Right.
So, here's some adjustments I'll try. Let me know if there are more, if I have them right or if I have missed something else.
Forum suggested
- Switch off noise reduction. Since I am shooting in raw, it's pointless anyway.
- Aperture should be 2-2.8 from what that lens date looks like - not 1.4 or 8, lol.
- Increase number of frames taken from 9 to 16 or 32 for stacking.
- Make a 'dark' shot (I guess same length as the normal frames I am taking but with the lens on? Is that how I make one?)
My ideas
- Start building a barn door tracker, lol.
- Maybe drop down from 10 seconds to 8, as I can still see star trailing.
- Mozzie repellant. I paid for each final frame with three bites last night.
Questions
1. If the pictures I take look quite 'bright' (light), will DSS 'darken' them so I get a black sky? - Sorry for the stupid question.) If it is quite 'bright' - what should I be adjusting then? For example, I am going to do f/2.0 on a f/1.4 lens at 1600 ISO at 10 seconds. That's going to result in a bright image - right? In my head, I'm thinking "That isn't right!" - but it is, as DSS adjusts it?
2. Also, does the fact that I have a 'bright' object, like Mars mean that the camera is less able to pick up the stars around it? Would I have gotten better results if I hadn't chosen mars?
3. What ISO is best for my particular situation? From what I was reading, some are doing anything up to 12,000+ and claiming it doesn't matter, while others go for 400-800, or 1200. I'm thinking I should go 1600.
4. Is the best focus actually just short of infinity, or infinity?
Next up will be the Southern Cross with modifications applied.
Edit
Ok, several (e.g.16/32) 'dark shots'. Good for one night.