M8/M20 @300mm f8 (added High Res Image)

[dugnsuz]

Hello all...
Experimenting with dropping down to f8 last night with my 300mm f4L IS lens.

I find the aperture blade pattern on the brighter stars to be a bit obtrusive, but I love the tightness of the stars and detail in this short exposure. Colours are nice and bright too - I like this lens!

Canon 40D (modded)
Canon 300mm f4L IS @f8, IDAS LPS2 filter.
4x10 mins, iso1600, ICNR on.

Hope to get much more RGB and Ha to add to this soon:D
So no High Res as yet!

Doug:thumbsup:

[leon]

Nice wide field Doug, you must have been out doing this one at the same time i happened to get some decent weather for a change, it nearly looks identical.
Your doing some good work mate, the lens is serving you well.

Leon

[Tamtarn]

Excellent wide field of this area Doug, good detail with nice contrast.
Like the colour balance you have achieved.

[Lester]

I like it too Doug.

Well done.

[renormalised]

Nicely done, Doug...great wide field:D

[toryglen-boy]

thats a nice picture mate, i might try something like that myself

:)

[sjastro]

Nice image Doug.

I think however you can extract more detail out of the data.

Hope you don't mind but here is a reprocess in Photoshop.

(1) Shadow/highlights. Shadow:- 50%
(2) Edit fade shadow/highlights:- 60%.
(3) Filter reduce noise Strength:- 6, Preserve details:- 30%
Sharpen:- 25%. Apply only to R channel, G channel, and B channel.

Regards

Steven

[gregbradley]

A great image. Nice rich colours, good exposure. Nice stars.

Could've been framed better though. Over to the left a bit so it was more balanced and pulled down a bit to get the nebula at the base of the Lagoon fully in the shot.

Nice one. That 300mm F4 is a nice lens. Are they expensive?

Greg.

[dugnsuz]

Thanks leon - my 40D crop factor and your 5D full frame look like the same field of view! Still rather have your setup though!!!



Ta B&D, very impressed with the colours straight out the lens so to speak - minimal processing needed on this one







Cheers Lester, Carl and Duncan



No Worries Steven - good job. You've brought out the finer nebular detail in the background nicely despite the 200kb file size. I will try out your processing tips on the large TIFF file tonight - Thanks.



Cheers Greg, might try to tighten up the framing next time out.
Lens is quite expensive - paid around $2000 in Oz, but the HK dealers on ebay average around $1700 - $1800.

Doug:thumbsup::thumbsup:

[Alchemy]

the standards just keep going up, more nice work doug

[TrevorW]

Nice one Dougie I might try some widefield myself when these clouds disappear

[dugnsuz]

Thankyou gentlemen:thumbsup:

[AlexN]

Very nice indeed Doug, I like Stevens reprocess too..

That 300 F/4L seems to be doing you very proud indeed!

[gregbradley]

Lens is quite expensive - paid around $2000 in Oz, but the HK dealers on ebay average around $1700 - $1800.

Doug:thumbsup::thumbsup:[/QUOTE]

Its a keeper I think.

Greg.

[multiweb]

Nice one Doug - sharp focus and great colours :thumbsup:

[marc4darkskies]

Very nice Doug - love the vibrancy of the colour. Looks nice and sharp too - although a bit hard to tell at this scale. Look forward to some Ha being added ... and try a repro as Steven's suggests to get more out of your data.

Cheers, Marcus

[dugnsuz]

Its a keeper I think.

Greg.[/QUOTE]





Thanks all, this is the first time I've tried the 300mm lens on objects as colourful as M8 and M20 (the Lobster is pretty much all Ha) and I'm looking forward to much more.

Ran through Steven's repro on the TIFF file and can now post a High Res repro - with a small amendment to the above data...this is actually only 35mins worth which makes me love this lens even more!!!

http://s327.photobucket.com/albums/k461/doug-robertson/?action=view&current=19a.jpg

[Omaroo]

Nice shot there Dougie :) Nice colour and tight stars. Bootiful! :thumbsup:

[dugnsuz]

Cheers Chris - bit noisy, but it is only 35mins! That will be attended to!!:computer:

[Hagar]

Very very nice Doug. So much to look at and take in. I might have to have another go at this one with the reducer fitted on the FSQ. It might be an interesting comparison. The lens cost you a bit but it is still easier to transport than the FSQ and still quite a bit cheaper.
I wonder if my minister for finance will spring for one for Christmas. High hopes me thinks.

Great image Mate a real keeper.

[dugnsuz]

Thanks Doug - what's the FSQ's focal length with the reducer? With my 1.4x extender I get to 420mm...as you say, we could do a lens v's scope comparison! Roll on clear skies - raining again here tonight.

My wife would have my "billiards" if I even suggested another purchase of such magnitude.:eyepop:
You're a very lucky man having such an understanding minister on your cabinet Mr Hagar!!!
Doug:thumbsup: