Astrophotography - what am I doing wrong???

thinker · Jan 28, 2019

TRP said:
Thank you. I have tried to replicate in my software of choice (capture one) with no luck. Looks like I need to learn more about darktable.

You could also try Rawtherapee. Also free and open-source.

TRP said:
But, glad to see it is more a limit of my post processing capability

Below is a 'DSO-style stretching' (deep-sky objects) with Gimp (also free and open-source) of your ORF-file after using Rawtherapee to develop the ORF. I'm 'dipping my toes' into Astrophotography since last August (2018) so I'm very much a novice at this.

TRP said:
than the lens or camera.

I use the same camera and have got feedback that it's a capable camera for astro work. At least in a colder climate (where I live), and with temperatures not much above 0°C (4°C is fine!)

Only processed to reveal available information in the ORF file

I'm actually surprised how much colour you've got with such a short exposure with tiny (I mean tiny) 3.75mm aperture.

--
(Harvey) - Jane, I've been thinking...
(Jane) - Oh, do you want an aspirin?

TRP · Jan 28, 2019

thinker said:
TRP said:

Thank you. I have tried to replicate in my software of choice (capture one) with no luck. Looks like I need to learn more about darktable.

Click to expand...

You could also try Rawtherapee. Also free and open-source.

thinker said:

But, glad to see it is more a limit of my post processing capability

Click to expand...

Below is a 'DSO-style stretching' (deep-sky objects) with Gimp (also free and open-source) of your ORF-file after using Rawtherapee to develop the ORF. I'm 'dipping my toes' into Astrophotography since last August (2018) so I'm very much a novice at this.

thinker said:

than the lens or camera.

Click to expand...

I use the same camera and have got feedback that it's a capable camera for astro work. At least in a colder climate (where I live), and with temperatures not much above 0°C (4°C is fine!)

Only processed to reveal available information in the ORF file

I'm actually surprised how much colour you've got with such a short exposure with tiny (I mean tiny) 3.75mm aperture.

--
(Harvey) - Jane, I've been thinking...
(Jane) - Oh, do you want an aspirin?

In your processing you are getting such great isolation between the central region (milky way) and the rest of the photo. That is what I have not been able to replicate well. I need to work at it some more, but I am impressed what this lens and camera combo achieved. Much superior to my Pentax setup unused 2 years ago

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Olympus Pro 40-150 f/2.8
Pansonic Leica 100-400 f/4-6.3
Olympus 300mm f/2.8

thinker · Jan 28, 2019

TRP said:
TRP said:

I'm actually surprised how much colour you've got with such a short exposure with tiny (I mean tiny) 3.75mm aperture.

Click to expand...

In your processing you are getting such great isolation between the central region (milky way) and the rest of the photo. That is what I have not been able to replicate well. I need to work at it some more, but I am impressed what this lens and camera combo achieved. Much superior to my Pentax setup unused 2 years ago

Your lens has a very strong light falloff (vignetting) wide open, according to Lenstip's review. This becomes extremely apparent with strong stretching like I did. I hope you looked at original image (?), there is a surprising amount of details/colours.

Androole · Jan 28, 2019

Treadurownpath said:
Ive read in the past that the laowa 7.5 is a bad choice for astro due to having crazy vignetting wide open. These shots make it look to be a good option though? I think you just havent got the most impressive view of the milky way, but the actual shots look nice and sharp.

I feel like there's a pretty big difference between technical astro work that is far more concerned with the scientific value of the images, and the more artistic astro-landscape work that ultra-wide lenses are generally better suited for.

I think the Laowa is probably a great option for the latter, but as you say, the vignetting (and uncorrected coma) is not great for science-y stuff.

You just need to know the editorial slant that the reviewer is coming from.

RobBobW · Jan 28, 2019

TRP said:
Thank you. I have tried to replicate in my software of choice (capture one) with no luck. Looks like I need to learn more about darktable.

But, glad to see it is more a limit of my post processing capability than the lens or camera.

Here is my take with C1P. Give it a try on your computer.

