Comparing apple with orange: Lumenera vs. DMK

First of all, it's an unfair comparison and the sky was too bad to do the comparison nicely. Seeing could be quiet good but it's hard to estimate due to the extremely poor transparency, I would say it's 1/10 at best.

The apple is a Lumenera LU070M and the orange is a DMK 31AF03, the target was the sun and it is mounted on the same scope and same filter set. Here're the results:

20100315 1421 (GMT+8), captured with the DMK:-


20100315 1413 (GMT+8), captured with the Lumenera:-


The DMK has more pixel and the amount of detail is higher for sure, however, the bigger pixel (more well depth) and the higher dynamic range (12-bit) render better contrast as expected. I can see the prominence along with the surface detail while capturing with the Lumenera, no stretching is required during image processing.

The DMK has lower frame rate (30fps) and thus the Lumenera (60fps) managed to get enough frame faster.

Depends on what you want, if you just want a quick full disc shot, the DMK has an edge here since it gives more resolution, but for anything else, the Lumenera seems better. Having said that, the difference is not huge.

Later, I realized that there's some light leakage, mainly due to the fact that it's not an enclosed model, see the following for some ideas:



So I put a small paper board in front of it and take another shot:



AR1052, 2x barlows, Lumenera LU070M.

A very nice camera indeed, well worth the price!

Camera and lenses

The weather is very bad in Hong Kong, together with the air pollution, even that I've been trying to do solar astronomy, the time for astronomy has remain relatively low.

Therefore, I've started to switch some of my hobby money to photography, I still got a few prime lenses so that they could be used for astrophotography as well.



I wonder when can I test my Lumenera...

Lumenera Camera for Sales

The cameras have arrived, they're definitely great cameras for H-alpha solar imaging. Drivers can be downloaded (free) from the Lumenera website together with a simple software for image capturing. I found AMCap and Philips VRecord works as well.

It comes with a standard USB 2.0 interface, however, you will need to supply your own USB cable. A simple C-mount lens is included as well, and on removing that lens, it can be attached to a 1.25" focuser without any adapter, a very nice feature indeed!


The model is LU070M which is the board version of LU075M, and the M suffix means monochromatic. It features a 1/3" CCD with 640x480, up to 60 fps at full resolution, even higher is available in binning mode.


See the Lumenera logo on the PCB:

$400 USD shipped to most international destination, contact me. Do a google search on LU075M, and you shall see this is a great bargain indeed! I've several of them on hand, contact me if you have any question.

Ordered a new camera

It has been cloudy for very long, and there's not much chance that I can have any observation at the time being.

My Vaio U3 is too slow to use with my DMK 31AF03, I can get less than 10 fps with it. My new Eee should be much faster but it has no FireWire port, so I've been looking for good deal on USB based monochromatic camera.

I just found a great candidate and it is a Lumenera LU070M which features a 1/3" chip like the DMK 31AF03 but it has less pixels. However, given the size of the CCD, I can still cover the whole solar disc in one shot, and given the bigger pixel, it should deliver even cleaner image with shorter exposure. Since it is only 640x480, the data rate should be low enough for my Eee, so I believe that 30 fps is no problem, and maybe even higher is possible. Again, since the Eee has a screen less than 1024x768, so the DMK won't work in full screen mode without real time resizing, and therefore, the lesser resolution of the LU070M could be a better match.

Once it arrived, I shall test it against the DMK. If it works well, maybe I shall sell my DMK or I shall keep my DMK for use with my desktop PC? It has higher resolution and thus, it's meaningful to keep it in some sense.

What I got is a second hand deal, and it contains more than one camera in the deal, and it's a good bargain for me. Maybe I shall also sell the rest locally?

The LU070M is the board version of the famous LU075M, the only difference is the external case. Board version is better in the sense that you can do cooling easier, or you can do whatever modification easily. And if you want a case, you can always DIY one with some simple plastic box of suitable size, the of course, it's also cheaper.

20100201 Sun (AR1043)

Seeing 3/10, transparency 2/10 (the sky is white), AR1043 is around but it's small.

1549 (GMT+8):-


1550 (GMT+8):-


Just a record.

20100116 White Light Sunspot

Continue to monitor that sunspot (AR1040 in white light), using my Orion 100ED f/9, seeing still very bad at 2/10, transparency at 4/10.

