Troubleshooting the SVbony 105 & 205

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  • čas přidán 12. 10. 2021
  • In this video I will be covering a few issues you will come across when using the SVbony 105/205 that they DONT! tell you about in the instructions...
    Apologies for the OVER EXPOSED video folks ....Don't know what happened there...
    Thank you for watching, don't forget to subscribe as I do regular videos for the new astronomer..
    Facebook group: groups/22380...
    Svbony 205/105
    UK: www.ebay.co.uk/itm/284305388393
    Germany: www.ebay.de/itm/284293826370
    United States: www.ebay.com/itm/193036859732
    Australia: www.ebay.com.au/itm/302113836897

Komentáře • 188

  • @smalloptics753
    @smalloptics753  Před 2 lety +32

    Hello folks. Apologies for the over exposed video... Don't know what happened there..Hope it doesn't spoil your viewing to much... Take care all :)

    • @christopherleveck6835
      @christopherleveck6835 Před 2 lety +4

      Quick tip. The best images I've gotten have come from positioning the planet to just the left of my field of view. Once I see the planet start to enter the FOV I hit the record button.
      Then I don't touch anything. As the planet reaches the right side of the FOV I hit the stop capture button and I move the scope to the start position and I try it again.
      I like to get 10 passes and they are the perfect length for sharpcap.
      With Jupiter you don't want your videos to be too long because the planet rotates so fast.

    • @christopherleveck6835
      @christopherleveck6835 Před 2 lety +4

      Could you share your sharpcap settings for Jupiter and Saturn? Especially with the 205. It seems to be more touchy.
      The stupid instructions both in the box and online tell you EXACTLY what the settings are. They give you the screen captures.
      The problem is YOU CAN'T READ THEM!!?!?!!??

    • @christopherleveck6835
      @christopherleveck6835 Před 2 lety +4

      You should mention, these cameras ARE NOT for DSO.... I thought that's what they were for, I was WRONG.

    • @simona1136
      @simona1136 Před 2 lety

      Jason at around 6.08 you mention to turn up the brightness. The insert then shows exposure and gain. There is no 'brightness' setting as such so when you say that do you actually mean exposure and gain and if so, turn up both or just one. Not clear. Cheers for the vid though. I actually centred and tracked Jupiter well the other night using eq1 but the clouds prevented anything capturewise. Edit - apologies, just noticed the brightness slider further down. You don't move it but I assume that is what you meant.

    • @smalloptics753
      @smalloptics753  Před 2 lety +4

      @@christopherleveck6835 Hello Christopher.. I will be doing a lot more on these cameras in the future.. So stay tuned... Cheers pal :)

  • @gregerianne3880
    @gregerianne3880 Před 2 lety +16

    It's refreshing to hear someone new to astrophotography (like me!) express those insights about something that sounds so ridiculously easy on paper but turns out to be an exercise in frustration at every turn! I bought a DSLR right around the time you made this video so I could start astrophotography and think I've reached a conclusion...you HAVE TO REALLY, REALLY ENJOY the struggle and the very steep learning curve in order to stay in the hobby of astrophotography long enough to get really good at it. (I'm either crazy or have way too much time on my hands because I enjoy both!) The other observation is that eventually, the heavy hitters in astrophotography seem to converge at a common point -- after spending literally tens of thousands of dollars they amass so much sophisticated equipment that is fully capable of taking gorgeous astrophotographs all night, all by itself, that they can...use that time to go out and just look at the beautiful night sky with a pair of binoculars or a trusted old reflector/refractor. Circle of life, huh? Thanks for the honesty -- and the chuckles!! I saw myself many times over during the video. :-)

  • @billtracy8865
    @billtracy8865 Před 2 lety +10

    Wish I had this video several months ago, it would have shortened my photo learning curve considerably and reduced frustration levels greatly. Thank you for taking the time and efforts to produce this useful and informative guide.

  • @hondaxl250k0
    @hondaxl250k0 Před 2 lety +2

    I started looking at the 105. Then found the 205.. wound up buying the 305. And spending the night on the sofa.. soooooo worth it...

  • @dankelly6906
    @dankelly6906 Před 2 lety +7

    Thanks so much, Jason. You've made me feel normal again! I've experienced all the problems you've outlined (including the camera drop), and thought that it was just me. I'll get back into the saddle and try again, using your tips.

    • @smalloptics753
      @smalloptics753  Před 2 lety

      Hello Dan. Your more than welcome.. Don't give up pal you'll get there :)

  • @robertYTB78g
    @robertYTB78g Před rokem +2

    Thanks for posting, this dose of reality is exactly what is missing for me in some of the other channels. I have really struggled starting out on this hobby, although I absolutely love it. I wish I had seen your video on laser collimators before wasting my time and money on one. The other channels on astro cameras have not pointed out to me the issues I would have if I tried to put an astrocamera in the equipment I now have, and now I'm so much more aware of what I need to investigate before I buy anything further.

  • @MixedMuscleArts
    @MixedMuscleArts Před 2 lety

    What a great light-hearted video. I'll be sure to remember your advice here when I run into similar issues, and know not to be too frustrated.

  • @oz6123
    @oz6123 Před 2 lety +1

    Great perspective of capturing the realities of a backyard astronomer. For everyone who produced amazing images of objects on CZcams and Cloudy Nights, what you don't hear or read about is the time they spent getting to that one object.

  • @jml7916
    @jml7916 Před 2 lety +2

    I would have never considered using a manual mount. Great video, fun to watch as someone who has never been a visual astronomer. A go to mount and some plate solving will make your life so much easier.

  • @michaelkaytor4607
    @michaelkaytor4607 Před 2 lety +1

    Jason thanks so much for you being you. Don't go changing. I find your channel so very entertaining. I wish I had stuck with astronomy like you have seemed to over the years. My first telescope was a tasco that I precariously set on the back of a sofa to squint and look at the moon. I remember getting it for christmas and it was a joy to have it. Christmas came early this year and 35 years later I have my second telescope a celestron 127eq. Thanks again Jason, I just think you are awesome.

