The PHOTOGRAPHY thread

Ok, I 've bought the cheap web-cam (no software) to mount on my scope, but what program do I use to get images? I will use AVI Stack 2 to process it after, but to get it? Help Rigil?

Hi Tweefo. Sorry I’m only replying now … spent 5 days hiking in that pristine bit of coastal forest between the Storms River mouth and Nature’s Valley.

If you still have this problem with the webcam, and its driver installed ok, I suggest just download either Yawcam at http://www.yawcam.com/ or Virtualdub at Downloads - virtualdub.org … the latter can convert your video to a stream of jpegs which could facilitate processing later.

Rigil

Brianvds got it right … it’s Omega Centauri, the largest globular cluster associated with the Milky Way. Two virtual jelly beans were duly awarded. :wink:

I can virtually taste them. :slight_smile:

Thanks, Rigel. Looks like Yawcam can do the job, will try it out tonight. How was the walk?

Ok. What am I doing wrong? The moon with webcam. I’ve tried without webcam lens, without scope eyepiese, with and without 2X Barlow lens but the best result (this photo) was with webcam lens on and through 28mm eyepiece. 300 Pictures stacked with AVI. :stuck_out_tongue:
http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm196/Tweefo/out_10_zpsb6rwnimy.jpg

I am no expert, but eh picture looks badly overexposed. How long was the exposure?

Agree. Either disenable automatic exposure via the software, or use an apperture stop and some filters. But the best would be to get rid of some contrast by focussing on only the lit up part of the moon by boosting the magnification a bit untill the bright moon surface covers or mostly covers the sensor (cmos chip) of the webcam. Since the chip is tiny (maybe equivalent to a 4mm ocular) you should be able to achieve that by removing the camera lens and uv filter assembly and let the image from your telescope’s primary mirror/lens fall directly on the chip. That way the webcam needn’t try and cope with the contrast difference created by a pitch black background, but instead only have to work in greys.

Also, shooting the moon in daylight may help for the same reason, provided the atmosphere is not too turbulent.

Experimentation is half the fun. 8)

At least with binoculars or small telescope, I have found that the very best time to view the moon is at dawn, just before the sun rises. At those times the details become wonderfully crisp and clear. Perhaps the same will be true for photography.

Thanks. Cloudy here now and probably tonight. I will try again tomorrow night.

Part of my problem is to mount said webcam to the scope. The lens opening is on the side and I attach it with elastic bands, but it is quite a thing to move it. Can I make a plastic tube, with one end glued to the webcam (over the opening) and the other end to slide into eyepiece holder? If so, how long should this tube be?
http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm196/Tweefo/2016-08-08%2016.05.53_zpsc3zkxzgh.jpg

Tube needn’t be too long … so long as you can achive focus. If you can make the chip sit at a similar height to where a 4 or 6mm eye piece normally would, it should be focussable.

I remembered that I had an old damaged eyepiece (received it damaged back after lending it out). I can use the sliding tube of that and attach the webcam with Prestick. That will allow me to move it, to centre the image. Hope it’s going to be long enough. Going to try it out now on a distant tower.
http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm196/Tweefo/2016-08-09%2008.30.24_zps7r4u0nky.jpg

Not quite down so you can see the flag yet, but a big improvement over previous effort. Very difficult to focus. Will try next time without 2X Barlow lens. Very early morning tomorrow so can’t do it now, but check this spot on the weekend.
http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm196/Tweefo/image_2016-08-09_18.19.28_790_zpsbilbueds.jpg

Begin goed lyk! Watter kraters is daardie?

Zuma, Malema en Trump… :slight_smile:

HAHAHA ;D ;D ;D

Die eer het darm ten minste een politikus te beurt geval, en wel Malema se naamgenoot.

Nugter weet. Ek weet nie eers of dit groot of klein is nie. Ek het maan in oogstuk gekry en toe webcam gekoppel, maar toe was fokus heeltemaal uit. Het toe op hiedie deel ge-eindig met scope se focuser. Probleem was dat dit heeltemal geblur het terwyl ek aan scope geraak het, so ek kon nie aanhou stel tot dit in focus was nie. Ek het nou op “SharpCap” software afgekom wat kan autofocus. Sal dit die naaweek probeer. Ek sit nou naby Polekwane.

An exceedingly cool tool to help identify lunar features, or just gawk in wonder at our celestial blob of emmentaler.

How do you like them apples? Webcam, captured with Sharp Cap, 8" scope and stacked with Registax.
http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm196/Tweefo/Registax1%2013Aug16_zpspjwu5w9c.jpg

http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm196/Tweefo/Registax3%2013Aug16_zpscqvivzwk.jpg

http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm196/Tweefo/Registax2%2013Aug16_zpsdtgjsy1b.jpg