Celestron 44308 5 MP Handheld Digital Microscope Pro
Celestron 44308 5 MP Handheld Digital Microscope Pro
Software Included
Celestron Micro Capture PRO software is compatible with Windows and Mac operating systems and allows for capturing still images, video and time lapse videos.
Measuring and note taking feature
With the measuring feature of the Capture PRO software and the included calibration ruler, you can take measurements and make notes on the still images that you capture.
Multiple accessories included
The Handheld Digital Microscope Pro is ready to go out of the box and includes, microscope, stand, software CD, cleaning cloth and calibration ruler.
 |  |  |  | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 44360 | ||||
| Magnification | 10x to 200x | 1x to 54x | 10x to 120x | 4x to 160x |
| Sensor Size | 5MP | 3MP | 5MP | 5MP |
| Video Format | VGA – 30 FPS | VGA – 24 FPS | VGA – 30 FPS | VGA – 30 FPS |
| Photo Resolution | 2592 x 1944 pixel array | 2048 x 1536 pixel array | 2592 x 1944 pixel array | 2592 x 1944 pixel array |
| LCD Screen | 2.4” Full color TFT | 3.0” Full color TFT | 3.5” Full color TFT | |
| Portable | USB connect | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| USB connect option | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Software included | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Weight: | 907 g |
| Dimensions: | 22.86 x 17.78 x 12.7 cm; 907.18 Grams |
| Model: | 44308 |
| Part: | 44308 |
| Colour: | Grey/White |
| Pack Quantity: | 1 |
| Batteries Required: | No |
| Batteries Included: | No |
| Manufacture: | Celestron |
| Dimensions: | 22.86 x 17.78 x 12.7 cm; 907.18 Grams |
| Quantity: | 1 |
The product looks good. When I installed it I got the issue finding the correct software to make it work though I followed the instructions in the box. Then I contacted the technical support on the website and he helped me ou
fun to use, useful for the hobbies and easy on the aging eyes
The scope it’s self is very good. Nice clear images with a decent focal depth. The built in lighting is great. The only weakness is that the plastic stand base is much too flexible to obtain a good focus at high magnification. I 3D printed a solid one and now it works great. If high zoom is important get yourself a metal stand or be prepared to modify the one it comes with.
I’d had this for a while- I use it off and on for various things- mostly for reading illegibly small print on automobile IC’s (i’m a mechanic). it is a decent entry level microscope- I have treated it like crap, throwing it in boxes and leaving it in a dirty garage etc. It still works great. There’s some hair in the viewfinder that I don’t think will ever go away. Whatever.
Now the cons- The software is pure garbage. I’m here to help you with that. The device itself is a generic device that Windows and probably Mac should pick up. On windows it’s identified as a “Digital Microscope” under Cameras. Makes sense. It does NOT need a driver to work in Windows. What it does need is software that isn’t pure garbage. Now, knowing that it’s purporting to be a generic camera, ANY software that will talk to WEB CAMS SHOULD work with this. This makes it very easy to find software that doesn’t suck.
IT works on THIS website: Webcamtoy.com- allow access to your camera on top and it will work!
Microsoft Camera SHOULD work (comes with WIndows)
Any logitech camera software should also work!
Free2x Webcam recorder 100% works (literally freeware)
Hope this helps!
i can use this on all 3 of my laptops — i wish the program was easier to use and there was better lighting but great for my coins!
Attached are photos of a micro-SD card and ball point pen at different focuses.
I’m quite pleased with the quality of the photos.
The microscope isn’t perfect, however.
The first issue I had was with the software. There’s a note and a VERY quick “quick start guide” included in the box. The note tells you to visit celestron.com for software downloads. The quick start guide tells you to install Microcapture Pro. There is a LOT of software on their site so it’s a bit of a scavenger hunt. I was unable to get the microscope to work with the version I downloaded so I had to open a support ticket with Celestron. They pointed me to a different version of Microcapture Pro that DID work. Apparently there are different versions depending on when the product was manufactured but you have no way of knowing that.
Any time you use Microcapture Pro, it tells you to calibrate the microscope with no further instructions as to how to do that. There are no menu options to calibrate.
Other than that error, it turns out that the software offers no microscope functionality, though. It’s a simple camera viewer. I’ve switched over to using the Camera app that comes installed on Windows 10. It’s just more convenient and efficient and it doesn’t throw an error every time I take a photo.