    • @smalloptics753
      @smalloptics753  Před 2 lety

      Welcome back to the hobby! Thank you for your kind words my friend, really appreciate it. Take care :)

  • @deepbloo580
    @deepbloo580 Před 2 lety +1

    Keep up the good work! I'd say I'm near intermediate in AP. A lot of content on YT caters to intermediate-advanced hobbyist. It's refreshing to see a complete beginner's journey into the AP learning curve. :)

  • @michaelsteele7475
    @michaelsteele7475 Před rokem

    Excellent video with fantastic perspectives. I am just getting started in this and you have helped me frame my expectations. I appreciate having this knowledge from someone with experience ahead of time. 👍

  • @naturewatcher7596
    @naturewatcher7596 Před 2 lety +3

    I'm practicing with my Svbony 105 on my 5"/650mm CAT. Was not very difficult to get a planet on the screen after getting exposure high, then the focusing was a bit challenging because of the image wobbling and moving a lot while I'm trying to turn the focuser, but using a mount with tracking keeps the planet on the screen good enough to get some capturing. And after processing the captured videos I can see some details which I didn't see while looking through the eyepiece. Was quite pleased with the resulting pictures. Great cam for beginners to learn to work with and to handle properly (not dropping and keeping the lense clean) before getting a more expensive one.

  • @Mrch33ky
    @Mrch33ky Před 2 lety

    Thanks for the straight talk on this! Very helpful!

  • @scottb5178
    @scottb5178 Před 2 lety +1

    Thanks for the video. Now I don't feel as bad about my efforts with my 305. And, yes I dropped it, on concrete, on my first night with it. (just a small ding) I also got great shots of the moon. No luck with anything else. So decided to put it away for awhile. I now have a Celestron Skysense which has made locating and tracking much easier and a Battery powered focuser that really helps eliminate shake. Time to use some of your suggestion start playing with the SVBony 305 again.

  • @truckernige
    @truckernige Před 2 lety +1

    yet another great, amusing and informative video, i think i’ve watched em all… good on ya… 👍

  • @vampolascott36
    @vampolascott36 Před rokem

    You made me smile because I did a test run on Jupiter myself and I would swap the camera with a 32mm eyepiece to get the planet on the sensor. I was luckier in that my Takahashi Mewlon 180c has a good compression ring eyepiece holder that centers everything you put in very nicely. It made my planet "hunting" easier.

  • @mashcury
    @mashcury Před 3 měsíci

    Very good, honest, comprehensive end relatable video, Thank you!

  • @michaeledmonds3027
    @michaeledmonds3027 Před rokem +1

    Excellent honest presentation.... I just bought an Svbony S305 camera for the their 105Mak optical tube I'm waiting on. Hopefully I'll take delivery in early January 2023. It will be interesting to see how much of a struggle I'll have trying to image bright objects using this gear on my Skywatcher AZ GTi in EQ mode. Thanks again for the heads-up.

    • @MAX-km2gr
      @MAX-km2gr Před rokem

      I have a celestron c6. Does the skywatcher gti equatorial mode work well for you ? I share my experience with camera and what works for me in the comment. I have sv205 and sv305m

  • @jakubleszczylowski5468

    always got great advice from you. I always listen with curiosity

  • @BasmanIqbal
    @BasmanIqbal Před 2 lety

    Nice! I got to know some facts about suv Bonny cameras. I wanted one of it to film my adventures in astronomy , and was confused. Now i am clear with all my confusions 😁😁😁 Thanks!

  • @rauladdams5709
    @rauladdams5709 Před 2 lety

    Seriously considering one of these camera for my 8" dob.
    This video helped inform my choice and I appreciate that endlessly!
    Thank you, good sir.
    Be Safe, Be Well.

    • @smalloptics753
      @smalloptics753  Před 2 lety

      You're more than welcome friend, glad to help 🙂

  • @moonprobe8751
    @moonprobe8751 Před 6 měsíci

    I was imaging Jupiter for the first time with my Skywatcher 130/900 and a home made webcam, and had all the problems you just described! Great tips, will use them next time I try!

  • @skesinis
    @skesinis Před 2 lety +7

    Great video!! You summarised all the struggles I originally had with astrophotography!! Having an entry level 5”GoTo Cassegrain telescope (Celestron NexStar 127SLT), I experienced this a lot even with a DSLR! It was making nearly impossible to focus, because I was using the 10x magnification of my camera, making the field of view so tiny, the slightest touch on the focusing knob, would push the planet out of view, never to return back in. So I originally used to focus with the camera on a target very far away on the ground to have a rough focus, before turning to the Moon or a planet. To reduce the vibrations on the telescope while focusing, I used a hexkey as a lever, on one of the 3 hex screws my focusing knob has, but you could even use a peg for that matter. All this, drove me to create a DIY focuser with an Arduino and a stepper motor with an embedded gearbox, giving it an accuracy of less than 1/10 of a degree, without even touching the telescope! This accuracy allowed me to even use a 5x teleconverter, which was impossible to focus manually before on such a small telescope! I uploaded the instructions and the software that I wrote on GitHub under the username “skesinis” for anyone who might be interested.

    • @smalloptics753
      @smalloptics753  Před 2 lety +4

      Hello there friend.. That's a great idea thank you for sharing.. Yes I agree, something I forgot to mention in the video about motorised focuses I think they are a must have item in astrophotography.. Cheers buddy.

  • @koenighaunstetten
    @koenighaunstetten Před 2 lety

    Bought a SV105 last week and yes, I had all the problems that you describe. Thanks for the video, everything explained.

    • @smalloptics753
      @smalloptics753  Před 2 lety

      Your more than welcome Rainer :)

    • @koenighaunstetten
      @koenighaunstetten Před 2 lety

      @@smalloptics753 How do you manage exposure? When I tried I had 2 choices, either Jupiter with some cloud structure but no Jupiter moons or Jupiter moons, but then Jupiter as a big white circle that is totally overexposured.

    • @vintage-scopes
      @vintage-scopes Před 2 lety +2

      @@koenighaunstetten Unfortunately, in live is not possible to see at same time both clouds and an moons.
      (At least with small telelescopes like my 114/900).
      But if you capture a video and then do stacking and sharpening (using for example pipp, autostakert and registax) you can obtain an image witj both cluds and moons.
      In good conditions I have optained also the eclipse shadow of Io on jupiter disk.

