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SPC900NC Webcam Kits - from £69
The Phillips SPC900NC continues the long and successful tradition of the Toucam Pro I and II USB webcams for colour imaging of solar system objects. The SPC900NC connects to and is powered by the USB socket of a Pentium II or higher computer and is attached to a telescope with the supplied 1.25" eyepiece adaptor. The use of a Barlow or focal reducer allows image scale to be adjusted. For more accurate colour balance an IR block filter is desirable as the CCD chip is sensitive to IR light. The SPC900NC Colour Webcam Kit includes: SPC900NC colour CCD camera, USB cable, 1.25" telescope adapter, dust cap, quick start guide, driver and software disk and links to free capture and stacking software.
For enthusiasts who want the best Lunar & Planetary imaging camera available for a reasonable sum, "Modern Astronomy" has introduced a mono CCD version of the SPC900NC with effectively higher resolution and sensitivity. By using only the best grades of mono CCD (Sony ICX098BL) and with native "Raw" mode the result is an economical, lightweight and low noise mono imager. Sensitivity is more than three times that of the colour camera with greatly enhanced response in the UV and IR. The SPC900NC Mono Webcam Kit includes: SPC900NC Monochrome CCD camera, USB cable, fitted 1.25" telescope adapter, dust cap, quick start guide, driver and software disk and links to free capture and stacking software. The original webcam lens is also supplied. Additionally the mono cameras are "flashed" to enable "RAW" output, with enhanced settings, and the bright LED is disconnected.
Technical specifications
| Sensor | VGA CCD |
| Max. (interpolated) photo resolution | 1,2 MP (1280 x 960) |
| Max. (real) photo resolution | VGA (640x480) |
| Max. video resolution | VGA (640x480) |
| Max. frame rate | 60 fps |
| Lens | 6 mm, f=2.0, H33° |
| White balance | 2500 – 7500 k |
| Audio recording | Built-in microphone |
| Connection | PC connection USB 1.1 |
| Power Supply | Via USB connection |
| Dimensions: Standing | 85 mm x 47 mm x 80 mm |
| Dimensions: Folded | 88 mm x 47 mm x 36 mm |
| Weight | 100 g |
What you can achieve
Because the SPC900NC has only become available recently, image galleries are rather thin on the ground. However, the TouCam Pro II which this model supercedes used the same chip... so images obtained using the new model will be very similar.
Mark Crossley has a number of images galleries, including planetary and a deep sky gallery taken with a TouCam Pro mounted on a Meade LX200 10inch F/10, as well as a small lunar gallery.
David J. Cash has extensive lunar and planetary galleries taken with Toucam Pro webcams.
John S.Sussenbach also has lots of interesting shots taken with a TouCam Pro, as well as a planetary gallery including Saturn and Jupiter with their moons.
Damian Peach's work needs no introduction. Visit this page to see many fine images taken with the Toucam Pro and the Atk 1HS.
Accessories
Deluxe T Adapter - £19
Connects the Toucam Pro I & II to a male T thread. Accepts filters, and our focal reducer to give a reduction of about .7x which enables its use with many Newtonian reflectors.
Infra Red block filter (1.25") - £19
Sharpens images in telescope systems using lenses. Colour fidelity with the Toucam is much improved. Threaded to allow filter stacking.
Webcam Projection Coupler - £25
Eyepiece projection coupler for webcams fitted with a 1.25" nosepiece. Allows increase in image scale by coupling the webcam directly to eyepieces. Only suitable for lightweight cameras.
BK7 Plain glass filter 1.25" - £16
BK7 optical glass filter which passes all imaging wavelengths and will not affect image quality. This filter will help in maintaining a clean chip for better imaging.
Imaging Source Cameras - Firewire and NOW USB2! - from £229
By virtue of their use of firewire and USB2 these cameras can output images at high frame rates without compression. All cameras ship with driver & control software and include a 1.25" nosepiece, they accept C mount accessories.
Available with mono or colour chips - with Firewire or USB2
USB2 cameras come with a USB2 cable but NO cable is included for the firewire cameras.
