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INDI Library v2.0.6 is Released (02 Feb 2024)

Bi-monthly release with minor bug fixes and improvements

Nikon flats Ekos exposure time problem?

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  • Thank you received: 3
I must be overlooking something - I'm using a Nikon D5300 in bulb mode - works great for long-exposure. However, trying to capture flats it seems I cannot really control the exposure time. For example, I just tried to shoot 1/10sec and it shot 1/4sec. 1/20sec also yielded 1/4sec. I cranked it all the way to the fastest setting in Ekos and it yielded a 11.1sec exposure.

The "status" message area says the following:
2019-10-20T14:29:10: [INFO] Starting 0.00025 seconds exposure.
2019-10-20T14:29:10: [ERROR] Failed to expose.

The tail of the log says:
[2019-10-20T07:28:27.483 MST INFO ][ org.kde.kstars.ekos.capture] - "Capturing 0.000-second image..."
[2019-10-20T07:28:27.534 MST INFO ][ org.kde.kstars.indi] - Nikon DSLR DSC D5300 : "[INFO] Starting 0.00025 seconds exposure. "
[2019-10-20T07:28:38.596 MST INFO ][ org.kde.kstars.indi] - Nikon DSLR DSC D5300 : "[ERROR] Failed to expose. "
[2019-10-20T07:28:38.596 MST INFO ][ org.kde.kstars.ekos.capture] - "Capture failed. Check INDI Control Panel for details."
[2019-10-20T07:28:38.601 MST INFO ][ org.kde.kstars.ekos.capture] - "Restarting capture attempt #1"
[2019-10-20T07:28:38.605 MST INFO ][ org.kde.kstars.ekos.capture] - "Capturing 0.000-second image..."
[2019-10-20T07:28:38.657 MST INFO ][ org.kde.kstars.indi] - Nikon DSLR DSC D5300 : "[INFO] Starting 0.00025 seconds exposure. "
[2019-10-20T07:28:41.406 MST INFO ][ org.kde.kstars.indi] - "NEF" file saved to "/home/stellarmate/Pictures/Flat/Flat_019.nef"
[2019-10-20T07:28:41.410 MST INFO ][ org.kde.kstars.ekos.capture] - "Received image 1 out of 1."
[2019-10-20T07:28:58.908 MST INFO ][ org.kde.kstars.ekos.capture] - "Job requires 0.000-second images, has 0/1 frames captured and will be processed."
[2019-10-20T07:28:58.912 MST INFO ][ org.kde.kstars.ekos.capture] - "Capturing 0.000-second image..."
[2019-10-20T07:28:58.972 MST INFO ][ org.kde.kstars.indi] - Nikon DSLR DSC D5300 : "[INFO] Starting 0.00025 seconds exposure. "
[2019-10-20T07:29:10.087 MST INFO ][ org.kde.kstars.indi] - Nikon DSLR DSC D5300 : "[ERROR] Failed to expose. "
[2019-10-20T07:29:10.089 MST INFO ][ org.kde.kstars.ekos.capture] - "Capture failed. Check INDI Control Panel for details."
[2019-10-20T07:29:10.094 MST INFO ][ org.kde.kstars.ekos.capture] - "Restarting capture attempt #1"
[2019-10-20T07:29:10.100 MST INFO ][ org.kde.kstars.ekos.capture] - "Capturing 0.000-second image..."
[2019-10-20T07:29:10.195 MST INFO ][ org.kde.kstars.indi] - Nikon DSLR DSC D5300 : "[INFO] Starting 0.00025 seconds exposure. "
[2019-10-20T07:29:12.923 MST INFO ][ org.kde.kstars.indi] - "NEF" file saved to "/home/stellarmate/Pictures/Flat/Flat_020.nef"
[2019-10-20T07:29:12.927 MST INFO ][ org.kde.kstars.ekos.capture] - "Received image 1 out of 1."

What am I missing?

Thanks.
Last edit: 4 years 5 months ago by Paul Nixon. Reason: Additional information
4 years 5 months ago #44861

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  • Posts: 1119
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I don't think you are missing anything, I just had the same problem.
My solution was to turn off 'Force Bulb', and manually enter the required exposure time and f/ratio (for an attached Nikon lens) under capture settings in the panel.
Ekos still would not let me shoot "Flats" though. I had to shoot them as 'Light' frames.

If I remember correctly, that bug was fixed a while back. It seems to have returned.
The following user(s) said Thank You: Paul Nixon
Last edit: 4 years 5 months ago by Jose Corazon.
4 years 5 months ago #44866

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I found the "Force Bulb" setting in INDI and turned it off. Success...well, mostly. For some reason, setting an exposure of 0.002500 yields 1/640. Weird, but I think it will do.

Thanks very much!!!
The following user(s) said Thank You: David Tate
4 years 5 months ago #44875

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Is this on nightly?
4 years 5 months ago #44953

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It was on the October 19 nightly build.
Have not retried it since I reverted back to 3.3.6 stable.
Last edit: 4 years 5 months ago by Jose Corazon.
4 years 5 months ago #44958

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Sorry I meant INDI nightly builds?
4 years 5 months ago #44959

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I figured out the exposure wasn't so weird after all - it's simply what the camera is programmed for. ;)
4 years 5 months ago #45067

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Old(er) post I know. But I was getting the "Failed to expose" error on my Nikon D3200. Turning off "Force Blub" in the Options tab in the INDI Control Panel worked. Thank you!

On a lark I wanted to try some regular DSLR Milky-way shots. Still cloudy out, so just playing around.
4 years 2 months ago #47925

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