This is a work in progress of the Ophiuchus region. Additional Ha to be incorporated. Just love this area of the sky! Mars and Saturn an added bonus A bit rough with blown out stars and M4 colour, etc. but getting there.
This was one of those images that when it opened I said two words, one starting with "f" and the other with "m" Lovely deep 3D looking field perfectly processed.
I am keen to get back into some wide field imaging myself by the end of the year and I am looking to mate my PL16803 (which has been sitting idle for nearly 3 years ) with something and I have been considering FSQ's, VIXEN 100 F3's, Televues etc or a good camera lens...you have just upped the chances of getting a good camera lens
Thanks Andy and Mike! Mike, how big is the sensor on the PL16803? Can you mount Canon lenses on it? If so, the Zeiss 135mm f2.0 APO is truly a rocking lens! Has quite a long focus through that helps for finer adjustments, but if you're aiming overhead, the focus may slide. I use rubber bands to solve that problem. Using straight luminence at f2.5, you will blow out the background sky at 180s. Even shorter for a monochrome cam. So you bang out heaps of short (90s) subs. The lens is so dangerously sharp that it tears a 20mp bayer senser to shreads - even with the AA filter in front of the bayer colour filter array. It would resolve 100mp+ if those pixels were available It would find a good mate with a good monochrome sensor if there's room for the filter wheel!
Thanks Andy and Mike! Mike, how big is the sensor on the PL16803? Can you mount Canon lenses on it? If so, the Zeiss 135mm f2.0 APO is truly a rocking lens! Has quite a long focus through that helps for finer adjustments, but if you're aiming overhead, the focus may slide. I use rubber bands to solve that problem. Using straight luminence at f2.5, you will blow out the background sky at 180s. Even shorter for a monochrome cam. So you bang out heaps of short (90s) subs. The lens is so dangerously sharp that it tears a 20mp bayer senser to shreads - even with the AA filter in front of the bayer colour filter array. It would resolve 100mp+ if those pixels were available It would find a good mate with a good monochrome sensor if there's room for the filter wheel!
Great stuff Troy, cheers for the info ...Zeiss huh? hmmm?
Mike
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kunama
Fine....Mesmerising (probably not the words Mike was mouthing !) beautiful image Troy.
Oh...close Matt, close...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Atmos
Fantastic! That lens is a real performer!!
Oh and I'll take that PL16803 off of your hands if you're not planning on using it any time soon Mike
He he, yeah bet you would Colin ...might be good to swap out the 16803 sensor for a KAF-50100 actually.. 6 micorn pixels hmm?
Absolutely stunning, beautiful image, Troy. (You have also persuaded me to go ahead with my plans to buy the gorgeous Zeiss Otus 55mm, F1.4 lens, which can be mated to either a Canon or Nikon lens). There is nothing like a premium Zeiss optic. But all credit must go to your skills as an astrophotographer; this has to be one of the finest images I have seen on this site. Congrats!
That is stunning work I will be imaging the same region soon, but without the full spectrum 6D. I do have astronomik UHC filter, which should be helpful. Can i ask, how did you reduce the stars to get that smooth nebulosity ? and how much total exposure time is it ?
It is superb Troy. I'm not done with this region yet either :-) Sounds like an epic pano project you're attempting - 200 panels! You've clearly got an impressive processing workflow going to be able to merge it this well. I am amazed!
There are two issues mounting lenses to sensors - one is the back focus required, the other is the image size the lens will form.
The 16803 sensor is 36mm * 36mm with diagonal of 52mm. It's unlikely the Zeiss will do much more than the diagonal of standard 35mm format which is 43mm. Same will be true for just about any lens designed for 35mm.
The flange focus distance for the Zeiss like any Canon EOS/EF lens is 44mm. There aren't many mono CCD and filter wheel combinations you can fit in that space, given that you also need an EOS adapter in there.
Jason Jennings is using an Apogee camera at least partly for the minimum back focus required.. just 26mm. The same CG16070 camera body also comes in a 16803 version. That would leave you 18mm for filter wheel plus EOS adapter. Pretty tight! But possible? But you'd be wasting your time as the lens won't work well with sensor that size. You really need medium format lenses for bigger sensors.. I've got a Pentax 6*7 format lens currently paired with a QHY9 but waiting for the day I can afford 16803 or similar to go with it!
It is superb Troy. I'm not done with this region yet either :-) Sounds like an epic pano project you're attempting - 200 panels! You've clearly got an impressive processing workflow going to be able to merge it this well. I am amazed!
There are two issues mounting lenses to sensors - one is the back focus required, the other is the image size the lens will form.
The 16803 sensor is 36mm * 36mm with diagonal of 52mm. It's unlikely the Zeiss will do much more than the diagonal of standard 35mm format which is 43mm. Same will be true for just about any lens designed for 35mm.
The flange focus distance for the Zeiss like any Canon EOS/EF lens is 44mm. There aren't many mono CCD and filter wheel combinations you can fit in that space, given that you also need an EOS adapter in there.
Jason Jennings is using an Apogee camera at least partly for the minimum back focus required.. just 26mm. The same CG16070 camera body also comes in a 16803 version. That would leave you 18mm for filter wheel plus EOS adapter. Pretty tight! But possible? But you'd be wasting your time as the lens won't work well with sensor that size. You really need medium format lenses for bigger sensors.. I've got a Pentax 6*7 format lens currently paired with a QHY9 but waiting for the day I can afford 16803 or similar to go with it!
Phil
Thanks for that Phil, exactly what I was thinking ie. Pentax 6X7 lenses, they are just not well corrected for colour, great for NB though.
A bit rough with blown out stars and M4 colour, etc. but getting there.
Lovely deep 3D looking field perfectly processed.
) with something and I have been considering FSQ's, VIXEN 100 F3's, Televues etc or a good camera lens...you have just upped the chances of getting a good camera lens 
(You have also persuaded me to go ahead with my plans to buy the gorgeous Zeiss Otus 55mm, F1.4 lens, which can be mated to either a Canon or Nikon lens). There is nothing like a premium Zeiss optic. But all credit must go to your skills as an astrophotographer; this has to be one of the finest images I have seen on this site. Congrats! 
