Logitech Fusion Webcam

IC Capture Software

Image Test Results

• Page 1: Converting Fusion for Telescope Use
• Page 2: Fusion and Toucam Compared
• Page 3: This page - Daytime Image Test Results
• Page 4: Lunar & H-Alpha Test Results
• Page 5: Fusion and Toucam Compared - Part 2
• Page 6: Hi Resolution Capture to Hard Drive
• Page 7: Closeup Look at Circuit Board
• Page 8: Sun in H-Alpha
• Page 9: Animation & Images of Sun in H-Alpha
• Page 10: Long Exposure Via Software
• Page 11: Saturn & Jupiter with settings and processing notes
• Page 12: 3 hour Jupiter Animation & Images with settings and processing notes

IC Capture allows capturing of AVIs and still Images, both BMPs and JPGs in resolutions higher than that provided by the original Logitech drivers. The original Logitech Fusion software provides a maximum of 640X480 resolution for AVI files. K3CCDTools capture software provides a maximum of 704X576 resolution. Here are the available RGB resolutions when using IC Capture with the Fusion webcam with a maximum resolution of 1280X960 offered by the webcams 1.3 Megapixel chip:

Another added feature that IC Capture provides is noise reduction. Noise reduction can be selected that uses the average of a certain number of frames. The number of frames selectable are 2, 4, 8, 16 or 32 frames. It appears the noise reduction feature is an average combine of image frames. For astro imaging, this function is not of great benefit. Combining of images would best be performed after image acquisition with no noise reduction during capture in order to capture more frames in the AVI file.

Update: The 30 day trial period ended for IC CAPTURE which I had been testing for astro use with the Fusion webcam. The quote I received to purchase the software was $160. So, instead I have been using the software OPEN VIDEO CAPTURE (OVC) by DigitByte Studio . You can download a demo on their web site. The software has been working very well, provides all the video resolutions for AVI files as IC CAPTURE. I purchased the OVC software for $30 online which provides a registration code by email that enables the trial version.

I made an indoor test of the output quality of a BMP image captured from videos taken at different resolutions for the Fusion webcam. The test object was a white window blind imaged through a 400mm Short Tube 80 refractor in dim lighting conditions. Exposure settings were based on using IC Capture's Live Histogram function for the red, green and blue channels as seen below. This is a handy feature of IC Capture and a great assist to adjusting the camera settings for correct exposure.

Test Image Results:

Three images were taken at the 640X480 resolution at 5, 15 and 30 fps. Two images were taken at the 1280X960 resolution at 5 and 7.5 fps, the only two frame rates available at that resolution. All images were reduced to 320X 240 size for display below. Note the much smoother image quality of the 1280X960 resolution images:

<640X480 at 5 fps <640X480 at 15 fps

<640X480 at 30 fps <1280X960 at 5 fps

<1280X960 at 7.5 fps

Noise Reduction Test Images:

These test images show the effect of the noise reduction feature of IC Capture. Noise reduction was applied during exposure of the above 1280X960 image at 7.5 fps.

Results:

The 2 frame version (below) provides noticeable improvement in noise. The 4 frame version may offer a slightly better noise reduction, but not much. There is some improvement in using the higher frame noise reduction settings beyond 4 frames. Since this function appears to be an average combine of individual frames as they are being captured, for planetary imaging and changing seeing conditions, noise reduction should be disabled in order to capture the maximum number of frames in an AVI for best selection and combining these best frames after acquisition instead.

<1280X960 at 7.5 fps with Noise 2 frames

<1280X960 at 7.5 fps with Noise 4 frames

<1280X960 at 7.5 fps with Noise 8 frames

<1280X960 at 7.5 fps with Noise 16 frames

<1280X960 at 7.5 fps with Noise 32 frames

Video Capture Tests:

I continued with the testing above by taking 10 second AVI videos to compare the quality of uncompressed BMPs that could be extracted from the AVI files and to determine the actual number of frames that could be captured at the different fps settings. For planetary imaging, to avoid the affects of poor seeing, the maximum number of frames that can be taken per second is preferable, if they are of good quality. Results: It appears that the best compromise for the AVI capture setting may be the 1280X960 resolution at the 5 fps rate with no noise reduction. This setting provided 21 frames for the 10 second AVI which is a true 2 fps capture rate. UPDATE: Later solar and lunar testing with longer AVIs is providing true 5 fps capture rates. The 1280X960 at 7.5 fps setting is the next best setting and I am shopping for a hard drive that has a fast enough sustained write speed to capture uncompressed at this higher rate.

<1280X960 at 7.5 fps with Noise 2 frames - 8 frames captured

<1280X960 at 7.5 fps (no noise reduction) - 32 frames captured

<1280X960 at 5 fps (no noise reduction) - 21 frames captured

<640X480 at 5 fps (no noise reduction) - 41 frames captured

Part 2 - Fusion and Toucam Compared - Saturn, Mars and Moon test images CLICK HERE.

Part 1 - Logitech Fusion and Philips Toucam compared CLICK HERE.

For Solar H-Alpha and Lunar test image results using IC Capture Software CLICK HERE.

Conversion instructions for Fusion Webcam CLICK HERE.

Hi Resolution Capture to Hard Drive - Speed Performance CLICK HERE.

Animation & Images of Sun in H-Alpha CLICK HERE.

Jupiter & Saturn with Fusion settings and processing notes CLICK HERE.

3 hour Jupiter animation and images with Fusion settings and processing notes CLICK HERE.

TO MY MAIN ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY PAGE