1456 (GMT+8), at 900mm:-


1504 (GMT+8), at 4500mm, resized to hide the ugly seeing:-

20100115 Partial Solar Eclipse

First contact in white light, EXIF reveals 1533 (GMT+8):



First contact in H-alpha:



Start time of the clip = 15:32:42 (GMT+8), synchronized with HKO, 30 fps

Cutting AR1040 in H-alpha:



Start time of the clip = 16:03:19 (GMT+8), synchronized with HKO, 3.75 fps

20100114 White Light Sun

Before the sunspot goes away, I catch the chance to capture it. I setup my Orion 100ED f/9 on my LXD55, using my APM Herschel wedge as the filter, plus a a combination of ND3/polarizer/green filters... Prime focus, 3x and 5x are used to pump up the image scale.

The seeing is poor, and registax has a hard time to do the processing, since every frames are different, I cannot even determine which one should be used as the reference for the alignment process.... I would rate it a 3/10, transparency quite good at 5/10.

One of the video taken with my 5x Powermate:



Another one:



Processed shots, no good indeed...

1534 (GMT+8), 900mm:-


1540 (GMT+8). 4500mm:-


1551 (GMT+8), 2700mm:-

My partial solar eclipse observation plan

I will try to do the following:

1. Observation at home: I shall setup my H-alpha as well as white light from inside my home.

H-alpha would be using my Ranger with NGF-CM, together with my Coronado Solarmax 40 with BF10, image capturing by my DMK 31AF03.AS with a reducer in order to see the full solar disc. I shall focus on the prominence by pushing up the exposure. I wish to see some prominences cut by the lunar disc but that would require luck. And it would be interesting to have the lunar disc to occult any active regions. To have both goals reached, I have to adjust the exposure slightly more than what surface detail would require.

Along side with it, I will have my Canon 450D, Canon 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L with Kenko 2x, together with my Thousand Oaks Type 2+ Glass filter. This setup will take snapshots automatically with a timer control, I will be capturing a shot every 10 seconds using spot metering.

After around 5:00pm, I shall go outside with my white light setup on a simple camera tripod.

2. Observation outside: I shall choose a location which I can see the sun closer to the horizon, I wish that I can capture some shots without solar filter when the sun is low enough. Yes, it's pretty dangerous, but the rule of thumb is "eyes off" from the view finder.

Consider a red eclisped sunset, with some more terrestial scene, it should be something very nice indeed. As a result, I shall also bright a wider lens along with me for that purpose.

(I shall be in Nam Cheong Playground where I should be able to see the sun setting... and I expect that even there're places that I can see even lower, there would be a high chance of cloud at that angle given Hong Kong weather)

20100113 Sun

Seeing very poor, the solar disc is not round at all, accurate focusing is impossible, I would rather it a solid 0.5/10. Transparency 3/10 since the sun is rather low in the sky already.

Full disc with reducer:-

1633 (GMT+8):-


1634 (GMT+8):-


Close up with 2x barlows:-

1638 (GMT+8):-


1640 (GMT+8):-

20100112 Sun in white light

My toy room was occupied by my daughters, they were having their piano lesson when I back home. Therefore, I can only take a snapshot with my DSLR.

Taken with my Canon 450D, Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6 with IS turned on, handheld, Thousand Oaks Glass Type 2+.

1624 (GMT+8), autofocus at f/5.6:-


With Kenko 2x, 1627 (GMT+8), Live View contrast detection autofocus at f/11:-


Click for full size.

20100109 Sun with AR1040

Cloud cleared up eventually while the sun was still around, great for me! Seeing very poor at 3/10, transparency 5/10. Full disc taken with reducer, close up with 2x.

1559 (GMT+8):-


1600 (GMT+8):-


1602 (GMT+8):-


1603 (GMT+8):-

20091224 Jupiter

Taken with my Orion 100ED f/9 with a Tele Vue 2x, DMK 31AF03.AS tracked by Meade LXD55. Seeing very bad, but the DMK did a great job.



Transparency also pretty low.

20091224 Sun (White Light and H-alpha)

Merry Christmas :-)

Seeing 2/10, transparency 7/10, no more cloud today! Several small active regions can be seen on the disc, and a couple of interesting prominences around. I even did white light today! Notice that tiny sunspot on the upper left.

