One of the most commonly posed hardware related questions in our support department is:

I need to use the 4 pin to 6 pin Y cable (CA-1394-64/PJ/2) or a USB hub to connect my astronomy camera to my laptop. What is the polarity of the power connector?

First of all, you will need a power supply that outputs between 8 VDC and 30 VDC. This is required to power the cameras. Secondly, the polarity of the power connector depends on a number of factors.

The easiest way to find out which polarity you need is to try it out! The cameras are protected again inverse polarity, hence, you will not damage them by connecting the power supply the wrong way round.

Power up the camera and connect it to your PC. If Windows recognizes the camera, the polarity is correct. If Windows does not recognize the camera, then the polarity is probably incorrect. Simply switch around the polarity and reconnect the camera to you PC. Windows should then recognize the camera.

Not only do The Imaging Source cameras “play well with Vista”, they also perform better than expected when the seeing is less! As an update to the previous blog regarding a new DBK 21AF04.AS user, Joel from Amarillo, Texas writes:

Below is a post I made to the Cloudy Nights forum. Seeing was not anywhere close to what was forecast. But, I thought The Imaging Source community might like to see the post and the result. This [DBK 21AF04.AS] is one amazing camera!

Read The Imaging Source post in its entirety on the Cloudy Nights forum.

Due to the high volume of end users that are having problems with newly acquired PC’s and their not so old programs that they STILL would like to use, I thought I would share a bit of good news to friends of The Imaging Source.

A new DBK 21AF04.AS user from North Texas writes:

Hi Profjohn,

I just got in my new DBK 21AF04.AS. I purchased a new laptop for the sole purpose of using it with this camera. I was a bit worried about the laptop having the Windows Vista operating system, but much to my delight and suprise, I had the camera along with the software completely installed, problem free, in less than 5 minutes. About 3 minutes actually. Couldn’t of went smoother!

Regards, Joel, Amarillo, TX

Additionally, Joel told me earlier today (Tuesday) that he couldn’t have been happier as the Seeing Gods are looking favorably on he and Texas this evening. With the clear skies tonight, Joel will be wrangling his first targets with his new camera from The Imaging Source.

One of our most recent resellers in Germany, PC H-O-T, has posted a short, but interesting summary in German of The Imaging Source astronomy cameras on their website.

For the benefit of our non-German speaking blog readers, below is a translation into English.

Denis Monjon writes:

CCD Cameras For Astrophotography

Regardless of whether you examine the monochrome or color cameras, you are getting excellent quality hardware, made in Germany. In association with The Imaging Source, I can offer you various models with their distinct characteristics. You will not find these cameras cheaper anywhere in Germany.

At the next Peißenberg Astronomy Society event, you will be able to play with the cameras in person and convince yourself of their exceptional quality and performance.

As I personally use these devices, I can prove to you that in our niche, there are hardly any alternatives. After you have played with the cameras, it will be easy for you to make the decision to purchase one. If you wish, I can e-mail you example images.

The Imaging Source astronomy cameras can be deployed for an entire spectrum of applications: Some cameras have a frame rate of up to 60 images per second (video); others can be exposed for up to 60 minutes. Ideal for deep-sky imaging.

All cameras are fitted with a low noise Sony CCD chip. This guarantees a very high image quality, typical of much more expensive cameras.

The FireWire connector allows image data to be transferred very quickly to the host PC.

The compact and light-weight cameras can be mounted onto all common telescopes.

Driver and software are shipped as standard.

The cameras are guaranteed for two years.

Source: PC H-O-T web site.

At this point, Denis Monjon lists the camera overview table. Please go to the original page for a list of cameras that are stocked by PC H-O-T.

Thanks go out to Denis Monjon for preparing a great page in German.

Following the recent and very successful article in Sky and Telescope, we are delighted to post the following sample images that have been published on the magazine’s web site in their rubric Celestial Scenes.

From his Stargazer Private Observatory, Dietmar Hager has captured the following image, using a 9″ TMB Apo f/22.5 - 2.5 Powermate with his DMK 21F04.

Source: Sky and Telescope web site.

Based in Saltillo, México, Ramiro Hernández has captured the following image, using a Celestron 8″ SC telescope, eyepiece projection which his DMK 21AF04. He stacked 2000 frames with Registax.

Source: Sky and Telescope web site.

Using a William Optics FLT110mm f7 Takahashi ExenderQ and his DMK 41AF02, Dominique Dierick of Ghent, Belgium has captured the following image:

Source: Sky and Telescope web site.

Finally, George Tarsoudis of Alexandroupolis, Greece has catpured the following image. He used an Orion Optics 250mm at f6.3 in LXD-75 mount, DMK 21AF04, barlow 2.5X and red filter:

Source: Sky and Telescope web site.