  • @lozanddog
    @lozanddog Před rokem +1

    Hey up lad, just a quick comment, ive just found your channel and been watching quite a few of your vids, love the way you explain things for people comming into the hobby very informative, so im quite experianced at astrophotography and built up a rig that is fully automated using all the modern tech, computer auto focusing goto mounts blah blah blah, but when i first started i used a fairly basic dslr, a 75-300 lens and a tripod, first thing i would do was sit for an hour just looking at the sky and a paper star chart and try to find what i wanted to take a picture of, then spend the next 2 hours or more trying to find it with the camera and focus, it would take half the night before i even took a shot, now it takes 10mins or less, boy some times i miss doing it the old way, was frustraiting but was fun.

  • @stevehanson5556
    @stevehanson5556 Před 2 lety +1

    honest open well rounded thank you!

  • @avt_astro206
    @avt_astro206 Před 2 lety

    Fab Video Jason!! Really Love Your Thoughts on The Camera! Glad To See Your Able To do Some Good Astrophotography with It! Even If your Setup is Not Suitable, What Matters Most Is How Much You Try and The Level Of Patience! Good work On The Conclusion! Patience & perseverance is an Absolutely Key To Astrophotography! That's I how I started My self and Got Where im Today!! Nice Work Mate, Thumbs Up.
    Clear Skies As Always
    -Avanteesh

    • @smalloptics753
      @smalloptics753  Před 2 lety +1

      Hey Avanteesh.. Thank you my friend.. Yes you certainly need a bucket load of patience for this side of the hobby.. Take care, clear skies :)

  • @thecampingastronomer8554
    @thecampingastronomer8554 Před 2 lety +1

    Nice video Jason I enjoyed that. Funnily enough I too was sent a 105 to review for my CZcams channel. I aimed at the moon and was stunned with the result and the simplicity of the exercise.
    A few days ago I decided to try to image Jupiter with a 127 Mak scope, and suffered all of the same issues as you. Eventually I gave up because every time I got it into view and tried to focus, the cloud came in and ruined it.
    The problems you describe also apply to other similar cameras with small chips - typically what you want for planetary stuff.
    Normally I do deep sky astrophotography with a dslr and small refractor where the field of view is so big that your target is usually in there somewhere.
    Still, astrophotography of any type is notoriously difficult, but that makes it all the nicer when you get some success 🙂.
    Anyway, I enjoyed this video and have subscribed to you 👍

    • @smalloptics753
      @smalloptics753  Před 2 lety +1

      Hello there friend, They are great for the money aren't they.. I was very impressed with the simplicity of them (my kind of level) not so impressed with the difficulty of keeping the image on the screen... That is when you eventually find it lol.. Oh the joy's of astrophotography. Thanks for the sub buddy, I'll check your channel out, always good to discover new channels that love this amazing hobby we share. Cheers pal, take care :)

  • @deeboweb
    @deeboweb Před 2 lety

    hi mate. literally just got my 105 and glad to know that there are a few hickups to consider. great stuff, now i just need a nice night lol.

    • @smalloptics753
      @smalloptics753  Před 2 lety +1

      Your more than welcome buddy.. Have fun remember patience is the key :)

  • @christopherleveck6835
    @christopherleveck6835 Před 2 lety +2

    PERFECT TIMING! I have bought both the 105 and the 205 and I'm having trouble focusing BOTH......
    Trying to take images of Jupiter and Saturn.
    So start talkin'......😠

  • @duncansimpson9999
    @duncansimpson9999 Před 2 lety

    Great video Jason, 👌

  • @Usernotfound44448
    @Usernotfound44448 Před 8 měsíci

    Just got my svbony yesterday and what did I see? Nothing! Hahaha... Thanks for sharing this video, it helps a lot... Not gonna give up.

    • @smalloptics753
      @smalloptics753  Před 8 měsíci

      Frustrating isn't it? Hahaha that's the spirit 👍 keep at it and you'll get there eventually. Best of luck.

  • @tomjones2121
    @tomjones2121 Před 2 lety +7

    If you plan on using the camera every time you go out , simply leave the focuser where you last used it. One problem solved .

  • @lifeinrc9051
    @lifeinrc9051 Před 2 lety +2

    OMG, I thought it was an issue of me not finding the target. LOL, I’m going to try this and I do agree it’s super difficult to get on target outside of the moon. Keeping up with the earths rotation in a stock mount is soooooo painful.

    • @smalloptics753
      @smalloptics753  Před 2 lety +1

      Tell me about it friend.. Once you've got by all the problems I mention the cameras do produce some pretty good photos of the planets.. So it is worth the frustration in the end :)

  • @JamesNickersonThePhotoShopGuru

    …. you have made an awesome video, thank you for your “patience” … 👍🏻👍🏻🙏🏻🤣

  • @aerolitos0
    @aerolitos0 Před 11 měsíci

    Thanks for the tips.

  • @matthewearl2205
    @matthewearl2205 Před 9 měsíci

    Thanks for this video. I had to figure out many of these tricks all by myself after getting tremendously frustrated. I still can't seem to focus properly, nor get good colour out of Jupiter. I solved the tracking problem with a Celestron LCM mount I found on FB marketplace (my 102/660 frac is probably too heavy for it but seems to track OK). I figured out to crank the exposure/gain until I had it on target but for whatever reason, I still can't focus. I learned here though about loosening off the screws underneath the focuser and will try that. I'd previously been using a screw at the top but if I loosen too much the draw tube wobbles around. Thanks again!

  • @granpiache
    @granpiache Před 5 měsíci

    Thank you so much for this video

  • @Astronurd
    @Astronurd Před 2 lety +1

    Another informative video Jason, and for their price they are hard to beat for the planets and the moon. The more expensive planetary cameras do have larger sensors but you will also need larger pockets. Clear skies

    • @smalloptics753
      @smalloptics753  Před 2 lety +1

      Thank you Ian, Yes.. This side of the hobby can get VERY expensive, but as you say these Svbony's are great value for money..