It takes a little fiddling to figure out the microscope if you’ve never used one before (like me) but once you do, it’s fun. In my case, it works best with the LED lights turned way down and sometimes using another light pointed to the side for the best imaging.
The focus knobs aren’t great – since the stand and mounts aren’t that solid, every little touch will move the image a little so a little trial and error is sometimes needed.
All in all, the brand new price seems a little steep to me, for what it is…
But it’s fun especially if you can find it as an Amazon Warehouse deal.
Whilst the camera/microscope was very good and did exactly what was needed the software designed for it and available for download from the manufacturer was totally useless. It did not see the device as attached. Every other piece of software capable of receiving the feed could see it. Fortunately VLC came to the rescue for this issue.
-Very easy to assemble and use.
-5MP resolution as advertised. Many cheaper and some more expensive digital microscopes are 2MP or
less, even if they claim more. Specimens can be examined in greater detail on larger screens.
-Fast shutter speed minimizes blur.
Cons:
-Isn’t lit from below. This makes it difficult to examine and photograph transparent specimens, like
amber fossils.
-Image quality is a bit mediocre. The resolution is high, but noise and artifacts are noticeably present. It’s
good enough to examine things scientifically, just not for taking magazine cover photos.
-Records video at 10fps at max resolution, 15fps at minimum resolution. Good enough to see what
you’re doing, or to show others what you’re doing, but not great.
-Stand is a little wobbly. It makes it a little harder to focus the camera.
Overall, I would recommend this digital microscope, especially if you can get a deal on it. It allows you to view tiny things in detail on a large screen. And it lets you capture images and videos of your specimens directly to your computer to share virtually. It has some shortcomings, but you’ll still get your money’s worth out of it.
The level of zoom and picture quality on this device is impressive, and the stand is quite sturdy. The combination of zoom and distance from the object being observed can be tricky to focus at first, however, cycling through a few combinations of distance and zoom allowed me to quickly learn the versatility of this unit. I also had an issue with the software not recognizing the camera, but a quick email exchange with customer service allowed me to get the correct software version for the camera and my PC combination. Overall, I’m very pleased with this digital microscope.
I received this microscope today and am greatly satisfied with the product! At first glance, i was able to put up the microscope station without help from instructions, but when it comes to the software to use, here comes the difficulty. They don’t specify which version of the software to use and you have to activate the patch if you use windows (which you have in the file once you download the software). If you don’t use the proper software, it won’t recognize the microscope and i assume that this is why many reviews mentions the connection problem. Other than that, the microscope is great, it allows you to measure the dimensions of what you view, the zoom is adjusted by playing with the height and adjusting focus. Overall, greatly satisfied for the product!
Ich habe es sowohl unter Linux als auch Win 10 in Betrieb. Die Funktion ist bei beiden i.O.
Der Stnder ist allerdings sehr klapperig und das Mikroskop schwenkt beim hoch- und herunterfahren nach Rechts und Links aus. Die Bildqualitt ist aber vllig ausreichend.
4.) You can take pictures and videos with it.
Some problems which I faced is that….
1.) No eye piece and can used only by connecting with the laptop/computer
2.) Cannot use with the phone as software only work with the laptop.
3.) Without the software it won’t work
4.) Also while downloading the software two models is given 44308 and 44308 B ..my model is the first one but it didn’t worked rather the 2nd model software worked.
5.) The maximum Light exposure of it is less what I felt after clicking images. so I used photoshop to brighten the images.
When I first got this microscope, I hooked it up to my laptop, and used the CD provided in the shipping box to load the software and set things up. No Response. It was dead in the water. Bummer.
About a year later I had to upgrade my laptop to a new one. Recently, I gave the Celestron Microscope one more try using my “new” laptop. before throwing it out. This time the lights lit up when I plugged it in to the USB port. (The old laptop couldn’t handle it? ) I went to the Celestron web site and down loaded the driver software. While doing that, I noted that the Celestron needs JAVA in addition to the OS and the drivers. (The Original directions did not make that clear…) I made sure I had the latest in Java installed on my laptop. Installed the driver. Now, IT Works!!!!
I’m being a bit conservative about the star ratings…. when I have played with the microscope longer I’ll see how many more stars I can add. It certainly has potential!