1409 (GMT+8), taken with a Herschel wedge, ND3 as well as a green filter, 70mm full aperture, 480mm focal length, i.e. the prime focus of the Ranger, two frames stitched together:-


1415 (GMT+8), H-alpha with reducer, Solarmax 40 with BF10:-


1415 (GMT+8), pushed up the exposure to show prominences:-

Equipment Use Cases

1. Visual Observation: Orion 100ED f/9

Indoor: Meade LXD55 with tracking
Outdoor: Unistar Light without tracking (portable)

2. Solar Imaging: Ranger with NGF-CM, Solarmax 40/BF10, DMK 31AF03

Indoor: Meade LXD55
Outdoor: TG-SP II

3. Star-field Imaging:

TG-SP II + Canon 450D with different prime lenses

4. Planet Imaging:

Meade LXD55 + Canon 450D in video mode or ToUCam Pro or DMK 31AF03

--

If I have to downsize, I must sell the Orion 100ED f/9... if it could be sold, then I could also see the Unistar Light. Right now the Unstar Light can help me to keep the Orion 100ED f/9 a very portable setup.

20091223 Sun

The sun is on a good show today, but the sky does not cooperates. Seeing very poor at 1/10, transparency is hard to rate, but I would say it's like 2/10, cloud keep moving. Actually, I should give up but knowing that the sun is active these days, I must catch every little chance. For 99.5%, there's cloud moving and the solar disc keeps popping into the view and disappearing on my computer LCD.

1542 (GMT+8):-


1543 (GMT+8):-


1556 (GMT+8), overexposured, and poor Tmax position:-


Anyway, just a record.

Due to the poor sky, I pulled out my TG-SP II to how it compares with my LXD55. Of course, the LXD55 is far more stable and the dual-axis slewing is great for indoor usage, it's just so convenient. Considering that I won't be able to sell it for much money, I'd rather keep it. The cost for keeping it is so low, and it's just convenient, accurate enough for low power solar imaging.

Very Compact Planet Imaging Solution for Sales

Let me know if you're interested. Here is what's included in the deal:

First of all, this is a small notebook from Sony. This is even smaller than those netbooks.



The detail specifications:

- Sony Vaio U3 ultra small notebook
- 820 grams only
- Size: 185 x 140 x 32mm
- Crusoe 933MHz CPU, 512M RAM, 20G hard disk
- RJ45 network, PCMCIA, USB * 2, 1394 * 1, VGA out, audio in/out
- Installed with Windows XP (with more than 12G free space)

Mine is upgraded to 512M RAM and even comes with a PCG-DA1S cable. Zero drop frame guarantee when used with the ToUCam Pro. To let it run in the field continuously, I will also include a 12V SLA tranformer.

Included also is a Philips ToUCam Prow with an Mogg adapter to connect to any 1.25" focuser, threaded for filter. Finally, a 1.25" Baader UV/IR blocker is also included.



All items for $299 USD including paypal fee and airmail shipping to US or similar destinations. All in one package for planet imaging, and guiding and running star chart software in the field!

20091221 Did we pass the solar minimum?

We have three active regions around! Is it finally an end of the long long solar minimum? We have yet to see, but the sun is already on fine show now! It is basically cloudy today with ocassional breaks. Seeing 2/10, transparency 3/10.

When I setup everything, the NGF-CM refused to work, so I disengaged the motor and do manual focusing, not bad. The focuser worked again after I check the wirings, but cloud rolled in.

1334 (GMT+8), no time to really adjust the Tmax:-


1335 (GMT+8), this one is taken when there is less cloud moving over the disc:-


1336 (GMT+8):-


AR1035, 1036 and 1037! It's so nice to have them around... too bad that I couldn't do any close up shots this time.

20091213 Sun

It's windy, seeing like 2/10, transparency also low at 2/10. There's an active region on the surface and a couple of very interesting prominences. Full disc with reducer, close up with 2x barlows.

1507 (GMT+8):-


1508 (GMT+8):-


1510 (GMT+8), AR1034:-


1512 (GMT+8):-


1514 (GMT+8):-

20091206 Sun

That small active region is fading, seeing 3/10, transparency 2-3/10. That prominence is still around but it changed quite a lot in appearance.

Full disc with reducer:-

1447 (GMT+8):-


1448 (GMT+8):-


Close up with 2x barlows:-

1452 (GMT+8):-

20091205 Sun

Seeing 3/10, transparency 2/10. We can see some surface activities in the lower left, and some prominence activities in the lower right. Not bad for these silent days.

With reducer for full disc:-

1455 (GMT+8):-


1456 (GMT+8):-



With 2x barlows for close up:-

1458 (GMT+8):-


1500 (GMT+8):-