DSLR focusing and image processing software

[Adaaam75]

I have a Canon 550d and have lost the utilities disk for the software. It did do a job for me so initially I made efforts to download the program onto my new laptop but you can only download the update from Canon support but not the full program. Anyone know where I can find this? If I include a mask with this program I can't see any problems with focusing.......

[Yearofthegoat]

Re. Perfect Focus or not:

Possibly, am not sure due to blurring (was it taken hand held? I can see ghosting of the square and the '100').

I tried focusing with live view and found it tricky to know if I'd got it right, just tried to get the stars as small as possible.

I have a Bahtinov template printed out ready for cutting but might get a 'proper' one from Morris Engraving or somewhere.

[spillage]

try this canon software just put in your serial number. 

[The Admiral]

2 hours ago, newbie alert said:

Perfect focus or not?

You tell me! I've never tried the B. mask. The biggest problem I have in focusing is that the image wiggles a bit when my hand is on the focuser, so it has to be an iterative process. I generally agree with Alien13 in that focusing without a mask is adequate for my needs. Afterall, I can't use a mask when I'm doing conventional photography, and I don't see this any differently. Given that I use an Alt-Az mount to image, with many, many subs, there are other factors coming into play which will broaden a star anyway. Call me a rebel if you will .

Perhaps ought to try one! 

Ian

[newbie alert]

49 minutes ago, The Admiral said:

You tell me! I've never tried the B. mask. The biggest problem I have in focusing is that the image wiggles a bit when my hand is on the focuser, so it has to be an iterative process. I generally agree with Alien13 in that focusing without a mask is adequate for my needs. Afterall, I can't use a mask when I'm doing conventional photography, and I don't see this any differently. Given that I use an Alt-Az mount to image, with many, many subs, there are other factors coming into play which will broaden a star anyway. Call me a rebel if you will .

Perhaps ought to try one! 

Ian

Think it would surprise yourself ian..conventional photography id say youre not focusing on infinity which you are with astro..that pic is near as damn it focus wise but not spot on..i can do better..way i see it is if you give it the best you can on say polar alignment,focus etc the data is the best you can provide yourself..and weather wise lately you never know when you will get another chance

[ollypenrice]

4 hours ago, newbie alert said:

Perfect focus or not?

Probably very close indeed. I always start with a B mask focus on my first alignment star. Once I'm framed up I do a Full Width Half Max measurement on a star in my field. Three of our rigs are effectively parfocal but one, the one with the highest resolution, certainly isn't and needs to be focused per filter. When you are shooting with a one shot colour camera your focus is always a compromise between colours since no optics with glass in the train will be entirely apochromatic at fine pixel scales.

Worth stressing, also, that focus will change quite quickly as temperature varies. Be vigilant!

Olly

[Alien 13]

5 hours ago, newbie alert said:

Perfect focus or not?

Its close but if you look at the fainter stars in the FOV they are smuged and not pinpoints of light, there is also hints of other stars like the one just above the 100 display that would become tiny points of light if the focus was tweaked.

Alan

[ollypenrice]

19 minutes ago, Alien 13 said:

Its close but if you look at the fainter stars in the FOV they are smuged and not pinpoints of light, there is also hints of other stars like the one just above the 100 display that would become tiny points of light if the focus was tweaked.

Alan

The small stars are simply being blurred by the mask. Take it off and they'd look fine, I think.

Olly

[Alien 13]

1 minute ago, ollypenrice said:

The small stars are simply being blurred by the mask. Take it off and they'd look fine, I think.

Olly

Good point, I do think the accuracy depends on how good the optics are a Camera lens might have a fair spread of correct focus points but only one "best" focus.

Alan

[laser_jock99]

11 hours ago, newbie alert said:

I'd rather take an exposure with a bahtinov mask and zoom in and adjust the focus until im happy where it is than use live view..ive read that the live view causes warming of the circuit's and causes amp glow or more noise because of the temp..so a mask and the zoom feature works great for me

The techinque I use is focus first in live view - then double check with a Bahtinov mask. This is the fastest, most accurate method I find. Checking that focus hasn't shifted after you lock down the focusing rack, for instance, is important.

Since I'm only using the live view for 20 seconds maybe once or twice a night, the sensor will soon reach ambient (whatever that is for 20 minute exposures!) again.

[newbie alert]

1 hour ago, ollypenrice said:

Probably very close indeed. I always start with a B mask focus on my first alignment star. Once I'm framed up I do a Full Width Half Max measurement on a star in my field. Three of our rigs are effectively parfocal but one, the one with the highest resolution, certainly isn't and needs to be focused per filter. When you are shooting with a one shot colour camera your focus is always a compromise between colours since no optics with glass in the train will be entirely apochromatic at fine pixel scales.

Worth stressing, also, that focus will change quite quickly as temperature varies. Be vigilant!

Olly

True olly..my scope is cooled for as long as I can before use and I do abit of planetary imaging with filters and focus points on them are slightly different..so yes you're right 

[newbie alert]

1 hour ago, Alien 13 said:

Its close but if you look at the fainter stars in the FOV they are smuged and not pinpoints of light, there is also hints of other stars like the one just above the 100 display that would become tiny points of light if the focus was tweaked.

Alan

You have to bear in mind it's a picture from a mobile off the back of my camera...points of light arent going to be pin sharp..

[newbie alert]

Another one just to bore you all

[bottletopburly]

7 hours ago, newbie alert said:

Perfect focus or not?

Within Apt there is a bahtinov aid it tells you exactly how far from perfect focus you are ,really handy