- #RUNNING XSCOPE 3RD PARTY CMOS PRO#
- #RUNNING XSCOPE 3RD PARTY CMOS SOFTWARE#
- #RUNNING XSCOPE 3RD PARTY CMOS PC#
PixInsight is my go-to software for calibration and processing of CMOS images. This cuts down on processing time as images from large format cameras can take a long time to process in any software. With full-frame CMOS sensors on reflector telescopes this seems to have removed the vignetting.Ĭapturing around 30 frames of each of the darks, flats and biases works well, and after processing they are saved as masters for reuse. I made a change to capturing flats, getting them in daytime with a thicker cover over the telescope or using a flats panel on the front of the telescope. I capture bias frames at around two seconds and that prevents any problems upsetting the subtraction in processing.įrom experience, flat frames have given mixed results: subtraction was not always good with some CMOS cameras that had vignetting. Use darks, flats and bias frames – despite there being some debate on whether the latter upsets the stacking of images, they do work for me. The capture of good calibration frames is just as important with CMOS deep-sky images as they cut down on the amount of correction needed in final processing. Once DBE has been applied you can see the unwanted colour it has removed, nicely cleaning up the image.
Once captured, naming the files with the equipment and the exposure time used helps to match calibration data when it comes to processing. We used the capture software SharpCap ( to control the settings for the image of the Andromeda Galaxy it can be used with many different CMOS cameras. Some of the latest cameras on the market have a new HGC (Hybrid Gain Control) noise reduction that switches on automatically as the gain is increased. Setting the exposure, each camera will react differently depending on the focal length of the telescope it’s being used with.įor a popular sensor like the Sony IMX183 on an 80mm f/6 telescope, start with 60 seconds for the exposure and a gain setting of around 300, capturing around 100 images at that setting. CMOS cameras really don’t need to be cooled to –30☌ generally around –15☌ will give the best results. If the camera has cooling, switch it on and let the system settle before capturing. If the camera is set to a low bit mode, say 8-bit, it’s likely to produce poor images with lots of background noise when used for deep-sky imaging. The format needs to be set to FITS for the best capture and subtraction of calibration frames, while bit mode should be set to RAW and the highest bit number available, whether that’s 12-bit, 14-bit, 16-bit or more.
#RUNNING XSCOPE 3RD PARTY CMOS PRO#
The next settings to get right are image format and the camera’s bit mode.įor this project we used a ZWO ASI 094MC Pro with a Sony IMX094 CMOS sensor. With other cameras it’s a case of experimenting to find the best level, but in general CMOS cameras don’t need the gain to be set as high as your average CCD camera it’s best kept to a range of between 150 and 450. On cameras with this chip, if the gain is set too high it will introduce lots of noise, so it’s better to keep it around 200 to 300. Take, for example, the Sony IMX290 CMOS sensor. Gain steps are set by the manufacturer and are different in each model. Getting the settings right on CMOS cameras can be confusing, and one important step in particular is choosing the best gain setting.
#RUNNING XSCOPE 3RD PARTY CMOS PC#
When it comes to imaging deep-sky objects, the most stable setup is the USB2 method, as it is not so reliant on cable length or USB power output from the PC connections Settings This is a dual port and has the normal USB2 connector inside it. Many CMOS cameras come with a high-speed USB3 blue connector. Credit: Gary Palmer Camera connection and capture The SharpCap capture screen with PHD2 guiding – this is the setup we used to control the camera settings while imaging M31.
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