cameras

I realised it was time to update a lot of my website when I had a look at these pages. So here's the update. I think this set of cameras should last me for a while now :)



Canon 100-400mm IS USM L lens

I have however bought a new lens. A Canon 100-400mm IS USM L lens. This is one of Canon's professional lenses with image stabilisation. Superb quality piece of glass :D



Starlight Xpress SXV-H9 Astro CCD camera

I've finally bought myself a proper astro CCD camera, a Starlight Xpress SXV-H9. The SXV-H9 has a large, high resolution 'Exview' monochrome CCD chip, with 1,447,680 x 6.45uM pixels (1392 x 1040 pixels) in a 8.9 x 6.7mm array. The peak QE is approximately 67% at 540nM and exceeds 50% at H-alpha wavelengths. This camera also has a super low dark signal and excellent anti-blooming characteristics.



Canon EOS 300D Digital SLR

I've also got a Canon 300D digital SLR camera, which has a huge 6.3 megapixel x 7.2uM pixels CMOS sensor, 22.7 x 15.1 mm (3072 x 2048 pixels). It's not hugely sensitive at the red end of the spectrum, but it is really lovely for starfields, and the larger objects in the sky.

I picked up a second Canon 300D second hand from the US (called a Digital Rebel over there), had it sent straight to Hutech, who have removed the IR filter from the front of the sensor that blocks all the red from getting through, then replaced it with a more astro-friendly one. This now makes the 300D an extremely capable deep sky camera now. This camera is now sold.



ToUcam Pro webcam SC3.5

For webcam imaging I have 2 webcams, both Philips ToUcam Pros. One modified to SC1 level for long exposures, the other to SC3.5 level. The SC3 camera has the same long exposure modification but with the addition of a replacement larger, more sensitive black and white CCD, as well as the CCD amp-off modification, also it is in a project box with a fan for cooling. The SC3 camera mounted in a project box has an M42 screw ring on the front which allows me to mount SLR lenses for wide field shots. The SC1 webcam is now sold, and has been replaced for planetary work by a Unibrain Fire-i firewire webcam. This enables full frame uncompressed video at 30fps, which helps to work around seeing problems.

You can see the SC3 camera on the back of the small Megrez refractor in the shot below, with the SC1 egg-housed camera on the back of the main scope, the Vixen VC200L

I toyed with the idea of modifying the first ToUcam myself, but realised rather quickly that it would be going way beyond my patience threshold. So I ended up buying a modified one from Perseu in Portugal. The SC1 was modified by another member of the QCUIAG web group :-) Many thanks to him. The same guy has also modified the other camera to SC3 level. Major kudos goes to him. Thanks Jools:-)

I've got a variety of SLR lenses with a M42 Pentax threaded fittings on the back. I've now got 28mm, a 52mm, a 135mm , a 200mm and a 300mm lense, all acquired very cheaply on eBay or borrowed from friends.