Cameras - Frank Johns

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Cameras

Astro Kit
Cameras
ASI294MC-Pro
This was my first dedicated OSC astro-camera. I decided to give OSC a go mainly as a result of the low number of clear nights we have in Cornwall. With time limited, the use of LRGB becomes rather restricted.

ASI533MC-Pro
This OSC astro-camera is rather unusual in two respects. Firstly it is a square format - 3008 x 3008, and secondly, its design means that it has zero amp glow. This means that the need to take darks to calibrate the image is less necessary for good results.


The above cameras are generally used in conjunction with a narrowband / tri-band filter, of which I currently have two.
These filters allow high transmission of H-Alpha, H-Beta and Oxygen III emission lines. The difference between these is principally in the bandpass. The L-eNhance allows a 24nm bandpass through OIII and H-Beta and 10nm for H-Aplha. The L-eXtreme on the other hand is strictly 7nm in both Ha and OIII.
In practice I have found it possible to get good images of. particularly emission, nebulae, during full Moon and also when the target is quite low elevation.
ASI120MC
This camera can be used for imaging, for example when creating .avi files of Planets/Moon, but is mainly used for guiding.
ASI224MC
This camera is generally used for the smaller targets but also is used for guiding.
DMK 21AU04.AS
A monochrome camera capable of recording up to 60 frames/second. It captures lossless and uncompressed images, making it ideal for planetary and lunar photography.

ATIK 314L+
The Atik 314L+ is a set-point cooled CCD camera with a resolution of 1392 x 1040. The peltier cools the CCD to about 20 dgrees below ambient.
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