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01-23-2013, 09:55 PM - 1 Like   #46
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QuoteOriginally posted by baro-nite Quote
Nicely done, and also answers a question I had after also shooting some Moon video: is rolling shutter a factor, or is it all atmospheric shimmer? Given that you have a similar amount of shimmer to what I got but are shooting at half the magnification (hence half the apparent motion) I'd say it's all atmosphere.
Definitely upper atmosphere turbulence.

This is one of the helpful sites to check the jetstream over your area. Anything to the right of dark blue , on the scale, is not good.
Unisys Weather - NAM - US - 300mb - Initial

01-23-2013, 09:57 PM   #47
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QuoteOriginally posted by baro-nite Quote
Not my idea; some of the most stunning amateur planetary imaging I've seen is stacked images from CCD video capture. Anyway, the main thing I got from this evening's session was a reminder of the importance of "seeing", i.e. atmospheric stability or the lack thereof. I had clear dark skies and little wind, and it had been a cold day (for here), and Jupiter is almost straight overhead (least atmosphere in the way), and yet the heat shimmer has a huge effect in the video I shot. That plus I'm at a bit of a loss as to stacking software that handles video and/or untracked objects easily, and I'm not sure where I'll go with this. Here's a still cropped from some video:

So next time I want to try this, it'll have to be in the dark of the morning.
Try Registax, free . The software aligns individual frames.
01-24-2013, 05:57 AM   #48
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Astro photography has never been cheaper or easier than it is at the moment, good telescopes are not expensive, even with a GoTo mount.

Skymax 102 SynScan

You can couple this up to Stellarium (free) on your laptop and get that to control the scope.

Stellarium

You need to set Stellarium with your latitude and longitude, just Google your postcode for that info.

The little Pentax Q is ideal as a camera for this use, a Q to 'C' mount adapter and a 'C' to 1/1/4" tube which just drops into the eyepiece holder, point it at the Moon and you get this




This is strait out of camera.

Couple your Q to a 300mm lens and point it at the Moon and you get this




This time a cheap Sigma 70 - 300mm lens, this is full frame not cropped.

Chris
01-24-2013, 06:39 AM   #49
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QuoteOriginally posted by djseeram Quote
This is one of the helpful sites to check the jetstream over your area. Anything to the right of dark blue , on the scale, is not good.
Unisys Weather - NAM - US - 300mb - Initial
Extremely helpful, thank you!

QuoteOriginally posted by djseeram Quote
Try Registax, free . The software aligns individual frames.
Astrophotography-oriented software turns out to be one of those areas where OS X offerings are very limited. The best free or low-cost options seem to be Windows only.

01-24-2013, 06:50 AM   #50
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QuoteOriginally posted by ChrisJ Quote
Astro photography has never been cheaper or easier than it is at the moment, good telescopes are not expensive, even with a GoTo mount.

Skymax 102 SynScan

You can couple this up to Stellarium (free) on your laptop and get that to control the scope.

Stellarium

You need to set Stellarium with your latitude and longitude, just Google your postcode for that info.

Chris
Thanks for the post and pics Chris. If I wasn't leaving the US fo 6 weeks I'd order one of these. It appears to be around $490 (shipping unknown) and the pentax adapter from this site (if I read it correctly)

Sky-Watcher Skymax-102 SynScan AZ GOTO Maksutov Cassegrain telescope.
01-24-2013, 06:54 AM   #51
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I just picked up one of these.
For the price? It could totally suck, or be the perfect little mount.

Amazon.com: Orion Min-EQ Tabletop Equatorial Telescope Mount: Camera & Photo

01-24-2013, 07:06 AM - 1 Like   #52
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QuoteOriginally posted by ivoire Quote
Thanks for the post and pics Chris. If I wasn't leaving the US fo 6 weeks I'd order one of these. It appears to be around $490 (shipping unknown) and the pentax adapter from this site (if I read it correctly)

Sky-Watcher Skymax-102 SynScan AZ GOTO Maksutov Cassegrain telescope.
I used these adapters, for the UK, but similar (or even the same) will be available in the US.

C mount 16mm Cine Film Lens to Pentax Q P/Q PQ mount adapter | eBay

C Mount Adapter, Adaptor from 1.25" to C-Mount Thread, TS1-C Connector, New | eBay

They just screw together and the 1.25" tube will just drop into the eyepiece holder of most any telescope and many spotting scopes. They are retained by a simple grub screw.

Chris

01-24-2013, 09:05 AM   #53
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QuoteOriginally posted by ChrisJ Quote
Astro photography has never been cheaper or easier than it is at the moment, good telescopes are not expensive, even with a GoTo mount.