    • @vintage-scopes
      @vintage-scopes Před 2 lety +2

      Even with an entry level planetary camera you can get unimaginable results also with a small telescope. A few months ago I started using my old 114/900 after having left it for 25 years in the attic, I am rediscovering the beauty of the night sky. A month ago I bought an used ASI 120MC for less than 100 € (it have very small sensor too). In a few minutes I can now obtain planetary images that I never would have dreamed to have 25/30 years ago with my 114/900.
      These little pieces of tecg gives you the opportunity to extract hidden power from your telescope. Unfortunately it will show you also the weakeness of a cheap mount and the need of a motor to follow the objects
      But considering that I have a mount that have the same age of the tube (basucally is a motorised EQ1 with wood tripod), doing a well done polar alignment you can keep an object on FOV for several minutes.
      In these minutes you can capture in a video the planets (Jupiter is better to capture 90/120 seconds maximum) and moon, then using some post processing software you will get results that you would never have imagined with your telescope. I do not tell you the thrill of seeing clearly the Cassini division, of glimpsing the bands of Saturn, the shadows of the moons on the disk of Jupiter, clearly seeing the bands of Jupiter and its colors ...

  • @bryandraughn9830
    @bryandraughn9830 Před 8 měsíci

    Probably the most important thing I've ever learned about using a telescope is to not touch it.😅
    The feel of precision is an acquired skill to say the least.
    Thanks for all of your advice!😊

  • @stromfitz5724
    @stromfitz5724 Před 2 lety

    Finally you're not sitting on the chair
    I hope your back got better and you got to go out and see the sky again
    And thank you for this video
    Happy watching
    Clear akies

    • @smalloptics753
      @smalloptics753  Před 2 lety

      Hello Naman.. Yes I'm a lot better now thank you my friend.. Stat safe, clear skies :)

  • @user-ce8lr3ff6v
    @user-ce8lr3ff6v Před 5 měsíci

    Thanks for the information. I'm buying a wifi camera like those so that my grand kids can enjoy my telescope without using a ladder to see through the eye piece.
    My thumbnail is Orion taken in 2002 with a 4 inch newtonian on a motorized AZ mouth and a remote controlled sony hand held camera.
    The star distortion is from the stepper motors driving the mount, and that's just a few seconds exposure.
    I had to make a custom variable step driver for my 8 inch newtonian on an EQ mount to do 400x moon videos.
    The moon and planets have slightly different sidereal times that are noticeable at high magnification.

  • @allancopland1768
    @allancopland1768 Před rokem +1

    Hi Jason. I like your posts. Those small sensor cameras really show up the severe limitations of most viewfinder centring systems. All of the ones I've tried are utter crap. Centring on distant daytime targets is one way to go, such as a TV aerial many miles away. ..... but good luck. One little light touch and it will be way off. Viewfinders could be so much more accurate with a little thought. A rubber O-ring, a spring-loaded plunger and a couple of coarsely threaded adjusters just doesn't cut the mustard. Flimsy and useless. I recently bought a really lovely 8*50 right angled finder. The finder is awesome, optically awesome but the two screw + plunger mount is utter garbage. Those cameras work great when partnered with better viewfinders. Sadly such things are mostly made of 'unobtanium'.

    • @MAX-km2gr
      @MAX-km2gr Před rokem

      Hi I had similar problem. I shared what seems to work for me. See the CZcams comment.

  • @AstroLaVista
    @AstroLaVista Před 2 lety +3

    Nice one Jason :) It can be really hard work keeping a planet on a tiny sensor especially if you're using a Barlow. I use a high power eyepiece, get it just right of centre so the planets drifts into the centre by the time you've switched to the camera, then quickly rack in and out with the focuser with the gain up to get rough focus.
    Another tip is to mark the focuser where you find focus for next time, or when planning to go out that night focus on the most distant thing you can find during the daytime and leaving the camera focuser in that position for later. This should get you in the ball park, but as you've learnt you can't find a flipping thing if your focus is way out lol. Oh my word the dropping things Jason lol Great tip regarding patience as well, that's super important because things always go wrong when rushing I find. Take care mate :)

    • @smalloptics753
      @smalloptics753  Před 2 lety +2

      Hey Chris. Sorry for the late reply pal I don't know what's wrong with CZcams at the moment, I don't get all notifications anymore not even on studio I have to keep checking on the video to see if I missed someone and it was my old mucker Chris this time lol... Some great advice there pal thank you... To me as a beginner just getting the damn thing on the screen has been the biggest hurdle.. I've never been as frustrated with the hobby like this side (the dark side) is giving me, but with all this great advice I keep getting I'm sure I'll be reaping the rewards soon.. Cheers Chris :)

    • @AstroLaVista
      @AstroLaVista Před 2 lety

      @@smalloptics753 No worries Jason, I know exactly what notifications are like! Do you also get replies that you can read when you click on the bell, but when you go to reply the comment doesn't show up for some reason?

    • @smalloptics753
      @smalloptics753  Před 2 lety

      @@AstroLaVista Yes.. The only thing I can think of is that they delete the comment for some reason.

  • @stringriffer8529
    @stringriffer8529 Před 2 lety

    Couldn't agree more I got myself a zwo 120 mc astro camera which I'm using through an 8 inch x 1200 mm omegon dobsonian mount and it sure is difficult big like my friend

  • @nodrogawson963
    @nodrogawson963 Před 2 lety

    I have not yet got a SVbony camera but its' nice to know about how small they make the FOV when used on a telescope.
    Your video will I am sure help me from farting about for hours when I get one.
    Thank you for another interesting, useful video which is much appreciated.

  • @daxenus1
    @daxenus1 Před 2 lety

    Thanks for posting.

  • @timyates2895
    @timyates2895 Před 2 lety

    I bought the 105 just after you came out with your video about it. A nice inexpensive way to get into astrophotography. Then you came out out with the video of the 205 and I found a great price on that as well, so I bought it. I have been trying like mad to get some decent shots of Jupiter with them, and I am getting seriously frustrated as all get out. I seem to be the only astronomer that gets his shots in GREEN! Jupiter looks like a Granny Smith Apple with little bands of not quite red. I am still working on it, I am pretty sure that it's my settings in SharpCap. I will post them on the Face Book page if I ever get some good ones. Keep up the good work, really enjoy your video's.

    • @macblaze92
      @macblaze92 Před 2 lety

      What kind of telescope are you using? Im also having the green images on an orion st80 refractor. Looking forward to your findings-clear skies

    • @timyates2895
      @timyates2895 Před 2 lety

      @@macblaze92 I have an AD8, 8 inch reflector, 1200mm focal length. F5.9

    • @timyates2895
      @timyates2895 Před 2 lety

      @@macblaze92 I really think that I may have the saturation set to high in SharpCap. Will be trying again tonight, weather God's permitting, and if it comes out any good I will post results on the Facebook page for Small Optics.

