Basler camera advice CM3-U3-13S2M-CS

Use this section to discuss "standard" Baader/Coronado/ Lunt SolarView/ Daystar, etc… filters, cameras and scopes. No mods, just questions/ answers and reviews.
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Radon86
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Basler camera advice CM3-U3-13S2M-CS

Post by Radon86 »

Hello SCF!
I am in the process of upgrading my solar imaging. I want to image H-alpha with a Quark chromosphere filter, and am considering a ASI174mm which would fit my Quark on an F6 refractor.

I was also considering a Basler camera on the lines of GreatAttractor''s Lunt50THa mod to a 90mm scope (see Modifications section): He was using the :

""Basler CM3-U3-13S2M-CS. Parameters aren't very impressive compared to newer cameras, but it shows no image artifacts in Hα or CaK, unlike many current CMOS sensors - no Newton rings, fixed-pattern noise, Bayer-mask-like nonuniformity on mono models due to fabrication or firmware issues. Reading about all that made me very wary of upgrading to something bigger and faster.""

I checked with the EdmundOptics online shop and they don''t have this model anymore.
Can anyone recommend a present day camera like this, not too expensive. I wonder if this camera would work on a Quark and F6 refractor, or would it work only on the 90mm mod to the Lunt50THa (GA''s modified scope) ?

I really want to avoid Newton Rings, I understand the ASI174mm still has this as a problem.
Would the Basler camera have Newton Rings at high Focal ratio e.g. F25.2 (i.e. F6 refractor with a Quark).

Thank you.

Magnus


Solar: H-alpha": Quark Chromosphere filter; Baader white light filters
Scopes: Altair Astro Travel ED70mm (F 420mm, D=70mm);; Skywatcher 90mm (F 910mm D=90mm); GSO focuser;;Altair Astro 60mm guidescope (D=60mm,F=225mm)
Cameras: ASI120mm-S,ASI174mm
Mount: SW HEQ5 Pro, SW EQ3 Pro Synscan (SW = Skywatcher),Vixen Polarie tracker (portable setup)
Accessory: SW Auto-focuser
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Re: Basler camera advice CM3-U3-13S2M-CS

Post by GreatAttractor »

Correction: it's not Basler, but FLIR (formerly Point Grey). Their online store shipped very quickly within the EU the few times I ordered there. (But it would probably be more complicated for the UK in the current situation.)

Regarding potential Newton rings at high F-number: I wouldn't expect it, though I've only used it at f/16 in Hα and ~f/18 in CaK.

As for using it in other setups: check this post by MalVeauX about critical sampling. In general, it's OK to have somewhat too big pixels (increasing the image scale with a Barlow is practically lossless in terms of quality); but tiny pixels require a focal reducer, which may give worse quality.


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SW Mak-Cass 127, ATM Hα scopes (90 mm, 200 mm), Lunt LS50THa, ATM SSM, ATM Newt 300/1500 mm, PGR Chameleon 3 mono (ICX445)
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Re: Basler camera advice CM3-U3-13S2M-CS

Post by marktownley »

Rupert has these in stock:

https://astrograph.net/epages/www_astro ... PGCM-31S4M

As to whether you get Newtons rings it is difficult to say, they're very system dependent. A small pixel camera will work better with shorter focal ratios, a larger pixel camera (like the 174) will work better with longer focal ratios - eg Ha Quark.

Mark


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