Re: the mag the Sony 4 lux camera is capable of seeing

From: Willie Koorts (wpk@saao.ac.za)
Date: Wed Jun 04 2003 - 05:19:19 EDT

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    On Tue, 3 Jun 2003, Tom Wagner wrote:

> So that I may know what to expect when trying to record flashing satellites
> etc. I did some starlight magnitude tests with my Sony digital video camera
> [DCR TRV 340]. Following are the results.
<snip>
> Using the so-called "NightShot" mode I could barely see a star that was mag.
> +3.
> Using the "Super NightShot" mode I could barely see a star that was mag. +6.

Hi Tom

Interesting tests!

I don't know anything about the new digital models but a few years ago a
friend asked me about the technicalities behind the Sony "NightShot" mode
on the older model cameras - Sony even bragged about ZERO lux abilities.  

I looked into it a bit and found that two things happen when these older
models were put into NightShot mode - the IR-blocking filter in front of
the CCD gets removed and IR LEDs gets switched on to illuminate the scene
with IR light - hence the so called zero lux ability.  For astro/satellite
imaging the latter obviously does nothing for you and the absence of the
IR-blocking filter does gain you perhaps up to a magnitude.

It sounds like the Super NightShot mode now adds some on-chip integration 
as well.

Cheers
Willie
	                        Willie Koorts 

       Cape Town,  Observatory   33d 56' 03"S   18d 28' 36"E   GMT + 2h
       Wellington, South Africa  33d 38' 56"S   19d 00' 52"E   GMT + 2h

       For - Amateur Astronomy - Telescope Making - Satellite Tracking -
                   Visit  ....   http://www.saao.ac.za/~wpk/

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