 PM

Paul, I got my filter wheel - a motorised Homeyer with True Tech filters -second hand from Gary Beal. Works a treat, but don't know what a new one would set you back. Mike has got the good oil on the various filter wheel options from memory... they're not cheap. Motorised ones are range from around $750AU upwards.

You can pick up cheap manual wheels like the ATik that Mike has a lot cheaper than that though and maybe motorise that?

cheers,

[1ponders] (Paul) · #24 15-11-2006, 05:08 PM

You mean me play with electricity

Give me a plant and I'll produce a million of them for you. Put a battery and a screw driver in my hand and I'll blackout all of Australia

[1ponders] (Paul) · #25 15-11-2006, 05:09 PM

btw I found that old thread "Which Filter Wheel and Why"

iceman (Mike) · #26 15-11-2006, 07:34 PM

Mono is the best, you know the reasons why. But it is more work.

Lester ended up getting the colour DMK, though i'm not sure how he's going with it lately with no planets up. It would definitely be more convenient, but the advantages outweighed the disadvantages for me.

Sometimes though I wish I was still using a ToUcam

[1ponders] (Paul) · #27 15-11-2006, 07:39 PM

You still can be Mike

How much do you want to sell your dmk and wheel for ?

[1ponders] (Paul) · #28 15-11-2006, 07:44 PM

OK the wallets out and I'm on the Image Processing website. Who's going to help me spend my money? DMK21F04 or the DMK21AF04? Is that extra 30fps really going to be of use? How big a difference is the noise factor between the two. Anyone know?

iceman (Mike) · #29 15-11-2006, 07:54 PM

From the stuff Robert posted before, the DMK21AF04 is the way to go.

Just don't forget the extra costs:
- Filter wheel
- Astronomik RGB filters ($360+)
- Powered hub
- External harddirve (optional)

Do you want it for planetary/lunar/solar, or deepspace stuff?

Paolo Lazzarotti has a range of planetary cams coming out at the end of the year, apparently BETTER than the DMK21AF04 and lower noise, 14bit, and around the same cost.

Might be worth waiting.

[1ponders] (Paul) · #30 15-11-2006, 07:58 PM

Got the powered hub and the external HDD. Looking at the ATiK filter wheel or the Sirius Filter wheel or even the cheap Lumincon filter slider. Those Astronomik filters are a killer hey. The Sirius wheel comes with filters though.

I guess that's the other thing. These are only 8 bit (I think) 12 or higher would be nice.

[1ponders] (Paul) · #31 15-11-2006, 08:00 PM

What's the powered hub for if these are firewire?

iceman (Mike) · #32 15-11-2006, 08:05 PM

Because the laptop doesn't supply enough power for the camera through the PCMCIA port.

If your laptop has a native 6-pin firewire port it should be ok.

btw I wouldn't recommend anything other than astronomik filters now.. the baader ones I used just didn't cut it.. not enough light transmission.

[1ponders] (Paul) · #33 15-11-2006, 08:07 PM

Gotcha. The PCMCIA card I have has a power port to supply power, will that be enough?

iceman (Mike) · #34 15-11-2006, 08:09 PM

Not in my case, it just didn't power it. Cheap ebay crud. The external hub worked a beauty. Got it from streetwise.com.au for about AU$85.

Just another source of power required and more things to plug in.

[1ponders] (Paul) · #35 15-11-2006, 08:13 PM

BTW it will be for planetary/Luna/Solar.

As to why I want to get one now......I've been stuck on my...backside... inside for nearly three weeks, the only imaging I've done are those sunspots and Mercury shots when my lovely wife has set up for me in the mornings before she goes to work. I'm getting desperate. I've either got to start doing some imaging (ha) or I'VE GOTTA BUY SOMETHING!!!!!! I nearly bought myself a Solarmax 60 this morning, but fortunately sanity prevailed

[1ponders] (Paul) · #36 15-11-2006, 08:16 PM

Hmmm sounds like my no-name one.

iceman (Mike) · #37 15-11-2006, 08:18 PM

The DMK21AF04 is great, Paul. If you want one, get it and use it until Paolo's cameras get a bit of a reputation. If you want to upgrade, you won't have any trouble selling the DMK I'm sure.

[1ponders] (Paul) · #38 15-11-2006, 08:19 PM

Now that's more like it Mike. Now your sounding like Sya

[1ponders] (Paul) · #39 15-11-2006, 08:34 PM

Ok now which filter setup? Manual will be fine.
The Sirius comes with filters but I don't know what they are like.
ATiK manual filter wheel
Apogee filter wheel

iceman (Mike) · #40 15-11-2006, 08:37 PM

I like the Atik, it's what I've got. I don't find the manual much of a pain at all, it only takes a second and the wobble only lasts 3-6 seconds depending on how careful you are.