Technical specifications
Unique specifications
| Camera | Type | Resolution / Pixel Size | Video formats @ frame rates | ||
2 Series Cameras |
|||||
| DMK 21AU04.AS / DMK21AF04.AS | Monochrome (ICX098BL Chip) |
640x480 pixels H:5.6µm, V:5.6µm |
640 x 480 Y800 @ 60, 30, 15, 7.5, 3.75 fps | ||
| DFK 21AU04.AS / DFK 21AF04.AS | Colour (ICX098BQ Chip) |
640x480 pixels H:5.6µm, V:5.6µm |
640 x 480 UYVY @ 30, 15, 7.5, 3.75 fps 640 x 480 BY8 @ 60, 30, 15, 7.5, 3.75 fps |
||
| DBK 21AU04.AS / DBK 21AF04.AS | Bayer (ICX098BQ Chip) |
640x480 pixels H:5.6µm, V:5.6µm |
640 x 480 UYVY @ 30, 15, 7.5, 3.75 fps 640 x 480 BY8 @ 60, 30, 15, 7.5, 3.75 fps |
||
3 Series Cameras |
|||||
| DMK 31AU03.AS / DMK31AF03.AS | Monochrome (ICX204AL Chip) |
1024x768 pixels H:4.65µm, V:4.65µm |
1024 x 768 Y800 @ 30, 15, 7.5, 3.75 fps | ||
| DFK 31AU03.AS / DFK 31AF03.AS | Colour (ICX204AK Chip) |
1024x768 pixels H:4.65µm, V:4.65µm |
1024 x 768 UYVY @ 15, 7.5, 3.75 fps 1024 x 768 BY8 @ 30, 15, 7.5, 3.75 fps |
||
| DBK 31AU03.AS / DBK 31AF03.AS | Bayer (ICX204AK Chip) |
1024x768 pixels H:4.65µm, V:4.65µm |
1024 x 768 UYVY @ 15, 7.5, 3.75 fps 1024 x 768 BY8 @ 30, 15, 7.5, 3.75 fps |
||
4 Series Cameras |
|||||
| DMK 41AU02.AS / DMK41AF02.AS | Monochrome (ICX205AL Chip) |
1360x1024 pixels H:4.65µm, V:4.65µm |
1280 x 960 Y800 @ 15, 7.5, 3.75 fps | ||
| DFK 41AU02.AS / DFK 41AF02.AS | Colour (ICX205AK Chip) |
1360x1024 pixels H:4.65µm, V:4.65µm |
1280 x 960 UYVY @ 7.5, 3.75 fps 1280 x 960 BY8 @ 15, 7.5, 3.75 fps |
||
| DBK 41AU02.AS / DBK 41AF02.AS | Bayer (ICX205AK Chip) |
1360x1024 pixels H:4.65µm, V:4.65µm |
1280 x 960 UYVY @ 7.5, 3.75 fps 1280 x 960 BY8 @ 15, 7.5, 3.75 fps |
||
Common specifications
| Dynamic range | ADC: 10 bit, output: 8 bit | ||
| SNR | ADC: 9 bit at 25°C, gain 0 dB | ||
| Type | progressive scan | ||
| Lens mount | C/CS mount | ||
| Supply voltage | 4.5 to 5.5 VDC | ||
| Current consumption | approx 500 mA at 5 VDC | ||
| Dimensions | H: 50.6 mm, W: 50.6 mm, L: 50 mm | ||
| Weight | 265g | ||
| Adjustments (Man/Auto): | |||
| Shutter | 1/10000 to 30 s | ||
| Gain | 0 to 36 dB | ||
| Offset | 0 to 511 | ||
| Additional adjustments for colour cameras (Man/Auto) | |||
| Saturation | 0 to 200 % | ||
| White balance | -2 dB to +6 dB | ||
Or...
Accessories
Short C mount 1.25" adapter - £19
Short adaptor made of Delrin and threaded for filters.
Long C mount 1.25" adapter - £19
Long adaptor made of Delrin and threaded for filters.
C mount microscope adapter - £19
Adaptor to allow connection to microscopes with 23.3mm eyepiece holders.
C mount M42 lens adapter - £25
Use your M42 mount lenses to experiment with imaging deep sky objects.
T to C mount adapter - £22
Allows you to connect to any accessory with male T threads.
NexImage Planetary Imager - £109
Celestron's Neximage has the same Sony CCD sensor as the standard SPC900NC and comes bundled with imaging and processing software. A 1.25" telescope adapter and quick start guide are also included. It accepts the Atik focal reducer and IR block filter.