Skymax 102 SynScan

You can couple this up to Stellarium (free) on your laptop and get that to control the scope.

Stellarium

You need to set Stellarium with your latitude and longitude, just Google your postcode for that info.

The little Pentax Q is ideal as a camera for this use, a Q to 'C' mount adapter and a 'C' to 1/1/4" tube which just drops into the eyepiece holder, point it at the Moon and you get this




This is strait out of camera.

Couple your Q to a 300mm lens and point it at the Moon and you get this




This time a cheap Sigma 70 - 300mm lens, this is full frame not cropped.

Chris
Which 70-300 are you using? Ive got a Quantaray 70-300 (rebranded Sigma 70-300 DL Macro Super circa 1998) that Im having rough times with. It focuses slightly past infinity which is making my ability to obtain proper focus a challenge. I cant even seem to come close to reproducing the detail I can get shooting the moon on a K10 with the same lens.
01-24-2013, 11:56 AM   #54
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QuoteOriginally posted by LaurenOE Quote
I just picked up one of these.
For the price? It could totally suck, or be the perfect little mount.

Amazon.com: Orion Min-EQ Tabletop Equatorial Telescope Mount: Camera & Photo

looks like a good addition. I saw a note that says it will also attach to a tripod. Very versatile.
01-25-2013, 03:49 AM - 1 Like   #55
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QuoteOriginally posted by PentaxScott Quote
Which 70-300 are you using? Ive got a Quantaray 70-300 (rebranded Sigma 70-300 DL Macro Super circa 1998) that Im having rough times with. It focuses slightly past infinity which is making my ability to obtain proper focus a challenge. I cant even seem to come close to reproducing the detail I can get shooting the moon on a K10 with the same lens.
It's the Sigma 70-300mm f4-f5.6 DL Macro with a Pentax mount, an early version of the current cheap lens, not the APO (which should be slightly better). This is the version where the Macro only works at the 300mm end. I bought it off eBay for £36 a few years ago.

This is the current version

Sigma Imaging (UK) Ltd

Focus is critical, but focus peaking and focus zoom does work, you have to turn both on in menu, when you have an adapted lens on the Q pressing the OK button activates the focus zoom, the e-dial will switch between 2X and 4X when zoomed.

Chris

Last edited by ChrisJ; 01-25-2013 at 04:02 AM.
01-25-2013, 08:30 AM   #56
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QuoteOriginally posted by ChrisJ Quote
It's the Sigma 70-300mm f4-f5.6 DL Macro with a Pentax mount, an early version of the current cheap lens, not the APO (which should be slightly better). This is the version where the Macro only works at the 300mm end. I bought it off eBay for £36 a few years ago.

This is the current version

Sigma Imaging (UK) Ltd

Focus is critical, but focus peaking and focus zoom does work, you have to turn both on in menu, when you have an adapted lens on the Q pressing the OK button activates the focus zoom, the e-dial will switch between 2X and 4X when zoomed.

Chris
Thats exactly the one I have - except it was rebranded as a Quantaray lens (for Ritz Camera in house brand in the states). Same 1:2 macro option at 300 only.

I was thinking that my focus was slightly off in some of these images. I had the focus zoom on but forgot to turn the peaking on. I usually keep it off as I dont see much use for it when using Q mount lenses, but it is valuable when using adapted lenses.

Thanks for the reply! Gives me hope that this lens is usable! Are you using a 3rd party adapter and if so, is the interior a flat black or gloss?

Cheers!

Last edited by PentaxScott; 01-25-2013 at 08:53 AM.
02-20-2013, 05:44 AM - 1 Like   #57
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M42 300mm SMC Tak. f8 iso 125 1/100th sec.


04-25-2013, 07:53 AM   #58
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Pretty incredible imagery from the Hubble:

Hubble Ultra Deep Field 3D

I think i finally have my astro rig complete and will be testing it out in the next few days (weather permitting) There's a Canon 1.6x front TC under the lens hood

04-25-2013, 08:01 AM   #59
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QuoteOriginally posted by ivoire Quote
Pretty incredible imagery from the Hubble:

Hubble Ultra Deep Field 3D

I think i finally have my astro rig complete and will be testing it out in the next few days (weather permitting) There's a Canon 1.6x front TC under the lens hood
That is awesome! I have everything in that image except for that Tokina/TC/Off brand adapter!

04-25-2013, 08:15 AM   #60
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QuoteOriginally posted by LaurenOE Quote
That is awesome! I have everything in that image except for that Tokina/TC/Off brand adapter!

I have you to thank for the new tripod head. It is a big improvement and makes fine tuning for astro shots very easy
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