I finally had a chance to try this and unfortunately swiping up or down with two fingers on my MacBook while running Ekos on a Raspberry Pi3 and connecting via VNC doesn’t work. So my request remains: could you please add keyboard shortcuts to zoom in on the preview screen so I can try to reach better focus when using a Bahtinov mask? Many thanks in advance!!!

Hi. I'm not sure if this is the same thing but even if you can zoom easily, it's not possible to focus:
www.indilib.org/forum/wish-list/3514-dsl...cusing.html?start=12
Cheers

I am also interested in using the Ekos Focus module without a motorized focuser. I am a hobbyist at this point, and at the hobby level, I can't afford any of the automated focusers I've found.

I was thinking that you might be able to pull this off with a "human-in-the-loop" focuser driver (not unlike the Focuser Simulator). Imagine if you could start the autofocus procedure, but when Ekos wants to focus in or out, the driver prompts you with a window that says "Focus in by about 10%". You as the human focuser would do that with your telescope as best you can, then click a "Continue" button. That would feed back through Indi that the focuser had moved, and then it would loop on to the next frame, update the V curve, and so on.

I don't know if this is feasible, or what units you would use to express to the human-in-the-loop for how much to focus, but it would be a great boon to amateurs like me who are working with lower-end equipment.

Another thought occurs to me, is this something the Focus module already supports? If you setup Ekos without a Focuser, then continuously click "Capture", will the focus detection algorithms process the images?

Yes the Focuser module can loop exposures for you do adjust your setup using a mask.

Sorry for coming in late to this thread.

In the Focuser tab, check "autoselect star" and "subframe" to automate things, then press "framing". Zoom to proper size using the transparent buttons on the top-left corner of the preview. You should now have all Ekos support to run a manual focusing. If using a mask, use the visual preview. If using HFR, use the V-Curve (or the HFR box under), the relative profile or the console to find the minimum.

If the DSLR driver is still dying on preview, we must fix that first (but that's a fairly old post). I used this method successfully with a DSLR and a mask, but also with a ccd until I printed an auto-focus controller. The issues with that method are the low reactivity and the fact that you need an access to your computer aside your setup.

-Eric

Hi. Unfortunately when using a mask to focus, the preview subframe pixelates before a useful size is reached so you cannot see the pattern.
What would be very nice for dslr users is a x10 magnification in preview, like the one shown on the camera screen. Is there any way we can get that 10x camera screen view in ekos?
TIA

Not sure I understand clearly. If the subframe is too small, you uncheck that option (and auto select star too), adjust the zoom level using the top-left buttons, move to the relevant star using the window sliders, and use "framing" to get repeated exposures for manual focusing. I'm probably missing your point...

-Eric

Thanks for the tips, everyone. "Framing" was exactly what I was looking for. Last night I was able to use it to manually focus my scope and get a V curve reading while I did it. The results were much better than I had been doing before. For people landing here from search engines:

If you want to manually focus your camera with Ekos, don't select a "Focuser" in your Ekos profile. When you start Ekos, INDI, and connect your devices, on the "Focus" module, you will see buttons for "Capture" and "Framing". "Capture" will capture a single frame for you to preview, and "Framing" will capture a continuous loop of frames. Click "Framing" and begin to adjust your scope's focus manually. The chart below will plot the V curve for your focus throughout. You should be able to achieve a relatively sharp focus. This is probably nowhere near as tight of a focus as you could get with a motorized focuser, but not bad either.

I just enter in the discussion with a simple question.
To focus would it be possible to use the live view of the DSLR instead of successive captures in the looping process ? Which could be less stressing for the material.
And keep the capability to make hardware zooming on live view, like on the DSLR itself ?

For myself, I don't have a motorized focuser, although the controller I use allows for a focuser (OnStep STM32).

Since this means I have to focus manually, it also means I will be standing next to the telescope (I usually operate the telescope from indoors after the setup is complete).

So I just use a Bahtinov mask and Live View on the DSLR. Go to a fairly bright star, and center the middle diffraction spike in between the other two spikes, and you are done. Takes one minue.

Just remember to remove the Bahtinov mask before you go indoors!

Depends on how long your live view is able to expose. Most of those are made for day-time use, and diffraction spikes are not so bright.

-Eric

This. How familiar

-Eric

That is not always the case. Yes, with dim stars, it is not possible to focus.

But if you select one of the brighter ones, and zoom to 10X, the diffraction spikes from a Bahtinov are certainly visible, and usable too.

Try it out, it will work.