ToupTek usage with SharpCap

[admin]

Hi Matt,

I'm not sure about the binning actually, I just ask the SDK to bin and let it get on with it. I suspect that if it increases the frame rate then it is on camera binning, and if it doesn't then it is software binning happening on the PC.

cheers,

Robin

[Stathis]

Hello Robin, hello all,

I have the TS2600MC camera (ToupTek) and used in Sharp Cap 4.0. the DirectShow driver. My settings mostly were: Low Noise HCG, Gain 100, Offset 200 at Temp -10°C. I got mirror reversed images with wrong colours, the fits header sayed GBRG. I had to convert the Bayer Pattern, to get the right colours and had to flip the image in post processing.

The new SharpCap 4.1 Version native driver shows now the correct RGGB in the fits header and the collours are correct - nice! But still the image is mirror reversed. Is it planned to provide flip horizontal / flip vertical option, like with the ASI cameras? Its realy difficult, to flip the image in my brain all the time.

I have done my best to hide LCG/HCG from the user by merging it into the gain setting of the camera

What settings do I have to put in into the new mask in SharpCap 4.1, to get my known settings Low Noise HCG, Gain 100?
See a comparison with the older Version 4.0 and DirectShow driver and the new 4.1 for the ToupTek 2600C. What does "Exposure / Gain Shift" mean):

Thank you for advise.

[admin]

Hi,

SharpCap now provides a horizontal/vertical flip option for all cameras, with the added bonus of the flip being applied after SharpCap's built-in dark/flat correction. This means that you can flip the image and not have to worry about having darks/flats for each possible flip combination. You'll find this in the 'Preprocessing' section of the controls in SharpCap 4.1

To get the camera into HCG mode with minimum additional gain, set the SharpCap gain control to 300 (for this camera with the IMX571 sensor - the value varies depending on the model/sensor). This value of 300 is the point where SharpCap changes from LCG (below 300) to HCG.

For the ultra low noise mode, with the new Native support that should appear in the 'Colour Space' dropdown - there should be RAW16 and RAW16 (Ultra Low Noise) available.

Finally the two controls you have highlighted...

Auto Gain with Auto Exposure - determines whether the camera will automatically change the gain as well as the exposure in auto exposure mode

Exposure/Gain Shift - this is a SharpCap addition to (almost) all cameras - it will trade off gain with exposure while keeping the image brightness the same. Moving the control left to negative values will reduce exposure and increase gain to compensate. Moving right will do the opposite. Very handy when changing between imaging settings and those for framing/focus/plate solving.

cheers,

Robin

[Stathis]

Robin, thank you for Reply. I found the RAW16 (Ultra Low Noise) mode and how to flip the image in the preprocessing section - nice.

As LCG/HCG is switched automatically, I think I will use from now on:
1. Where high dinamic range is requested (star fields with bright stars, bright nebula or galaxy cores...): RAW16 (Ultra Low Noise), Gain 100, Offset 200, exposures 30s, 60 s, 120 s depending on wind conditions.
2. Where low noise is requested (faint nebulae with narrowband filtering): RAW16 (Ultra Low Noise), Gain 300, Offset 200 or 500 for very narrow band, exposures 120 s.

What do the others think, who use this cameras, is this a good way to go?

[admin]

Hi,

the gain values sound fine and the exposures will depend to a large degree on your light pollution level (adjusted for filters). Offset just needs to be enough to clear the histogram for dark frames from the left hand side. With offset it is probably best to pick a value that suits the highest gain you will use and then use that for everything as it's annoying when you end up with frames that are mismatched in offset.

The SharpCap smart histogram function (see https://docs.sharpcap.co.uk/4.1/#The%20 ... n%20Window) will advise on the best values for gain, exposure and offset based on the measured sky brightness, so can confirm if the gains are reasonable and whether the exposures are long enough (or too long).

cheers,

Robin

[ZepHead]

For the Ogma AP26CC camera that I'm using with SharpCap, I'm finding that the Black Level setting continues to default to the maximum level (7936), with all other camera settings respecting the fact that I have checked the box for "Automatically restore last used camera settings when opening a camera".

Can someone else with a ToupTek camera confirm this is also occurring?

Regards,

Frank

[admin]

Hi Frank,

in the SharpCap settings, go to the 'Logging' tab and check the box labelled 'Camera Control Values and Capture Profiles'. Next, open the camera, then close it again. The log should have recorded all the settings that SharpCap had stored and also the values it tried to send to the camera. That should reveal if the right value is being sent and the camera is ignoring it or if something else is happening.

I have tested a couple of ToupTek cameras here with the very latest SharpCap 4.1 and I am seeing correct behaviour on restoring the black level, so it doesn't seem to be happening with all models.

cheers,

Robin

[ZepHead]

Thanks for the quick response Robin.

I did enable the 'Camera Control Values and Capture Profiles' logging option and then proceeded to open the camera (Ogma AP26CC). I confirmed that the Black Level slider and value were maxed out at 7936. I reduced the value to 500 and closed the camera. I then opened the camera again, only to find that the setting was back to 7936. I reduced it again to 500 and closed the camera. When I view the log, the Black Level value does in fact say 500. But each time the camera is opened, the value returns to 7936. Upon opening the log, the value now shows 7936.

Not sure what to do next.

Kind regards,

Frank

[admin]

Hi Frank,

please can you send me the log so that I can review it - I will hopefully be able to come up with suggestions having seen the log.

cheers,

Robin