G'day I picked up the 350D today and decided to have a play even with the clouds and really bad sky.
Taken from about 4km from Brisbane city center ( lots of light pollution)
details are
unmodified 350D
C11 at F10 (2800 FL)
EQ6 ( not polar aligned about 8 degrees from pole)
unguided 1min 20sec, about as long as I could shoot without getting too much skyglow
Iso 800
shot in Raw mode converted to Jpeg no other processing done.
Heavly compressed from around 7mb
I can't remember if I took a dark frame with this shot?
Considering the conditions it didn't turn out too bad.
I can't wait to get this camera under a dark sky.
cheers
David.
Great first light David, I haven't had mine new 350D out under the stars yet as the weather has been most unco-operative since I bought it.
The image is suffering from a load of jpeg compression because you've left it at the original resolution (3500pixels!). But I've had a quick shot at processing (hope that's ok), just some quick curves and levels and a pass through NeatImage.
It's smoothed a bit too much for my liking but due to the jpeg compression of your original to fit to forum guidelines, that's the way it came out.
Can't wait to see your next attempts after a few images are stacked!
Thanks Mike, I was fighting clouds looking for those sucker holes but I couldn't resist trying to get a shot on the first night :-))
I did try some processing of this image and in the Raw format it does process well.
I,m looking forward to this weekend to try the camera out under dark sky with some longer exposures.
So far I,m impressed they pick up a huge amount of detail in such a short time, and they are easy to use.
I did use the remote switch I built the other day, I,m glad to see that it works perfectly. Now I might have a crack at building the timer remote :-))
G'day David. Great to see you join th Canon Digital revolution. I would have thought you would have bought the 20Da for sure though Does this mean were going to get even more cloud?
If it's fine this weekend pop up to Astroron's place and try it out. We're hoping to get a bit of a croud there for a Xmas BBQ
I can't wait to start getting these first early images.
That initial thrill of the first image thru some new equipment, with that tantalising feeling of more to come!!!!
i love these type of shots. Tidalphase has just started as well and I will follow with a lot of vested interest cos in a few years time, i will be bugging the hell out out of you guys when i get mine!!!!
Thanks guys,it isn't the greatest shot but I am impressed as to how easy it is to use.
I might try stacking the other 27 I did last night it should give a pleasing result.
Hi Paul, yes I thought it was time to get with the times so to speak :-))
I must admit it gives a sense of satisfaction to see the results straight away instead of months down the track as you do with film.
I thought long and hard about the 20DA but when I saw the price of the 350D with twin lens I couldn't resist.
I have got the camera booked in with Hutech to get the mod done, but there's a one month waiting list, it least it gives me time to get a few shots to compere with.
Sorry Paul Leyburn beacons me this weekend I,m just hoping the weather is good.
Thanks Andrew, I,m still learning how to turn this camera on :-)) I couldn't even find how to use the LCD screen to focus so I just used the viewfinder but give me a few more nights with it and I will suss it all out.The timer will have to wait for a while as I was happy to use the simple wired remote and I think the cost would be alot more for the timer.
Didn't use mirror lock as I don't know how to :-))
Tony, what do you use to work with Raw files? is there any program that will stack them or do you have to convert them to another format first?
David and David H stay tuned theres more to come :-)) I,m already planning my shooting schedule for this weekend.
Tony, what do you use to work with Raw files? is there any program that will stack them or do you have to convert them to another format first?
try the free iris (http://www.astrosurf.org/buil/us/iris/iris.htm) , it is a pain to get going and use properly, but at least you can load your file into the program and convert your raw over.
David it's a done deal, I will get my son to upload them for you to get.
I,ll pick the best ten. Will drop you a Pm when its done.
Thanks for the link to iris I will check it out,
I do have Maxim DL V3.? so I will give that a try.
Tony, I found quite a large difference in the Jpeg and raw files, the raw files seemed to hold more data, I have no idea yet which is the easiest to work with.
I think with the clouds tonight I might get a chance to play with the files.
Thanks Louie,I have to admit not the best shot I have ever done but not bad with a new toy that I still have to learn.
I D/L a program called Rawshooter essentials http://www.pixmantec.com/products/ra...ssentials.html
it's free and what it does is allow you to view and process Raw files it then converts to a Tiff or Jpeg.
This is the first time I have tried it and it seems to do a decent job.
The Gui is I guess you would call it "different"
But the program is easy enough to use.
I did a quick and dirty process of the same image here is the result.
The one thing I can't seem to get right is the contrast on the stars, they looked quite ok on the original but are much brighter on this version.
as yet I don't know if this software will stack raw images , I will have a more detailed play with it later.
Congrats Dave on your first light image with the awsome 350D.
I like the colors great pic.
Unfortunately the LCD monitor cannot be used as a viewfinder for shooting
To enable Miror Lockup, press the Menu button,use the left/right cross keys to go to the last menu icon, use the up/down cross key to go down to Custom functions, press the set button, use the up/down cross keys to find Mirror lockup, press the set button, press the up/down cross keys to enable, press the set button.
Might be good to also enable Long Exposure Noise Reduction as well while in here.
I hope this helps, i am still learning this camera also and get a kick out of others posting pics using the 350.
As soon as these clouds clear hopefully i'll have my first widefield milkyway shot with the 350d.. Will definitely try the mirror lockup and noise reduction.
Yes that's what everyone is telling me.....I just have to work out to process raws..
Hopefully someone with this experience is going to Lostock so I can learn of them.
Hi Tony,
At this stage I am planning to go to Lostock and Mike has asked me to conduct a workshop on DSLR stuff. I will definitley cover RAWs, working with ImagesPlus.
Thanks Louie,I have to admit not the best shot I have ever done but not bad with a new toy that I still have to learn.
I D/L a program called Rawshooter essentials http://www.pixmantec.com/products/ra...ssentials.html
it's free and what it does is allow you to view and process Raw files it then converts to a Tiff or Jpeg.
This is the first time I have tried it and it seems to do a decent job.
The Gui is I guess you would call it "different"
But the program is easy enough to use.
I did a quick and dirty process of the same image here is the result.
The one thing I can't seem to get right is the contrast on the stars, they looked quite ok on the original but are much brighter on this version.
as yet I don't know if this software will stack raw images , I will have a more detailed play with it later.
David
Hi David,
First of all, congratulations on a good start with your 350D.
Rawshooter would be OK for conversion and other processing but I'm pretty sure it won't automatically stack your images. You may be able to align and stack them one at a time using layers (as in Photoshop) if it has that feature.
On an earlier question, you do have to convert your RAWs to another format (Tifs or fits, NOT Jpeg) before processing them further. Rawshooter should be useful there. When I convert using Imagesplus, I always choose either Linear conversion or CFA (pre Bayer interpolation). This applies a minimum of processing to the images so that calibration with darks and flats can be more accurate.
![[1ponders]'s Avatar](../vbiis/customavatars/avatar45_9.gif){kind=avatar}
Does this mean were going to get even more cloud?
Congrats Dave on your first light image with the awsome 350D.
