Jupiter - the "softer" approach.

[Kokatha man also!]

Ok-ok! Probably done this particular rgb set to death as far as some folks might think* but I decided to try the full 3X drizzle in AS!2 and I think with good data you achieve a very nice "soft-processed" Jupiter using large resampling, but still retaining sufficiently crisp detail!

So here's the 120% & 100% image scale of that image with said processing.....I think it's pretty nice although obviously not quite the sharpness of the others - personal "druthers" to many I suppose, but I'm happy to create either version...

Also that ASI120MM adapter I had a mate make to tame the image scale of this small-pixelled camera with the C14 - it seems like Emil & me have triggered a bit of interest in the ASI120MM and rightly so imho - it's my #1 planetary camera now usurping the PGR Flea3's position - and at under $300 an absolute steal - and I should state I have no vested interest in ZW Optical - apart from the obligations I undertook by accepting Sam's bribe of 2 free cameras!!! .

"1" is the Televue 2X barlow lens element that is now only a few millimetres from the cmos sensor and gives about 1.25X, taming the large image scale the C14 delivers with this small-pixelled sensor (3.75uM)

"2" is the aluminium adaptor a mate lathed up for me - I used "state-of-art" anti-reflection coatings on the inside.....a felt pen scribble!

* ...and I haven't finished - there's the WinJupos version still in the pipeline..!!!

[si@nite]

Absolutely incredible detail Darryl, i like them all! keep them coming, more the better.

[sologuitarist61]

Great detail there Darryl, great images

[AstroFrog]

My word, such incredible detail! This is amazing!

[StuW]

Another stunning capture. I'm hoping for some clear skies tonight to have another go with mine.

[PH-R]

Awesome, it almost looks painted!

[Kokatha man also!]

Thanks Simon, Richard, A/Frog, Stu and PH-R.....and yes, these sorts of processings do take on a "painterly" aspect PH-R: some folks prefer this and personally I'm ambivalent, but I like to leave a bit of grain/noise in these types especially.....not just to retain a bit of extra crispness in the detail but as a balance to that uber-smooth appearance.

Again, some try to smash any noise out of their images completely but I think you run the risk of a little too much artificiality with that mantra because nothing in the natural world has those appearances - there is allways a little "grit" in everything/everyone (perhaps that's the pro artist in me talking now! ) .....but in the end it gets down to personal "druthers" re final aesthetic interpretation/processing and we all have different expectations - the beauty of good data is that you can process it just about every which-way..!

[neil phillips]

Thanks Simon, Richard, A/Frog, Stu and PH-R.....and yes, these sorts of processings do take on a "painterly" aspect PH-R: some folks prefer this and personally I'm ambivalent, but I like to leave a bit of grain/noise in these types especially.....not just to retain a bit of extra crispness in the detail but as a balance to that uber-smooth appearance.

Again, some try to smash any noise out of their images completely but I think you run the risk of a little too much artificiality with that mantra because nothing in the natural world has those appearances - there is allways a little "grit" in everything/everyone (perhaps that's the pro artist in me talking now! ) .....but in the end it gets down to personal "druthers" re final aesthetic interpretation/processing and we all have different expectations - the beauty of good data is that you can process it just about every which-way..!

I kind of understand what you mean Darryl on occasion i have also left in a bit of Grit as it does make the image appear crisper fully agreed. Not sure i agree that nothing in the natural world has those appearances. As the noise isnt part of the natural world at all either, its a digital creation ? Just as much as removing it, is also a digital creation

When Astronauts finally get to go to jupiter and take a good hard look at what it actually looks like. I suspect strongly ( could always be wrong of course ) that they wont see any grit, what they will see is smooth fluffly clouds, smoother than a babs botty i would bet. But as mentioned before its a no brainer. i cant prove it, its just my gut reaction. So agree on the first point, not sure about the second.

Veiws aside. Youve actually convinced me to work harder at lower FL. ( not that i wont try 11 meters when seeing is good mind ) Youve really convinced me its a very powerful way of getting the sharpness needed for the very fine detail. Lower camera settings high frame rates also in on the action. Its kind of weird because last year i was making good progress at quite high Focal lengths. Yet this year which is higher. Hasnt worked out the way i expected. Too much influence from high focal length work of the likes of the great man himself. DP and Chris G maybe im not sure. But youve had a effect on me. so its all good Darryl. wonder what the uk price of this camera is ? As far as i know no one is stocking them here ?

[Kokatha man also!]

Someone said 180 quid (UK) I believe Neil.....at any rate those who wish to purchase straight from Sam at ZW Optical can get it for under $300 and I believe that includes postage and usually delivery within the week - already folks are giving Sam a big thumbs up for his service.

On that score he's a bona fide AA'er who has a real passion for planetary imaging.....just the sort of person to run the sort of enterprice he does inho.....

