background image

  

10 

 

Click “Live View” for focusing and framing.  Click Shoot to capture an image or 

use the Plan function.  Note that for single exposures, time information is to be 
entered in the box to the lower right.  Be aware that focusing with this program 

is a bit difficult because of the long time between image refreshes on the screen 

when in live view mode. 

ImagesPlus Camera Control 

 

Please download the latest version of the ASCOM platform. If it has the latest 
UPDATE, please download it together. Install ASCOM and UPDATE.  

 

Download and install the ASCOM driver of the QHY8L.  

 

Start ImagesPlus program. Click “Camera” in top menu, then “ASCOM Color and 

Mono CCD”.  

 

From ASCOM Camera Chooser, select QHY8L 

 

From the resulting popup box, click the CONNECT tab if it is not already selected, 
then press the CONNECT button near the bottom.  Answer the popup questions, 

then go down and tick the box next to “Convert 1x1 Full Size Bayer Format to 

Color for Display”.  In the drop-down box, select QHY8L.   

 

Click the tab CURRENT SETTINGS, look for the “CCD Temperature” box, then 

turn the cooler on and set a desired temperature. 

 

Next enter an exposure time and click EXPOSE.  It will take an image and display 

it. 

 

This program does not have live view.  To focus, click the FOCUS METRICS tab 

and press EXPOSE.  In the resulting image, select a small area with stars and 
draw a box around it by pressing left mouse button, the press “Use Sub-image”.  

Select an isolated star then DONE in the popup box. 

 

In the bottom box tick “Loop” and the press “Expose”.  This will continually 

expose images and give focus metric information.  

 

Use the QHY8L as a Guider in MaxIm DL 

 

the QHY8L has a built-in guide port. You can use the QHY8L guide port's output 

signal through ASCOM to guide on a star. the QHY8L use 1*1 binning mode by 

default and use normal readout speed mode. You should select part of the image 
as a guide star image area.  

 

You should use a guide star cable for connecting the QHY8L guide port with 
equatorial guide port (ST-4 cable, not supplied with camera). Run MaxIm DL 

software. Select the camera icon in the toolbar (ctrl+w). There will be a Camera 

Control window. Click Setup Camera button inside setup window. Then it will pop 
up "Setup ASCOM" window. Select ASCOM from the menu of Camera Model. 

Click Advanced button. Select the type of QHY8LS StarSenSeci from the window 

of ASCOM Camera Choose, and then click Properties button to set some usual 
value of parameters, like the value of GAIN, OFFSET and the speed of readout. 

Then click OK button and go back to the Camera Control window, click Connect 

button to connect the camera.  

Summary of Contents for QHY8L-C

Page 1: ...1 QHY8L C Instruction Manual 1 4 13...

Page 2: ...3 2 Driver Installation and Software Quick Start Guide 7 3 Set the GAIN and OFFSET 13 4 Image Calibration 14 5 Camera Attachment 17 6 Camera Parameters 20 7 Accessories and Interface Specification 22...

Page 3: ...d fan Please limit the maximum power of your cooling settings if you have to use your camera in this case Please check Favorite TEC Protect in the EZCAP software If you are using the ASCOM driver this...

Page 4: ...low on the top left corner of the image The glow must be compensated through a dark frame calibration For 2 2 4 4 binning modes the QHY8L chip uses progressive scan mode so there is no such problem 7...

Page 5: ...the camera always check that the CCD chamber is sealed and dry If there are many ice crystals around the chip this indicates high relative humidity in the CCD chamber You must dry the CCD chamber Che...

Page 6: ...clean the CCD surface Make sure to maintain an appropriate pressure for CCD with your hand Finish cleaning and reinstall the front cover of CCD If there is high humidity in your environment it is nec...

Page 7: ...e QHY8L Make sure that the DC201 FAN and TEC LED are on and the fan of the QHY8L is blowing Software Quick Start Guide EZCAP Run EZCAP exe Select scan camera in camera menu then EZCAP will show QHY8L...

Page 8: ...click Properties button to set some usual value of parameters like the value of GAIN OFFSET and the speed of readout Then click OK button and go back to the Camera Control window click Connect button...

Page 9: ...need to be set once but De mosaic RAW button must be pressed for every new image for color conversion Images can be saved as FITS files without De mosaicing they can be converted to color later For f...

Page 10: ...does not have live view To focus click the FOCUS METRICS tab and press EXPOSE In the resulting image select a small area with stars and draw a box around it by pressing left mouse button the press Use...

Page 11: ...rmal BIN11 Mode you can switch to this mode It has higher sensitivity as it is bin2 2 We recommend that you use this mode guide stars Viewing Images Produced by QHY8L Camera The QHY8L camera can produ...

Page 12: ...y to load a package from NASA ESA the FITS Liberator available at http www spacetelescope org projects fits_liberator download_v301 The package will automatically be loaded into the Photoshop director...

Page 13: ...analyze The ideal average value is around 500 to 1000 If the value is higher then you should reduce the OFFSET If the value is lower then you should increase the OFFSET Repeat steps 1 2 to obtain the...

Page 14: ...constant temperature control It will take for some time to achieve the target temperature for the CCD Wait until the temperature of the CCD stabilizes then start to shoot calibration images The calib...

Page 15: ...ftware to get a FLAT master and save this image It is best to take FLAT images immediately before shooting or after shooting Otherwise the position of dust on CCD surface may be moved when you dismoun...

Page 16: ...cal histogram Lights Any Low N A Darks Same as lights Same as Lights Binning same as lights Similar to bias Bias Shortest possible Any Binning same as lights Flats Long enough to get white level 20 30...

Page 17: ...re given below 1 Direct attachment to telescope Simply insert the image end of the camera into a 2 draw tube press it firmly against the drawtube end and tighten the retaining screw Figure 1 shows the...

Page 18: ...Figure 4 shows it attached to the camera Figure 5 shows the drawtube adapter by itself not included with the camera but available from astronomy equipment retailers Figure 3 Camera and drawtube adapte...

Page 19: ...but available from astronomy equipment retailers The adapter has 42mm threads that screw into the camera It will take standard Canon EOS lenses The adapter shown has a 7mm spacer which gives approxim...

Page 20: ...3110 x 2030 Active pixels 3032 x 2016 Pixel Size 7 8um x 7 8um square Color method RGB BAYER film on CCD Effective sensor area 28 4 mm diagonal Readout noise 6 10 e 600K pixel s QE 60 at Green Peak 5...

Page 21: ...sive Scan How to select QHY8L 8PRO the QHY8L has a low price than QHY8PRO The major difference is the CCD sensor the QHY8L using a Two field readout sensor After exposure the Red and half of green pix...

Page 22: ...22 Chapter 7 Accessories and Interface Specification Accessories included with camera...

Page 23: ...23 QHY8L Interface Specification...

Page 24: ...24 Chapter 8 QHY8L Mechanical Dimensions...

Page 25: ...25 Chapter 9 Clip Installation 1 Clip for QHY8L QHY8PRO QHY10 QHY12 camera...

Page 26: ...26 2 Before installing the clip 3 Unscrew two screws at the back of the camera...

Page 27: ...27 4 Screw two M3 8 copper cylinders to the camera 5 Plug in the camera s USB cable and power cable...

Page 28: ...28 6 The front of the clip 7 The back of the camera...

Page 29: ...29 8 Install the clip Note You should use the standard Belkin USB cable otherwise the clip cannot be installed or USB cable cannot be attached...

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