SharpCap Forums

HI
Basic question
For a Cooled CMOS camera
Should FLATS be shot at the same TEMPERATURE as LIGHTS?
I probably missed this fact , but could not seem to find a statement one way or the other.
thanks for your patience.
Steve

Hi Steve,

I shoot Flats at the same temperature as Lights only because it is easy for me since I have an electroluminescent (EL) panel. I shoot them right after my Lights. However, if the Flats exposure is greater than 2 seconds then I'll also capture Dark Flats. This commonly happens when I use my Hydrogen-alpha filter. The EL panel radiates strongly in Blue so there isn't much at the Ha wavelength. Typically the Flats exposure is 20 seconds, so in that case I will capture thirty 20-second Dark Flats.

Technically I think you can capture Flats at any temperature, but if you do that, then I would recommend also capturing Dark Flats no matter the exposure. I could be wrong about this, but I believe it is acceptable.

Brian

Hi Steve,

yes, Brian is right - the flats need to match the dark flats if you are using them. Dark flats (and the temperature match to them) becomes important when you are taking flats at relative long exposures (more than a second or two). If your flats are taken at short exposures then bias frames are an acceptable replacement for dark flats and the temperature is pretty much irrelevant.

cheers,

Robin

Thanks Brian, Robin
I have been having poor results with using Flats and wasn't sure if the temperature was critical.
Take care
steve