Stuf1978

Thank you. Just choose your targets wisely with an unmodded camera and I'm sure you'll succeed

Thanks

Thanks 😃 Thank you. I did process it a couple of times as I wasn't happy with the first version but the basic process was the same. Stacked in DSS with darks, flats and bias frames. The stack was imported directly into Siril where I carried out photometric colour calibration, banding reduction and then autostetched it. It was then moved into photoshop where I ran gradient exterminator and ran the remove light pollution action from the AP action set. It was then just tweaks to levels, selective colour enhancements and noise reduction. I also performed a second process on the stack but only performed a slight stretch for the core of M42 and then blended the two. FWIW I chose to use my stock 80d over my modded 450D as the more modern sensor is way better at controlling noise. The issue I have with M42 is although I can image it for a solid 3 hours from my garden it is only just above a couple of streetlights which causes no end of problems.

Thanks all, I was pleasantly surprised at what I got out of it for the short integration time

Wow, beautiful image. Great work

Looks great, currently saving (slowly) for the 2600 myself

The weather has been absolutely shocking here in the NE since christmas. So when I had a clear window of about 2 hours last week I took the opportunity to try and grab an hour on M42, in the end I ended up with 18 x 2.5 minutes subs. So here it is: Stock Canon 80D and SW 72ED on HEQ5 Pro No filters were used and the image was taken from my Bortle 8 garden.

lol, yeah I keep checking the stock almost daily. I don't quite have the funds yet so it'll have to wait a bit

Thanks, good to hear from someone who has gone 450D to 2600 I also don't want to have to upgrade again so that was my thinking too along with retaining the APS-C sensor size.

Must admit the price is tempting and a used camera is definitely something to consider (including mono). That's the beauty of OSC, it's not drastically different to what I'm doing now and some of the images I've seen with the ZWO ASI 2600MC Pro and other OSC cameras with the same sensor are definitely comparable to mono images

Makes interesting reading 🤔

My sentiments exactly...... though the wife may disagree 😂

Thank you. Yeah the banding is an odd one, sometimes it is there and can be processed out, sometimes it's not and sometimes it's there and so bad there's nothing you can do 😂 . There is a debanding algorithm in Siril that's pretty good at dealing with it most of the time. My heart is set on the 2600 it's just the cost is hard to swallow.

Thanks, that's great info, and that's a really really nice M81. The jellyfish is a stinker of a target (I've failed twice on it) and that M31 is surprising with the lack of cooling. I've read all about the calibration issues with the 294 but as you've mentioned they're quite easy to sort out as long as you do you calibration frames correctly. I'd kill for Bortle 2 skies, I'm in a 7/8 zone at home so it probably makes more sense to go mono but I feel I'd never get an image finished as clear nights are few and far between. I'm currently using a clip in L-enhance but will move to a 2" L-extreme once I have the new camera.

I agree with this completely and a part of me thinks (especially with regards to the images I've seen on Astrobin) are the better images I've seen with the 2600 simply due to the fact that beginners (of which I still class myself) are more likely to go for the 294 due to its price point over the 2600. I've no intention of leaving this hobby either so that's why I wanted to push myelf budget wise and go for the 2600 as it's up at the top of the pile for OSC. I have also got to the stage where I can generally deal with most of the noise in an image (see image below taken with my trusty old 450d, still some banding evident) but I do love the idea of this being not so much of a problem with a cooled camera

Thanks for all the input everyone. As a bit of background, I'm currently imaging with a modded 450D and although I'm pretty happy with my results I'm fed up with the constant battle against noise that is inherent with DSLRs. I'm imaging with a SW 72ED and a WO Redcat V1.5 and to a lesser extent a couple of sub 150mm focal length camera lenses. I really like the idea of staying with an APS-C sensor as I like really wide fields of view and that is one of the main reasons I'm drawn to the 2600 along with all the great reviews I've read. I will probably add another OTA at some point in the 6-700mm focal length range. @DaveS I have looked at other brands but I wanted to ensure compatibility with my ZWO guide camera so I could connect the guide camera>main imaging camera > laptop and I'm not sure if this is possible with the other brands? I haven't looked at pixel scale a great deal if I'm honest but I will do before I buy. @Rustang Money is a factor and is probably the main reason I keep going back forth between camera choices, but I also want to ensure that whatever I get is going to last me a fair few years. However, If I could basically get two cameras for the price of one and have way more options when it comes to shooting different targets then it's a no brainer. I'd also be able to buy a 294 way sooner than buying a 2600 I have also thought about the fact that I can get a fully functioning mono setup for the price of the 2600 but I don't want the associated faff and then the added cost of buying better filters so OSC it is for now. I also keep looking on Astrobin and although there are some great images taken with the 294 the ones taken with the 2600 just look better in my opinion (at east to my eyes). I'm probably just overthinking all of this and would more than likely be really happy with the 294MC Pro if it meant I cured my noise problem

After procrastinating for ages over which OSC camera to buy I upped my original budget and I'm now saving (slowly) for a ZWO ASI 2600MC Pro as everything I have read about this camera and the images produced are great. However, part of me still thinks this is a big old chunk of cash for a camera when there are cheaper alternatives available. The one thing I keep coming back to is that I could buy the 294MC Pro AND the 533MC Pro and still have a fair few quid in change in my pocket over the cost of the 2600 plus I would have two camera with very different fields of view which I like the idea of. Does this seem logical or does the big increase in resolution of the 2600 make this irrelevant as I could simply crop any image produced to match the field of view of the other two cameras (specifically the 533 for smaller imaging targets)? I'm kind of just thinking out loud here but it would be interesting to know what SGL would do? Thanks, Stu

Wow, look at that IFN 🤯 great work

Yeah, FLO had stock of the camera last time I checked, unfortunately a bit more saving is required yet ☹

Great work, the 2600MC Pro was already on my shopping list..... May need to add a RASA 8 onto it as well 😂

That's so nice, great work

Brilliant, probably one of my favourite DSO's

Nice, that RASA 8 and 2600MC Pro looks like a killer combo

Absolutely spectacular, lovely image

Most definitely, and the L-eNhance has served me well so far. Although, I do think if my sky at home was Bortle 4 or less (rather than 8 ) I'd be less reliant on it 😁