27 replies to this topic

[jdbastro]

Snapped these single exposure stills last weekend at Mt Pinos using a Contax/Zeiss 200mm/f2 ApoSonnar lens and my Gen 3 unfilmed WP image tube.

 

Decided to give a 6nm Astronomik H-alpha filter a try.  The results for me at best show a tiny contrast improvement over the Astronomik 12nm H-alpha filter that I have used previously.  Camera exposure settings require a higher ISO but the results are indeed a bit better.  Once again used the Sony A7S.

 

Here are the results:

 

N American & Pelican Nebs (30 sec, 80 ISO)

 

Elephant Trunk Neb (30 sec, 100 ISO)

 

Heart Nebula (30 sec, 80 ISO )

 

Soul Nebula (30 sec, 100 ISO)

 

Veil Nebula (30 sec, 100 ISO)

 

Gamma Cygni Complex (30 sec, 80 ISO)

 

Cederblad 214 (30 sec, 100 ISO)

 

 

[charotarguy]

Camera exposure settings require a higher ISO but the results are indeed a bit better.  Once again used the Sony A7S.

 

Here are the results:

 

N American & Pelican Nebs (30 sec, 80 ISO)

 

 

Elephant Trunk Neb (30 sec, 100 ISO)

 

 

Heart Nebula (30 sec, 80 ISO )

 

 

Soul Nebula (30 sec, 100 ISO)

 

 

Veil Nebula (30 sec, 100 ISO)

 

 

Gamma Cygni Complex (30 sec, 80 ISO)

 

 

Cederblad 214 (30 sec, 100 ISO)

Aren't these normal ISO values? Amazing shots, dropped my jaw on the floor.

[t_image]

yes, curious about ISO values listed as well.

[Vondragonnoggin]

Low iso lets you expose longer with less scintillation showing up

 

Great shots as always. Love the NA in full.

Edited by Vondragonnoggin, 09 September 2016 - 09:39 PM.

[Dom543]

Just curious. Have you tied to capture the same objects with just the A7S without the image tube? Obviously, with higher ISO.

 

Thanks,

--Dom

[Jeff Morgan]

Amazing.

 

These images are the best I have seen in portraying the real-time NV experience. The image scale is a bit higher than what I am seeing with my 3x afocal lens, but it is pretty close.

 

As I mentioned to another forum member recently, with my WP tube the Pelican Nebula really looks like a pelican. Direct vision. No Draconian dark adaption or averted imagination required.

 

Amazing.

[pwang99]

These are *definitely* closer to the actual experience of viewing night vision in person, although they are somewhat brighter IMO.  For instance with North American & Pelican nebulae, it's usually a little "fuzzier and fainter" for me, and (obviously) a bit more scintillation.

 

It's kind of funny, in one of the other threads we're talking about how improvements in CCD and camera sensors may/will eventually lead to "digital eyepieces" instead of photocathode-based amplification, and in this thread you've got some lovely photos showing the use of photocathodes for fast & high-quality imaging!  :-)

[Jeff Morgan]

It's kind of funny, in one of the other threads we're talking about how improvements in CCD and camera sensors may/will eventually lead to "digital eyepieces" instead of photocathode-based amplification, and in this thread you've got some lovely photos showing the use of photocathodes for fast & high-quality imaging!  :-)

 

You may very well be right.

 

At this time however, 30 seconds integration is still very much different than Real Time. I tried the Mallincam DS Raider which also has "fast" integrations. Even so, it was a lengthy process to capture an image. Not even close to real time in perceptions. And it requires a lot of ancillary hardware. And resolution is lower.

 

This is not at all like NV which is real time and has high resolution. Close (perhaps identical) to conventional eyepieces.

 

Of course, that is the state of things in 2016. Over the last half century, betting against electronics has been a thoroughly losing bet.

Edited by Jeff Morgan, 09 September 2016 - 10:40 PM.

[PEterW]

Ced214... Good to see! I have just picked up the 6nm, waiting for the weather to cooperate!

Peter

[jdbastro]

Just curious. Have you tied to capture the same objects with just the A7S without the image tube? Obviously, with higher ISO.

 

Thanks,

--Dom

I tried the North American once with the same lens Zeiss 200mm/f2 (no image intensifier).  My A7S (with factory IR filter intact) recorded the following ho-hum result:

 

(A7S, 20 sec, 3200 ISO):

[jdbastro]

Amazing.

 

These images are the best I have seen in portraying the real-time NV experience. The image scale is a bit higher than what I am seeing with my 3x afocal lens, but it is pretty close.

 

As I mentioned to another forum member recently, with my WP tube the Pelican Nebula really looks like a pelican. Direct vision. No Draconian dark adaption or averted imagination required.

 

Amazing.

Here's an example of the real-time view with my 200mm/f2 lens.  This was taken last summer with a GH3 camera and a wider filter (12nm H-alpha):

 

N American real-time video

 

This clip stored on Vimeo may show fewer compression artifacts:  N American real-time video on Vimeo

Edited by jdbastro, 10 September 2016 - 02:22 AM.

