Samsung SCC-A2333 1st light report

ballaratdragons (Ken) · #1 28-09-2010, 09:07 PM

Well, I finally had a clear night after weeks and weeks of Rain, cloud and storms. A great way to end our Eleven year drought!

I got to test out my Samsung SCC-A2333 CCTV camera for 'LIVE' Astro broadcasting.

This model Samsung offers:
Lux rating at 0.0000006 in night mode at full x512 sens-up, 10.25 seconds integration and a 1/2" SONY Ex-View HAD IT CCD Chip.

The in-camera IR filter is a mechanical device that slides in and out of the front of the chip.

Up until this test run I had only been able to video the Moon for about 1/2 an hour.
The one chance I had at DSO's only lasted 5 minutes due to rain.

Now, I can happily report that I spent several hours on DSO's with great results.
Initially I had a bizarre rectangle of light similar to an inner reflection, but no matter what I tried it would not go away.

Enter Martin Ferlito (see_ate) up in Sydney! Martin very patiently went through my whole set-up with me step by looooong step, until the only step left was to return to 'Factory Default' settings and start again.
I even allowed the in-camera IR filter to operate again. I had previously locked it open.

Once this was done the camera finally behaved and after adjusting and re-adjusting all the settings it gave crystal clear beautiful coloured Live video of the Tarantula Nebula in the Large Magellanic Cloud, the Fornax Galaxy Cluster, NGC253 Silver Coin Galaxy, 47Tuc Globular Cluster and some small faint Galaxies in Telescopium.

Not only were these images quite good, they were through thin cloud and with the Moon shining bright!

Summary: This camera has turned out to be better than I expected.
The in-camera IR filter doesn't seem to dull images compared to no filter, and does it's job of tidying up the stars.
The 1/2" Sony chip is so sensitive that Nebulae was blowing out too bright at 5 seconds integration. Results were better at 2.5 seconds. So the full 10.25 seconds should reveal those extremely faint objects.

Thank you to all of you that visited my broadcast while doing this first DSO test. I appreciated your comments

Equipment: Saxon 120mm f5 Refractor with x0.6 Focal Reducer, EQ6 mount, Samsung SCC-A2333 CCTV camera @ 2.5 seconds integration, colour mode, Video Grabber, Laptop, broadcast live on NightSkiesNetwork.

Remember, these cameras are not for high quality imaging and stacking. They are for 'Live' broadcasting. The following images are Screen Grabs of live video.

Images from this first test night on NightSkiesNetwork:

1. Satellite passing under Tarantula Nebula in LMC
2. NGC253 Silver Coin Galaxy
3. 47Tuc (needs lower integration time)

Thanks all

DavidU (Dave) · #2 28-09-2010, 09:16 PM

Nice detailed report Ken, I think you have found a very cool camera.
I was amazed when you told me the sensitivity was .0000006 lux !!!
I'm saving my pennys.

ballaratdragons (Ken) · #3 28-09-2010, 09:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DavidU

Nice detailed report Ken, I think you have found a very cool camera.
I was amazed when you told me the sensitivity was .0000006 lux !!!
I'm saving my pennys.

Thanks Dave.

And I finally got all these fantastic views on the one night you weren't in there watching

erick (Eric) · #4 28-09-2010, 09:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ballaratdragons

Thanks Dave.

And I finally got all these fantastic views on the one night you weren't in there watching

Nor me

OK, next time!

ballaratdragons (Ken) · #5 28-09-2010, 09:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by erick

Nor me

OK, next time!

Yeah, sorry Eric.
It was raining till about 8pm, then I set up after that.
It was a late start.

Yep, next time

netwolf · #6 28-09-2010, 10:26 PM

Ken great find and good show last night, only sorry i could not see all of it. Glad you sorted out your issues. I thought Martin must have the paitence of a Saint.

I hope as we get closer to the new moon that we get to see some more magic from this camera.

ballaratdragons (Ken) · #7 28-09-2010, 10:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by netwolf

Ken great find and good show last night, only sorry i could not see all of it. Glad you sorted out your issues. I thought Martin must have the paitence of a Saint.

I hope as we get closer to the new moon that we get to see some more magic from this camera.

Thanks for coming in again and viewing, Fahim

Yeah, Martin really hung in there for me. Even when I was doubting his suggestions

And he was right

lacad01 (Adam) · #8 29-09-2010, 07:21 AM

That's excellent Ken. I saw the post on Cloudy Nights and have been reading up with interest on these Samsung cameras. How do you find the noise on that camera at those sense-up settings?

JohnG (John) · #9 29-09-2010, 08:43 AM

Good stuff Ken

Looking forward to seeing the camera in operation at Snake Valley.

Was watching the other night but not logged on, must have gave it away just before you got it up and running, was watching your strange rectangle

.

Cheers mate.

ozskywatcher (Josie) · #10 29-09-2010, 10:10 AM

Fantastic images.

With your webcasting, are you able to use software to automatically upload the images? I did a small amount of webcasting a few years ago with a web cam and was able to find some software to do this. It didn't have to go through a video frame grabber though.