    • @smalloptics753
      @smalloptics753  Před 2 lety

      Hello Tim, I get the opposite with the 205.. No colour at all.. Like you and Mr. Muyambo says it must be something we are overlooking in sharp cap settings... I know fantastic photos can be achieved with both cameras because I've seen them... as soon as I learn more about these cams and how to get the best from them I will be doing a lot more 'trouble shooting' videos so to speak in the future..

    • @timyates2895
      @timyates2895 Před 2 lety

      @@smalloptics753 Hi Jason, I tried again last night but was not able to get Jupiter into view with a 2x Barlow installed. However I did find that by turning the saturation way down, I did get a good color balance at least on the screen of my computer. I have also found that using the cable that came with the 105 to be a better option then the one that came with the 205. I have no idea why, but with the 105 cable, my 205 camera drops less frames.

  • @bushcraftandastronomer.3775

    Hey Jason great very cheerful and helpful video full of info and tips for those who just bought those cameras.
    I'm always dropping things myself and somehow I haven't dropped my astrophotography gear yet. I hate to drop my star tracker or 50ed guidescope.
    Hope you get image of Saturn and show us all the image!
    I've tested the Huawei p30pro smartphone for astrophotography and it's wow! It's just incredible how fantastic this phone camera is at photographing the stars and doing star trails. Glad I've got this phone and soon I'm getting Huawei p40pro and they say its even better than the p30pro.
    When you do get image of Jupiter and Saturn will you also get the moons? That would be so nice to get them.
    I guess the moon is a great starting point being so bright and easy to find weather is not so good lately as soon it be November is always wind and rain.
    Thanks for this video and stay safe buddy plus clear skies!!!

    • @smalloptics753
      @smalloptics753  Před 2 lety

      Hey buddy.. I know right.. I've got to stop dropping things on the floor is going to finish up costing me a fortune lol... I've personally not managed to get a shot of the Galilean moons but I'm sure it's possible.. When I try I just get a overexposed image (no surface detail a bit like this video lol).. But like you say a lot of us have just not had the weather to to do much astronomy or much practice with new astro cameras.. Take care care pal, clear skies :)

  • @brianmoloney2259
    @brianmoloney2259 Před 2 lety

    Just wondering if you used an extender would that help with the magnifications of the camera. I'm only starting and have ordered the 305 and looking forward to trying out your tips on it. Love your channel

  • @randomoldbloke
    @randomoldbloke Před 2 lety

    Am using a 105 and a 305 , big learning curve for both . For focusing both I do my rough focus during the day and bring in focus trees on a mountain a couple of miles away providing there is no heat haze . Am not new to terrestrial photography but very new to Astro photography. Am using a 4.5 inch refractor and heq5 go to mount . Been disabled I need to be able to control everything on computer I still need a electronic focused thingy . Start with a near as perfect polar alignment ( sharpcap pro has a great alignment function)
    Even with all the toys it is not easy to find targets after getting focus. I find a nice cup of tea helps finding targets no rush . With the 305 you may need to download the drivers from svbony . I only got a black or grainy green screen it drove me crazy . Cloudy nights forum is a great help with the svbony problems . Just have to wait for clear skies and am lucky enough to live under class 6 or 7 skies . Cheers from tropical Australia

    • @smalloptics753
      @smalloptics753  Před 2 lety +1

      Hello Pete.. Thank you for your comment my friend.. I agree entirely with you, nice cup of tea always eases any hectic situation :D.. Take care pal, clear skies.

    • @MatthewHolevinski
      @MatthewHolevinski Před 2 lety +1

      I'm with you bubba, I live under great skies in Kansas, so no matter the problems and frustrations I always have fun cussing up a storm. It's always a blast, I'm usually 100% successful about 1% of the time, so no matter what even if I don't catch a great dso shot, I've always got something warm to put in my belly, it's always wonderful to be out under the stars.

  • @frackcenturion
    @frackcenturion Před 2 lety +2

    welcome to the world of astrophotography 😎 , when placing the camera down put it in a container under the tripod legs. cheers great video 🔭👍

    • @smalloptics753
      @smalloptics753  Před 2 lety +2

      Hey Frack.. Hahaha yeah! The joys of astrophotography.. Good idea buddy, I'll do that next time.. Better than fighting with gravity..

  • @mecatx
    @mecatx Před rokem

    Thank you for the good videos. I purchased 2 of the 150 cameras and cannot get them to focus on a Celestron Firstscope. Others on youtube have had the same problem and just switched to a different camera.Tthey do not seem to go far enough into the focuser to get a good focus. They do get an out of focus image. I have purchased used astro cameras cheap and expensive for five years, also have used microscope cameras for lunar imaging. Any ideas on how to correct this problem as we teach STEM and the Oct 14 solar eclipse is coming up soon. We have four of theses scopes and two cameras for our beginners. We have bigger telescopes and expansive cameras for our advanced students.

  • @BennyKleykens
    @BennyKleykens Před rokem +1

    Maybe a focal reducer would make things easier.

  • @star_titan
    @star_titan Před 2 lety +1

    can you please suggest a budget camera for astrophotography .....

  • @supertell
    @supertell Před 4 měsíci

    I'm brand new to astrophotography with a 205, and encountered these problems.

  • @gaming4hobby899
    @gaming4hobby899 Před rokem

    Hello from Brazil!! Well, i guess i will need a bunch of patience ... I have a dob 200mm telescope with NO tracking and I hope handle all this "issues" the better way i can 🙂

  • @dimensio_italian_magician

    I use my smartphone Xiaomi 13 pro for Astrophotography on my Celestron Nexstar 130 slt. Swapping between 25mm, 9mm and 4mm eyepieces, i capture lots of objects, from planets to nebulae. Even captured Pluto in 2 different days and showed its movement.

  • @hondaxl250k0
    @hondaxl250k0 Před 2 lety +1

    I have the sv305. You are 100% correct. It’s a pita…. Not easy to use at all on a manual eq mount. I’ve had far better luck using my cellphone.

