Loving my new 200mm F2.8 lens

[mindburner]

Managed to get about 90 minutes of M31 with Canon 200mm prime lens at f3.5. I had a few halos so maybe drop this down.

Hutech LP filter

Some flats and bias.

I can never get the background sorted but I was happy that I got something. Focusing is pretty difficult I have discovered with the lens

[StuartJPP]

Looks good, there is more colour in there to be extracted.

[mindburner]

aw cheers, must try that

[Coco]

You need one of these, then you can use that 428 OSC I sold you

http://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/info/p4389_TS-CCD-Adapter-for-Canon-EOS-lenses-to-M48-2--filterthread---only-14-5mm-length.html

[mindburner]

You need one of these, then you can use that 428 OSC I sold you

http://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/info/p4389_TS-CCD-Adapter-for-Canon-EOS-lenses-to-M48-2--filterthread---only-14-5mm-length.html

HI  Used a DIY adapter I made up with the Atik.

http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/221339-my-first-attempt-at-widefield-with-ccd/

Paired up with the lens well. Too well says you. 

[Grotemobile]

Looks very good as it is.

You have done well there.

Steve

[Guest]

I really like this - and although I agree colour could be introduced/extracted you've demonstrated how initial processes can deliver subtle and rewarding results.

David

[mindburner]

I really like this - and although I agree colour could be introduced/extracted you've demonstrated how initial processes can deliver subtle and rewarding results.

David

hi basically I just used some levels in Photoshop and tried to flatten the background a bit. I did try the saturation tool but it made the colours a bit artificial. IS there another tool that would help in colour extraction?

cheers

[Guest]

hi basically I just used some levels in Photoshop and tried to flatten the background a bit. I did try the saturation tool but it made the colours a bit artificial. IS there another tool that would help in colour extraction?

cheers

Sure - In Photoshop try starting by selecting the Blue channel only in Curves and picking out the nebulosity around the core (anchor the black point in the dark area and then select another anchor in the nebulosity) then stretch the curve to bring out some blue.

Do the same with the other channels to experiment - there's some great tutorials around for this element of processing too - many here in SGL :-)

David

[mindburner]

Hey Sand Dune that's much appreciated. I took your advice and had a go with the blue channel. It's definitely in the right direction although I seem to have boosted background noise a bit as well. Need more subs me thinks

not sure if this is 'better' but it shows the colour coming out

[Guest]

Hey Sand Dune that's much appreciated. I took your advice and had a go with the blue channel. It's definitely in the right direction although I seem to have boosted background noise a bit as well. Need more subs me thinks

not sure if this is 'better' but it shows the colour coming out

m31 more colour png.png

Way to go :-) it's tricky but if you add a selection "lasso" around the core, then the outer areas independently you can vary the colour from the core red out to the blue etc.

I'm no expert though so have a look at the many tutorials on here :-) ....I feel I have to mention that before someone mentions it for me LOL!

Oh - if you want to kill some of those background stars try this in photoshop

Star Reduction (number of stars)

Select > Colour Range > Selection preview set to None > click on centre of bright star > change Selection Preview to Black Matte > adjust fuzziness slider to eliminate any nebulosity (the more stars you see in white the more that will be hidden) > click OK

Select > Modify > Expand > enter 2 to 4 pixels (the higher the number – the smaller the stars will be) > OK

Filter > Other > Minimum > leave at 1 > OK

I just had to use this process for the first time this year on the Cygnus Loop - what a life saver har har!

David

[mindburner]

I had been trying the lasso trick but need to get a bit more familiar with the tolerance etc. I think the trick with all the processing is not to over do it. I had perhaps under done it in the past though.

Thanks for the star reduction tip. I had just tried Pete Sha's actions which were great but maybe a little too aggressive, so the manual approach will give more flexibility.

Cygnus = a lot of stars, a labour of love that one:)

[x6gas]

The black point is a bit clipped in the last version but there is good data here so I encourage you to keep playing around with this one.

For the colour I wonder if a gentle lab stretch might help?

[szymon]

Very nice image.

I sold my EF 200mm f/2.8L a few months back, just before getting into astrophotography.  Regretting it now :-).  I used to travel for a living, and it was part of my portable kit - that plus the Canon 1.4x II extender where more range was needed, very light and very high quality.  I sold them both to fund an EF 70-300 f/4-5.6 L IS USM, which was a great decision for a convenient travel zoom on holiday, but wish I'd hung onto the 200!

-simon