Less Crowded Star Fields (DSLR Imaging)?

[Z3roCool]

Hi there, I take images of DSO's using my Canon 7D and 400mm Canon lens or similar. Especially when imaging shorter focal lengths when taking a lot of subs, the data looks great but I end up with a really crowded star field. I can process some of this out in post processing but was wondering if there was a way to stop/help this at the data gathering stage. Maybe a filter would help. Do not really need LP filters as in Bortle 4  but if there was something that would help this, sure I have read about something before but cannot find.

Thanks for any advise.

 

Tommy.

[michael8554]

An unusual request, most of us are looking for more rather than less !

A really short exposure will only capture the brighter stars, so no need to stack any more as you have all you want in that one exposure !

Michael

[catburglar]

I know what you mean- I had a go at the veil nebula last year with a DSLR (unmodded) and Samyang 135mm. Initially all looked good in the subs but as you process for the nebula the stars end up dominating the field.
Not sure that there’s much you can do at acquisition. All comes down to post processing/masking before stretching the different aspects of the images.

[AKB]

One solution to this dilemma is to process the stars and the nebulae separately, and then combine.  Software such as Straton or Starnet++ can help with this.

An example here...

 

Edited October 29, 2019 by AKB

[Z3roCool]

1 hour ago, catburglar said:

I know what you mean- I had a go at the veil nebula last year with a DSLR (unmodded) and Samyang 135mm. Initially all looked good in the subs but as you process for the nebula the stars end up dominating the field.
Not sure that there’s much you can do at acquisition. All comes down to post processing/masking before stretching the different aspects of the images.

Yep, I get the same. This is with my Canon 7D and 400mm L Canon lens.  IF I get anymore data it just starts to crowd out the Nebula. I suppose I just need to learn how to process the image correctly (For my taste) as AKB mentioned above.

[Z3roCool]

21 minutes ago, AKB said:

One solution to this dilemma is to process the stars and the nebulae separately, and then combine.  Software such as Straton or Starnet++ can help with this.

An example here...

 

Will take a look at this....seems the answer. Thanks for info

[Z3roCool]

8 hours ago, michael8554 said:

An unusual request, most of us are looking for more rather than less !

A really short exposure will only capture the brighter stars, so no need to stack any more as you have all you want in that one exposure !

Michael

Hi Michael, I need to get as much data as possible as trying to image the nebula detail...short subs just will not get me that and stacking is essential to get the noise down and the detail in the DSO.

[michael8554]

Ah, you want to image DSOs, not Star Fields, should have guessed....... 

Michael 

[AKB]

5 hours ago, Z3roCool said:

Yep, I get the same. This is with my Canon 7D and 400mm L Canon lens.  IF I get anymore data it just starts to crowd out the Nebula.

I just grabbed the JPEG and had a quick go.  It doesn't work too well because of the JPEG compression, but this gives the idea on your data...

Edited October 29, 2019 by AKB

[Z3roCool]

19 hours ago, AKB said:

I just grabbed the JPEG and had a quick go.  It doesn't work too well because of the JPEG compression, but this gives the idea on your data...

Wow! Impressive work...I will give this a go for sure  Thanks.