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Flat Gradients - Atik Horizon

Marky1973

By Marky1973
in Getting Started With Imaging

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Marky1973

Marky1973

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So, got around to trying to take some flats with the Atik Horizon - never had a problem before either with my DSLR or my ATIK 414ex using an A4 light panel. Set up in a dark room and cooled to the same temperature as the lights, I set it up to go and ended up with a flat that looked like this.

962925444_singleflat.thumb.jpg.97aeda0c3164ddae0ceb6f3cd39d04d1.jpg

It has a gradient from one end of the Flat to the other. At first I didn't think this was an issue and presume Amp Glow or something similar would be causing it and it would be cancelled out in the images, although I do not remember seeing a similar gradient in the Light subs or in the final images stacked in DSS without Flat frames.

Once combined the Master Flat looked like this

1179960427_masterflat.thumb.jpg.5721d84cdde58dd9bb412cd33f34190f.jpg

And the combined final images looked like this

Leaving a final image with the gradient added in

1126620683_combinedfinal.thumb.jpg.a53272a1af5c4510cf1391f26825aa2f.jpg

Which didn't compare to the original final image I ended up with previously before flats - lights and darks stacked

testdawn.thumb.jpg.1217e5436adc6c1c042fa5d2da37bfb1.jpg

I've been playing the Atik DAWN today and had the same results in both that and DSS.

Now, obviously I can just leave the Flats out in this case and it looks better to me. Is there an obvious school-boy error that I am making that would resolve this issue? The exposures were around 0.5 seconds and expose to a similar Histogram to the Lights - should I be exposing for longer? The Light panel was about 6 inches from the end of the scope and the light dimmed via the use of a few sheets of white A4 paperr. I did also try with a t-shirt over the end and without either and still got similar results.

I'll try some sky flats next time I am out.

Cheers

Mark

 

 

dawn2.jpg

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Marky1973

Marky1973

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Hi Olly. The "even illumination" is a check box in Artemis in the Exposure window....next to the "Pad Data" check box that enables you to see a more "familiar" representation of the Histogram with the CMOS sensor. So I think it is probably a combination of both that I need to work on to get the flats right.  I don't remember seeing these boxes when I was imaging with the 414ex so wonder if they are additions to the software after the Horizon was released (or perhaps I never noticed them before as I didn't need to use them.

Although it might be a while before I sort this, as a snagged cable now means the Horizon is damaged and will need to go back to Atik for repair. I sometimes wonder whether I should be allowed nice things.... ?

 

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Ouroboros

Ouroboros

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Ooooh what a cliff hanger .... and a bummer having damaged camera. Hope you get it fixed quickly - not least because I'd like to see how much the "even illumination" solves the problem.  I've been thinking of getting this camera. 

I'm wondering ..... What does the the "even illumination" do exactly (how does it work in fact) and why isn't it the default setting? 

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Marky1973

Marky1973

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13 minutes ago, Ouroboros said:

Ooooh what a cliff hanger .... and a bummer having damaged camera. Hope you get it fixed quickly - not least because I'd like to see how much the "even illumination" solves the problem.  I've been thinking of getting this camera. 

I'm wondering ..... What does the the "even illumination" do exactly (how does it work in fact) and why isn't it the default setting? 

I was wondering about that and assumed that, if it was added for the Horizon, then it wouldn't need to be default - I don't remember seeing it with my CCD camera and it would be annoying to have to disable it every time when the majority of people will be using this with CCD cameras.

I'll let you know how I get on, but it might be a while I am afraid! ?

 

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Marky1973

Marky1973

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5 minutes ago, Davey-T said:

Atik have a pretty good turn around for repairs so you should be running again soon :thumbsup:

Dave

As long as I get my "licence to image" back as well.....it may get rescinded for being a muppet....

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