First Light - Lagoon & Eta Carina

[Grantj]

Well after 3 nights of working out how my new toys work, I have had some success I think. All imaged with a Sky-watcher 100ED and Canon 40D on HEQ5Pro mount, guided with a Sky-watcher 80ED and phd

Eta Carinae - 6x360s with ICNR darks, ISO 400

Lagoon - 1x480s 6x420s with ICNR darks, ISO 400

Images were taken last night under the full moon :(, stacked with DSS and processed with Photoshop CS3

All I can say is I am hooked, after 3 long nights of learning (wth frequent outburst of obscenities aimed at my scope, mount or laptop), I am making some progress. I am new to absolutely everything here so any advice/suggestions would be helpful.

[Alchemy]

For a first timer theyre pretty stunning results.:thumbsup:

we might ask you for advice:D

[monoxide]

lookin good mate, your guiding is working well.

hope you dont mind but ive had a tweak of your lagoon shot, i think you will be able to get a lot more out of the original than i got just from the jpg you posted.

[Matty P]

Stunning images Grant for only a first attempt.

I'm sure we will start asking you for advice.

Keep up the great work! :thumbsup:

[Matty P]

Hope you don't mind but I ran your image that TJ adjusted through Noiseware.

You have some good quality data there. :)

[leon]

Grant, wow, impressive for your first attempt, I quite like the look of the deep red appearance, you have captured these objects very well.

Leon

[Bassnut]

Very good work 1st up, and nice tweak Matty, ummm, Noiseware. Is the 40D modded?

[jjjnettie]

You've done very well indeed.
Terrific images.

[Zuts]

Hi,

Great image period, not just for a first go. Curious as to how you got it so red, processing or unmodded 40D.

Paul

[iceman]

Seems like there's an echo in here :lol:

Well done, Grant. Are the scopes piggy-backed or side by side?

The ED100/ED80 combo is a great idea for being able to target the object with just the right focal length (well, up to whatever the ED100 is anyway) :)

Are you using a focal reducer?

[dugnsuz]

...and the boy is in with a BANG!!!!!!

Amazing and I mean AMAZING 1st images!
It's almost as if you've got so much data there that your imaging skills have got to play catch-up!!:P:P:P

Only kidding mate - superb,you've done a great job imaging.
You've really got the best of both worlds there - try imaging these DSOs with the ED80 first is my advice - looks like you've used the ED100 as the imaging scope (not that there's anything wrong with that!!!!).

Very very good - the standard of first attempts continues to amaze!!!!

As always - i look forward to what you've got in store.

:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

[Grantj]

Thanks for the comments guys. The scopes are piggy backed and no focal reducer as yet (should arrive in the next day or so). And yes my processing skills need a lot of work (today was the first time I have used Photoshop), so I have just been playing around not really knowing what I am doing, but I am very happy with the results so far :D

[Ric]

Two mighty fine efforts, well done.

You lagoon image is very nicely done.

Cheers

[Craig_L]

Great images Grant. What ISO setting did you use?

And is the 40D modded? A very nice red.

Craigt

[Terry B]

Very nice first images.
I see you used the ICNR which seems to have worked well. My only problem with using it is the time it takes.You took 13 exposures which meant the camera had to take 13 darks of the same length. I'm too impatient for this and have limited time to do light exposures. I've found using darks taken after you have finished imaging and are packing up a more efficient way to spend my time in the cold. :cold:

[Grantj]

ISO 400 and no the 40D isn't modified



Yes I think I may try this shortly :)

[Grantj]

Slowly learning more about processing in Photoshop. Here is Lagoon reprocessed, not sure but the more subtle colours in the 2nd image is probably my favorite so far.

[Hagar]

Great images, looks like you are off to a great start.
Keep up the good work.

More subs, more darks.

[winensky]

Wonderful first images and first light! I am so getting over RGB. The modded cameras are doing such a good job.

[fringe_dweller]

wow! impressive first light, congrats!

these 450d's are blowin my mind, seen them for around 1400 with 2 lenses omg! to me its getting back to the simplicity days of film from what i read and see, (but even better, wildly better even!) specially with liveview, and 12MP ect.. they were my big bugbear with dslrs and modern lenses for long period.
I was reading the Gary Honis page/site on the 450D, and his comments, he says the 450d RAWs didnt work with DSS, did you have to convert to TIF before stacking? what a fascinating camera
cheers

[Matty P]

Kearn,

Grant has a 40D not a 450D.

The new version of DSS 3.2.1 can read RAW files from the 450D.

:thumbsup:

[fringe_dweller]

:doh: :rofl: sorry 'bout that chief! bit of numerical dyslexia there!? still damn fine effort just the same :thumbsup:
and cheers for updated info Matty!

[netwolf]

Grant, to echo others here. Well done. You got more red than i thought possible with a unmodded camera. And you certainly seem to have the processing skill. I also liked your 2nd Lagoon image compared to its reprocessed version you posted. Looks more right.

Regards
Fahim

[alan meehan]

brilliant grant very well done,might have to drag out my ed100 and give it ashot.what type of focal reducer are you getting for the 100.the one i have i cant seem to bring the 400d into focus with.
that 40d is amazing great work.