Project:
Nikon D800 for astrophotography ?

Contents:

1. Nikon D800 overview
2. Adapter Nikon to Pentax 645
3. Lid, Dove tail, Tube ring
4. Focuser mechanism, driver
5. Off-axis guide camera
6. Main bracket
7. Wiring & USB-HUB
8. Test with Windows and APT
9. First Light
10. Balance system
11. Nikon vs Canon, Pentax FA vs Pentax
12. Tilt adjuster
13. KStars/INDI setup for Nikon
14. Correction of tilt
15. To be continued

Note:
I take no responsibility or liability for what are written here, you use the information on your own risk!

Related projects:

• KStars / Setup GPS Raspberry
• KStars / Setup WIFI Hotspot Raspberry
• KStars / Linux commands and udev rules
• KStars / Raspberry Power
• Setup astroserver with Raspberry Pi3
• Setup astroserver with Raspberry Pi4
• Setup astroserver with Raspberry Pi5

8: Test with Windows and APT

My plan is to have my new system to run on either a Windows system or a Linux system. I start with some test with Windows and the controller software APT which I always used earlier.

Connecting to the PC:

I don't have a mini PC anymore that I can install direct on the telescope. I have to use my stationary computer. I connect it to the PC's USB3 ports. Use the camera's internal battery to power the camera.

APT, setup for Nikon:

I installed the APT v3.83 software and the needed Windows NET 2.0/3.5 on my stationary Windows PC machine. Startup the APT software. Set it up to connect to my Nikon camera, a D800.

Setup a test plan:

To emulate a real astrophoto session I setup a test plan with five photos in raw format.

USB monitor:

Open the USB monitor to have a look if everything is okay, the Nikon camera is there with the name D800.

Start the test plan:

Run the test plan, it start to take the five photos I setup. From the log I can see that there are 9 seconds between the photos. 2 seconds are the exposure time and there is a 1 seconds delay. Then there is 6 seconds for transfer the file from the camera. It should go much faster I hope. My Canon need 9 seconds in the old 32-bit software and 2 seconds in the new 64-bit software (Linux) plus the overhead time, maybe something with the setup.

Downloaded image files:

Check what files it downloaded from the camera, it's NEF format, Nikon's raw format file system.

Open one of the files, it has the size 7360 x 4912 (36Mpix), much more pixel dense sensor than my Canon 6D's 20Mpix sensor. It will make good to my under sampled images.