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Stellarmate manual focus

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Dear colleagues astrophotographers.
Until now, I was using simple rig - tripod with iOptron Skyguider pro, Canon camera and Canon Lens.
Few days ago I bought astrocamera ZWO ASI 533MC pro and connect it to Raspberry Pi 4 with Stellarmate. Yesterday, I tried to capture M31. I realized, I don't know how to focus.
So, my rig is, tripod with iOptron Skyguider pro, ZWO ASI533 and Canon Lens (I like to use various focal lengths). I am using stellarmate app in Android phone and don't have any additional hw such a guidescole/camera, focuser...
What I need is possibility of liveview and manual focus with this setup (something similar as via DSLR camera liveview focusing) . I didn't find answer in various forums and tutorials. Is there someone, who can give help me please?
Also, is there any way how to setup aperture? Or should i set the aperture via DSLR and then, with tesired value remount lebs to ZWO ASI?
Thanks in advance.
2 years 3 months ago #78334

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Hello Branislav, welcome to INDI forum.

Since you're not using a telescope, you need to figure out the effective focal length for your setup since there is no support for DSLR lenses now in Ekos (there is work in progress for that). So you need to use any online tool to find the effective focal length. If it is for example, 100mm, then use this value for your "Scope".

While there is video stream for ASI533, it's likely to be very slow with the raspberry pi. So to focus, go to Focus and then start "looping"; that is, take continuous exposures perhaps at 2 or 3 seconds duration, then adjust your lens accordingly until you achieve focus.
The following user(s) said Thank You: Branislav Mikuska
2 years 3 months ago #78354

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Dear Jasem.
Thank you very much for you reply. 
Regarding effective focal length, I suppose you mean Primary Scope definition in the Connect screen, right? I have defined various presets also for the same lenses with different focal length. FI, for my Canon 70-200, I have 3 different definitions, 70mm, 135mm and 200mm.

For the focusing, do I need defined also Focuser (Focuser simulator) in my profile? Without it, Focus module is not accessible. Do I need also any additional settings for it? I understand, there is no live view, just short exposures and focus is based on taken images. Do I understand correctly?

Thank you.
2 years 3 months ago #78429

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You really need to find the effective focal length. You can capture an image, upload to nova.astrometry.net to solve, then get the field of view in degrees or arcmins. From this and the camera pixel size, you can calculate the effective focal length. This is the focal length you should be using in Ekos. I'm working on adding a DSLR equipment selector where you don't need to do this (you just add the lenses), but for now, you need to find out the focal length.

No need to specify focuser simulator, Canon itself should have the focus module enabled. I will double check tonight but last time I used the camera, focus module was OK.
2 years 3 months ago #78467

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Replied by Bart on topic Stellarmate manual focus

I've yesterday used my 80-200 nikon lens for thd first time with ekos and just used 200 mm focal length. Actually decreased it to 135-ish and this was really quickly solved in the 'align' tab.
Just 'capture and solve' with 'do nothing' selected showed a FL of 136,4 mm.
This you could then use for your focal length.

I wonder which one is actually stored in the fits header. Nominal or actual FL?
2 years 3 months ago #78474

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