Moravian Instruments C1+ Series, User Manual

Page 1: ...C1 Series Cooled CMOS Cameras User s Guide...

Page 2: ...ized for and should not be used within Life Support Systems without the specific written consent of the Moravian Instruments Product warranty is limited to repair or replacement of defective component...

Page 3: ...y 19 Autoguider port 21 Mechanical Specifications 23 C1 Camera with C1 compatible adapter 25 C1 Camera with C2 compatible adapter 25 C1 Camera with XS External Filter Wheel 26 Optional accessories 28...

Page 4: ...Camera Maintenance 35 Desiccant exchange 35 Exchanging the silica gel 36 Changing the telescope adapter 38 Changing the C1 compatible adapter 38 Changing the C2 compatible adapter 38...

Page 5: ...connected C1 functions equal to C1 cameras when powered from USB only Image acquisition Mount guiding through standard autoguider 6 pin connector When a 12 V DC power is plugged in C1 camera function...

Page 6: ...standard and runs 32 or 64 bit Linux operating system Drivers for 32 bit and 64 bit Linux systems are provided but the SIPS camera control and image processing software supplied with the camera requi...

Page 7: ...a is attached over Ethernet adapter especially when compared with direct USB 3 connection Note the camera must be connected to some optical system e g the telescope to capture images The camera is des...

Page 8: ...ameras camera head contains connector to control filter wheel If the external filter wheel is used the tiltable mechanism on the camera head is inactive and tiltable adapters for external filter wheel...

Page 9: ...readed cells Extra small XS size wheel for 7 unmounted filters D36 mm Small S size wheel for 12 unmounted filters D31 mm or filters in 1 25 threaded cells Small S size wheel for 10 unmounted filters D...

Page 10: ...thread adapter 55 mm BFD 10 C1 compatible M48 0 75 adapter 55 mm BFD 11 C2 compatible M42 0 75 T thread or M48 0 75 threaded adapter 55 mm BFD 12 C2 compatible Canon EOS bayonet adapter 13 C2 compatib...

Page 11: ...bit image download time is longer compared to 8 bit image Maximal FPS in 8 bit mode is then significantly higher C1 cameras with Sony IMX sensors with 3 45 3 45 m pixels supporting 12 bit digitization...

Page 12: ...4 50 m pixels and 12 bit digitization only Model C1 7000A CMOS sensor IMX428 Resolution 3216 2208 Pixel size 4 50 4 50 m Sensor size 14 47 9 94 mm Cameras limited to 12 bit read mode are marked with l...

Page 13: ...to light This means the camera can be used also for entry level research projects like for instance photometry or brighter variable stars etc Figure 4 Response of the Sony IMX sensors with 3 45 3 45 m...

Page 14: ...3 45 3 45 m pixels offers only single read mode 12 bit fast mode with 132 MPx s digitization speed And the A version of C1 cameras with 4 50 4 50 m pixels offers also only one read mode 12 bit fast m...

Page 15: ...tronomical camera Any such operation can be performed later during image processing if desired Conversion factors and read noise Generally all sensor characteristics depend on the used gain So we prov...

Page 16: ...ort exposures The shortest exposure time is 125 s 1 8000 of second This is also the step by which the exposure time is expressed So the second shortest exposure is 250 s etc Long exposure timing is co...

Page 17: ...fan turns to full speed to remove the heat generated by the Peltier thermo electric cooler Regulated thermoelectric cooling is capable to cool the CMOS sensor more than 40 C below ambient temperature...

Page 18: ...lation precision 0 1 C Hot side cooling Forced air cooling fan Maximum temperature difference between sensor and ambient air may be reached when the cooling runs at 100 power However temperature canno...

Page 19: ...ower consumption 1 W without cooling 22 W maximum cooling Power connector 5 5 2 5 mm center Adapter input voltage 100 240 V AC 50 60 Hz Adapter output voltage 12 V DC 5 A Adapter maximum power 60 W Po...

Page 20: ...20 Figure 8 12 V DC 5 A power supply adapter for C1 camera...

Page 21: ...The software running on the PC calculates the difference from required state and sends appropriate corrections to the telescope mount The plus side of using a host PC CPU to process images is the fact...

Page 22: ...d close to the USB3 port on the back side of C1 camera The Autoguider port follows the de facto standard introduced by SBIG ST 4 autoguider The pins have the following functions 1 R A Right 2 Dec Up 3...

Page 23: ...a with M42 0 75 adapter Numerous extension adapters are available for C1 cameras like M48 0 75 thread or M42 0 75 thread T adapter with 55 mm BFD Canon EOS and Nikon bayonets etc All these adapters ar...

Page 24: ...e 18 5 mm with C1 compatible adapter 16 5 mm with C2 compatible adapter Camera head weight 0 68 kg Back focal distance is measured from the sensor to the base on which adapters are mounted Various ada...

Page 25: ...with C1 compatible adapter Figure 11 C1 camera head with C1 compatible adapter side view dimensions Figure 12 C1 camera head with C1 compatible adapter front view dimensions C1 Camera with C2 compati...

Page 26: ...l C1 cameras can be equipped with the same external filter wheels like the C2 cameras In such case the C2 compatible adapter has to be used as a base for the External filter wheel Note the filter whee...

Page 27: ...de view dimensions Figure 16 C1 camera head with External filter wheel bottom view dimensions The S sized External Filter Wheel diameter is greater see External Filter Wheel User s Guide but the back...

Page 28: ...If a C2 adapter has to be used without filter wheel a stack of two adapter bases must be used on C1 camera C2 compatible adapter base for C1 camera and C2 adapter base on it However such combination...

Page 29: ...e External filter wheels are equipped with tiltable base intended for adapters 2 inch barrel adapter for standard 2 focusers T thread short M42 0 75 inner thread adapter T thread with 55 mm BFD M42 0...

Page 30: ...he camera head Figure 18 Threaded mounting holes on the camera head bottom side These threaded holes can be used to attach 1 75 inch dovetail bar Vixen standard It is then possible to attach the camer...

Page 31: ...ection of up to four Cx and Gx cameras of any type on the one side and 1 Gbps Ethernet on the other side This adapter allows access to connected cameras using routable TCP IP protocol over practically...

Page 32: ...he adapter tilt is adjustable another three pushing screws are intended to fix the adapter after some pulling screw is released to adjust the tilt Because the necessity to adjust two screws one pushin...

Page 33: ...ightened to fix the adapter in the desired angle relative to camera head This ensures long time stability of the adjusted adapter Adjustable telescope lens adapters are attached slightly differently d...

Page 34: ...34 Figure 22 External filter wheels are already designed to for adjustable telescope adapters...

Page 35: ...lica gel desiccant is placed inside the camera head This cylindrical chamber is connected with the insulated cooled sensor chamber itself Warning High level of moisture inside the sensor cold chamber...

Page 36: ...rewed so it is possible to exchange silica gel without the necessity to remove the camera from the telescope Silica gel is held inside the container with a perforated cap This cap is also screwed into...

Page 37: ...al should sustain the high temperature during silica gel baking it is possible to remove it and put it back again prior to threading the contained back to the camera This design also allows usage of s...

Page 38: ...crew the original extension adapter and screw in the new one Changing the C2 compatible adapter While in principle the C1 camera allows usage of C2 adapters through the C2 compatible base in reality C...

Page 39: ...pitch M4 0 5 thread screws not standard M4 thread ones Always use only screws supplied with the adapter using of normal M4 screws damages the adapter Always make sure to carefully locate the ring sha...