    • @smalloptics753
      @smalloptics753  Před 2 lety

      I've got to be honest, so do I. With a phone one click and your done 🙂

  • @gg80108
    @gg80108 Před rokem +1

    Mentioning its like a 4mm lens explains alot

  • @MrGeoffHilton
    @MrGeoffHilton Před rokem

    I think I'll give AP a miss, as you say the fiddling around and associated stress makes it a no go for me, thanks for sharing your experience.

  • @michaeldunn32
    @michaeldunn32 Před 6 měsíci

    Subscribed and hit like for being a top bloke

  • @Awsimilate
    @Awsimilate Před rokem +1

    I have a question seeing how you own both the 205 and 105, is the image size of the moon the same for both in the field of view on the same scope ?
    I am thinking of running 2 cameras on the same object with 2 of the exact same refractors using different filters.
    I am wondering if I will be able to stack images taken from a 205 with images taken from a 105 ?
    If they both say emulate a 6mm eyepiece, I would assume the resulting moon images should be close enough, and or can PIPP and RegiStax just deal with it ?

  • @officialgood-boy8946
    @officialgood-boy8946 Před rokem

    I have a 305 and i was able to get fairly clear images of Jupiter and Saturn, enough two Make out the rings separate from Saturn but it was the hardest thing I've had to do with my 8-in dob so far.

  • @tomjones2121
    @tomjones2121 Před 2 lety

    I find my well aligned red dot viewfinder , spot on , when I can't see the target , I know I'm on it .

  • @baobab68
    @baobab68 Před 2 lety

    Watching this video I kept wondering if a focal reducer would help by making the apparent field of view wider?

  • @saschadaniels6879
    @saschadaniels6879 Před 2 lety

    Dear Jason,
    I am new to the hobby and recently following your channel.
    Your presentation is outstanding, because it is easy to understand and also entertaining!
    May I ask you a question?
    I would like to take photos of the planets with a Omegon 150/750 and a svbony 205. Can I use a barlow at all (and wich) or is the magnification of the camera to high? Reasonable mag. for my telescope is 300x.

    • @smalloptics753
      @smalloptics753  Před 2 lety

      Hello Sascha. Thank you for your kind words great to hear you are enjoying my channel. I will be doing more on the Svbony cameras but in the meantime have a look at this video.. I am taking shot's of the moon not the planets but the procedure is much the same.. Hope this helps.. Welcome to the hobby :)
      czcams.com/video/pWPmOIYY2dA/video.html

  • @vintage-scopes
    @vintage-scopes Před 2 lety +4

    I started to use planetary camera since a month and yes, first times was frustrating because is really hard to find the objects... Now is quite easy, here 2 tips.
    1:
    As suggested by Jason do a mark on focuser tube to sign on wich position your camera get focus, contrary to our eyes, if the focus is completely out, the camera dont shows on screen any halo (or shows a barely invisible big halo) even if the object is in the fow.
    2:
    once the object is in the fov, activate the reticule (cross-air... sorry I'm not english) on your capturing software and center the object and then allign the finder exactly on the object.
    (next time will be very easy to have the object almost centered).
    Would be better to have an optical finder with reticule than a red-dot finder.

    • @Astronurd
      @Astronurd Před 2 lety +1

      Great tips 👍. Thanks

    • @smalloptics753
      @smalloptics753  Před 2 lety

      Hello there friend.. Great advice ..Thank you for your informative comment, much appreciated :)

  • @panthergaming732
    @panthergaming732 Před rokem

    Hi do you have a video on how to identify a good stable tripod ?

  • @recycleme9522
    @recycleme9522 Před 2 lety

    Just bought this and today i tried it for the first time with my 70/700. i have yet to try it at night but i couldnt get a clear image of the sun with it, all i got was a blurry blob. really disappointed but hoping its something i will figure out with some time.

  • @citylimitsphoto
    @citylimitsphoto Před rokem

    Would a focal reducer help with the magnification issue?

  • @deanblackwell2090
    @deanblackwell2090 Před rokem

    the thing that still mystifies me tho is what is the advantage of a proper astro imager over a standard SLR which will definately have a larger sensor?

  • @buisito8119
    @buisito8119 Před 2 lety

    Hello very nice video and good job explaining the issues but I have a question. On 13:12 you mentioned a motor on your mount / motorized mount, and I’ve been searching for one and cant find one. So if you please could, can you tell me where I can find the motor/ mount? Thank you!

    • @smalloptics753
      @smalloptics753  Před 2 lety +1

      Hello Isaac, first check if your mount will be able to accept a motor, not all will, the ones that do usually have some sort of cogs on the RA near the mount. My advice when buying anything astro is to buy from actual telescope suppliers if you send them a quick email telling them the make/model of your telescope they will be able to tell you straight away what you need . I know this isn't always possible so Amazon is your next best bet just remember to include the name/model of your mount in the search. I will leave you a couple of reliable UK suppliers who I'm sure ship worldwide. Hope this helps with your search :)
      www.firstlightoptics.com/
      www.rothervalleyoptics.co.uk/
      shop.northernoptics.co.uk/

  • @edsantillo2562
    @edsantillo2562 Před 4 měsíci

    good videos and thank you. On my 105 the moon is huge on the screen. Can I make it fit the screen some how ? All new stuff to me. Thanks.

  • @SamSkatess
    @SamSkatess Před 11 měsíci

    How much was the motor for that mount?

  • @paullewis321
    @paullewis321 Před 2 lety

    I have a simular problem, my Reflector Telescopes not good for Astrophotography, therefore, to get focus with my DSLR, the T piece has to be a Barlow with say the 2x lens fitted. So like you, i get the object in my telescope perfectly but nowhere to be seen in my Camera. To elevate this a little especially with stars is to take it out of focus in the scope so it looks like a doughnut to give me half a chance of finding it with the camera. Then as you say get the levels on the camera as bright as possible. What really doesn't help is when I do try to move the Reflector slightly I have the extra problem of my DSLR on the front of it :-) . It was interesting to note that these cameras do have a lens fitted, so might work with my telescope.

