UPDATE 3-09-09- I recently added another camera to the observatories. This one is the FUJI S5. I use it mostly for white light photography and to capture images in nature. I will be posting a number of galleries on the site where the images were taken with the S5.
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UPDATED 5-20-07- I had a chance to do some astro imaging a few days ago. I used the FUJI S3 at prime focus through a Meade LX200 10" scope in the Dewey observatory. I was testing some new network software through an old network connection made between the telescopes and the building.
The remote operation of the camera was made by the free Fuji software I down loaded. The image is of M8- the Lagoon Nebula.
You can see the fine detail of the nebula dust lanes in the picture. This is the result of one image taken at iso 800 for 45 seconds at prime focus on the 10" LX200 scope.
You can see other images of the Lagoon Nebula in the Deep Space Images Gallery to the right of the screen.
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UPDATED 4/1/07- The pictures of the Grand Canyon have been updated. See the ALL NEW- FUJI S3 -Grand Canyon gallery.
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UPDATED 2/10/07 - I just returned from another trip to the Grand Canyon where I was able to take hundreds of images in ultraviolet, infrared and white light. These will be posted on the site in a few weeks. I used the Fuji S3 camera modified by Huteck (see the link at the end of my post) that I am so very happy with.
This image process is described by me on page 10 of the March edition of Popular Photography and Imaging in a recent story they printed.
If you have not yet bought this magazine I suggest you pick one up in the store. One of my images of the Grand Canyon is published along with a description of how the image was made. Email me if you want help with anything. There is a link on the site you can use to reach me.
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UPDATED 12/23/06- I wanted to see how the modified Fuji S3 astrobody would work when used to take night time images of buildings and residential streets. Since Prescott, AZ lights up the city square during December I decided to experiment. You can see how the images came out in the gallery to the far right. Look in ALL NEW-PRESCOTT LIGHTS.
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UPDATED 11/23/06- I continue to be very pleased with the images from my Fuji S3 modified camera. During the day or night this camera functions at 110% perfection. My print quality is exceptional. My next goal is to upgrade the camera and get a copy of the software that will let me operate the camera from a dedicated computer rather than use the camera controls to take my image. I have reviewed the information on the Fuji web site and I will report how the project turns out in a later post. The instructions seem a little difficult to understand so I will take my time with this project. If any of you have had experience with this please send me an email. My goal is to get this done by the next few weeks.
Ed Registrato
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UPDATED 11/12/06- I posted some images taken with the modified Fuji S3 in the report on the MERCURY TRANSIT. You can enter that post to see the report.
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UPDATED 10/7/06 - I had a chance to Photograph the butterfly exhibit at the DESERT BOTANICAL GARDEN in Phoenix, Arizona. The images I made were taken with the Fuji S2 and Fuji S3. Images are available in the gallery to the right.
The Desert Botanical Garden is a photography wonderland. Grab your camera and take some time to get some great images of your own. You can not beat this venue for quality images for the price of admission. You can read more about the Garden and get further information on where it is located by looking at the information I have supplied to the left.
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UPDATED 9/15/06 - This photo was taken with the FUJI S3 Astrobody camera on a tripod about two weeks ago. The storm that followed this event took out five of our network computers and the server at our office location.
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UPDATED 8/4/06 - I have been working on the infrared and ultraviolet spectrum photos with the FUJI s3. They have been coming out as I have expected. I have some pictures of the Grand Canyon, AZ. I published a few in the gallery called Grand Canyon Hidden Colors to the right.
The Coyote images in the Coyote Safari gallery were all taken on the FUJI S3 astrobody camera. Under daytime photo light this camera works great if you set the white balance. I am impressed at the quality this camera gets day or night.
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UPDATED 6/8/06 - I have had more time to experiment with the FUJI S3 "astronomical body" camera over the last month. I give this camera a 110% rating. I am very happy with the astrophotographical images it takes and I am extremely happy with the photographical responses I am getting in daylight.
Last week I took the camera to Lynx Lake in Prescott, Arizona to record some daylight images of the heron that frequent the area. Since the camera was modified for astrophotography I followed the instructions Ted gave me at Hutech to make it ready for daylight photography. The instructions for getting a white balance were very clear and easy to follow right from the instruction manual.
Thank you, Ted. Everything you told me about this camera was true.
Once the white balance was set (which took all of a few seconds) I started to capture the heron, ducks and double-crested cormorants that live at the forest lake. I was using a Sigma 500mm lens with the S3 on a tripod for the images. I was at least 200 to 300 yards from the birds when the pictures were taken. Most images were tack sharp even at that distance considering the speed the birds were traveling at past my lens.
Needless to say, I am very pleased with the results. I will post the images in a gallery called FUJI S3 WATER BIRDS.
I must say...Hutech did a superb job on modifying this camera. The images will speak for themselves. If you are thinking about buying a FUJI S3 and you do any astrophotography at all, I suggest you order from Hutech. The camera is wonderful and the people at Hutech are most helpful all the time.
