I'm pretty sure I figured out the Bias frame problem and low shutter speed problem. The changes are in my fork. I'll field test it tonight and if all goes well, I'll submit a pull request.

I really have no idea where to even start with your cigarette lighter adapter problem. Seems like some sort of noise, but then why is it only affecting the native driver? Did you say pktriggercord worked with the cigarette lighter adapter and Ubuntu? I wonder if it has something to do with the SDK for PTP mode. It's possible we could try to compile the indi_pentax driver without PTP mode support to test, but it'd be a bit time-consuming.

Nice work Karl!

I compiled pktriggercord now on Linux Mint 20 (Ubuntu based), the last test i've done were on Windows 10.

Everything is working while the cam is powered over the cigarette lighter. Cam is set to Bulb and MFT and running on a linux system.

I can still use the cam connected with the DC Adapter, i tried to switch the cigarette Adapter because it's a more cleaned up and easier to plug in and out in the dark of night.

Do as you like... for me it's a very interesting bug (or feature) If you like to investigate it more further i would like to support it (Paypal... Beer, Coffee, etc )

Did my first imaging session using the Pentax Native driver and nothing else (remote control etc.). Just plugged the camera in after the boot sequence of stellarmate was over (Bulb, MFT Mode, ISO800).

Except that live view isn't avaible i did the polar alignment using my guiding cam. Ended up with 30 arcseconds error for the guiding cam and 2 arcminutes for the Pentax K70 connected to my 750/150 Newton. No matter while guiding with the experimental multi star guiding algorhytm and some dithering.

M33, 210 Minutes Lights, Flat, Flatdarks, Bias



Still loving the K70. And it's nice that it is working with Indi/Ekos. Thank you Karl!

No it's time to get rid of the coma. Time to test another adapter

Wasn't able to test your updated driver. The new KStars version is broken in Linux Mint (some dependencies issues) and Stellarmate didn't pulled it until now.

Awesome. How long were your exposures? It makes me want to get out there and see what I can get. I've never had the patience to stack more than about fifteen minutes of light frames. Between coma and focus problems, it was just too frustrating. But I recently acquired a coma corrector and just bought a more powerful stepper motor yesterday, so hopefully I'll be up to the task soon (if I can figure out how to get the motor attached to the focuser).

Live view should be available for the K70 in PTP mode, but there's not much control over exposure/framerate, and I'm not sure whether Polaris would even be visible.

Aside from Bias frames, I'm not sure the updated driver would give you any different results--the main fixes were with the short exposure settings, so really only for planetary imaging.

The exposure time for M33 is 3.5 hours. I usually do not less than 2 hours. The more you get is better. Single picture is 5 Minutes.

Next time i'm trying polar alignment in PTP mode, as long i get a picture every second i am satisfied.

And planetary imaging is on my to do list. Thought about using my guide camera, but it's monochrome. Think i try the k70 and do a lot of drizzle stuff.

Me again

Stellarmate did updated the 3rd party Indi drivers and i was able to test the new version.

Works as it should be, short exposures (less 1 second) are possible.

Now i can't connect anymore to ptp mode (stopped Indi Server, unplugged cam, mft --> pft in camera, connected again, restarted Indi).

I found a solution to the Problem that my Rasperry Pi won't start while the k70 is connected. I simply added a serial port to the camera using the serial port assistant. Maybe this is usefull for somebody

@karlrees

Don't know if this is driver related or indi/ekos. The reported pixel size is wrong. I get always 3 and not 3.88. The resolution is correct.

That causes platesolving in ekos to take a long time and in SIRIL photometric color correction won't work.

I just updated kstars and the pentax driver, works for me as well, I'm in heaven!
ISO and shutter speed in bulb mode - what more do you need?
Brilliant work Karl!
And what a fantastic version of the M33 Noideaforaname!

@Drawsacircle

Which camera and OS/hardware do you use? Didn't try to change the ISO in Ekos while using my K70 until now.

I realized today that switching to a RPi 4 came along with a broken PTP mode (as stated in the readme file). The PTP SDK doesn't like 64bit on a Rasperry Pi.

I also have a K-70. I tested it on my pc, Ubuntu, updated kStars and the Indi drivers. Pentax DSLR Native driver, camera in MSC mode, bulb - what I have dreamt of since I started using Stellarmate/kStars a couple of years ago
I’ll update Stellarmate on my Pi4 and see if that also works (why wouldn’t it?)

Then please check in KStars running on the pi in the Indi Panel which pixel size is reported (it's get updated while taking the first photo). The k70 got 3.88, but it is stated 3 in my case. This leads to errors while platesolving because the fits header isn't correct.

If you get also 3, there is an error sonewhere, otherwise something is wrong with my Setup/Hardware.

I'm running Stellarmate 1.5.4

Pixelsize is also 3 here, I haven’t tried to change it.

Changing ISO works now as you described it @DrawsACircle

I usually stuck around at ISO800 when i do my 300 seconds exposures, but nice to know. Double checked it. Camera settings in INDI are updated and after the exposure camera is also set to the desired ISO (when disconnecting it). Great!

I think except the wrong pixel size and bit depth (now 8 bit, should be 16 i think) everything is working fine now as long as you stuck to MFT mode. PTP mode isn't working on 64bit sadly. Maybe Pentax updates their SDK when they release their new APSC camera this year (who knows).

Maybe it would be a good idea to remove the PTP mode. Don't know how many people still use a RPi 3 which only runs 32bit. LiveView would be nice... but i used to do focusing using a bahtinov mask on the camera display and then power everything else up. And maybe my carplug problem is then also gone. On the other hand, if someone uses an autofocuser i think liveview is needed, am i right?

But that belongs to Karl's decision.