EVOLUTIONS OF THE AIRTIGHT CASE 

With the experiment of its use, I realized that my case was perfectible on some points:

- WEIGHT 

- OPTICAL PATH 

- ABSENCE OF PHOTO TRIPOD THREAD 

My Audine also had a "large" defect, that to working only on the 220V. 

I thus got AlAudine NT at Mécastronic, superb product designed by Robert Soubie. This power supply with works from a 12V DC voltage and really makes save time and quality by controlling the temperature of the CCD. 

This power supply, combined with Ethern' Aude in only one case gives moreover extremely good results in terms of electronic noise although the reading rate of the CCD increases considerably (4,5 S for a KAF400). 

By seeking for the other Audine owners a perennial and reliable obturator, I was likely to unearth the Pentax shutter now marketed by Mécastronic.

This shutter having interesting dimensions, it appeared possible to me to place it at more close to the CCD (to avoid vignetting) and "bottom up" beside of the CCD  to decreasing optical path. The use of the F3,3 reducer was some definitely facilitated.

The following modifications were made to the basic plans:

- Body :

  • Weight reduction by decreasing the wall thickness from 3 mm to 2 mm

  • Machining a 64 mm diameter to be able to fix the photo thread support

  • Adoption of a standard Pentium radiator  AQUA 650 (lighter and effective) 

- Bottom :

  • New tapped holes for fastening of radiator AQUA 650

- Drain :

  • Increase of the length to bring the CCD closer to the optical window  by placing  the shutter motor beside.

  • Addition of the M1,6  tapped holes  for fastening of KAF 1603ME 

- Mount :

  • Tolerance of diameter 64 to facilitate the fixing of the photo thread support

- Shutter plate :

  • Création of the drawing

Lightening of the case and addition of a photo thread support. Camera posed on Alaudine NT.

The connection pins of the CCD support  are lengthened by insertion of special tulips for wrapping pins (the same ones as those used for the connection of the lower chart on the bottom of the case). The N-C pins were not cabled to decrease the thermal losses .

Installation of  PENTAX shutter  and reduction in optical path by lengthening of the cold drain. 

Cork in thin sheet was glued with "araldite" on the cold drain to avoid the thermal losses by convection.

DRAWINGS OF THE NEW VERSION (PDF files)

Download assembly drawing

Download mount plan

Download body drawing

Download bottom drawing

Download thermal drain drawing

Download shutter plate plan

Coming soon photo thread support drawing.