Flats in the field.

[Redscouse]

Evening all, 

What are your thoughts on using this for flats out in the field?  

Pete. 

Edited February 9, 2020 by Redscouse

[Jkulin]

My worry would be that it claims to be a honeycomb design, if so then the image maybe broken up and not a totally flat unbroken white.

[Redscouse]

16 hours ago, Jkulin said:

My worry would be that it claims to be a honeycomb design, if so then the image maybe broken up and not a totally flat unbroken white.

Hi John,

Thanks for the reply.
I'd hope to diffuse any oddities using a handkerchief/t-shirt.

[Jkulin]

2 hours ago, Redscouse said:

Hi John,

Thanks for the reply.
I'd hope to diffuse any oddities using a handkerchief/t-shirt.

Hi, I guessed you might think that, but seriously it will not create an even pattern.

A while ago I bought some drawing flat panels which had a honeycomb effect and there was no way to hide them with a white t-shirt.

I eventually settled on these smaller flat panels and these larger flat panels they can be powered from a 12v feed off my Pegasus UPB and although the dimmer is fairly useless, I use white plastic sheets combined with theatre light gels to get the right ADU.

HTH

[tooth_dr]

8 minutes ago, Jkulin said:

theatre light gels

John, if I can ask, can you elaborate?  I'm using a flat panel, on dimmest setting, and with a 42% acrylic sheet diffuser, and it still is far too bright.

[Jkulin]

Here you go Adam,

https://www.sblite.co.uk/neutral-density/265-409-rosco-299-12-neutral-density.html#/23-sheet_roll-sheet

https://www.sblite.co.uk/neutral-density/264-407-rosco-211-9-neutral-density.html#/23-sheet_roll-sheet

https://www.sblite.co.uk/neutral-density/263-405-lee-filters-210-6-neutral-density.html#/23-sheet_roll-sheet

I use a combination to get the right ADU

HTH

[Jkulin]

And these for plastic sheets https://www.plasticsheets.com/review/product/list/id/2311/order/561769/#review-form

[tooth_dr]

@Jkulin Thats great John, appreciate it.  I'm faffing around with sheets of paper, just want to try to find a single plastic acrylic sheet or film that I can use.  I think I'll order a few bits and see how it fairs out, it isnt that dear.

[Jkulin]

Yep take your time Adam getting the right ADU, I used SGP flats wizard but have used APT for doing this previously. I then sandwich the gels between the light panel and the appropriate perspex sheet so it doesn't get scratched.

The difference this made to my flats was unbelievable.

[Redscouse]

@Jkulin Thanks for the heads-up. 👍
Still getting my head around calibration frames. Darks are pretty easy, just pop the cap on and repeat the imaging schedule. Flats/Bias, I'm just getting used too. Haven't even tried Dark-Flats. (I mean, how on earth do you take a dark light image? 😕 )
The flat panel I ordered is due on Thursday so will test it out. If it shows the beehive pattern I'll be straight onto them links you've kindly provided and ordering some. 

[carastro]

My flats panel is lit with dots all over it.  I first of all thought it would not work (it's a tracing board off Ebay) , but so long as I put a couple of sheets of paper in front of it, it works just fine. 

So since your panel on the way I'd try it out before buying a 2nd light source.

Carole 

[Redscouse]

Hi Carole, 

Thanks for the response. I'll give it a whirl when it arrives and see if it leaves a pattern. If it does I'll try paper/tshirts etc. to see if I can hide it, if all else fails I'll grab one of them drawing boards from the links above. 
As a side note, I did actually build one of my own, (see images below - I never got around to finalising it as I wasn't convinced the leds were bright enough) it kinda works although it ended up being a lot longer than I anticipated (165mm) so hardly portable hence me still looking for one I can cart around with me. 

Pete.

   

Edited February 11, 2020 by Redscouse