What would be the next step?

[blusky]

Hi, looking to improve image quality.

What piece of equipment / skill would be the biggest bang for the buck in terms of improving the image quality?

What I see is detail and colour are missing from the attached photo. SPC900 / 8" Dob.

Thanks.

[Stargazer Jack]

Could you post the camera settings you used please

[blusky]

[Philips SPC 900NC PC Camera]

Resolution=640x480

Frame Rate (fps)=30.00

Colour Space / Compression=I420

Exposure=-4

Brightness=64

Contrast=32

Saturation=0

Gamma=21

ColorEnable=255

BacklightCompensation=0

Gain=9

[pete_l]

A quick spot of GIMPing might help.

Try Colors->Hue-Saturation->Saturation = 30

and Filters -> Enhance -> Unspharp Mask -> Radius = 5, Amount = 0.70

Apart from that, focus & collimation on your scope should be checked for perfection

[Stargazer Jack]

What I would try the next time you image is make sure the focus is spot on. Also, try some settings also these lines: Gain-highest, Gamma-0, Frame Rate-10FPS and drop the exposure down to around -6 otherwise your image will be very bright. Apart from that, it is a very nice image

[blusky]

Ok, I adjust the focus manually by looking at the screen (got a motorized focuser).

With the Jupiter image being wobbly as it is even after a good cooldown the edges remain rather soft. The collimation seems OK, nothing grossly misaligned.

When using a 4 to 6mm EP I can see the bands and the GRS (it's so not red!), but I can't see any smaller storms, and increasing the magnification makes the object even more blurry.

So, to sum up, my imaging attempts reflect roughly what I see through an EP.

Do people who capture the incredible amount of detail in their pictures also see that detail through an EP, or does the stacking technique improve the amount of detail available to the eye?

I mean, these are some basic questions, appreciate if anyone can point me to a reference post that would say: this you can do with this equipment, here's what you can improve, and this, I'm, afraid, can only be achieved by Hubble.

Thanks.