How to adjust contrast for live viewing
Posted: Thu Jan 03, 2019 7:21 am
Hi Robin and Friends,
Thank you for providing this site. I am an old (69 years) visual observer in Perth West Oz and I really struggle to use computer technology. My main interest is Lunar surface processes. My aim at this stage is simply to achieve a good quality "live viewing" image of the moon for educational purposes. I purchased a SKYWATCHER MONOCHROME SOLAR SYSTEM IMAGER" which I realise is a more basic camera but one I was advised that will be quite adequate for monochrome live viewing of Luna. The camera has a maximum rate of 50 FPS.
I purchased a brand new therefore "clean" and capable HP PC with two 3GB terminals and sufficient capacity to run more advanced cameras than the solar system imager.
I have had a mate help me to install Sharpcap onto the PC after a dud run with Amcap. We then managed an image of the moon albeit with obvious contrast imbalance...the daylight side of the terminator is whited out obviously overexposed, the nightside and near terminator features obviously underexposed. Pressing many buttons we came across a header titled "contrast" I think, which gave us a live screen or... histogram??.. which seemed to be actively working but despite looking up and down on the screen we could not see a further header or control which would allow us to adjust the contrast, or gain. I am told "gain" is essentially contrast.
My apologies for such a tedious basic post but it is sometimes hard for older people to utilise this kind of technology. The problem is simply that computer terminology uses what is essentially another,completely foreign language.
I would appreciate any leads on how to correct the live image. The screen also shows images being taken at a rate of knots though I have not learned to access them. I presume they are somewhere in the files of the new PC. Thank you for any directions.
Thank you for providing this site. I am an old (69 years) visual observer in Perth West Oz and I really struggle to use computer technology. My main interest is Lunar surface processes. My aim at this stage is simply to achieve a good quality "live viewing" image of the moon for educational purposes. I purchased a SKYWATCHER MONOCHROME SOLAR SYSTEM IMAGER" which I realise is a more basic camera but one I was advised that will be quite adequate for monochrome live viewing of Luna. The camera has a maximum rate of 50 FPS.
I purchased a brand new therefore "clean" and capable HP PC with two 3GB terminals and sufficient capacity to run more advanced cameras than the solar system imager.
I have had a mate help me to install Sharpcap onto the PC after a dud run with Amcap. We then managed an image of the moon albeit with obvious contrast imbalance...the daylight side of the terminator is whited out obviously overexposed, the nightside and near terminator features obviously underexposed. Pressing many buttons we came across a header titled "contrast" I think, which gave us a live screen or... histogram??.. which seemed to be actively working but despite looking up and down on the screen we could not see a further header or control which would allow us to adjust the contrast, or gain. I am told "gain" is essentially contrast.
My apologies for such a tedious basic post but it is sometimes hard for older people to utilise this kind of technology. The problem is simply that computer terminology uses what is essentially another,completely foreign language.
I would appreciate any leads on how to correct the live image. The screen also shows images being taken at a rate of knots though I have not learned to access them. I presume they are somewhere in the files of the new PC. Thank you for any directions.