Setting up the microscope was easy. The rack-and-pinion system in the stand could have been a little sturdier, but the current one will do the job for most routine usage. Only issue is that there are two clips on the stage. While important for examining flat objects, they create an issue if one needs to examine a plate, which is my usage. So I will have to remove the clip and sand the two protrusions to which they are attached. While not a major issue, I would have been happier if the clips were removable more easily and the protrusions were not there. However, this is not a deal-breaker at all. Overall, for the price, the image quality is really good. I have much more expensive microscopes with me (~3 lakhs+) from highly reputed multi-national companies. The image quality of this will easily compare with those. Check the attached picture that shows Drosophila eggs at close to the minimum magnification of the instrument. So happy with the purchase.
Pur essendo inserito tra i microscopi professionali, non lo . D’altronde a quel prezzo non si pu pretendere di pi. Ha comunque un buon rapporto qualit-prezzo. sicuramente indicato a chi si avvicina alla microscopia e non sa ancora se sar una passione duratura. La semplicit dell’utilizzo lo rende adatto anche a bambini. Apprezzata la presenza di un manuale in italiano. Ottica, illuminazione, messa a fuoco e stabilit sono da valutare in considerazione del prezzo contenuto. I 5 MP sono abbastanza teorici. Apprezzabile da funzione di calibrazione e Time Lapse
Absolutely stunning quality, easy to use, and really fun to use – this has to be one of the best – if not the best budget microscope on the market today
1) This microscope (like most) uses built-in LED lights around the objective lens. These can cause (as you would expect) strong reflections in the images. See images:
(a) Paper (with very slight shiny surface), ‘HALO’ reflection from the LED lights.
(b) Paper (has as before) close-up. This image is fine, but if you want a wider view, you will see the ‘HALO’ reflections.
(c) Compact Disc surface (highly reflective)… here you can see the 8 LED lights that often appear in images if the object has any reflective surfaces.
2) The software is easy to use. I am using a ‘4k’ PC screen so I needed to re-size the window (which the software allows). I was amazed to find the software allows your to scale the window and distort the image coming (live) from the camera. Squashed or stretched objects never look good. Also in ‘full screen’ the images are also stretched (distorted). The software should NEVER allow a re-sized window that distorts. When you start the software the initial windows size is 100% correct. Please note that the SAVED IMAGES are always 100% correct aspect ratio (not stretched or squashed).
Overall this is a good device, just not very suitable for shiny objects. I returned mime because it was just not suitable for what I wanted (often the objects are shiny) and I did not want to spend lots of time trying to eliminate the reflections, halos or hot (over exposed) spots.
PS. The LED lights can be switched off, but then you need external lighting. APA
I was pretty excited when I discovered this microscope. I read the reviews and looked at other options and decided to try this one. Some reviews were less than happy with this product but many more were quite pleased. I purchased this for use on my Mac. I was expecting and hoping for a plug and play experience which is the norm for apple products. Much to my disappointment this was not the case. The software on the cd would not install as it crashed the installer. So went to Celstrons web site and installed a newer version. Although it did install properly it would not connect with the scope. I tried using photo booth some had success with this method, unfortunately not me. Out of ideas I contacted Celestrons tech support they replied with in 24 hours and was given the very lastest version of the software. Upon installation it was discovered that now I have to upgrade to the lastest OS in order to use the software. Crap I had been delaying that as compatiblity issues with my current programs. Anyhow did it anyway. Low and behold it was successful this little digital microscope is the bomb, I’m pleased with this 80.00 dollar wonder. It really amazes me that it could be such a value. It would have given it 5 glourious stars if I hadn’t needed to do the OS upgrade.
Took some practise to get the best out of the microscope, but the results are worth the effort.
It DOES have a longevity problem, however. After 3 years of use, it was on it’s last legs. The color had pretty much faded completely to all shades of gray and the focus had narrowed from the full view field down to only the center with everything out at the edges of the view filed out of focus.
Their tech guy said that their optical sensors do that after a lot of use, but I have been using the same digital camera for lots longer and for way more images and it still is as good as it was the first day I used it, so I don’t get why they can’t have an optical sensor that lasts longer.
Anyway, 5 stars for performance and 2 stars for longevity. I had to buy a new one (at DOUBLE to old price; $150+ instead of $83) so as to get back to the performance I need.
LATER: after 18 months it died in the way others have described. Totally dead. Software will not recognize it no matter what you do (different USB ports, restart computer, reinstall driver, etc) AND the company has apparently abandoned all pretense of customer support. I wrote them about 4 emails over 2 weeks and zero response.
I do amateur wood anatomy analysis and this turns out to be just what a I wanted. I had a very good focus mechanism and a wide range of focal lengths. I can do a full-screen image of a wood sample’s end grain at anything from .2cm to 2cm which is more than enough for my needs.
