First light with my new SXVF-M25c

[atalas]

Happy New Year All

Well,this is first light with my new SXVF-M25c !

Taken at a dark site 200k south of Sydney(Magellan Observatory)over three nights.

Question...am I happy with new SXVF-M25c? YES !

Scope: FSQ106
Mount: AP600E
CCD : SXVF-M25c
Guided: ZS 66SD
Guide cam: QHY5
Exposures: 4min x 90

http://www.atalas.net/components/com_expose/showpic.html?img=expose/img/img_1230945816_429_lg.jpg&caption=Alnitak%20Region&date=&location=

[RB]

Oh wow !
Stunning shot Louie.

Excellent, congrats on the new camera.

[renormalised]

Great shot there, Louie....nice job:D

[MortonH]

Very nice!!!

Morton

[bluescope]

Great image of this region Louie ... I particularly like the detail below B33 in the dust clouds.

:thumbsup:

[beren]

:thumbsup: awesome image Louie congrats

[Hagar]

Wonderful image Louie. I haven't seen many images of this region with this amount of detail.
Looks like the new camera and scope are an excelent match.

[gbeal]

Stunner Louie, a stunner mate, well done. 4min x 90?? Holy cow, how did you stack them all?
So, notwithstanding the fact that it is similar to your previous camera whatcha reckon, worth the extra?
Gary

[Peter Ward]

6 hours of data. Wow.

Impressive Effort! :thumbsup:

[Garyh]

Deep and smooth!
I want one of those!!
Beautiful HH/flame widefield, one of the best I have seen on that scale.
cheers

[allan gould]

Soooooo nice. Excellent detail and processing.

[iceman]

Brilliant image, Louie! Incredible depth and detail.

After Dietmar's review of the M25C (http://www.iceinspace.com.au/93-463-0-0-1-0.html)it definite made me want one!

I was almost going to loan one for a while until I saw the price tag :)

[jase]

Kudos Louie! A lovely image with pleasing details on display. Well done.

[KenGee]

Send that camera back it clearly isn't work correctly.

Great image.

[multiweb]

:eyepop: This is sooo cool! When I grow up I want one! :eyepop:

[astroron]

Beautiful image Louie:):):), most enjoyable keep them coming:thumbsup:

[strongmanmike]

That's excellent even if a slightly different look and saturation to the average HH.

Just curious, the left and right side of the frame look to be brighter like fog or something has affected the image, I haven't seen this before..? Is it in the field or some other effect

Mike

[NewToStars]

wow. thats truely an amazing picture....

well done

[AlexN]

Yep, a top job indeed...

As has been mentioned, how to you find the M25C compared to the QHY8? Being the same sensor, the only real difference would be cooling and drivers, I couldn't imagine it being all that different.. That being said, the SXV cameras have the upside of the available AO unit, and the SXV Guide heads which are apparently awesome..

A stunning image indeed Louie.. You best get a framed copy up on your wall! :D

[strongmanmike]

Ahhh no, just because a camera has the same chip in it doesn't mean the same performance. Electronics architecture, cooling, data transfer handling, care and quality of manufacture etc, etc can all make huge differences. The Starlighxpress range of cameras is the best available and I wouldn't be at all surprised if the SXVM25C is superior to the QHY8.

Mike

[h0ughy]

well done Louie, that is an excellent image.

like Mike i am curious to find out what the two "bloom" areas are?

[leinad]

Absolutely stunning!

[atalas]

Hi All

RB,renormalised,Morton,Steve,beren, Doug,Mr Beal,Peter,Gary,allan,Ice,jase,Ken, Marc,Ron,Big Mike,Jase,Alex,Houghy and leinad....thank you so much guy's ! so glad you liked It.

[atalas]

Yeah Steve,It's a great little object which always grabs my attention too.

[atalas]

Gary my (old friend !) hehe...



Mate,what can I say but YES ! :)

[atalas]

hehehe....made you look Mr Ward !

ps. got a look at you Sombrero shot the other day....Wow ! what detail dude....was wondering how you kept the plain steady when you shot It ?hehe

[CoolhandJo]

One word comes to mind --- Glorious! As I type I am imaging the flame on a DSI II at 90sec. Thought the subs looked pretty good as they stacked - then I browsed this! Now I feel somewhat humbled...:P

[Martin Pugh]

Great image Louie.

well done indeed....you are going to have lots of fun with a great camera and great telescope (and a very good mount as well!)

cheers
Martin

[atalas]

Hi Ice ! hows things dude ?