While Balance Daylight or Fine Weather

Exposure 0.3

Contrast 7

Brightness -10

Saturation 11

Highlight 100

Shadow 20

Curve RGB Left Pont Input 18 - Output 11

Levels RGB Left slider 14

Clarity 100

Structure 60

Caution 10 MB file

--
Cheers,
RobBobW

RevelationImages

Fine art, travel and landscape photography.

www.revelationimages.ca

RobBobW · Jan 28, 2019

This is a shot of mine with the OMD-EM10II and m.Zukio 7-14mm f2.8 processed in Capture One Pro.

--
Cheers,
RobBobW

RevelationImages

Fine art, travel and landscape photography.

www.revelationimages.ca

Pete Berry · Jan 28, 2019

...your processing of both the OP's image and the above have removed any trace of unique star colors, and given a background of what looks like chopped straw @ 100%, with a marked reddish cast on the latter..

Below is my simple full-sized ACR processing result of the OP's RAW image.

Pete

DiffractionLtd · Jan 28, 2019

Not enough exposure, not enough exposures, you have field-rotation of some kind.

Muzfox · Jan 28, 2019

Something doesn't seem right.

Okay at 12mm here are my goto settings.

Shutter : 15-20 seconds. (for a 7.5mm I'd be trying 30 seconds, but no longer)

Aperture : Wide open (2.8 on my 12-40mm pro)

ISO : Usually max 3200, will go 4000 if I'm stacking for noise reduction. How high will depend on what light pollution is around, if a lot, then lower ISO may be needed.

You must be pointed at something of interest or you will just get stars.

In post. Raise the exposure to see what's there, it's then a balance of how high, what contrast, bright and dark levels verses how much noise you get/want.

I never track but I do stack and this reduces noise a lot. Foreground is a live composite exposure at ISO 400, F4, refocused but camera not moved, and light painted. You can see all my astros at https://murrayfox.com.au/astro/

JosephScha · Jan 28, 2019

THAT looks beautiful. Amazing.

Pete Berry · Jan 28, 2019

JosephScha said:
THAT looks beautiful. Amazing.

Thanks Joseph!

The main thing I do in PS/ACR star field shots is first, to color balance the background sky to neutral black using the Auto WB picker. Then I push the black level way down to max of -100, or near to darken the background, and push the white level to a pleasing star brightness that doesn't wash out unique star colors - +60 here. Also reduced Exp. by 0.6 EV, pushed contrast to +50, and Sat. to +20. Default low level sharpening, and that's it.

I'll stress that without knocking the black level waaayyy down, a wishy-washy look results - at least to my ancient eyes...

Pete

RobBobW · Jan 28, 2019

Pete Berry said:
...your processing of both the OP's image and the above have removed any trace of unique star colors, and given a background of what looks like chopped straw @ 100%, with a marked reddish cast on the latter..

Below is my simple full-sized ACR processing result of the OP's RAW image.

Pete

Thanks for the feedback Pete. Here is another go at it.

OP Image reprocessed

My Image reprocessed

--
Cheers,
RobBobW

RevelationImages

Fine art, travel and landscape photography.

www.revelationimages.ca

Pete Berry · Jan 29, 2019

RobBobW said:
Pete Berry said:

...your processing of both the OP's image and the above have removed any trace of unique star colors, and given a background of what looks like chopped straw @ 100%, with a marked reddish cast on the latter..

Below is my simple full-sized ACR processing result of the OP's RAW image.

Pete

Click to expand...

Thanks for the feedback Pete. Here is another go at it.

OP Image reprocessed

My Image reprocessed

Much better!

Pete

RobBobW · Jan 29, 2019

Pete Berry said:
RobBobW said:

Pete Berry said:

...your processing of both the OP's image and the above have removed any trace of unique star colors, and given a background of what looks like chopped straw @ 100%, with a marked reddish cast on the latter..

Below is my simple full-sized ACR processing result of the OP's RAW image.

Pete

Click to expand...

Thanks for the feedback Pete. Here is another go at it.

OP Image reprocessed

My Image reprocessed

Click to expand...

Much better!

Pete

Thanks Pete! I was getting too caught up on all the faint stars that showed up in the background.

--
Cheers,
RobBobW

RevelationImages

Fine art, travel and landscape photography.

www.revelationimages.ca

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Astrophotography - what am I doing wrong???

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