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Hi there,
just stumbled upon your blog when searching for Sony a6000 full spectrum related topics. I also own a a6000 full spectrum and recently bought a 80mm Triplet APO refractor which I will now use for some astrophotography. Just wondering if you would have some tips related to a6000 settings, filters etc. when using it for astrophotography?
Regards,
Gerrit
Hello Gerrit,
I would be happy to help with some of my knowledge! Here are some ideas to start with:
1) if the camera was full-spectrum modified, you should definitely have an UV/IR block filter to have the camera perform as if it was not modified. The same would apply to the IR enhanced modification, where a IR-Cut filter would suffice
2) Depending on your typical imaging location, you would wand to have a LPS / IDAS / … filter, to cut a fair bit of the light pollution. You will be able to expose significantly longer in urban areas before you saturate images! Never mind the colors getting off. They will be fixed in post-processing 🙂
3) If you really want to get serious about astro-photography for nebulae or super-novae (what I assume by the full spectrum modification), you will need narrow band filters. No matter which camera you use, the hydrogen-alpha (Ha) and sulfur (S-II) lines are really dim compared to stars, background light and the like. O-III is in the highest sensitivity range of the CMOS sensors. So you probably won’t have that much of a challenge compared to the other two.
4) all your filters have to be 2 inch size due to the APS-C sensor! I know they are not cheap. But you will waste a lot of data if you install 1.25 inch filters
5) using different filters calls for a filter slider or filter wheel. Otherwise you will get disappointed by the amount of time spent on focusing after each filter change.
6) same applies if you use filters of different manufacturer / brand during one session. You would want to look for homo-focal filter sets, where all filters are of same glass thickness.
7) I hope, you got a flattener with your triplet APO? If not, be sure to add one in first place!
8) Tracking mount and Auto-Guiding:
Narrow-band imaging requires long exposures! The A6000 has a rather bad noise performance (compared to up-to-date models like A6400). You will not want to exceed ISO800. With an f/6 APO, I had to go for 600s exposures to get at least some usable data – especially with Ha or S-II. Imaging with longer focal length optics and exposure times above 30s is really difficult – or even close to impossible – with simple sky-trackers. So if you don’t own a high-end and sturdy German equatorial mount, you cannot avoid auto-guiding. I will not go into more details here – ask, if you need further assistance with this topic!
Now in January is a perfect time to start experimenting with astro-photography! Orion is very well placed. Start off with the bright and easy objects like M42 or the Rosette nebula.
I hope, I could shed some light on using the modified Sony A6000 camera in astro-photography. If you want to dig deeper into further details, or if you have further questions, drop another line or two 😉
Cheers, MatP
I am looking for the female end to the PCB Sony 15 Pin USB Plug Connector. Do you know where I can get one. I am trying to fix the female connection on a Sony remote. Thanks
Hi Dale,
Thanks for stopping by!
Unfortunately I am not aware of any offering for the female multi-port connector. I could find an extension cord with a male and female end. Though these extension cords are quite expensive. So, depending on the value of your remote, this is not an option.
If I were you, and wanted to continue using the remote (as it is of significant value), I would ask Sony support for help. If they cannot help, I would install an alternative plug type on both ends (remote and the cable). Probably you won’t need a 15 pin connector, as the remote may not use all pins (you have to verify, which pins are actually used by inspecting the PCB).
Cheers and good luck with the repair!
MatP
Hello Mat,
i came across this: ‘Combined charger and trigger cable for Sony mirrorless cameras like A6400’
That’s exactly what im looking for a while. Do you manufacture and sell this cable? I don’t have the skills to build one myself.
Cheers,
Pedro
Hi Pedro,
I am not manufacturing these cables. But I may build one for you. Let’s get in touch for details 😉
Cheers, MatP
HI
I am making a motion detecting gadget to film wildlife using a Sony A7sii camera. An exisiting professinally built PIR based system connects to the cameras multiport via a 3 pole 2.5mm jack plug. It seems like I only need to short the shutter pin and the focus pin to ground to start filming.
I want to use an arduino to do the switching so my question is this.
Could I switch on the input side of an optocoupler (817C) with an arduino, via a suitable resistor, and use the output side to do the shorting? I have used arduinos before but I am not much good with the electronics side of things. Would other components be needed? I suppose I would need 2 arduino pins and 2 optocouplers, one for shutter and one for focus.
Any advice much appreciated.
Hi Barry,
The best approach is to use an optocoupler. Your device’s power supply won’t interfere with the camera by any means.
To wire the optocoupler to your arduino, you have to keep in mind the maximum current an arduino pin may supply. So, if you add the proper resistor to limit the current, you should be fine!
Arduino is recommended to supply a maximum of 20mA. The typical forward current of the 817C optocoupler is 50mA. You should therefore calculate the resistor to limit the current to 20mA. But if you need the full 50mA diode current, you have to add a driving transistor.
Hi MatP,
I have also been developing my own Sky Quality Meter; however, I have not been able to find a filter similar to the HOYA CM-500. Do you have any reference for the filter you used for your project?
Thanks in advance,
Greetings from Chile.
Hi Joshua,
I used the UV/IR650nm cut filters in 8,5mm diameter. These are available from several online sellers. These filters are quite close to the HOYA CM-500 filters. The difference in readings is negligible, especially if you may borrow one Unihedron SQM to calibrate your device to.
Hope this helps!