I would like to do some webcasting again in future with this type of camera, but am would like to be able to have a set up that up-loads images automatically.

Regards,

Paul Floyd.
www.nightskyonline.info

[QUOTE=ballaratdragons;639916]Well, I finally had a clear night after weeks and weeks of Rain, cloud and storms. A great way to end our Eleven year drought!

I got to test out my Samsung SCC-A2333 CCTV camera for 'LIVE' Astro broadcasting.

This model Samsung offers:
Lux rating at 0.0000006 in night mode at full x512 sens-up, 10.25 seconds integration and a 1/2" SONY Ex-View HAD IT CCD Chip.

The in-camera IR filter is a mechanical device that slides in and out of the front of the chip.

Once this was done the camera finally behaved and after adjusting and re-adjusting all the settings it gave crystal clear beautiful coloured Live video of the Tarantula Nebula in the Large Magellanic Cloud, the Fornax Galaxy Cluster, NGC253 Silver Coin Galaxy, 47Tuc Globular Cluster and some small faint Galaxies in Telescopium.

Not only were these images quite good, they were through thin cloud and with the Moon shining bright!

Summary: This camera has turned out to be better than I expected.
The in-camera IR filter doesn't seem to dull images compared to no filter, and does it's job of tidying up the stars.
The 1/2" Sony chip is so sensitive that Nebulae was blowing out too bright at 5 seconds integration. Results were better at 2.5 seconds. So the full 10.25 seconds should reveal those extremely faint objects.

Thank you to all of you that visited my broadcast while doing this first DSO test. I appreciated your comments

Octane (Humayun) · #11 29-09-2010, 10:38 AM

Ken,

That is awesome! I will have to try and log in and catch you one of these nights.

H

P.S. I /might/ be able to attend Snake Valley, afterall.

erick (Eric) · #12 29-09-2010, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Octane

Ken,

P.S. I /might/ be able to attend Snake Valley, afterall.

ballaratdragons (Ken) · #13 29-09-2010, 11:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lacad01

How do you find the noise on that camera at those sense-up settings?

Adam, there is a setting called DNR (Digital Noise Reduction).
I haven't had it turned all the way up yet. It's about Mid now.
Reports say that it rids noise almost completely.

ballaratdragons (Ken) · #14 29-09-2010, 12:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ozskywatcher

Fantastic images.

With your webcasting, are you able to use software to automatically upload the images? I did a small amount of webcasting a few years ago with a web cam and was able to find some software to do this. It didn't have to go through a video frame grabber though.

I would like to do some webcasting again in future with this type of camera, but am would like to be able to have a set up that up-loads images automatically.

Regards,

Paul Floyd.
www.nightskyonline.info

Paul, I am a little confused by your questions about automatic uploads.

Broadcasting IS instant upload. You see it as it is happening (maybe a 1 or 2 second delay as it travels across the internet). I even talk to the viewers 'live'.

When you say you didn't have to go through a Video Frame Grabber, that would be because you were using a Webcam.
CCTV cameras, Gstar-Ex, etc are not webcams. They are not USB devices.
They are Analogue devices.

The Video Frame Grabber is just a cable to plug into the camera and into the laptop to convert it from Analogue to digital. Same as connecting anything with any cable.

Whatever I point the scope at, and whatever I say, the viewer sees it and hears it 'Live'.

No special Software programs needed either. Just got to use the right Website with live feed connection, which Night Skies Network supplies for free to its members.

ballaratdragons (Ken) · #15 29-09-2010, 12:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Octane

Ken,

P.S. I /might/ be able to attend Snake Valley, afterall.

Woo-Hooo, keep me informed

byronpaul (Paul) · #16 29-09-2010, 02:27 PM

Ken,

interested to hear more about your webcasting.

How do I find out more about it, how often is it on, how to connect?

Paul

renormalised (Carl) · #17 29-09-2010, 02:41 PM

They're brilliant, Ken

I might invest in one of these cameras. Might ask Rock how to fit a peltier to one to cool it...keep the hot pixels down.

You can still get very acceptable images from these cameras if you stack enough frames and do the processing

Octane (Humayun) · #18 29-09-2010, 02:42 PM

Paul,

Google "Night Skies Network". On the home page is a big list of webcasters with their names, and, whether they're online or offline. Click on someone who's online and it'll load the cast for you. : )

H

ballaratdragons (Ken) · #19 29-09-2010, 05:45 PM

Yes Paul, as H said

Go here and the people doing a 'LIVE" broadcast are in red.
http://www.nightskiesnetwork.com/

I'll be doing another broadcast tonight

(look for Snake Valley Australia)

ballaratdragons (Ken) · #20 29-09-2010, 05:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by renormalised

They're brilliant, Ken

I might invest in one of these cameras. Might ask Rock how to fit a peltier to one to cool it...keep the hot pixels down.

You can still get very acceptable images from these cameras if you stack enough frames and do the processing

Thanks Carl.

Rock already makes a model of the Mallincam with Peltier Cooling. But he ain't going to share how to fit a cooler to his oppositions cameras

Yeah, some folk stack and process with these cameras, but I have a Canon 350d for that.
I want this one purely for Live Broadcasts.