Buy A Starlight Express Now !! You Know You Want One ! You Deserve It ! Yes You Do ! hehehe !

It's cool mate,I'm sure the kids can run around naked and hungry for a while...they'll forgive you,eventually !

Yes,great cameras Mike and a nice price tag to go with them too.

Happy New Year and Stay well dude !

[Octane]

Louie,

Man, what a beautiful image -- it pops!

I was wondering when you'd bite the bullet and get that monster of a camera. :)

Miss you, mate. All the best for this year.

Regards,
Humayun

[atalas]

:lol::lol::lol:

[Ric]

Hi Louie, love the image you've captured some wonderful depth and detail in that one.

Congrats on the new camera as well, a fine purchase.

[atalas]

Grow up ? not worth It dude ! :lol:

[atalas]

Yes Mike,I did notice this but decided to leave It alone in the end.

The cause ....can't be sure but possibly one of the global screen&Softlight layers I used to bring out faint dusty regions.

[atalas]

Hi Dr Paul

Thanks very much mate...at 90sec grab lots and lots and lots of subs and you'll do well .

[atalas]

Martin,H,Ric,thanks for taking the time guys and glad you all like It !

[atalas]

Not the same camera mate....I think Strongman answered the question perfectly...but having said that, If you can't get the Starlight get the QHY !

[RobF]

Gobsmacked!!!
Thanks for posting!

[Lester]

Outstanding image.

[acropolite]

Lovely image Louie, great detail, looks almos 3D, particularly around the horsehead. :thumbsup:

[marc4darkskies]

Way to go Louie!!! - a wonderful image! :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup: Great detail for such a wide FOV. Good colour too plus it's nice and deep. Just a well balanced image in every respect. Well done!

Cheers, Marcus

[gregbradley]

Hi Louie,

Great image. I posted a reply yesterday but I don't see it.

A great setup you have built up there. Off to a spectacular start.

I am aware of the MX25C these other letters - is this a newer model?

Have fun with it.

Greg.

[atalas]

Rob,Lester,Phil,Marcus and Greg,thanks so much guy's !

[atalas]

Greg,as far as I know the only difference in the SXVF-M25C is that It is USB2.

[gregbradley]

I see.

But having 2 USB2 cameras now let me tell you that is a hell of difference.
Super fast downloads are nice to have. Funny how waiting an extra 15 seconds somehow seems too long??

Greg.

[atalas]

Yeah mate, Full res down in 3 seconds flat ! remember the old parallel ports? you had time to go and make a cup of tee and drink ! hahaha ! the USB1 came along and we were jumping up and down with joy ! now USB2 with ridiculous fast downloads....think we'll see a USB3 ?

[AlexN]

Louie... USB3 is live and in effect already... :) Technology moves so fast that lightning requires catch-up time! :)

USB3 specs would probably see sub 1sec downloads of 6mp images given proper implementation from manufacturer..

[atalas]

Alex,I have only one regret mate.....It doesn't give me time to get to the fridge open a bottle of Corona(with a slice of Lime)and get back to the Laptop screen to see If guiding is still ok ! :lol:

[richardo]

Man now you're cooking Louie,
this is a superb image.:eyepop:
Got all the go gear now.
Looks as though the Q and the M25 are a perfect match.

My favourite little reflection neb Ngc2023 is showing a wealth of lovely detail.

No wonder your pleased.

Looking forward (as no doubt you are)
to see a heap more with this rig from you.

Congrats:thumbsup:

all the best
Rich

[rogerg]

Sunning clarity! :thumbsup:

[Deeno]

Never seen such detail from this much imaged region

[atalas]

Rich,Roger and Deeno,hello and thanks for the feed back guy's !

[Matty P]

I'm blown away Louie. :eyepop:

So much detail definitely the best I've seen. :D

:thumbsup:

[atalas]

Hello and thanks Matty ! your too kind.

[AlexN]

Louie, are you planning to get the SXVF-AO unit and the remote guide head?

After having a look at some of the options available and some of the SX camera models, I think my next camera will be a tough decision... STL11K or SXVF-H35... For the price of the STL11K you could have the SXVF-H35 (same sensor) SXVF-AO and the guide head and half of a filter set... :D

[atalas]

Hahaha ! Alex,just talking to a mate the other day about investing in the SXVF-AO unit ! we haven't got the same mate have we ? yes am considering the AO mate but to be honest the only results I have seen with It didn't impress me,so need to see more results before I commit.

