Panasonic camcorder solar filter modification

kamayok3 · Post by **kamayok3** » Mon Mar 27, 2006 11:06 pm

Hi,

Another modification done by me this time.

I have just thought of using my Panasonic camcorder to record solar activity and maybe make it as a webcam for sunspot imaging.

So, actually this modification doesn't cost you a lot of money and consuming of time. Just to get a inexpensive UV filter. That's enough!

The modification steps are very easy. First, unscrew the inner ring that hold the lens of the filter, then try to use the inner ring as a guide to draw the cut-off line on the astro solar safety film. Final step is put the solar safety film on the top of the UV lens, then only screw the inner ring back to the original position. That's all. The finished product will look alike this:

So, next step I will do is try the finished product under the sunlight to make sure no light can pass through the filter. If yes, I have to re-do again with the new piece of solar safty film.

Photo below is my cheap Panasonic camcorde with the new solar filter screw on. So, the final testing haven't done yet. Will try it on this saturday if possible.

Let's talk about this camcorder. This is a lower end product from Panasonic. It is cheap but very useful. It can be function as a Webcam. With 10x optical plus 500x digital zooming system, I can actually zoom in the the Sun without any help from telescope ( will test it out and see ).

Hope this kind of modification can give a favour to all the amateur astronomer out there, so that we can share with publics and students. This is the purpose why I am doing this.

Enjoy and have fun!

Regards,

Tommy

Tachyon · Post by **Tachyon** » Tue Mar 28, 2006 8:22 am

Hi Tommy,

Good initiative! Do post some pics of the sun from your video!

kamayok3 · Post by **kamayok3** » Tue Mar 28, 2006 9:01 am

Hi,

Thanks...hope it really works.

Tommy

kamayok3 · Post by **kamayok3** » Sun Apr 02, 2006 12:40 pm

Ah...ha!

It is the time for me to let you all see the result from this panasonic camcorder with the solar filter. :-D

Finally I managed to get sunspots on weekend. These are the image that represent saturday and sunday sunspots. There only got two huge sunspot. Besides that, I also managed to capture the movement of the sunspots just one day difference. Take a look.

So, I already proved that with this easy and inexpensive setup, we can actually use this setup in public solar viewing, live solar presentation( with the mount outside the hall), sunspots movement and analyse solar cycle, solar eclipse..etc....With only the zoom range of 40x-50x.

You can either record the movement into the recording tape or connect it as a firewire webcam to your notebook and make it live.... 8-)

Before that, you have to do some adjustment in your camcorder so that the bright object such as the Sun will not over expose. Just like the camera, make sure you know how to play with the shutter speed, f/ ratio, white balance..and so on.

Next project I will try on the moon. Hope will not getting moon burn throughout this project :-o

Good luck with your modification then.......

Regards,

Tommy

Post by **weixing** » Sun Apr 02, 2006 6:43 pm

Hi,
You should try shooting through the scope... Moon will look very nice if you play back on a big TV... It'll be a wow!!!

Anyway, I had taken Moon, Saturn and Jupiter video through the Sky-Watcher 5" MCT via my camcorder (panasonic too) a few years ago... Saturn and Jupiter look a bit small and dim, but I think a 8" scope will show a bigger and better Saturn and Jupiter.

Have a nice day.