On the "aesthetics" (for want of a better word) topic there is nothing in the outside world that is "perfect" or absolutely uniforrn in appearance, even a piece of ice/icicle or whatever.....that doesn't mean it mightn't look such from certain distances or a cursory glance...and sometimes you might have to get up real close (ie, magnify) something to see the variations/inclusions/irregularities...

Same as an orbiter's view of Jupiter as in your example....."fluffy clouds" only look fluffy from a certain distance, up close they take on a whole different appearance and you might see stuff in them you wouldn't have seen from another perspective.....I guess the point of this response to your post is to say that much of what we each see/want to see is predicated upon certain perspectives - and my rave was my own just as anyone else is entitled to their own.....which includes how they process their images. It's just that however I go about anything there is allways some basis for it.....not necessarily anyone else's cup of tea or even a common one: it's my lot in life to have peculiarly individual views on a lot of subjects - but it isn't just idiosynchratic..!

Imagine if we could take piks of Saturn and actually resolve some of the bigger chunks in the rings, the "moonlets" - wouldn't that be great, even if it spoiled somewhat our current views/images that show such a lovely, smooth and delicate ring system!

Anyway, the whole point of my comments was to say that good data allows you immense freedom to interpret "every which-way" and right now I'm sitting in our caravan (40 degrees Celius in the shade outside but we're air-conditioned! ) and working on a 7-frame animation (just into the processing) of Jove with the GRS fully transitting the disk.....and I think I'm still finding even better data among the 7 rgb sets each about 20 minutes apart than any that I've posted as processed images beforehand..!

[wookie1965]

Beautiful image love the GRS stunning.

[beamish]

Personally Darryl I think the level of detail contained within the GRS ought to be enough to convince anyone of the legitimacy of this cam, indeed I think this could well be on my shopping list as a last throw at buying any kit due to it's dual purpose as a Lunar cam ( 30fps at full res !).

You just feel free to throw at us any and all versions of this capture Darryl cos it's a pearl mate !!

[Space Cowboy]

Must say I prefer grit on icey roads which thankfuly there was this morning! Definetely an eyeopener for trying lower focal lengths as Neil says. Certainly worth a pop at that price this camera. I was blown away by images taken with the same Dob as mine on the CN forum.

[Kokatha man also!]

Thanks Karlo - and forget "dual-purpose" - it's "multi-purpose!!!" - Emil used it to take a few hundred 1 second captures in r, g & b of the M42 core and it produced one of the most amazing images of that object with the "Trap" very well resolved along with cloud detail at the heart of the core most folks would drool over: there are quite a few other examples around and I'd like to do a bit of DSI'ing with it myself - and of course now that I've found out that the fitting is actually standard "CS" fitting also (3 in 1) I'm salivating over some of those very appealing and reasonably-priced wide angle Samyang CS lenses....!

Also on the camera etc topic, it's funny but everything is relative isn't it..? Pat (my partner of 42.5 years and "co-pilot" during capture) knows this but I haven't said anything because when you get good data it sounds a bit ridiculous in some respects to make the following comment.....but I really didn't think the seeing was, like "really good" or "superb" etc: I have seen much better onscreen views, especially when I first started getting "serious" back in 2008 after I bought my old DBK21 and the C11 - I'll try and post something that shows the best frame from the other night and a "mono'd" version of the colour image's best frame back then.....I think the actual processed image is one of those in the SGL gallery here still...

And I also wonder if what I see and what comes out might be a little different for some bizarre reason when using this camera.....but can't really give that a whole lot of credence or influence tbh.....but I guess this only means that while we stay here for another few days I constantly dream of actually getting one of those "superb" nights and what might be..!

.....for now it's back to processing all those sets for an animation - and looking forward to our evening meal: I was recently diagnosed as diabetic so I've had to go on a much more health-conscious diet (which is good) but tea-time really becomes something to look forward too..!

[Kokatha man also!]

Must say I prefer grit on icey roads which thankfuly there was this morning! Definetely an eyeopener for trying lower focal lengths as Neil says. Certainly worth a pop at that price this camera. I was blown away by images taken with the same Dob as mine on the CN forum.

Were they ZZ's images Stuart..? They were cracker ones!

[Space Cowboy]

Yes Darryl. I showed one of those images to Neil a few weeks ago not realising what cam ZZ was using. The animation he did was awesome! Admittedly he must have pretty tasty seeing too. £180 is half the price I paid for my DFK......

[beamish]

I foresee a number of hi-spec cameras siting collecting dust rather than photons ..

[Kokatha man also!]

I foresee a number of hi-spec cameras siting collecting dust rather than photons ..

My Flea3 is doing just that Karlo..!

I'm not saying the ASI12oMM is superior but I don't think there's much between them - pusses & minuses imho for each re performance.....and who wants an extra power lead and the Expresscard and an FW800 cable (chunky) when all the ASI120MM needs is a flexible usb2 cable.