ATIK CAMERAS Atik 4000 Monochrome Large Format Cooled CCD Camera User Manual

ATIK CAMERAS Atik 4000 Monochrome Large Format Cooled CCD Camera

Introduction

Congratulations on your purchase of an Atik large format camera. This manual will help you get the most out of your Atik camera so please take the time to read it thoroughly and you’ll soon be ready to discover new worlds.
Atik Cameras provide exceptional value for money, superior performance and unparalleled ease of use. They are the result of extensive research and development, each one having been designed and built with the requirements of the most demanding astroimager in mind. Your Atik camera incorporates state- of-the-art design and materials, and will be your trusted astrophotography companion for a long time to come.

Further information
For installation instructions and other useful information please refer to the Quickstart guide which was shipped with the camera. Information on the software is given in the ArtemisCapture guide, a PDF file of which is copied to your computer hard drive by the software installer. Further information, including a number of ‘Getting Started’ tutorial videos, is available on our website at http://www.atik-cameras.com

Pack Contents

This pack includes:

1. Atik 4000/11000 camera
2. USB cable
3. Car lighter type power cable
4. AC mains adapter (Universal)
5. 2” nosepiece adapter
6. CD with software and manuals
7. Quick start guide
8. Pelican case

Atik Cameras 4000/11000

Camera Parts

1. Water cooling pipes
2. 2.1mm centre-positive 12V DC input
3. M6 screw slots
4. USB port

Note: the M6 screw slots are provided as a means to attach anything to the camera (cable harness, etc.).
WARNING! The screws should never protrude inside the camera more than 5mm, or damage will occur.

Sensor
The sensors used in the Atik 4000/11000 cameras are listed below:

The optical window used in front of the CCD is a BK7 with BBAR coatings on both sides ensuring that no reflection will appear in your image.

Analog to Digital Converter (ADC)
The Analog to Digital Converter (ADC) is a 16-bit ADC. This means that your Atik camera will allow you to record subtle levels of gray, providing you with enhanced dynamic range when capturing an image.

Power Consumption
Your Atik camera was designed to have low power consumption: please see the table in section 4 for details specific to your camera model. The 2.1mm centre-positive DC input is compatible with a wide range of 12V DC supplies.

WARNING: The mains power adaptor supplied with the camera is for indoor or observatory use only. There is a risk of electric shock if the adaptor is used in damp environments or outside. If in doubt do not use the adaptor and consult a trained electrician.

USB Port
The Atik 4000/11000 cameras use a USB 2.0 high-speed interface to minimize image download times. A higher speed “preview” mode is also available, providing roughly twice the speed of the normal mode.

Thermal Stabilization and Regulation
Atik cameras are thermally stabilized to allow your CCD to produce the best result that it can deliver. This is a thermoelectric process and therefore it takes some time to stabilize. After switching the camera on you should wait about 5 minutes until thermal stabilization is achieved.

The temperature is regulated, which means you can select a fixed temperature at which you want the CCD to be maintained. This will allow making calibration frame libraries (darks, bias) at different temperatures settings, avoiding the need to waste precious imaging time with them.

One additional bonus is the ability to use liquid cooling. This is especially interesting on very warm summer nights, where the air system won’t allow you to reach the desired temperature. By using water as a heat transport medium, lower temperatures can be achieved.

Optical window heater
Because the CCD can be cooled to well below zero, conditions of very high humidity can sometimes lead to condensation forming on the outside of the optical window. To counteract this, the camera is equipped with an internal heater which can gently heat the window to prevent condensation forming. To avoid unnecessary power consumption, the heater is turned off by default. To turn it on, you should do the following:

Install the Application “Atik Config”, which is located on the CD Run the application, press “connect”, followed by “EEPROM” Locate the option “Aux power”; initially it will be set to 0
Increase the power level to 255
Press “Write to Memory” and exit
Press “Disconnect” and close Atik Config

WARNING: Don’t change ANY of the other settings on EEPROM

As a suggestion, first try increasing the power level to 125 to see if this is proficient to prevent dew from appearing.

Technical Information Summary

The following table gives the angular resolution per pixel with certain focal distances. The formula to calculate any other focal length is:
(Pixel Size (μm) / Focal Distance (mm)) * 206.3 = angular resolution (arcseconds/pixel)

Focal Length (mm)| Angular resolution (arcsec/pixel) Atik 4000| Angular resolution (arcsec/pixel) Atik 11000
---|---|---
350| 4.36| 5.30
400| 3.82| 4.64
450| 3.39| 4.13
500| 3.05| 3.71
550| 2.78| 3.38
600| 2.54| 3.09
650| 2.35| 2.86
700| 2.18| 2.65
750| 2.04| 2.48
800| 1.91| 2.32
850| 1.80| 2.18
900| 1.70| 2.06
950| 1.61| 1.95
1000| 1.53| 1.86

Declaration of Conformity

EU Declaration of Conformity
This product carries the CE Mark in accordance with the related European Directive.
CE Marking is the responsibility of:
Perseu, SA
R. Dr. Agostinho Neto, 1D
2690-576 Sta Iria da Azoia
Portugal

Critical Applications
This product is not designed for any “critical applications”. “Critical applications” means life support systems, medical applications, connections to medical devices, commercial transportations, nuclear facilities or systems or any other applications where product failure could lead to injury to persons or loss of life or catastrophic property damage.
This product is not a toy.

Disposal of the camera
When no longer required do not dispose of this electronic device with general household waste. To minimise pollution and protect the environment the camera should be recycled. Local recycling drop off points available under the Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) regulations which will accept the camera. For further information contact Perseu SA at the above address, or the shop from which the camera was bought.

Servicing and Repairs

Repairs, servicing and upgrades are available through your local dealer or by emailing support@atik-cameras.com
Please note that modifications to the camera and/or accessories which are undertaken without the manufacturer’s written permission will void the warranty.

Warranty

The equipment is guaranteed against defective design, manufacture or materials for a period of one year from the date of purchase.
This means that Atik Cameras will repair or replace the equipment at its sole option, at no charge to the purchaser for parts or for labour, if the fault is reported within the guarantee period, provided however that Atik Cameras is able to duplicate the defect or problem at its facilities. This warranty does not apply to damage that occurred as a result of abuse or misuse, abnormal service or handling, damage which may have been caused either directly or indirectly by another product, or if the equipment has been altered or modified in any way, or if the damage was caused by repairs or service provided or attempted by anyone other than Atik Cameras. This warranty does not include or provide for incidental or consequential damages.

To exercise your rights under this warranty, you must return the equipment to the dealer from whom it was purchased together with proof of purchase and a clear description of the fault. If it’s not possible to return the equipment to your dealer, you should contact Atik Cameras. Equipment returned to Atik Cameras must be sent in appropriate packaging and at your expense (insurance is recommended), together with proof of purchase, a return address and a clear description of the fault.

This does not affect your statutory rights.

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