You can email me if you have a question. My link to email is below the last post on the left side of your screen. Hope you enjoy the images.
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UPDATED 4/25/06 - I was at the Dewey observatory this weekend thinking I would get some better images of Jupiter and the meteor shower. Well, that really did not happen the way I had it planned.
I did get to test the FUJI S3 astronomical modified camera during daylight photography. I used it to take images of wild Pronghorn Antelope in the Prescott area and grasslands to the North. I was very pleased with the images I was able to get with the S3. They are posted in the gallery called ANTELOPE Fuji s3.
The FUJI S3 is a remarkable camera. it did a great job on the wildlife photos. I think you will like the gallery. Send me an email if you have questions or comments.
Ed Registrato
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Original Post-
I ordered a new FUJI S3 PRO camera last December. It was delivered a few weeks ago. This is not your standard daylight camera. This FUJI S3 PRO is a special order item sold as an astrophotographic model. It is modified by a trained technician after factory assembly. This alteration enhances the camera's ability to take high end astrophotographic images. These images are saved as large dynamic digital files in the raw mode. The company that sells these modified cameras is HUTECH ASTRONOMICAL. I have provided a link to them at the end of the post if you care to visit their company site on the web.
If you are an experienced astrophotographer, looking for scientific equipment, I highly recommend HUTECH ASTRONOMICAL. Their staff is a joy to work with. I found them very experienced. I am very pleased with the camera that was sent thus far and I hope to be using it at both Vision In Time Observatories many years into the future. Many thanks to Ted at HUTECH for his help in getting many of my questions answered.
There are several companies modifying their camera bodies for digital astrophoto usage. CANON has announced a high quality astrophoto version of their digital camera line. Perhaps the CANON version is more popular than the FUJI S3 PRO. In fact, I have a friend that owns one. I know he is very happy with his camera also.
However, one of the big "selling points" for me about the FUJI S3 PRO astronomical unit was the fact that all the equipment I own and use now with my FUJI S2 PRO could be used with the astronomical version of the S3. Not having to order a new focus device and not having to buy new lenses meant a savings of thousands of dollars. With the FUJI S3 PRO all my NIKON equipment could be used just like it is used on the FUJI S2 PRO.
Each picture was taken through a MEADE LX 200 classic telescope located at one of the two Vision In Time Observatories. These scopes were purchased at Stellar Vision located in Tucson, AZ. They have one of the greatest inventory of telescopes I have ever seen. The owner, Frank Lopez, is very knowledgeable and most helpful. I put a link to their site below in case your interested in telescopes. If you ever need anything astronomical you can be sure Frank has information about it in his store.
I use a special device to focus the telescopes manufactured by STELLAR TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL. For the astrophotographers that want more information on this device I have a link to their site listed below. A very nice gentleman named Richard is the owner of STI. You will find him very helpful and knowledgeable to work with if you need information about astrophotography equipment.
I have used the STI focus device on the LX 200 scopes for about two years with my digital, non astronomical, FUJI S2 and OLYMPUS OM-1 film cameras. I always recommend these STI units to anyone that wants to start taking pictures of the deep space targets in the sky. There simply is nothing better to use when it comes to the setting the focus of the camera through the telescope.
In deep space work you will not be able to use the auto focus feature of the camera or an auto focus lens to assist you. Deep space subjects (called targets) are just too small and too dim to see through the SLR camera. In order to get a clear picture of any target as seen through a telescope you will need to go through a routine similar to what I use which is listed below:
1. I Align the telescope so that it will find the target and center it in the telescope. I do this visually before I take any pictures.
2. After I find the target in the scope, I study it and enjoy it visually with a 35 mm lens or some visual filters. I try to picture in my mind what the image will look like when it is done.
3. Then I move the scope to another star in another part of the sky far away from the target. Then I make the scope return to the target several times to test the accuracy of the alignment.
4. Once I am confident the scope will center the target every time from a point far away from the target and I have an idea of what my picture will look like, I find the nearest bright star to the target. I want move to that point in the sky relatively close to my target.
5. While centered on the nearby bright star I connect the STELLAR TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL focus device for my camera on the scope. This device is a must for getting the telescope in focus before connecting the camera body. Using the device, I focus on the nearby bright star.
6. After all of this is done I remove the focus device and mount the camera to the scope. I take one sample picture of the star and review it through my camera. If it is in focus I am ready to move to the target.
7. Once I move the scope back to the target I will take a 15 second test image of the target to see what my composition looks like and test the exposure levels.
8. If everything is OK with the test image I am ready to begin my astrophotographic routine for the target. In a one night session I may take as many as 100 images, or more, of the target.
9. Over the next few days and weeks I review the images in PhotoShop. I throw out the images that are not perfect. These pictures may be defective because a gust of wind made the scope move or an airplane went through the sky in front of my target. Then I stack the best images together to get my final version.
Here is a link to HUTECH
Here is a link to S T I
If you are new to astronomy be sure to visit Star Gazing For Everyone at the link below:
