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Old 26-05-2022, 09:27 PM
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Milky Way 18mm F/L 25600 ISO untracked

this rain is causing me to try different things..
First I again thank JA for his tireless input to assist me to use this lens particularly to get it to manual focus.

so gear..Nikon D5500, 18/55 mm Lens on a tripod..no tracking..
F4 ...and 5 second subs at 25600 iso...why? at first I set the iso so high to help frame my shot but I just had the feeling it was going to cloud over and rain...so given I see all this as experimental I took 85 subs at 25600 iso just to see what would come from such a high iso...40 darks no flats or bias
so the stack resulted in a reasonable image with a decent histogram.
So thru Startools and Photoshop provided the result you can now see.

I have two more in the oven but the sky became misty so dont hold your breath they dont look very hopeful

alex
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Old 26-05-2022, 09:47 PM
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here is another but 50 mm fl...the noise seemed much worse but in the top left I had very distorted stars and there seems something wrong with the left side..I cropped and fiddled and I present the result
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Old 27-05-2022, 05:27 AM
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Hey Alex the 18mm proved to be suited for the job and the result was great even with the high ISO.

Have to agree the 50mm didn't deliver and the noise is pretty bad, I have found that the stars will distortion at the edges because putting a 50mm lens on the Infinity Line on the barrel of the Lens is not really Infinity.

I, (and you probably are aware of this,) first put the Lens on Auto point it at a distant street light or similar and get it focused then switch to manual and take the shots at any length you want.

Just my two cents worth.

Good effort on the first one though.

Leon
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Old 27-05-2022, 06:02 AM
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Originally Posted by leon View Post
Hey Alex the 18mm proved to be suited for the job and the result was great even with the high ISO.

Have to agree the 50mm didn't deliver and the noise is pretty bad, I have found that the stars will distortion at the edges because putting a 50mm lens on the Infinity Line on the barrel of the Lens is not really Infinity.

I, (and you probably are aware of this,) first put the Lens on Auto point it at a distant street light or similar and get it focused then switch to manual and take the shots at any length you want.

Just my two cents worth.

Good effort on the first one though.

Leon
Good morning Leon.

What a pleasant surprise to get my meds out of the way ,sit down with my morning cuppa ( is there anything better) and find that my old friend is well and offering me encouragement and advice.

Really what an absolutely wonderful start to my day.

Getting a result, any result given the seeing was a big win and to find that a high ISO was useful really made my night. AND to finally be able to use that lens made me just so happy and very grateful to JA.

Honestly I was ready to trash both these lens and although they are cheap me being unsophisticated about lens quality am very happy with them cause they are delivering far better results than I expected...and to think I can do this outside my door is a real boon.

I managed quite a few subs at 1600 ISO but I passed out half way thru processing so I will look at those later in my rest period but now I have to go and work on my road ..I picked up more pavers and concrete so will add a further improvement..chip chip chip.

I like to select a star on the screen blow it up and focus but I do not have a mask so it really could be better...however I am happy very very happy to get a few crumbs.

Thanks for dropping in a wish Alice a happy Friday from me.

Alex
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Old 27-05-2022, 06:26 AM
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Thanks Alex, I just did wish Alice a happy Friday, actually she often asks how is that mate of yours Alex going.

Well I reply "he is doing quite well considering some aliments and is enjoying every minute of the day".

We all know he is a bit crazy, ( meant in the a humorous way) but that is Alex and we wouldn't want him any different.

Stay well my friend.

Leon
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Old 27-05-2022, 06:57 AM
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i just had to look at the 1600 iso stack..there is something wrong with the left of the image and this seems the case will all images and i think it may be the awning reflecting light ..but so far the 1600 iso stack looks like a dead duck. There was more mist I guess.

AND Leon you have it around the wrong way as I am entirely sane and it is everyone else who is crazy I mean look where I live and how I live hardly crazy I do what I want and I dont know anyone else who can say that...

I feel so slack today I am not looking forward to road work so I am going to play my guitar to the magpies...I made them some one minute noodles and they are very happy.

I have found with these variable lens there is a sweet spot that works well and you find similar on a cheap guitar so find that spot and work with that and dont complain about the flaws...I did a big frett job on my guitar and put on light strings so I think I will investigate how good it can bend now..the road can wait for another hour.

alex
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Old 27-05-2022, 07:44 AM
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Originally Posted by xelasnave View Post
Getting a result, any result given the seeing was a big win and to find that a high ISO was useful really made my night. AND to finally be able to use that lens made me just so happy and very grateful to JA.
It's my pleasure to be able to help Alex. One thing - take it easy on the ISO: the camera has a very "ISO-less" sensor and can easily be used to more benefit in the 400 to 800 range, even lower if you're game, to allow you to capture a greater dynamic range and hence colour, whilst protecting the highlights that high ISO shots can crush. Then if you want it brighter, or you want to see in to the shadows as it were, increase the exposure in Photoshop a couple of stops.

Best
JA
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Old 27-05-2022, 09:43 AM
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It's my pleasure to be able to help Alex. One thing - take it easy on the ISO: the camera has a very "ISO-less" sensor and can easily be used to more benefit in the 400 to 800 range, even lower if you're game, to allow you to capture a greater dynamic range and hence colour, whilst protecting the highlights that high ISO shots can crush. Then if you want it brighter, or you want to see in to the shadows as it were, increase the exposure in Photoshop a couple of stops.

Best
JA
Good morning JA what a pleasure it is to come in from working ( I didn't end up playing the guitar and worked on the road and got in two productive hours) and read your post.

