Planetary Imaging with DSLR Video Mode?

[Davey-T]

That's a great start. I used this tutorial: http://www.astrotarp.com/Registax_basic_tutorial.html - it got me started with Registax, so should be of use.

Just looked at the tutorial but it seems to be for a different version, fell at the first hurdle as I couldn't get it to select the best frame for me 

Dave

[Davey-T]

Just had a go at another Mars from a couple of nights ago, looks a bit better than the first one but still not good.

Still muddling through RG6, not a clue what I'm doing

Dave

 

[PhotoGav]

Just looked at the tutorial but it seems to be for a different version, fell at the first hurdle as I couldn't get it to select the best frame for me 

Dave

Doh, sorry! Just had a better look at it and I linked to the wrong tutorial.... This one might be more helpful:

http://www.astrotarp.com/Registax_Version_6_Tutorial.html

Fingers crossed this time!

[PhotoGav]

Top job Gav

Saturn is a dim, noisy object to DSLR video I find,  so both these are really nice and especially as its your first bash.  

Have you tried the RGB align in Reg 6 on them ? I just tried your top image and it lines back up a treat.  (just re open in reg 6 pres RGB and drag the green box to the middle and expand out to the whole planet and rings and press estimate.

Simon

Cheers. Top tip with the RGB align - I will definitely have a play with that - thank you.

Nice job Gav, couldn't prize Cassini division out of my effort, how did you focus ? looks like I may have to make that Bahtinov mask I've been getting round to for the last two years

I have to wait 'till after midnight for Saturn to come out from behind neighboring trees

Dave 

Thanks. I went down the liveview focusing route for this one. I have taken to wearing my glasses when focusing and it does make a big difference! Funnily enough the Cassini Division really helped as a feature to focus on. It took quite a while before I was really convinced that I had achieved the best possible and I'm still not sure....

Bahtinov masks are the business for starry things though I'm not really sure if they are the best for planetary. Might be because the planets are so much closer than deep sky stuff?

[Davey-T]

Had another go at Saturn last night, sky looked a lot clearer than last time although the stars in Libra were very twinkly, used the 6.3 f/reducer this time.

10" SCT, 6.3 f/r, 2X Powermate 60da. in crop video mode

Dave

[PeterCPC]

Forgive me for asking maybe a silly question but why would you use a focal reducer and a Powermate?

Peter

[Davey-T]

Forgive me for asking maybe a silly question but why would you use a focal reducer and a Powermate?

Peter

Just because I could I did some without and some with, haven't looked at the ones without yet.

Dave 

[Davey-T]

This without f/reducer, not sure why its worse, taken about ten minutes before the one with f/reducer, so many variables will try to take a sequence of each to compare.

Dave

 

[NorrinRadd]

Dave your brighter Saturn has stacks of detail in there that I think would come out more with some gentle processing and tweaking etc. That's a crisp looking capture. Nicely done :-)

[Davey-T]

You're probably right Simon that is just straight out of RG6 no PS.

Dave

[Davey-T]

Mars from last night, probably time to abandon this 'till next year as it's disappearing into SE London orange glow, tried Saturn but not good, wish I'd started sooner and had ago at Jupiter.

Dave

Oops, forgot to crop it

[PhotoGav]

I've just been playing around with processing some avi files from a while ago and have come to a fairly stark conclusion... AutoStakkert2 is the way forwards.

Here's an image of Saturn processed with Registax6:

And here's the same avi processed with AutoStakkert2:

Both have then been processed with Wavelets in Registax6.

Make your own mind up, but I know how I'll be processing my planetary things in future!!!

[Astrosurf]

I love all your images guys. I was so disappointed with my efforts with the modded 600D. I had terrible false colour with a glowing quality. I haven't checked if any of you used a modded camera. If so, I have no idea what's wrong here.   I've given up and am saving up for a dedicated planetary camera.

Thanks for all your support.

Alexxx

[Optiknerve]

Hi all. Complete newbie here, been reading for a while but hadn't signed up as didn't have a scope......but now I do looking forward to trying shooting with my dslr (hopefully tonight) in the absence of having a webcam set up and will post my probably terrible efforts soon lol

[Astrosurf]

Good luck! I had to abandon uising mine as it's modded and the colour distortion was awful!

[Davey-T]

Hi all. Complete newbie here, been reading for a while but hadn't signed up as didn't have a scope......but now I do looking forward to trying shooting with my dslr (hopefully tonight) in the absence of having a webcam set up and will post my probably terrible efforts soon lol

Hi Optiknerve and welcome to the forum (if you sign your post with your real first name we'll know what to call you) bit late for planetary now, though there are some nice groups in the dawn sky toward the end of the month if you fancy getting up early

DSLR on tripod, remote control and zoom lens to frame.

Dave

[Optiknerve]

Thanks guys. First attempt really not worth posting lots and lots more practice required (which I knew from the outset). Here's hoping for some more clear skies. Spent hours in the garden with the wife just gazing upwards on a beautiful night on Monday.

Keith

[wxsatuser]

If your not showing heres my first attempts.

Not into planetary stuff and ed80 better at other stuff.

Can you tell what it is

[Alien 13]

This was my only attempt at a planet using a DSLR i captured about 30 frames with my tiny WOZS71 and cheap SW barlow and to be honest i was supprised i got anything maybe i should try again sometime with much more frames and a better barlow.

Alan

[wxsatuser]

Trouble with most dslrs is the movie side of things interpolates the sensor.

The majority of movie modes have already blurred the data and it won't come back.

The two best dslrs for planetary/moon are the 550d and the 60d, both have movie crop mode.

Movie crop is true one to one pixel ratio at 60fps out of the centre 640x480 pixels of the sensor.

Obviously you would'nt go out and buy one just for planetary but if you already have one, it's a no brainer.

[craigb1970]

Chris -  the 700d is very similar to the 600d and your images are to my eyes very good even though, if I understand correctly, they weren't taken in true movie crop mode i.e. 1:1.  Did you try the Live view 5x and if so what were the results?

Also, if you don't mind, on a seperate subject, how do you control thel ong exposure images over 30secs, bulb, magic lantern, external intervalometer or something else?

[PeterCPC]

If you use Backyard EOS or APT you can take exposures as long as you want. I use BYE - I find it really easy to use.

Peter

[jtlandreneau]

Hello all!

it's been a while since anyone has posted here, but there is a lot of great information, and I'm just getting started with planetary imaging

My first question is - is a 3000mm focal length long enough (120mm f/8.3 with a 3x barlow). I had a pretty horrible attempt at Jupiter the other night, I'm going to try again now that I know digital zoom will help (I just figure it would be the same as cropping the final image)

thanks for the help!

-J

[Davey-T]

Theoretically I guess, job to tell until you give it a go.

Dave

[Astrosurf]

The seeing would need to be really good. The more you push the mag, the better the seeing has to be. I'm not familiar with your scope so don't know how far you can push it.