The Ultrastar PRO cameras are advanced versions of the Starlight Xpress ‘Superstar’ guide camera and have a similar resolution of 1392 x 1040 pixels. However, the CCD chip has 70% more area and the QE is considerably greater, at around 75% peak.
These characteristics give the Ultrastar an excellent performance as both a guide camera and an imaging camera, which is especially well suited to ‘Live Viewing’ mode. Some years ago, Paul Shears released a simple to use program called ‘Lodestar Live’, which uses the SX Lodestar in ‘Live Viewing’ mode.
This has now been upgraded to ‘Starlight Live’ and is capable of controlling both the Lodestar and the Ultrastar in Live view. It can also colour convert and stack images from the single-shot colour versions of these cameras.