Very pleased and recommend it.
I DID have to build a special stand for it but that’ because of the size / shape of the wood samples. The stand that it comes with is fine for flat objects
The hardware is nice quality for a Consumer grade ‘USB microscope’ (technically a ‘USB Macro Imager’). It doesn’t appear that it’s going to fall apart or break. The adjustment gears on the height are tight and smooth, the focus wheel is also tight and the feel is good. I’ve read some reviews where some people don’t like the tight feel of the adjustments, so it’s a matter of preference to be aware of. I use these ‘USB microscopes’ with the stand (not handheld) and the Celestron is far superior to my no-name $20 2MP USB microscope in this regard. The base is more sturdy and heavy then I thought it would be. What I do not like about the stand is that it does flex at the point where the vertical tube meets the base. This creates some minor frustration when focusing because it causes the camera to move. The USB cord is 4 feet long and there’s a nice adjustable angle USB cable guide on the back of the stand. While I don’t use them, the clips for holding glass slides appear to be well made and well fastened to the base. The clips rotate out of the way and don’t generally interfere with observations unless I have something like a large plate sitting on the base. My main issues and concerns are with the Celestron software. Most noticeable about the Celestron software on a mid-2011 Mac with 8GB memory and Mac OS High Sierra is that it crashes on the 1st launch and must be launched a 2nd time before it runs. It’s responsive and quick to focus, but CPU usage is very high. In addition, I’ve noticed that any software that I run with this camera doesn’t display an image until I launch, close, and relaunch the app. After a 2nd launch, apps display images/video. JPG file output is high quality to my DVI monitor and the typical Celestron MicroCapture Pro saved image size is at 2592×1944 resolution. The software does feel a bit dated and could use a GUI update that is a bit more modern. Apple Photo Booth does not work with this camera, however, Quick-Camera (free on the Apple App Store) works great. It supports image mirroring and rotation, but not photo capture (use the Mac OS screen capture command instead). A full size screen capture resolution with Quick-Camera test gave me a 1438×1024 image. Not as high as Celestron’s but still very respectable. Sharing live photo images via Facetime is an important use for me, so I’m glad that Facetime works with this camera. The image is horizontally reversed in Facetime, but I can live with that. The Celestion MicroCapture Pro software crashed a couple of times, but did ultimately run when I connected my Mac via Apple AirPlay to my 2nd Gen Apple TV (connected to a 48″ 4K UHD TV). See the last photo for a smart phone picture (handwriting with ink pen on paper) of this setup with the Celestron software running over AirPlay in full screen mode. Unfortunately, the picture as seen on this review doesn’t really do justice at all to this setup as I can literally see detail in the ink that is not viewable in the Amazon posted photo. Typically I use a 24 inch DVI monitor, and in general, a decent HDMI or DVI display is going to give the best viewing experience that I have found.
I have an older dual processor Pentium laptop running Windows 10 at 1024×768 resolution. The software loads fine, but don’t bother on older hardware as responsiveness on focusing lags badly to the point of being practically unusable. Finally, on both the Mac and the Windows systems – CPU usage with the Celestron software is way too high as I can hear both system’s fans kicking in on high after loading the software. See the photos for a screenshot of the Celestron software pegging my CPU at well over 100%. Celestron needs to make a serious effort to improve the software experience of this product.
I use the camera on my Mac so I downloaded the Microcapture Pro software off of Celestron’s confusing support webpage There’s a Mac and a Mac ‘Model B’ version. I assume this naming convention must have something to do with the model number of the microscope, as it means nothing in Apple speak. However, I was unable to determine if I had a ‘B’ version microscope looking at the Box, DVD, manual, microscope, etc. Ultimately I downloaded the ‘B’ version (2.4.1) and it installed and ran.
The bottom line is that I recommend this product provided that you have done some research to verify it’s going to give you a decent amount of magnification of your viewing purpose, don’t mind tinkering with a modification or two, and a fast computer that supports DVI or HDMI output to a larger size monitor. I’m not sure that I am comfortable calling this a plug and play – no frills device. It’s a geek thing for sure… This is not a real microscope but a pretty nice macro imager and I am satisfied with the purchase. I paid just over $60 for what I thought was going to be a open box item with damaged packaging and a cosmetic flaw on the front of the microscope available from the Amazon warehouse (see Available from these Sellers or ‘Used and New’) on the Amazon item description Web page). What I received was a brand new sealed box item with no cosmetic flaws that had a Amazon Warehouse sticker stuck on the box. I can’t guarantee that your purchasing experience will be the same as mine but in my opinion this product was definitely worth the price that I paid. Just be aware that it’s nice hardware hampered by low quality software. Celestron could do us all a favor by releasing a open source licensed or similar software version of their ‘MicroCapture Pro’ software.