Fortunately I have been studying gain and ISO and now realise how it works and the fact is you are not really ahead and the images in effect lie to you..however as I said I used the high ISO to frame but opted for it because I could check results on the camera screen during the session, which I do, whereas at low ISO the screen is black so you can't tell if focus is still good etc...the sad thing is the captures at lower ISO did not produce a good final image and I am still working out why...in any event I just enjoyed myself so much and it takes my mind off the fact I have an observatory with excellent gear sitting idle..and really although clear it was a very very wet atmosphere. Ordinarily I would not bother to image but the way things are if you can see a couple of stars go for it....

Well I think I am done for the day as I used five bags of concrete and although they are small to me they are like mountains..so cups of tea, crumpets, guitar and youtube...and lamb fore quarter chops ( cooked last night while the camera was running..I bake them easy and tasty) drowned in mint jelly...I missed breakfast..I just forgot.

Thanks again JA

Alex
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Old 27-05-2022, 10:32 AM
Startrek (Martin)
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Alex,
Another fine wide field with tight stars
Well done !
This one seems a tad darker compared to your first one ?
Would you believe the optimum dynamic range on this Nikon 5500 camera is ISO 100 to 200 !!
Wow you have really opened up the floodgates at 25600

Cheers
Martin

PS: Set up my new 10” f5 Carbon fibre Newt on the EQ6-R mount to check focus and collimation with Star tests before I take it down south to the Dome. Heavy dew early , everything was wet by 7pm so aborted testing
Still waiting for my new EQ8-R pro mount ( hopefully it will arrive in a couple of weeks , then I can take it down south too )
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Old 27-05-2022, 11:16 AM
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Hey Alex,

Happy Friday. :-)

The 18mm shot looks great - I can very clearly see the Emu taking flight. Perhaps a tiny boost of brightness or extra exposure in Photoshop to bring out the MW core??

I do feel that the second image at ISO25600 (50mm) is not as good as the 18mm shot. The MW core is a lot brighter, but Antares (up at top left) has a bright white centre, so probably a bit overexposed, I think.

Reading all your posts about your situation and where you are, I have a lot of admiration for you. Most people I know would have shuffled off to the retirement village by now - and there you are driving a red sports car, shovelling dirt, and getting out doing astro. Hat's off to you!!

Have a great weekend.

Cheers,
V
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Old 27-05-2022, 11:43 AM
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Yea, mate I know you are in a good place, just having a bit of humor.

Leon
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Old 27-05-2022, 04:05 PM
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Yea, mate I know you are in a good place, just having a bit of humor.

Leon
Thank goodness you were joking Leon I have been soul searching all day..you know how sensative I am and how I wrestle with a severe inferiority complex...

Take care of yourselves.

Alex
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Old 27-05-2022, 04:33 PM
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Originally Posted by AstroViking View Post
Hey Alex,

Happy Friday. :-)

The 18mm shot looks great - I can very clearly see the Emu taking flight. Perhaps a tiny boost of brightness or extra exposure in Photoshop to bring out the MW core??

I do feel that the second image at ISO25600 (50mm) is not as good as the 18mm shot. The MW core is a lot brighter, but Antares (up at top left) has a bright white centre, so probably a bit overexposed, I think.

Reading all your posts about your situation and where you are, I have a lot of admiration for you. Most people I know would have shuffled off to the retirement village by now - and there you are driving a red sports car, shovelling dirt, and getting out doing astro. Hat's off to you!!

Have a great weekend.

Cheers,
V
Yes dark and I assure you its not dark to hide anything.

Maybe 25600 ISO is not the best setting

I hope to get another go tonight it was Sunny today but I rested after my road work to be able to stay up late..

I was playing around today in Photoshop and made up a very dark first one and man it went 3d on me and so real I felt air sick and had to look away...it looked excellent thanks to photoshop...one of my artistic renditions.

Tonight my plan is maybe open the observstory and place the camera on the eq5 mount ( but not if it is raining ) and using my brand new and most wonderful intervalometer do a run at say 90 second subs maybe even more? Damn it I did read how to work out the best exposure time but forgot ...I will await devine inspiration and go with that...but importantly at 200 ISO giving the details expert advice I have received... I can check things by taking a single high iso frame and deleting it after I have had a peek ..I will have to manual dither as I am not going to add the lap top to the mix..it is to be simple and easy afterall.

Yes very few people irrespective of age get to shovel dirt so I do feel very privileged...and again I know that I am the luckiest man on the planet and understand that not caring what others think I do not mold my behaviour to suit the requirements or expectations of others. That will get you called crazy for sure...but I am so rich the fact is I am excentric.

Thanks for your input I really like to hear what you have to say.

Alex
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Old 27-05-2022, 04:40 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Startrek View Post
Alex,
Another fine wide field with tight stars
Well done !
This one seems a tad darker compared to your first one ?
Would you believe the optimum dynamic range on this Nikon 5500 camera is ISO 100 to 200 !!
Wow you have really opened up the floodgates at 25600

Cheers
Martin

PS: Set up my new 10” f5 Carbon fibre Newt on the EQ6-R mount to check focus and collimation with Star tests before I take it down south to the Dome. Heavy dew early , everything was wet by 7pm so aborted testing
Still waiting for my new EQ8-R pro mount ( hopefully it will arrive in a couple of weeks , then I can take it down south too )
Well I just had to see what would happen Martin.

If my images are dark I confess it is to hide something and I hid it so well I have forgotten what ut was that i was trying to hide.

Thanks for your kind words.

Hey thanks for telling me where you are with things..I get such a kick from hearing about people I know achieving their dreams.it makes me feel less guilty about being so lucky you see

Anyways the best of luck but my tip is you will
go back to your best scope and of course I refer to your magical six inch.

Have a great weekend.

Alex
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