  • @andrewpattie358
    @andrewpattie358 Před 2 lety +1

    I must say I never had a problem finding things with the 105 iv got 130p with the motor drive the problem is the camera is very slow to respond to inputs so the focus is the bit I found a bit of a struggle it took me quite a bit of time to get it right also not being able to zoom out is a real issue for moon as ucan only get a small part of it

    • @smalloptics753
      @smalloptics753  Před 2 lety

      Hello Andrew.. I got to admit the 105 is a bit laggy.. Have you tried my speeding up software video that seemed to improve things a little for me when using the 105.
      If you haven't already try this :)
      czcams.com/video/GRJA3DxcNEo/video.html

    • @andrewpattie358
      @andrewpattie358 Před 2 lety

      @@smalloptics753 hi Jason I did try the software and It did help 👍 but its still not great on my old computer 😬 I found the 105 did a decent job of the moon and that is really what it's made for, very pleased with the photos iv got, with Jupiter and Saturn it's useless, 🤣 very low quality even after its been processed I really think a DSLR is a better option over one of these types of 📷 but then that brings other problems but u can attach it to an eyepiece, so maybe not 🤷‍♂️ I have a much better computer but having a good laptop outside in the cold and damp can't be good for it so reluctant to use it so its staying in the house 😬 then there's the hassle of using it, putting it on something so on 🤷‍♂️ I must say I have been pleased with what i have managed to get with the equipment i have, but the images Iv been left with r not great and didn't even look as good as what I can c in the eyepiece, however the 105 has given me a glimpse of astrophotography and as frustrating as its been learning all the process its also given the hobby another dimension that I want to explore a bit more so I'm going to find a 2nd had 📷 on ebay 🤔 new telescope first though 🤣 keep up the helpful videos Jason and hopefully ur back gets sorted soon 👍

  • @yapgideon
    @yapgideon Před 4 měsíci +1

    Question-is this telescope camera can be connect to cellphone instead of computer?

  • @geoffreyevans1549
    @geoffreyevans1549 Před 2 lety

    Had a rather unsuccessful attempt with a 105 some weeks ago so thought i'd leave it for a while.bad mistake!i haven't seen a decent clear sky since!(ainsdale,southport)

    • @smalloptics753
      @smalloptics753  Před 2 lety

      Hello Geoffrey. You'll get there, as I say in the video patience is the key.. Oh and of course, clear skies is all so a big help 😉🌛

  • @MAX-km2gr
    @MAX-km2gr Před rokem

    Hi I would like to share what seems to work for me. I have a svbony 205 and a 305m pro. My scope is celestron c6 xlt. I connect the camera to my laptop using sharpcap. I used to have a lot of trouble getting stars into the camera. The only way is to adjust the focus slowly on some distance object during day time. And don't forget to adjust the exposure to say 100ms or 200ms else it might be too dim for sv205, the frame rate is about 4 to 8 per second, remember if frame rate is too small your camera image on tge screen is updated very slowly and may miss the object if you turn the focus too fasr. Sv305m is much stronger. You might need to be a bit patient in turning focus knob. Then keep the knob position and just use it at night. Now when the evening comes, sane set up and you found say Jupiter or Venus in the guide scope but you cannot see it on sharpcap. It's most likely because the finder and the main view is not fully aligned. I adjust the AZ vertical or horizontal position very slowly while looking at the screen. It appears after a few minutes of fiddling. When look back at the finder it is indeed not right at the crosshair. So remember this position on the cross from now on as the planet moves. I did this successfully many times with my older c9. Hence it is difficult to switch between visual and camera. I have been able to do this quite a number of times successfully capturing Jupiter and Saturn.
    Then I switched to c6, obviously expect the same exercise. It suddenly dawn on me that maybe if I remove the diagonal that we use for visual and plug the eyepiece right into the scope ie in parallel, and test whether the focus setting is close to that of the camera. I tried it in the day time, it is indeed close. One can see the object from the camera although not very well focused. But the focal knob setting is close. I tried it at night on Venus and I can see from visual and then camera. The power of the eyepiece is not critical I tried 40mm and 20mm. Of course one still need to adjust the vertical and or horizontal position to get the planet into camera view but that's just the finderscope alignment issue. Surely I cant use the diagonal and it can be a pain. But there seems now to be a way to at least get a visual and switch to camera. One can always use the diagonal first and then without while refocusing and then switch to camera. The last part I have not tried. I captured Venus last night using this approach with 205 and 305m, for the later i used only one 5mm adapted included in the camera kit and run it via sharpcap, pipp and registax. Thanks to those good soul...

  • @Fender90
    @Fender90 Před 2 lety

    I got an SV205 a week ago and had every issue you described here. Do you also get the purple vignetting with sv205? I am using it with a 127 Maksutov and I am close to the point of disappointment...

    • @smalloptics753
      @smalloptics753  Před 2 lety

      Hello Hrach, I haven't had that problem but one thing I can tell is it doubtful that there is anything wrong with the camera it's usually down to the settings in Sharp cap.. As a beginner myself to this side of the hobby there's not a lot of advice I can give you apart from don't give up, have a good play with the settings in sharp cap there's nothing can't undo if you mess around with them to much.. I know these cameras are capable of producing outstanding photos of the planets just a quick search will show that, so the solution to the problem has to be in the settings.. Really sorry I can't be of much help at the moment but as soon as i get more trouble shooting answers I will be doing more videos on the subject.. Hope you can resolve you issue soon. Stick with it you'll get there. Good luck :)

    • @Fender90
      @Fender90 Před 2 lety

      @@smalloptics753 Thanks for your reply! I tried to adjust the settings. and even if I am able to remove the green circle in the center by adjusting the hue, white balance and saturation I am getting purple vignetting in the corners. Many users have reported this. Lessons learned, should have collected some money and buy a decent ZWO camera which I will do. Probably will use the SV205 as a guide camera

  • @AmatureAstronomer
    @AmatureAstronomer Před rokem

    These have small sensors and can capture about the same size target as a ZWO 224 mc, ZWO 385 mc or ZWO 185 mc. So, align your finder scope earlier using a 4mm eyepiece and then use the finder scope to center the camera.
    Big advantage to these are the price. They cost less than $100 and most cameras of the same capability $200 - $400.

  • @spex357
    @spex357 Před 2 lety

    Clouds and more clouds, the two hours forecasted of clear skies turned into 5 seconds and all I saw was the Moon. Whilst waiting I'd thought I'd plug something in to the guide socket. The screen on the app said as easy as 1,2,3 but this was day four and i was getting bored looking at it. By chance i plugged a cable into a different socket on my camera and all of a sudden the software said hello. We are ready to set up the next bit but we need a star or two and it's forecasted clouds for the next week. I have enough time to look for a beefier tripod as the tracker plus long lens at 374mm plus guide camera and control box have induced a slight curve into my Tripod legs and the word stable has disappeared.

