Need advice with APT Dithering settings

[yelsac]

Just a quick question

What settings do you guys (the experts) use in the APT guiding section for dithering when filming with a DSLR? I use good old PHD2 with a guidecam. I really want to know how much of a dither is required to get the desired effect.

thanks

[Yoddha]

Hello,

Usually the default settings do the job  However you may want to experiment a bit. If the movement is too small increase the Dithering Distance (if the maximum is not enough use the Dithering Scale in PHD2 Settings).

The other setting that could be important is "Settle Distance", lower this value if you have trails caused by the dithering movement - you will catch them by the random direction of the trails.

[yelsac]

Hi Thanks for the reply

I set the dithering distance to 3 in APT & also raised the scale in PHD2 to 2.0. I can certainly see the difference between subs(they do move around). Am I right in thinking that if the dithering is done right there is no need to take any darks at all? Mind you not sure how I'd know the dithering was moving enough!

I'll have to keep an eye on the Settle time to, at the moment its set to 15.

thanks again for your advice

[Yoddha]

I do not take darks for years and am happy with the results that get only with the dithering  Just keep the subs count at least 6-7 and the sigma clipping is making the magic

 

[yelsac]

brilliant many thanks

[yelsac]

Just had a look at some of your pics wow!!!! totally awesome.

Probably a stupid question but you said you don't use dark's by using dithering but do you use flats or bias frames?

[Yoddha]

Thank you for your kind words!

I have started to use flat frames because had some ruined by dust bunnies images. The bias frames are not part of my arsenal yet  I believe that dithering makes them obsolete too, however am planning to make experiments one day...

[daz]

14 hours ago, yelsac said:

Just had a look at some of your pics wow!!!! totally awesome.

Probably a stupid question but you said you don't use dark's by using dithering but do you use flats or bias frames?

I would read this before deciding if you don't need darks.