I've seen some great results from Alan Chen so I most definitely considered the H35 If I was going to go mono mate, but right now I'm thinking about the SXVF-H16.

What you think dude,take the plunge into mono ? maybe sooner than later!

Also seriously considered the Yankee Robotics Triffid II 6303E after seeing some great work Ken Crawford had done with It...ah,we'll see dude .

[AlexN]

Hahaha... Nah mate, I've not spoken to anyone else about this stuff, however I've been looking at moving to a mono camera as with the light pollution that I constantly deal with here in Brisbane, Narrowband imaging is the way to go for me... I've been looking at a few different options.. but basically.. after using a chip the size of the QHY8, I couldnt go smaller... so my options are basically.. QHY9 / QHY11 / SXVF-H35 / SXVF-H36 / STL11000M
Price wise, the QHY9 is the cheapest.. and has the best noise levels.
Resolution the SXVF -H35 / QHY11 / STL11KM have the same sensor... QHY11 dark frames are better than the STL, but the STL has self guiding and built in filter wheel.....

Its tough to make a decision like this, but basically. I dont need the resolution of the SXVF-H36. The STL11000M has poor dark current noise and is hell expensive.. This leaves me with 2 options.. Either a QHY11 or SXVF-H35. The SXVF-AO unit works on any camera, but requires a StarlightXpress guide camera.. The QHY11 is cheaper and has better dark noise levels than than the SXVF-H35..

Im left with the decision between the QHY9 and QHY11.. both are great cameras.. the 11 is full frame and 11mp as opposed to the QHY9's APS-C sized sesnsor.. Its hard to say which way I'll go.. It all depends on my next scope.. if its a high quality refractor I'll probably go for the QHY9, if its a CDK or RC I'll probably go the QHY11...

As you can see I've been researching this for a while... I think mono is the way to go.. I've been having fun with the OSC QHY8 for 6 months or so now, however I think if I want to get serious about narrowband imaging I need to move to mono...

[atalas]

Alex,isn't the QHY9 a 15mm x 15mm chip? same size as the SXVF-H16 ? so If you don't want to go smaller than the APS size of the QHY8 I guess the others you mentioned would be the go......unless you don't mind dropping down for mono? you could always resize you QHY8 and add the RGB from that.
Dietz had great results from using a similar routine,worth considering?

[AlexN]

QHY9 is an APS-C sized.. same size as the SXVF-M25C or the QHY8, except 8.6mp instead of 6mp

im looking for something with equal or better resolution for use with the C11 and an RC when I either build one or buy one in the next year or so...
A full frame like the H35 of QHY11 will vignette badly with the C11, however I can see myself with a 10" RC within the next year/year and a half... so that should be fine...

The QHY9 + QHY8 would be a good match for doing narrowband colours at home, and using OSC at dark sky sites... but I think when I get an RC (If I build im planning 10" F/9) with the focal length im going I'd like a bigger chip to give me a wider field, and smaller pixels for better resolution..

[atalas]

Ah,sounds good Alex,close enough to APS size....don't know why I was thinking It was that Kodak chip Sbig &StarlightXpress are using in ST4000 and the SXVF-H16.

Mm...a 10"RC sounds real sweet dude....I'll get to use a 12.5"RC soon I hope,can't wait.

Alex,If your going high res long focal length you really going to have to look at a mount that's capable of giving you the precision and smoothness...there is no end to the madness mate !

[Gama]

Alex, look into a CDK, as it has a 52mm imaging circle, and thats for stars at 1 micron. It will do much more at slightly bigger stars, but still smaller than competitors, especially against the RC which doesnt have a flat field (Unless you have the corrector lens option).
Plus the benifit of being f6.8, and with the new reducer comming in the next few weeks, the f5 i think, should do wonders for your imaging.
Plus at about 1/3 to half the cost...

Some reasons why i went with the CDK over most other designs.

Theo

[AlexN]

Louie - yeah... mount is organised... waiting waiting waiting... Astro-physics wait list.. :)

Theo. I have considered a CDK as the next scope.. I really like the planewave instuments scopes, and after having used one just recently (CDK20 on Paramount) I was incredibly impressed.... I've not really looked at the optical system in depth however... If I build my own scope, the RC might be easier with more of a knoweldge base from other ATMers... That said, a CDK 12.5" might end up cheaper than a home brew RC... still waiting on prices for carbon fibre and optics sets (including corrector lenses)

Thanks for the info...

(Sorry for being way off topic.. :D)