M51 redo, your thoughts required plz

[simmo39]

After posting my M51 from a moon soaked night I have tried to do a redo using cosmetic correction. although the new image is pleasing in some ways im not sure if I have hit the right nail! Before I get lynched by the family for showing them anymore pics of M51 i thought i would try a more discerning clientelle  .... You...

here is the best of old image

 

and the redo with cosmetic correction.

Im not sure im using the tool correctly so any pointers would be helpfull. Many thanks.

 

[Twisted Lip]

I'll be the first to throw my hat (opinion!) in: my preference is probably for the first one. I like the darkness of the surrounding space/stars and m51 itself is much sharper in the original (despite the fact m51 is a weird fuzzy object at the best of times!)

...having said that, both are lovely images

Cheers

Will

[johnrt]

Well, let me go 2nd. I'm going to totally disagree with Will above

The version 2 is much superior, the black point is badly clipped in ver 1 making the background much too dark (space is not black!) and you have lost signal from the galaxy flux around the main spiral structure. Ver 2 is much more accomplished, nice faint signal from the flux and colour in the galaxy. Perhaps there is still a little colour noise in the background but overall ver 2 is a huge improvement and very nice M51.

[Twisted Lip]

Haha, john - you won't be the first to disagree with me. My wife makes a habit of it every day! 

You are of course 100% correct, the clipping is making the (surrounding) image darker than it should be.

Will

[simmo39]

1 hour ago, Twisted Lip said:

I'll be the first to throw my hat (opinion!) in: my preference is probably for the first one. I like the darkness of the surrounding space/stars and m51 itself is much sharper in the original (despite the fact m51 is a weird fuzzy object at the best of times!)

...having said that, both are lovely images

Cheers

Will

Hi, yep I like the darkness too but not sure if its the right way to go.

1 hour ago, johnrt said:

Well, let me go 2nd. I'm going to totally disagree with Will above

The version 2 is much superior, the black point is badly clipped in ver 1 making the background much too dark (space is not black!) and you have lost signal from the galaxy flux around the main spiral structure. Ver 2 is much more accomplished, nice faint signal from the flux and colour in the galaxy. Perhaps there is still a little colour noise in the background but overall ver 2 is a huge improvement and very nice M51.

I agree M 51 does look better in image 2 but would still like to darken the background a little more. Think I need to experiment some more. thanks for the pointers.