Hi guys. I own a 2600mc pro which came straight from zwo with tilt on the sensor. It is my first astronomy camera and i don’t have any other to compare with. Its quite noticeable and i dont seem to be able to fix it and it is something that bothers me a lot actually. I was just wondering if this is typical with astronomy cameras or should i send it back to zwo?
Sensor tilt
Are you sure it's the camera and not something else in the imaging train?
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Are you sure it's the camera and not something else in the imaging train?
i am 10000% sure it is tilt I’ve exhausted all other possibilities!
Out of curiosity - how have you ruled out the other parts of the imaging train?
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Christian Bennich:
Out of curiosity - how have you ruled out the other parts of the imaging train?
i’ve tried the camera on another telescope and i grt exactly the same issue.
What’s the result you are seeing?
I don’t have any experience, trying to exchange a camera based on your test, but I am curious to follow along here.
I don’t have any experience, trying to exchange a camera based on your test, but I am curious to follow along here.
Christian Bennich:
What’s the result you are seeing?
I don’t have any experience, trying to exchange a camera based on your test, but I am curious to follow along here.
Christian Bennich:
What’s the result you are seeing?
I don’t have any experience, trying to exchange a camera based on your test, but I am curious to follow along here.
i get elongated stars on one side of my image and the are quite severe i must say.
It’s difficult to answer your question without more information.
I cannot recall seeing many, if any, people with ZWO cameras that have had to be replaced.
Chances are that there are other explanations for what you are seeing, that would have to be investigated.
If you can tell more about your setup, telescope, lens, connections, adapters etc. etc. there is a good chance that we can help you.
Post some examples of your images, with thorough details on the setup behind each frame.
I cannot recall seeing many, if any, people with ZWO cameras that have had to be replaced.
Chances are that there are other explanations for what you are seeing, that would have to be investigated.
If you can tell more about your setup, telescope, lens, connections, adapters etc. etc. there is a good chance that we can help you.
Post some examples of your images, with thorough details on the setup behind each frame.
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Have you made sure you have the correct back focus and also the correct field flattener??
I have the 2600mm and my elongated stars come from guiding error
I have the 2600mm and my elongated stars come from guiding error
Christian Bennich:
Out of curiosity - how have you ruled out the other parts of the imaging train?
i’ve tried the camera on another telescope and i grt exactly the same issue.
have you used the same connectors and field flattener? Or a completely independent set? If the former, it does not rule out a problem with one of the other components that is common between the two setups.
Concise
Check if the camera is not too heavy for the focuser and telescope, making it sag a little. It is not unusual for heavier cameras to tilt the entire imaging train, depeding on the quality or state of the focuser. If this is the case, perhaps there are some mods or adjustments that you can do, depending on the focuser.
It can even depend on the orientation of the telescope.
Another possibility is that on some newtonians, the weight of the camera and the imaging train can produce flexure in the entire tube, ever so slightly deforming its cylindrical shape.
Perhaps tell us more about what equipment you are using, maybe someone here had a similar issues.
It can even depend on the orientation of the telescope.
Another possibility is that on some newtonians, the weight of the camera and the imaging train can produce flexure in the entire tube, ever so slightly deforming its cylindrical shape.
Perhaps tell us more about what equipment you are using, maybe someone here had a similar issues.
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I've read that this can be an issue with some cameras that come from the manufacturer, there are even videos on how to adjust camera tilt. I just bought the same camera and don't have any sensor tilt problems in my photos, but I believe that ZWO includes the hex key in the box with the camera for making such adjustments.
Im new to this also and the ASI2600MC Pro is my first dedicated astrophotography camera, so I can't give any real good advice beyond this.
Im new to this also and the ASI2600MC Pro is my first dedicated astrophotography camera, so I can't give any real good advice beyond this.
Try, if your rig will allow, rotating the camera 180 degrees and take an images. Then, with the telescope in roughly the same position, turn your camera back to where it was and take an image. Comparing these two will tell you if flexure is the cause. If it is, you need to modify things to get rid of the flexure or you will always have elongation.
if the result of this test is negative, there is still a possibility that, as someone else suggested, you have a problem with adapters etc between the focuser and the scope. Is there any way to rotate your camera at the camera flange (we haven’t seen a description of your setup).?
that would allow you to isolate the tilt cause as being in the camera.
Yes, you can adjust camera tilt with the screws on the face of the camera but the threads are relatively crude and, depending on your setup, can be difficult to get to. And these are supposed to be set by ZWO at the factory so should be correct, or at least close, anyway. Further, if you adjust these without being certain it really is the sensor, you’re muddying the waters if another remedy is required.
I do hope that all your adapters, etc. are threaded and that you don’t have any sort of compression adapter(?).
Minor sensor tilt is a relatively common thing but is less evident with smaller sensors. As you get into APS-C size and up, it becomes more evident I have a full frame camera, for which I use an Octopi tilt adjuster, which works beautifully.
In any event, as someone suggested, it would be helpful to get info on your imaging train and some images.
if the result of this test is negative, there is still a possibility that, as someone else suggested, you have a problem with adapters etc between the focuser and the scope. Is there any way to rotate your camera at the camera flange (we haven’t seen a description of your setup).?
that would allow you to isolate the tilt cause as being in the camera.