  • @philb5
    @philb5 Před rokem

    Does anyone know of a digital IR camera that will work for astronomy that will allow you to live feed to a laptop . It is truly amazing what you see in the night sky using a true GEN 2+ night vision

  • @Shadowboy347
    @Shadowboy347 Před rokem

    Great Video! Thanks for advice and explanation. I was going through some of the same things. I'm New to the channel and FB page. Iv been watching your videos and learning alot about my telescope and many other things. Do you or anyone know of an Good Android app that I can use with my tablet for this camera? It's a pain lugging my laptop around and a tablet just works easier for me... Thanks again for your Channel!

  • @simona1136
    @simona1136 Před 2 lety

    If anybody has an issue with the capture software just showing a mass of coloured shapes then have a look at thread in Stargazers Lounge under 'SVBony SV205 help please'. I almost returned the camera as faulty until I sorted the problem by connecting to different software then going back to Sharpcap. This is the third time I have tried to post this and the message keeps being deleted so I will not go into full detail again here. Edit - ok. Message still here. The issue was something to do with the camera going through an initialisation at the connection stage. This gets corrupted but then sorts itself out when connected to different capture software. Have a read for more info.

    • @smalloptics753
      @smalloptics753  Před 2 lety

      Hello Simon.. Strange your comment keeps getting deleted, if this one goes it's nothing to do with me pal... Thanks for the tip.. I've not personally come across this myself but great to know just in case.. Take care buddy :)

  • @damianbutterworth2434
    @damianbutterworth2434 Před 2 lety

    It`s one thing after another lol. Got a svbony 205. It was running at 680 by 400 with the old laptop. Got an express card 3.0 blue USB. Still at 600 by 400. So now I think my old Lenovo T410 is too slow. Don`t fancy taking the gaming PC into the garden but gonna try it on there in a minute to see if it is the old laptop that is causing issues..

    • @damianbutterworth2434
      @damianbutterworth2434 Před 2 lety

      Oh there`s a resolution setting in SharpCap. That`s all sorted then. Got it working at 3900 x 2000

  • @bryandraughn9830
    @bryandraughn9830 Před 8 měsíci

    I wish they would make a little finder camera that you could plug in at the same time. Then you would have that wide field on a drop-down screen.

    • @A0111.
      @A0111. Před 6 měsíci

      You can buy a flip mirror diagonal to use with most refractors, and some other telescopes. The idea is to put your eyepiece on top, and camera to the side - you can use your eyepiece with the mirror, and flip the mirror away to use the camera.

    • @A0111.
      @A0111. Před 6 měsíci

      And of course you can always use a second camera attached to a suitable finderscope

  • @ducatifriedrich2910
    @ducatifriedrich2910 Před 2 lety

    Find an old cheap eyepiece, biy a parafocal ring, focus the camera in the moon swap in the eyepiece, don't move the focuser, move the eyepiece up and down until moon is in focus, tighten the ring. Can also use a zip tie and then glue it after you have it set.

  • @hornet224
    @hornet224 Před rokem

    You just saved me from wasting $60. It would have gone in the junk pile of other worthless astro products.

  • @epic_playz4283
    @epic_playz4283 Před 2 lety

    My frames are all the sudden coming in extremely slow like 1 frame every like 30 seconds and did research everywhere and ofc google can't answer this question I would love to get an Orion Sirius Mount but 1500 dollars and im 15 and into long exposure astrophotography with a DSLR and theres required which is a bummer. But could you please find out why the frames come in so slowly well I am in like 25 degree weather soooo Please awnser!

  • @backyardastronaut5272

    I have the 205 but I still didn't get any good footage from it due to the fact, I'm going crazy with all the settings 😅...so yes I still use a smartphone with 64mp capability and 4k video...but could you try and test the Celestron neximage 10 camera?

    • @MAX-km2gr
      @MAX-km2gr Před rokem

      Hi I have a 205. I shared what seems to work for me at the comment part.

  • @intrance5593
    @intrance5593 Před 3 měsíci

    Hello dear!
    I'm interested in that camera but I'm confused! What is the longest exposure time? 1000ms or 30sec? Because I've read somewhere that there has been an update...

  • @book3100
    @book3100 Před 2 lety +2

    Printed on the cover were the words
    DON'T PANIC

  • @tuloko16
    @tuloko16 Před 2 lety

    Can you remove the lenses from this camera and use it without them? Or lower magnification?

    • @smalloptics753
      @smalloptics753  Před 2 lety

      Hello there.. Simple but not very good answer.. Not sure, sorry..I would imagine not, as they are only budget cameras and are very limited when it comes to functionality. But, like I say, I've never tried to remove any optics in the camera so I'm not 100% sure.

    • @jml7916
      @jml7916 Před 2 lety

      There are no lenses or optics on these cameras. So nothing to remove.

  • @tomjones2121
    @tomjones2121 Před 2 lety

    Another great reason for a short tube fast focal ratio refractor , wide field of view ...object is never to close ,

    • @Astronurd
      @Astronurd Před 2 lety

      The only downside is that they are poor for the planet’s with their short focal length and the only targets that these cameras are good for is the planets and the moon.

    • @tomjones2121
      @tomjones2121 Před 2 lety

      @@Astronurd I did have a problem with my sky watcher 72 ED , I resolved it by adding a 2" focal extender and an empty x2 barlow, works awesome, the 2" extension set me back $22 ..already had a barlow

  • @BritishBeachcomber
    @BritishBeachcomber Před 2 lety

    SVbony cameras are affordable, but they are only 2 or 8 mega pixels with small sensors. Really only suitable for autofocus or guiding, not astrophotography. An affordable canon DSLR is 12 or 18, and the difference is amazing.

  • @BoltonMaverickoutdoors

    Yip I was trying to track the moon and kept loosing it with the 10mm eye piece

  • @saschadaniels6879
    @saschadaniels6879 Před rokem

    With my svbony 205 and sharpcap jupiter is just a too bright spot. Can anybody tell me how to fix this? Seeing was good and visually I could see details on the planet.