Lee_P

49 minutes ago, Ouroboros said:

I’m a bit puzzled because as I understand it the ASIair only allows the ASI2600 to be set at the gains of only 0 or 100.

Just leave it on 100, job done.

@MHaneferd @Ouroboros Just following up on the "why gain 100" question, from ZWO's website: "The ASI2600MC Pro has excellent performance with a dynamic range of up to 14stops. When the gain value is 100, the magical HCG high gain mode is turned on, the readout noise is greatly reduced, and the dynamic range is basically unchanged. It is recommended to set the gain to 0 or gain 100 in deep space."

10 minutes ago, MHaneferd said:

@Ouroboros I am just very new to this, so I tough I needed long exposure time to get the faint areas. 
some other settings I used, where;

Gain: 40

Dithering (1) default.

Mount: EQ6R Pro

@Lee_P , I’ll try 2 mins.. What Gain settings do you use?

the stuff:

Are you using an electronic filter wheel with your OSC camera?

2 minutes ago, Ouroboros said:

How did you settle on 2 min subs, @Lee_P?  Oh, and at what gain?

Gain 100. As for 2-mins, I mention that in this article, (point 3, near the end): http://urbanastrophotography.com/index.php/2021/06/14/how-to-get-long-integration-times/

Good job, some fine details starting to show through there.

This is a good start! Given your telescope's focal length, you might do well to centre in on a particularly interesting part of the nebula, like the Cygnus Wall.

You need a much longer integration time though. As you suggest, shorter exposure times work well with a modern camera like the 2600. I use that camera too, and shoot 2-minute subs -- but lots of them! Aim to get five hours of good quality data in your image, then you'll have something nice to play about with in post-processing.

This photo just posted by @StuartT might be of interest to you: same camera, similar telescope. 

Welcome Dave, you've come to the right place to ask lots of questions! 😁

18 minutes ago, mackiedlm said:

I think it's really interesting to see how many people are confirming the rationale for OSC in our sky conditions. When I was doing my thinking about my options and reading a lot, the overwhelming advice was mono-centric. Maybe not on here but for sure on another forum that will remain nameless. Anyone asking about OSC or mono was directed very strongly to mono. The arguments were,; "just mix up your filters and you get a full image in one night anyway, You WILL end up going mono anyway, mono is faster" etc. But I really just didn't buy it and I have no regrets about my choice.

 

Yes, 100%. That's partly why I made my Urban Astrophotography website specifically about OSC from a city -- to try and give better / more up-to-date advice. And sometimes when people insist that Mono is the only option from a city, I show them this photo (OSC plus L-eXtreme, Bortle 8):

21 minutes ago, CloudMagnet said:

Feel like trading places?

My total imaging time since the start of July this year comes to about 15hrs I think. Last winter, I went from the start of November to the end of February without a single clear night, I think I might be cursed in the North East.

Well you are the CloudMagnet!

17 minutes ago, CloudMagnet said:

I could put 20 hrs into a single picture, but it would take me 6 months with the UK skies. I personally find it much better to instead take 4 hours on 5 different targets, even though those images might be lower quality. Someone with 100 clear nights a year would probably put 20hrs on a target quite easily.

I image under UK skies and aim for around 20 hours per image. I produce an image approx. every one month with winter skies, two months in the summer.

Nice shot!

That's a cracking image, really shows what's possible even with a short integration time. I use a 2600 and L-eXtreme too, and was so impressed I ended up making a website! There might be some stuff there of interest to you: http://urbanastrophotography.com/

Good job, especially considering the Moon.

I'll put something together for them for a mere $51,000  😆

On 20/09/2021 at 15:20, ScouseSpaceCadet said:

Downsizing isn't downgrading.

I like that phrasing! Wise words indeed.

Great!

Shout-out for Cygnus Astro covers, if you're in the UK. I haven't used a TG365 so can't make a direct comparison, but my Cygnus Astro is a lot cheaper, and still keeps the rain off! The chap that makes them can make you a custom size bespoke for your set up too.

Amazing image! It would be interesting to see what you could produce with the same kit and integration time from your usual Bortle 8 site -- that would make for a fascinating side-by-side comparison.

36 minutes ago, powerlord said:

Hi, just a note that if yer transfer apped is slow its the WiFi not the device. I get 2mb/s fine. I. E. About 4 secs to download preview image. I'd imagine yer plus is on the cusp edge of your home WiFi and causing slowness.

Stu

Yep, the speed does vary as you explain. I've added a line to the review to hopefully make that clearer. Thanks

11 minutes ago, Ouroboros said:

Thanks for that.  I’ve just bought the pro version, which I love. But I’m a bit miffed that they’ve just brought out an upgrade. So I was very interested to read your impression. Just in passing, are you sure you want to mention you’ll shill for free stuff? Definition of shill: “an accomplice of a confidence trickster or swindler who poses as a genuine customer to entice or encourage others”.  I guess it’s tongue in cheek, but not everyone might see the joke. 

Did you mention what the WiFi range of the new device is? Maybe I missed it. 

 

 

Haha, it's definitely tongue in cheek, but I see your point that the humour could be lost in translation! I've removed that line now.

Re: wireless range, good point, I'll add a bit about that. To save you the trouble of re-reading the review, ZWO state that the wireless range is 20 metres. My Plus is 15 metres from my router, through two brick walls and glass conservatory doors, and it's been ok so far.

Hi SGLers,

I've had one of the new ASIAIR Plus units for a couple of days now, and have written a review: http://urbanastrophotography.com/index.php/2021/09/18/review-asiair-plus/

If you don't want to click through then the executive summary is that it's great, but not really a necessary upgrade if you've already got a Pro. 

1 hour ago, CloudMagnet said:

Managed to find it

 

 

I'm glad that thread is still of use! I used it as the basis for an article about tips to obtain long integration times: http://urbanastrophotography.com/index.php/2021/06/14/how-to-get-long-integration-times/

41 minutes ago, Grifflin said:

Ok....yep...that'll do  😉.  How much time did you have yo put into this?

Checking out your website now!

480 x 120 seconds, so 16 hours total for that shot. More info: http://urbanastrophotography.com/index.php/2021/06/10/the-elephants-trunk-nebula/

+1 for L-eXtreme. I've got lots of examples here, all from Bortle 8: http://urbanastrophotography.com/index.php/gallery/

This is my fave so far:

OSC plus a dual-band filter can work very well even from a city centre. I've made a whole website about just that; you may find this article in particular useful: http://urbanastrophotography.com/index.php/2021/06/12/osc-vs-mono-from-a-city/

13 minutes ago, wimvb said:

I find that the development we have seen in astro cameras forces us to reevaluate old truths. What was an obvious choice yesteryear is no longer so.

100% agree, and that's very well phrased too 😁