Pentax 200mm Prime lens shots M8/20 & M31

[RobF]

More from Qld Astrofest, this time work shot with the Canon 450D through a Pentax 200mm prime lens at about f/5.6'ish. I ran my 80mm refractor in a side-by-side configuration with the 200mm lens most of the week. While the QHY9 was shooting through the 80mm, I tried to keep the DSLR snapping the same field using this lens whenever I could. Took longer to get everything set up and focused of course, but fun to have the wider field to compare later. At least one onlooker was bemused at how fiddley mounting and focus was for the 200mm, but glad I persevered.

I've already posted my M31 with the ZS80 and QHY9 (http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=95402) (did I mention I like imaging M31 :D). I haven't put all my M8 data from the ZS/QHY9 combo together yet, but really happy how the lens has rendered this area. Not too bad for a sub $100 2nd hand lens on the old DSLR. Considering the lens was bought primarily with narrowband in mind, I had no right to expect this from it shooting bayered RGB. Actually it was interesting how easy it was to get the right colour balance for the M8 data shot overhead, while much more effort was required to bring back the blues for the much lower altitude M31 data. I didn't get any good shots of the SBS rig, but you can sort of get the idea from this (https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/VAPcBmqOunS5f2QQGm3T79MTjNZETYmyPJy 0liipFm0?feat=directlink) poorly angled snapshot where the 200mm is visible with just the caps on (450D actually used to take the shot while wandering around before sunset).


M8 & M20 field was 11x10min shots (ISO 400 and ISO 800)
M31 field was 18x10min shots (ISO 400 and ISO 800)
(M8 field cropped in about 20% and M31 field about 30% during to dodgey aligning of camera and fields between nights)

Thanks for looking.

[Octane]

Who's the Andromeda king, now?

Beautiful.

H

[RobF]

Thanks H :)
I'd kill to be able to turn the FSQ/STL combo on it like the image you showed last year though.....
(keep saving.....! :astron:)

[h0ughy]

great work and results, i love the lagoon shot but the colours and sharpness of m31 is brilliant

[Deeno]

Lovely!

[Stevec35]

Excellent Rob! Colour and everything else is just perfect.

[andyc]

both magnificent images! My favourite's the Lagoon/Trifid shot - nice colours and mix of depth/detail pluse wide field.

[RickS]

Very nice, Rob! It's good to see M31 floating in space and not crammed into a just-large-enough FOV. You even have stars with points like on a flag :lol:

[multiweb]

Very cool. :thumbsup: The FOV around the lagoon looks familiar. :)

[Ross G]

Great widefield photos Rob.

I love your Andromeda photo...it's my favourite object.

Ross.

[alan meehan]

brilliant shots Rob sharp as a tack,well done
AL

[RobF]

Thanks David - came out better than I'd hoped really



Thanks for looking!



Appreciate you checking it out Steven



Thanks Andy - I really was surprised how easily that one processed. Almost seemed too easy.



Thank Rick. I really need to experiment with different f/stops on these lenses. There is a point as they stop down the aperture becomes oblong and I suspect that's what has exagerated the spikes. Probably better than wide open and risking less detail when I wasn't sure though. Patriotic you reckon? :)



Like something who is alreday an expert Pentax lens user might have shot perhaps :question: :thumbsup:



Thanks Ross. Blows my mind looking at it every time.



Thanks Alan. I'll definitely be doing more lens work when time allows. I had worried the lens would be competing for the QHY9, but these shots make me think there's nothing to be lost shooting DSLR OSC whenever the main rig is going now.