[AZ-Observing] Re: Web Cam Mods:

At 08:16 -0700 12/15/2003, Steven Dodder wrote:
>Jack,
>   You DO know someone with SMT experience-namely me.  From installation to
>modifications, I've done it for years at my ex-job.  Patience, a steady hand
>the proper tools and confidence are all that's required.
>
>Jeff: You're right about the mods.  I never doubted your ability to make
>them.  You can do it if you know how, but as Tom says, you won't rival
>modern CCD images.  I did follow the links you posted.  Yes, they're
>impressive _for a webcam_ as I said before.  But Tom's assessment is
>accurate.  Resolution, dynamic range and sensitivity suffer.  Planetary
>images are very, very impressive, but it's done in post exposure processing,
>and sensitivity isn't an issue.  I admire your optimism, but a small dose of
>reality is a good thing, too.  My remark about blind optimism was not aimed
>at mking the mods, but at the resulting improved results.
>
Whether the webcam images rival the best of the high end CCD images 
is really subjective. My pictures are always better than yours and 
your pictures are always better than mine. Who really cares. Of what 
value are the images to anyone but ourselves to stroke our egos?  Now 
that's fine as it's our hobby and we enjoy doing this. Just as going 
out some hundreds of miles and sitting in the cold darkness looking 
at fuzzy objects (which I do too) might seem to some as bordering on 
a mental illness, it is just as with many hobbies, something you do 
that you enjoy.

The webcams, stock or modified, provide an extension of that at a 
cost most can afford. In fact, using these can actually push the 
envelop. Just as the early days of HAM radio. We were amateurs, not 
professionals, but when I became a professional, I noticed most 
professionals still had a copy of the Amateur Radio Handbook. Many 
advances were made with home built and very low end equipment. I 
think the same will be true with the webcams.

What is wonderful about the webcams is you do not have to make any 
mods and you can still get fantastic images. By making mods you can 
push the envelop even further. And there are multiple stages of the 
mods from simple (adding a small fan) to most complex (changing the 
CCD chip). It is an exciting time for those wishing to do deep sky 
imaging and who's budget is nowhere close to allowing a high end CCD 
camera.

This is mainly for fun. You can maximize your fun with a webcam. Why 
not give it a try. Anyone who says you can't is just not in the loop.

BTW, by taking hundred or thousands of shots, filter, stacking and 
processing the images (with software) you can improve the resolution, 
sensitivity and dynamic range. There are many tricks available.

Jeff

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Jeff Hopkins
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