Where these type of consumer based Macro Imaging camera devices are concerned, 5MP seems to be about the state of the art for some reason and there’s only a couple of options at that level. It’s really not very advanced. For example, the Raspberry Pi Foundation sells a quality basic general purpose 8MP camera these days for around $25. Most typical product offerings in this ‘USB Microscope’ category have a maximum of 2MP. As I’ve seen stated elsewhere in discussions – it may be viable and least expensive to just get a Macro Lens that connects directly to a 12MP smart phone provided that you don’t mind a handheld option or even rigging up a smart phone/macro lens/tripod/remote bluetooth shutter setup (that’s a mouthful). I’ll have to try this out and report on it. In the meanwhile, I’ve ordered a $20 Aluminum Alloy Base/Stand that I am going to test this camera with next. If the new stand option isn’t any better with this camera then I have no doubt that I can get use of it with my older 2MP camera. I’ll update this post with my results of the new stand test in a couple of weeks after I’ve had some time to use it in this configuration. Unfortunately it cannot fix the software issues however, Celestron has to step up to the plate for that to happen. The software would not be such an issue, but — This is a digital device and you need software to use it as there is no way to view images otherwise.
Update: I did receive the Koolertron base/stand and it’s a keeper with this camera. The camera fits the stand and It while there is still some slight flex in regards to camera movement while focusing, it’s much easier to focus now. The stand is sturdy and there is a small amount of play in the controls, but it’s no big deal. A bonus benefit for me is that it has a significantly smaller footprint then the Celestron stand so the setup takes up less space on my desktop.
I had a very good shop around with leading companies before opting with this one. And I had the opportunity to try them hands on. In this price range I would really recommanded it. I had a cheaper one few months eralier but the quality was just not right. I am very happy with this one for when I am mobile and need something quick on the go to attache to my laptop.
Easy to use and powerful microscope in a small package.
Not really suitable for recording videos, as very low fps, but good for still images
Pros: Worked right off the bat. I’m using an old Windows XP laptop. The computer found the hardware without any issues. Installed the software (included disk), ran it and saw the images. Fiddled with focusing a bit, but found the gauge easily.
Cons: See attached pictures. With ambient light, the picture has a brown cast to it. It’s visible, but if you are interested in actual color pictures, this will not be sufficient. Second picture is with the built-in LED light. As you can see, the individual LEDs can be seen. Third picture is with the LEDs turn off, and an auxiliary side light shining on the gauge. This looks like the best way to use this microscope. Not sure what the shadows are in the third picture with the side light. I think it might be due to the clear plastic housing on the bottom of the scope. Unfortunately, there is no way to remove it.
Another Con is that the software has an annoying feature that automatically adjusts the brightness. Adding more light or changing the brightness of the LEDs doesn’t make the picture any brighter. The software adjusts to what it thinks is the best brightness. I looked at the limited menu items, and there is no way to defeat or adjust that feature.
I gave it 4 stars because with a side light, it will do what I want, and that is take some reference pictures to post on the internet. It’s a lot more convenient than with my old stereo microscope with a camera attached to one eyepiece.
Kit as expected. Software on disk not useful on a MacBook Pro. And poor info from Celeste on support who gave information for the wrong model. However all was well in the end, as I found the correct software to download.
Dire que c’est un microscope est un abus de language, camra loupe plutt.
L’article est cher ce qui m’a fait hsiter avec d’autres, mais l’interface utilisateur sur PC est vraiment trs bien: on peut lgender, annoter, y faire apparaitre des mesures (apres calibration avec la rglette fournie). La qualit d’image est trs bonne ainsi que celle de l’appareil en lui mme. Trs contente de cet achat.
I took the same photo of a #20 hypodermic needle with both high and low resolutions. Interesting that after careful visual inspection I concluded the -lowest- resolution had slightly better clarity than the highest. Go figure.
What I really, really miss is polarization to thwart glare and enhanced depth of field. For example, when imaging the side of a pencil, only about 1/6th of the depth of the pencil is in focus at any time, while the entire depth of the letters of In God We Trust on a quarter was in focus. I am very anxious to putz with this outside next spring with translucent leaves, insects, etc. But polarization and enhanced field depth apparently cost several hundred dollars more, still.