Yes, you can adjust camera tilt with the screws on the face of the camera but the threads are relatively crude and, depending on your setup, can be difficult to get to. And these are supposed to be set by ZWO at the factory so should be correct, or at least close, anyway. Further, if you adjust these without being certain it really is the sensor, you’re muddying the waters if another remedy is required.
I do hope that all your adapters, etc. are threaded and that you don’t have any sort of compression adapter(?).
Minor sensor tilt is a relatively common thing but is less evident with smaller sensors. As you get into APS-C size and up, it becomes more evident I have a full frame camera, for which I use an Octopi tilt adjuster, which works beautifully.
In any event, as someone suggested, it would be helpful to get info on your imaging train and some images.
Helpful
I really appreciate all your recommendations! Everything you are recommending i’ve tried already! I clearly have sensor tilt! There is no focuser sag or tube flexure or anything else i am sure of it! I rotated the camera int the tube i’ve tried different correctors and different telescopes and still the problem appears at the same place! What i’m asking is if this is common with astronomy cameras?
My slightly older ZWO ASI1600MM-C has massive amounts of sensor tilt. All newer ZWO cameras come with built-in tilt adapter so I do think it's fairly common.
It honestly took me years to realize my camera sensor was tilted. As you can tell from all the comments above, I had to rule out any errors on the user side first. The camera was also my most expensive piece of equipment and I didn't want to buy another one just to check if that would solve my problems.
It honestly took me years to realize my camera sensor was tilted. As you can tell from all the comments above, I had to rule out any errors on the user side first. The camera was also my most expensive piece of equipment and I didn't want to buy another one just to check if that would solve my problems.
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Yes, sadly - but easily corrected, as your camera comes with an adjustable adapter with hex screws that can be tweaked to compensate.
Rinse & Repeat until you're happy with the readout & starshapes.
- Download ASTAP, which comes with a free image inspector.
- Take an image, run it through ASTAP - view the tilt graph.
- Adjust one of the screws and repeat the process.
Rinse & Repeat until you're happy with the readout & starshapes.
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Menelaos,
Tilt and spacing are annoying and hard to fix. Fortunately, Chris White has created a great guide on how to analyze and correct them.
I hope this helps!
~Y.
Tilt and spacing are annoying and hard to fix. Fortunately, Chris White has created a great guide on how to analyze and correct them.
I hope this helps!
~Y.
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I really appreciate all your recommendations! Everything you are recommending i’ve tried already! I clearly have sensor tilt! There is no focuser sag or tube flexure or anything else i am sure of it! I rotated the camera int the tube i’ve tried different correctors and different telescopes and still the problem appears at the same place! What i’m asking is if this is common with astronomy cameras?
No it is not common with astronomy cameras. None are absolutely perfect, but the sensor surface should be mounted very close to parallel with the front mounting plate and most cameras come right out of the box with the sensor being within around +/- 10 microns of zero tilt (my personal guess). Measuring that angle isn't totally trivial and it doesn't sound like you've made any other measurements besides sticking the camera on a couple of different telescopes, which doesn't tell you anything about the state of the camera itself. You sound absolutely certain about the condition of your camera so let me ask a couple of questions.
1) Have you put the camera on your telescope, made a measurement of the image tilt and then rotated the camera in 90 degree increments to confirm that the magnitude of the tilt is constant and tracks in angle with the camera rotation? If you've done that measurement can you post the result?
2) Exactly how are you measuring the tilt? Is it with NINA, the FWHMEccentricity tool in PI, a B-mask, or with something else?
3) How much tilt are you actually measuring in microns?
I've configured optical systems that show virtually no tilt; however, it is not uncommon to encounter tilt in a lot of systems--and here I'm talking about tilt between the main optical axis and the mechanical axis of the camera mount; not the camera itself. This component of tilt is typically much larger than what you'll find in the camera and it can come from a variety of sources both mechanical and optical. Having said that, it is certainly possible that something went wrong at ZWO and they could have shipped a camera with a severely tilted sensor board; but that's not very likely. In either case, that's the reason that most current CMOS cameras come equipped right out of the box with a way to adjust the tilt of the camera.
If you have enough data to clearly show that the camera itself is defective, then it's time to send that data to ZWO and ask for a warranty repair. Otherwise, you need to simply align your optical system, clean up your mechanics, and adjust the camera tilt to reduce the tilt to be less than the depth of focus. This is all a part of what this hobby involves in order to get good image quality.
John
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Hi.
I own the asi 2600 MM and I have tilt too. I use the tilt corrector provided with the OAG-L and I was able to fix the tilt. I don't know if it's common with astro camera but I think it"s a shome that any entry level DSLR are sold with a correct sensor and a mid-high end astro camera costing 5 time the price aren't.
Chris.
I own the asi 2600 MM and I have tilt too. I use the tilt corrector provided with the OAG-L and I was able to fix the tilt. I don't know if it's common with astro camera but I think it"s a shome that any entry level DSLR are sold with a correct sensor and a mid-high end astro camera costing 5 time the price aren't.
Chris.
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