D'oh!!!!!!! What a doof........another forehead slap...

WELL,
Guess what!!!

I have been building housings in my "workshop" for ~3 weeks,each time getting better and better and getting the case more square and the welding lines are much better...
SO,about 2 months ago I bought a small(ish) aluminum project box from Radio Shack.I set it on one of the work benches and forgot about it because I was going to use it for the power supply case..
WELLL,GUESS WHAT!!!!!
It IS THE EXACT SAME SIZE AS THE BOX I WAS TRYING TO BUILD....
I have been wasting time,money,and everything else..I have like four more 12-24" aluminum sheets,that I dont need now..
ALL I have to do is go on Ebay and buy the Radio Shack boxes..
AND,it works out to being the same cost for materials,but the hours put into the "handmade" boxes is just nowhere near worth it...

SO,now that I have a PERFECT housing,this mod should take off...I expect it being done by the end of this month.

I will still have to make the back plate,which will act as the heatsink(just like the Meade DSI's),but other than welding these new boxes seams to seal the box airtight,that is all I need to do.
So now I can work on the various frames for each model Canon.
I have also figured out a way to build this mod for the REVERED 350D!!The 400D as well!!!!!

All in all,I am exstatic that this turn of events will work in my favor,but am still a tad upset that I have been wasting time...

I do have a serious procedure coming up at the middle of December..I am getting a Fusion on two levels of my lower back.
So,I want to have the mod done and working before then so I can be working on website building,marketing,research-&-troubleshooting the cams,and if I am feeling well enough,getting some images with the cams.

I am very happy too that the new housing will only need to be polished to be a finished product.I am thinking this will actually look quite nice.Of course the inside will be flat black to reduce/eliminate any internal reflections.
I am still working on how best to seal the cam's front,behind the Canon EOS adapter.I am thinking for now a simple UV Filter will work well enough.But for future models I am thinking that a 2" Baader IR-Block filter will work best...and will be a good selling point.

I am possibly getting a new XSi from my Father,and will hopefully have both the XS and XSi models working in the next 3 weeks.
If I dont get it done I will only be out for ~2 weeks...but I would REALLY love to get these made by X-mas...it would be a great stocking stuffer(yes,they are that small!!!!)....


Anyways,I have copied this message onto my Blog.

Thanks for reading this loooong message..

Cheers!!!
Brent Oliver
HyperCams & Mods

1st Post.....

Well, what to start with?
Why not start with WHY this type of mod is useful,and why you should want it.
A DSLR is a fantastic camera.They have the versatility of being able to use a huge variety of lenses,and they also have profound,and unmatched image qualities.
A "stock" DSLR is one that is "straight outa the box". These are perfect for capturing wonderul moments that we want to remember.Or for the professional trying to get the best possible image out of an event,person,place,or anything they can think up.
For those reasons, poeple started using these brilliant cameras for imaging the stars.
But,there are disadvantages with using these "stock" cameras.
1)The sensors in these cams are VERY sensitive to a broad spectrum of light,some that we cannot even see,like InfraRed. But,the image that would come out of these sensors would not be the prettiest picture.So,to make these sensors see more like the Human eye does,the manufacturers install a set of filters in front of the sensors.These filters block the spectrums of light that are "unwanted",this makes them image the way we want them to...like how WE would capture them with a memory.
These filters are NOT good for Astronomical targets as these objects are rich in various wavelengths that would make normal photography look "washed",or ruined.
So, we decided to remove these filters.This allows the sensors to pick up every wavelength that its designs allow. This makes astronomical objects brighter in most of the spectrum because of the amount of signal able to reach the sensor.
But,there is also another disadvantage...
2)Noise. Noise is the bain of Digital Photography. Digital Sensors create an image out of electrons,but the circuitry of these digital cams can dreate heat/or noise in the image. Typically,the longer the exposure,the more noise. And,in astro imaging,long exposures are key to getting the most signal.But this builds noise.

So,enter the Astronomical Camera. These are very sensitive instruments that use cooling elements to keep the noise at bay. Typically,these cameras are VERY expensive. Most people can not afford cameras of this caliber..that is why people use the much cheaper,but still very sensitive,DSLR.

So,what would the next logical step be for progressing in this hobby?
If you move past the abilities of a DSLR,but cannot afford the price of a dedicated Astro camera...why not cool the DSLR?

Enter the "HyperMod".
There are many levels of this idea.Some simply wrap thier DSLR in ice packs. Others simply put there DSLR in homemade "cooler boxes". While these are very good ideas...the are not the most efficient,nor are they creating that much of a difference in the sensor's temperature.

So,I and several others out there have started building "HyperCams".
Some are simply puting a "cold finger" behind the sensor. The other end is connected to a Peltier device(TEC),this draws the heat out of an object and through the peltier to a heatsink of some kind. Some maintain the use of the stock camera housing.Others,like myself, have/are making a NEW housing for the camera electronics. Inside these new hoisings will be a Peltier device that will cool the sensor to a very workable state..some even below freezing.

My Mod will include a new housing.A cooling system that will deliver ~30degC(below ambient) temps. It will be operated by way of USB2.0 connections. It will essentially,not allow noise/heat to build in the image.

I have the designs for my mod on paper and in my head.I have started building the housings. I have started my dream job...
Who can say they are taking thier life's favorite hobbies and making something of it.
I do not want to be a millionaire..I do not want to be a major corporation.
I just want to build cameras for astronomical imaging.That is my dream..

That is my "mission statement" as it were..

Thank you for taking the time to read this..I hope you find it useful.And I hope you return to see the progress I will be making.

Brent Oliver
HyperCams & Mods