A practical microscope that does all it asks. I thought good value for money
Performs well. Easy to set up. I look forward to using i
I have used it to photograph mites and rust from my garden vegetables and flowers. It also was very useful in removing a splinter from my finger.
a camera costing 3 of 4 times as much, so I think this is excellent value.
Some of the comments about “Blobs” or reflections or artifacts are actually typical of bits of dust. A Swiffer duster will clean much of this up in seconds.
I do knife sharpening as a retirement hobby, and I use the scope for checking for scratches, chips, nicks and level of polish.
Understand that these are not true microscopes, but are high-magnification video cameras. Imaging is processed from the video stream, not like a photograph. Modern digital cameras do the opposite.
My prior ‘scope has a similar thumbwheel adjustment built into the housing, which varied the magnification. The Celestron doesn’t have variable magnification; it’s fixed and is adjustable in the software, which simply crops the image. The resolution is based on the full image, so if you zoom in, it’s like using digital zoom on your little Nikon Coolpix camera. The Celestron thunbwheel adusts the actual projection of the camera lens axially with the housing as a fine-adjust tool to focus.
Hoping that a 5MP camera would be better than my 2MP camera, I was disappointed to realize that setting up for the higher resolution didn’t improve the image on my screen. Silly me, I would need a hi-res screen. But capturing images at the higher res resulted in blurry images. Disclaimer here: I use the camera primarily in the handheld mode. If I had a good image on the screen (the basic 2MP is actually better than HD video) and captured an image, apparently the software uses interlacing to fill in the other 3MP. Meaning that it actually has to take more than one frame of video to produce a higher resolution image. In handheld mode, that means a blurry image. I haven’t yet tested for true 5MP imaging with a fixed mount.
All that said, this camera has some major improvements over the no-name I have been using. With its fixed magnification and adjustable focus I was able to set up for my particular use. I adjust the focus point to fall on the plane of the face of the clear plastic shroud. Then I can touch the camera to any reasonably straight component and immediately have a near-perfect focus. I can tip the camera to lay the shroud flat and centered on a knife edge and slide the camera along the edge, watching the video of the edge as I pan along the edge. Nice! I can even take videos, but the file size is huge!
The no-name (Veho) image capture button is on the housing, making it nearly impossible to get a clear image without disturbing the camera. I had to use the “print screen” key and then paste the image to some other software. A very time-consuming process. I use Corel’s version of Photoshop.
Unlike the others, Celestron provides a cable-mounted capture button, the housing of which also holds a thumbwheel dial for the LED brightness. No disturbing the camera! Very nice!
The fixed magnification image shown on my screen is comparable to my Veho’s max magnification of about 185X (not the advertised 800X). I don’t need more power so much as a clearer image of my knife edges.
Also nice is the calibration method provided. This makes it easy to measure objects on the screen. I was able to measure “scratch lines” down to within few microns. I did find a glich in that the dimension of a measurement is unreadable because of the font size when you are zoomed in.
The software could use some other improvement, but is vastly better than the no-name. The instructions are supplied as a .pdf file which was only a dozen or so pages. Some sections could use clarification and a forthright explanation of the video and image capture would be helpful. It would also be nice if I could change the color and font of the measuring tools. Under certain lighting conditions, it simply disappeared.
BTW, I was able to also run my old camera on the Celestron software, You have to restart the software after you plug in a different camera. I haven’t played with it yet to test the hybrid performance. Maybe I’ll find situations that would dictate one camera over the other. 12/2015 edit: The non-Celestron cameras seem to work with the software, but you can’t capture images
12/2015: An update after a couple of years of use:
Celestron says it’s a fixed magnification, but actually I’ve found that these cameras (the tubular kind) have a single lens which is moved closer or farther from the 5MP sensor to focus. The closer the lens is to the object, the greater the effective magnification. I use it at a fixed focal plane – the face of the shroud, which I rest on the knife edge. I’ve found that all these cameras have two positions at which they will focus on a given plane. For me, on my 21″ monitor, this is 50X and about 160X. I’ve learned that for my use (knife edges) 50X is perfect. Some depth-of-field, easy focus. On further study, I don’t think the rez is boosted by interlacing. I think it really is 5MP, but yes, 2MP is all you need for any HD monitor. To use 5MP, you need to save to a JPEG and zoom in to the level you want. Frankly 5MP isn’t much better than 2MP.