BYN is awesome, but wondering if anyone else encountered this issue...

[Crunchmeister]

First off, BYN is awesome. I've used it twice now and the results have been awesome. Thank you, Guylain, for finally making the program for Nikon users and giving us the same tools as Canon users. You can rest assured that as soon as this software is released, I'll be buying it.

First attempt with BYN

Second attempt with BYN




Now, a strange issue that I've had and was wondering if anyone else encountered it. It's a rare occurence, but over the course of shooting, I'll have the occasional frame that turns out very dark. The majority of my subs are fine, but I'll get the odd one that's almost completely black. It didn't happen on my first time out, but last night I had had a few. I checked the EXIF data, and all seemed to be in order in terms of exposure time, settings, etc. 

[s3igell]

Can you tell whether they are like Darks, where the Shutter never Opened and you only have Thermal Noise and Hot Pixels ??  

Or more like really Short Exposures, where you have little Thermal Noise and a few Dim Pinpoints from Brighter Stars and then also the Hot Pixels ??

 

Perhaps you could post a few examples to a DropBox...

[Crunchmeister]

I could see stars, but the image was very dim like it was a short exposure. But EXIF data showed the exposure time as being the same time as my other exposures that were quite bright. I was shooting M45, so the stars were pretty bright. 

[s3igell]

You should look in the BYN Log file to see whether the Timestamps on the entries surrounding these "Short Exposures" confirm that less than the designated Exposure Plan time was used for these exposures.

Failing that, you may need to set up a Capture Plan of similar length where you pay close attention to the Timer and listen to the Shutter to determine whether it appears the Camera itself is taking the Short Exposures or whether BYN is failing to notice the Short Shutter Close.  (I believe the Nikon SDK works by being told the Exposure Duration and then letting the Camera perform the Timing, and firing off a "Shot Completed" Event to BYN when finished.)

[astroman133]

Typically, the camera will control exposures that are 30 seconds or less.  The computer perhaps with a BULB control cable, or intervalometer, will control longer exposures.

[admin]

I could see stars, but the image was very dim like it was a short exposure. But EXIF data showed the exposure time as being the same time as my other exposures that were quite bright. I was shooting M45, so the stars were pretty bright. 

 

Which BETA release are you using?  02f?

 

Regards,

[Crunchmeister]

Typically, the camera will control exposures that are 30 seconds or less.  The computer perhaps with a BULB control cable, or intervalometer, will control longer exposures.

I'm using e DSUSB cable I ordered from Steverosenow. For this session, I was doing 90 second esposures of M45.

Which BETA release are you using?  02f?

Regards,

Yes, I'm using 02f.

I'll keep an ear open for camera shutter sound next time I go out and see if this happens again. The first time I used it, I didn't have this issue. Last time, I got 3 of these really dark exposures from the 100 or so subs that I shot that evening. Not a high percentage, but I was a bit perplexed by this.

[admin]

Pictures are downloaded as-is from the camera so I'm incline to say it is probably a camera issue, but what?

 

Regards,

[Saltcod]

I believe that's the same thing that happened to me Saturday.Everything was fine capturing 90sec. exposures...got 4 I think and then the shutter went off like a very short exposure like 1/20th of a second,and the picture was just black..but the countdown for capture plan was still counting.Attached logs..

 

Richard

Celestron AVX mount

150mm SkyWatcher reflector

Orion autoguider package

Nikon D5100

AC adapter (no batteries here)

Rosenowe's camera control cable

Windows 8.1/PHD 2.2.2a

logfile-[20141012-19h44m46s000]-[1636]-2014-10-12.txt

logfile-[20141012-19h52m50s816]-[4960]-2014-10-12.txt

logfile-[20141012-19h52m50s816]-[4960]-2014-10-13.txt

logfile-[20141012-17h52m47s836]-[1664]-2014-10-12.txt

[Crunchmeister]

It may very well have been the camera in my case. I was sitting in my car with the laptop while the scope and camera were obviously outside. I had some music playing, so couldn't hear the shutter firing. Next time I'm out I'll pay closer attention. Unfortunately, that's not likely to be for several days. The forecast for the next 5 days here is cloud and rain. :/

[Crunchmeister]

I was out shooting last night. Oddly, I didn't have the issue I described even once. All my shots came out as they were supposed to be. I'm really not sure what happened before with those darker frames.

[s3igell]

I was out shooting last night. Oddly, I didn't have the issue I described even once. All my shots came out as they were supposed to be. I'm really not sure what happened before with those darker frames.

 

Could it have been as simple as a poorly seated USB-Camera connection ??

[Crunchmeister]

It's possible. Not sure what caused it. If I encounter it again, I'll be sure to report it and send log files along.