Over the past few years, astronomers have started to switch from CCD to DSLR for imaging.  Starting with the early 6mp cameras, astrophotographers found that the Cameras were not "sensitive" enough to certain wave lengths of light.  This was due to the use of the IR filters found in the cameras.  Some astronomers found that by removing this filter and adding a clear glass type filter or a BAADER filter or similar, they could increase the Ha sensitivity of the camera two fold.

From here on out, the DSLR astrophoto world would change.  After a while, I decided to try the DSLR world out.   I picked up a 300D and started to image with it.  I was impressed with the early images I got.  However, after learning about the modification to the 300D and future cameras with the IR removal, I decided not to go with it.  I had not only used the camera for astronomy, but for everyday life.  I didn't feel like destroying my camera in order to make my astronomy imaging a little easier.   Anyway, after spending time using the 300D, I noticed that a lot of astrophotographers had the same problem with noise.  Unlike the CCD cameras for astrophotography, the DSLR could not be cooled enough, unless it was 10 degrees outside, to lower the noise in the images.

So over the last few months, I started doing some research into how to modify the cameras to be cooled.  What I found was amazing.  A guy from South Korea figured out how to cool the camera to temps below -18 C.  This is a massive leap into astrophotography.  At first I was skeptical about what type of imaging could be done with this, but after seeing the results, I was very impressed.  The modified camera performed well beyond what was expected.  Not only did it respond better than anticipated.

Jack Newton, a well known astronomer/photographer, had purchased one to see its results.  What he shot with the camera blew his mind as well.  Here is his letter to Mr. Lee...

Dear Mr. Lee:

I have now been using the cooled 350D camera for about six weeks and have been extremely pleased with its performance. The cold chamber has reduced the background noise in my images to a point approximately equal to that experienced with a conventional 1/500 th sec. exposure. This was evident in time-exposures up to ten minutes' duration. The big advantage of this over an ambient temperature camera is that when multiple images are combined, the background texture is smooth and similar to a conventional cooled CCD camera, costing almost three times as much. I can't over-emphasize the importance of the noise reduction in the background, as this has historically been one of the toughest challenges to image processing.

I like that the functions of shutter control and image USB downloads in the 350 are relocated to the base of the attached cooler. This works in conjunction with MaxIm DL so that raw images are computer-controlled through the PC, permitting flat-field and dark frames to be processed prior to the color matrix being turned on. The resulting images compare favorably to those I have done with conventional CCD cameras.

I intend to use the cooled 350D for all of my astro imaging, and am eagerly awaiting the release of the cold-converted 5D model. I have attached images taken with the cooled 350D that are amongst the best I have ever taken. It has been a pleasure working with this camera!

Sincerely,

Jack B. Newton

(520) 558-1143

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