1st attempt DSLR Solar white light image

[pritc]

Crossed over to the LIGHT side today and tried my hand at Solar imaging!!

SW 200P/Astro Zap Baader filter

Canon 1100D 100 frames (ISO 100 1/3200 sec) with Backyard EOS

Best 57 stacked in RegiStax 5.1.Sharpened & coloured in Photoshop CS4

A bit more learning required,but I am pleased with my first attempt...

Wayne

[UK_Steve]

:crybaby2:Definitely much better than my first attempt (also today)

My Pentax doesn't do video, so I can only do one frame at a time.

Maybe we should have a new acronym, DSLRV or DVSLR?

Not that I'm jealous though... Oh no, not me. Well, maybe a little!

Steve.

[Edit] I'm assuming you used a video mode. You might have just taken 100 photographs.. I never thought of that, but I reckon my camera would wear quickly at that rate, to say nothing about the environmental impact of the batteries I'd use!

[pritc]

:crybaby2:Definitely much better than my first attempt (also today)

My Pentax doesn't do video, so I can only do one frame at a time.

Maybe we should have a new acronym, DSLRV or DVSLR?

Not that I'm jealous though... Oh no, not me. Well, maybe a little!

Steve.

[Edit] I'm assuming you used a video mode. You might have just taken 100 photographs.. I never thought of that, but I reckon my camera would wear quickly at that rate, to say nothing about the environmental impact of the batteries I'd use!

100 Single frames,Steve (No Video)

Framed & focused in Backyard EOS.

Then set it up to take 100 frames.

Left Backyard EOS working away while I went and had my lunch...

Wayne

[UK_Steve]

I've seen you thread - nice obsy!

Now if I had an obsy instead of a small garden with big shed, or somewhere to set up that didn't have two mad collies and a pomeranian running around...

Wanna buy two collies and a pom? Actually, if you take them I'll pay you!

Steve.

[Bizibilder]

Those are excellent Pritc!! If you tweak the contrast (use curves) then I think there is more surface detail you could pull out.

[pritc]

Those are excellent Pritc!! If you tweak the contrast (use curves) then I think there is more surface detail you could pull out.

Cheers Roger...

I need to have a peek at your Solar imaging tutorial...

I did have a play with the PS curves,but messed up the whole image.

So I left it as is.......

I was impressed to get what I did with a Newtonian.....

Is your 1100D repairable??

Wayne

[Bizibilder]

The 1100D may be repairable - it all depends if it would be cost effective to do so!

By the way, which tutorial would that be??

[pritc]

By the way, which tutorial would that be??

Roger,

Your self taught one,that produces your Superb surface detail solar white light images!!.

I know a ED120APO helps......

I copied the ISO100 1/3200 settings from your blog..

I can stack & align in Registax OK.

But do you alter any wavelets? I did not.

Do you alter the PS curves in RGB or red,,green,blue seperately??

Questions,questions........

Wayne

[Bizibilder]

Sounds like you need Bizibilder's crib sheet (feel free to play with the settings as you wish - this will give you a starting point to work from):

“Action” to process Solar Image:

Stack between 40-80 images (I generally use 64 JPEG’s) in Registax 5. Stack using one alignment point of 256 placed over a sunspot group. When you get to the wavelets I usually only use the top slider and generally start by putting it fully to the right and then backing it off until I get a good image. Occasionally I use slider two as well – but only a little way across. Save the image as a TIFF.

Open the image in Photoshop.

Crop the picture to give a Solar image with a small dark surround (Mine is an 1800px square but yours will be different depending on your scope and camera).

Then:

Image > Autocolour

Image > Adjustments > Levels Move the mid slider to 0.5

Image > Adjustments > Curves fix the centre of the line (click on it but don’t move it) then click “half way” to the bottom and set that point at 64/55. Click half way to the top and set that point to 187/197.

Image > Adjustments > Colour Balance Move the sliders (Midtones) Cyan > Red to +50 and Yellow > Blue to -70

Image > Adjustments > Vibrance Set the Saturation to 10

Image > Adjustments > Exposure Set the Gamma Correction to 0.75

Image > Adjustments > Photofilter Set the colour to R=220, B=170, G=30 and move the density slider to 50%

Filter > Sharpen > Unsharp Mask Set Radius to 250 and amount to 10%

Filter > Sharpen > Unsharp Mask (ie Do a second unsharp mask). Set Radius to 1.5 and amount to 50%

Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur Set the radius to 0.4px

Resize your image to something like 1024x1024 (or whatever other value you like)

Done!

The ED120 APO is not actually an essential piece of kit, many of my images are taken with my Evostar 120 Achromat and I certainly can't tell the difference when comparing the processed images.

[pritc]

Roger,

Thanks for the "Bizibilder crib sheet"

I will try it tomorrow on my second solar image......

Wayne

[sologuitarist61]

Very nice indeed, great shots :)

[malc-c]

wayne, did you use the full aperture of the scope or just the 2" hole in the cover (obviously with solar film). Eitherway, nice inages

[pritc]

wayne, did you use the full aperture of the scope or just the 2" hole in the cover (obviously with solar film). Eitherway, nice inages

Full aperture......8" SCT AstroZap Filter

Wayne

[malc-c]

Full aperture......8" SCT AstroZap Filter

Wayne

Nice!

Does it come with a protective cover, and is it possible to replace the film should it get torn, or covered in dust ?

[pritc]

Nice!

Does it come with a protective cover, and is it possible to replace the film should it get torn, or covered in dust ?

Comes with a cardboard circle cover.But I keep it in my old eyepiece metal case,with a rechargeable silica gel moisture box.

It looks from the inside that the film can be replaced (Not that a A4 sheet will fit).

But as with everything ,if treated with TLC, it should last.......

Wayne