Video & CCD Imagers

Meade Deep Sky Imager II with Autostar Suite The user-friendly astrophotography revolution continues. Introducing the new DSI II. It combines ease-of-use with a larger chip, greater sensitivity, higher resolution, and dramatically lower thermal noise. Meade engineers have invented a remarkable new way to reduce noise without a cooler. This means you can take exposures for hours at a time. And the new thermal monitoring sensors automatically match your dark frames to ambient temperature so it's nearly impossible to take an uncalibrated picture. The software includes a new zoom feature for easier focusing and the squared pixels of the new larger chip make processing simpler and images more beautiful than ever. The DSI II is the world's first un-cooled camera with low thermal noise. And that's as cool as it gets. For further details, please see the DSI and DSI Pro sections.

Fotobuch und Fotokalender

Improvements over the original DSI:

* Dramatically lower noise
* Larger (1/2") chip
* 74% higher resolution (752x582)
* Greater sensitivity
* Temperature sensor

DSI II (One-shot Color) Specifications:

* CCD Sensor: High Sensitivity Color Sony EXview HAD CCD™ Sensor (ICX429AKL)
* Chip Dimensions: 5.59mm (w) x 4.68mm (h); 1/2" diagonal
* Pixels: 752 x 582 pixels (437,664 pixels)
* Pixel Size: 8.3 microns (w) x 8.6 microns (h)
* Temperature Sensor: Built in temperature sensor measures degrees in celsius and matches it to each dark frame
* A/D Conversion: 16-bit (greater image depth and contrast)
* Min-Max Exposure Time: 1/10,000 of a second to one hour
* Housing: Anodized die-cast aluminum
* USB Compatibility: High Speed 2.0 and 1.1
* Size / Weight of Product: 3.25" x 3.25" x 1.25" / 10 oz.

DSI Pro II (Monochrome) Specifications:

* CCD Sensor: High Sensitivity Color Sony EXview HAD CCD™ Sensor (ICX429)
* Chip Dimensions: 5.59mm (w) x 4.68mm (h); 1/2" diagonal
* Pixels: 752 x 582 pixels (437,664 pixels)
* Pixel Size: 8.3 microns (w) x 8.6 microns (h)
* Temperature Sensor: Built in temperature sensor measures degrees in celsius and matches it to each dark frame
* A/D Conversion: 16-bit (greater image depth and contrast)
* Min-Max Exposure Time: 1/10,000 of a second to one hour
* Housing: Anodized die-cast aluminum
* USB Compatibility: High Speed 2.0 and 1.1
* Size / Weight of Product: 3.25" x 3.25" x 1.25" / 10 oz.

Meade Deep Sky Imager Pro with Autostar Suite

MONOCHROME CCD ASTRO-IMAGER

The new Deep Sky Imager Pro is the latest innovation from Meade Instruments. The Deep Sky Imager Pro is 2.3 times more sensitive and has 4 times the resolution of the color Deep Sky Imager. It is a high-performance, easy-to-use monochrome CCD camera that allows every astronomer to shoot and process stunning deep sky photographs of galaxies, nebulae, star clusters and planets. This CCD camera is designed with the intermediate to advanced amateur astrophotographer in mind. Purchase the new Deep Sky Imager Pro with our high quality RGB filter set and produce stunning RGB and LRGB images.

High Sensitivity Monochrome CCD Sensor from Sony® - The Meade Deep Sky Imager utilizes Sony's ExView HAD™ Monochrome CCD Image Sensor Technology for incredible low noise and higher dynamic range featuring a 16-Bit A/D converter.

USB 2.0 High Speed - Featuring a fast USB 2.0 High Speed connection. This will allow fast data transfer. The actual download time for daytime or planetary imaging is up to 5 frames per second. For longer exposures the download time is 1/2 a second in order to sustain a higher signal-to-noise ratio. There is virtually no delay between the time the image is taken and when it appears on your computer screen. The Deep Sky Imager Pro is also backward compatible with USB 1.1.

Drizzle – Drizzle was developed by NASA for processing images from the Hubble Space Telescope. Drizzle will work on any AutoStar Controlled Telescope. There are 3 enhancements that drizzle adds:

1. Increased resolution. By taking a series of course pixel grid images from the DSI and applying them to a fine pixel grid image we are able increase the effective resolution better then interpolation. (See Fig. A below)

2. Extended View. Images are added to a final image that is up to 2 times bigger horizontally and vertically. The Telescope is then guided to the 4 corners of the image giving a final image that is nearly 4 times larger.

3. Field De-Rotation. By selecting 2 stars, the software will rotate each image before it is applied to the final image.

Multiple Imager Operation - AutoStar Suite will now support any number of Deep Sky Imager and one LPI. You can now use a separate guide scope and Deep Sky Imager as well as have one for prime focus and wide field. Any of the imagers can be selected for guiding. The only limitation is computer speed and memory and available USB ports. A 2Ghz machine with 512 MBs of memory can easily run 3 Deep Sky Imagers.

Convection Cooled - In order to draw heat away from the CCD sensor Meade uses a proprietary "Convection Cooling" design, allowing longer exposures with less noise.

Less Noise Means More Data - You get all the data from your Deep Sky Imager without compression, and that means no loss of information in your raw images.

No Compression, No Loss - You get all the data from your Deep Sky Imager without compression, and that means no loss of information in your raw images. So whether you take the picture for beauty or for science, Deep Sky Imager is you the results you need. With these pictures you could use a photo book or photobook Germany (Fotobuch) to create and maintain your pictures to last forever.

No Batteries Required - Just plug the Deep Sky Imager's USB 2.0 High Speed cable into your laptop and you are ready to image or autoguide. No other power supplies are needed.

Autostar Suite ™ Software - Camera control and image processing software is included, eliminating the need to purchase expensive aftermarket programs eliminated. Also the free photo book software is that you can download on http://www.tipp-fotobuch.de.

Light Weight and Portable - Weighs only 10 ounces and is very compact, measuring only 3.25" x 3.25" x 1.25" with no need for additional balance weights.

Versatile - Deep Sky Imager works on any telescope and can also be used as a sensitive and simple-to-use Autoguider.

Telescopes

 

The following list contains various informations about a whole lot of telescopes and several similar products.

Digiscoping & Birding

 

In the list below you'll find any information about digiscoping & birding possibilities and product informations.

Microscopes & Acc.

 

The microscopes & acc. list will inform you about important topics all around microscopes and microscope accessoires.

Customer Quotes

"I just received the MaxView™ 40 I ordered earlier this week. I am using it with an ETX-90 and Sony DSC-F707 digital camera. I am blown away with the quality of this eyepiece. Here's a shot of the Moon taken with the MaxView™ 40. Great eyepiece, I recommend it to anyone who is in the market for a good eyepiece to use with their digital camera. Thanks for the great service as well."

– Dwight