First image from modded 350D - Eta Carinae from SPSP

[iceman (Mike)]

Hi all

Chris Wakeman (33South) was kind enough to loan me his modded 350D (that he bought off Striker way back) on the Saturday night at SPSP, and so I went for some targets where I knew I could compare with what I'd previously captured using my non-modded 350D.

Simply put, the dark skies at the star party, combined with the modded camera, have captured detail that I didn't think was possible with my setup. It's made me want a modded camera even more, even sooner! If his camera wasn't black (mine is silver), I would've swapped them when I had to return it

Thanks to Chris for loaning the camera for the night!

So here's Eta Carinae, 13x 300s exposures @ ISO400 taken with my ED80, WO 0.8x reducer and modded 350D. Guided with DMK + PHD. Darks ICNR, flats calibrated.

Compared to my recent Eta using my camera (and from home), the difference is remarkable.

I've attached an 800px version, and also a 100% (1:1 pixel) crop showing the fine detail visible in the original fullsize version.

A larger, 1200px wide less compressed version is here (click the image to see it):

Eta Carinae with Modded 350D

Comments, suggestions welcome. I'm not sure on the processing - I could give it more brightness/contrast but didn't want to lose any detail or make it too unnatural.

Thanks for looking.

[Inmykombi (Geoff)]

WOW Mike,

What lovely detail and clarity you have captured once again.

Congratulations are also in order for your awards at SPSP as well.
The quality of images was excellent.
Your photo of Clavious was one of my favourites.
Clavious is my favourite part of the Moon. I never tire from observing that region and the Crater itself.

Well done again mate.

Cheers.

Geoffro.

[Escortitis]

Wow Mike, these modded cameras are building a huge reputation for themselves. The guys behind them aren't doing to bad either!

[h0ughy (David)]

thick with stars - what a hydrogen soup Mike

[leon]

Sure is a pea soup of Stars in that one Mike, yep. those modded cameras really earn the keep, nice imaging indeed.

Leon

[33South (Chris)]

Love the detail in the high res version, I knew you would do it justice.

Glad it was the black body version.

[spearo (Frank)]

"My God...it's full of stars" (Kubrick, 2001 Space Odyssey)
Compared to the earlier shot the same quantity of stars is showing but the Hydrogen cloud really stands out with the modded camera shot. It's excellent to be able to compare shots like that
frank

[iceman (Mike)]

Thanks guys, i'm really pleased with how it turned out. It's going to be very difficult to image this target again with my own non-modded camera, and from "home" (not dark SPSP) skies again.

[Dietmar]

hi Mike,

congrats on that successful modifiaction!
the image is awesome!!!