[jdbastro]

I forgot to throw in the California Nebula (NGC 1499).  Here it is using the same equipment:

 

NGC 1499 (30 sec, 80 ISO):

 

 

and a real-time view with the same lens and image tube but again a wider filter from last fall (12nm H-alpha):

 

Calif Nebula real-time video

 

Just uploaded this clip to Vimeo and it looks better than Youtube:  Calif Nebula real-time video on Vimeo

Edited by jdbastro, 10 September 2016 - 02:37 AM.

[GlennLeDrew]

Some object suggestions which stray off the beaten path of the same old fare we see over and over...

 

Sh2-119 (a shell centered around 68 Cyg)

Sh2-126 (roughly centered on 10 Lac, and at least 5 deg across)

Sh2-129 (another shell, about 3 deg SSW of alpha Cep)

Sh2-132 (just SSE of epsilon Cep)

[Eddgie]

Wonderful pictures Jay,

 

Please keep them coming!

[StarMike8SE]

Great shots!!  But I alway love your NV photos  

[charotarguy]

Two quick questions, how to you use the filter with your 200mm lens and do you capture it in raw format? 

[PEterW]

Good suggestions Glenn, checking my notes I have seen 119, 132, 129, but didn't go looking for 126.... One for next time, thanks!
No one has mentioned sh157 on the cep/cass border nearby, but brighter than some of the ones mentioned.

Cheers

Peter

[chrysalis]

Superb shots!!!!!

[jdbastro]

Two quick questions, how to you use the filter with your 200mm lens and do you capture it in raw format? 

I have an ITT 6010 monocular that is designed to accept a separate c-mount adapter for c-mount applications.

 

I had a custom c-mount adapter made by Precise Parts which includes an internal 1.25-inch filter thread.  The H-alpha filter goes in the filter thread and sits between the image tube input and the objective lens output.

 

There is minimal (if any) band shift with this configuration because the Zeiss ApoSonnar lens projects a full-frame sized image.  Because of the large image size in relation to the 18mm dia image tube input window, the incoming light rays strike the filter at a near 90-deg incidence angle over the FOV of the image tube.

 

Here's some pics of the setup:

 

NV Monocular coupled to Zeiss lens:

 

Closeup of inside of NV monocular's c-mount adapter with filter installed:

 

Yes, I shoot Raw AND JPEG, but I normally just use the JPEG, which is the case for the above examples.

[charotarguy]

Thanks the images helps in understanding better. That lens looks amazing. I checked by googling and its price is in upper 3k range   .    

[jdbastro]

Thanks the images helps in understanding better. That lens looks amazing. I checked by googling and its price is in upper 3k range   .    

The lens is very sharp for astro photo/video work.  It does great with an NV unit attached and is even sharp on star fields when coupled directly to a camera like the A7S.

 

I am VERY satisfied with my lens.  The original price new was $10K!   I bought mine used a couple years ago.

[PEterW]

Clear evening, 60% moon, oh well. (SQM 18.8) Time to try out my new 6nm Astronomik. Sweep with the 12nm and 3x showed the North America nicely.
Also time to try out the 50mm Finder I have, focus is a pain... Need to screw the objective but it works. With the 6nm it is time to go sweeping things up. North America and pelican, 5068 and sh119 nearby. Cocoon faint a bit further over. The gamma Cygni region its usual annoying self with nebulous blobs sweeping off (ic1318ish and some Dwb??!!) and back round almost back to Deneb via sh112. A blob extending towards the crescent(teeny) and some more further down cygnus.
Into Cepheus, 1396 just visible with sh142, sh132 and sh157 down and in a line to the left from it. Leaning further over ced214 just visible. Pacman easy.
Very good night considering the conditions.
Discovered my fave scope gives bloaty stars without the hydrogen alpha filter :-( maybe I need a one of those small fast reflectors....

Cheers
Peter

[jdbastro]

Some object suggestions which stray off the beaten path of the same old fare we see over and over...

 

Sh2-119 (a shell centered around 68 Cyg)

Sh2-126 (roughly centered on 10 Lac, and at least 5 deg across)

Sh2-129 (another shell, about 3 deg SSW of alpha Cep)

Sh2-132 (just SSE of epsilon Cep)

Glenn,

 

Thanks for the suggestions.  I had a chance to go after these Sharpless targets this past weekend with my NV gear.  Lens is still the 200mm/f2 Zeiss/Contax, filter is a 6nm H-alpha.

 

This is what I got with 30 sec single (unprocessed) exposures on each target:

 

Sh 2-119 (Cyg):

 

Sh 2-126 (Lac):

 

Sh 2-129 (Cep):

 

Sh 2-132 (Cep):

 

And for a bonus:

 

Here's IC59 / IC63 in Cass:

 

In real-time, these show faintly but not as obviously as the popular targets shown at the top of this topic.

 

-J

 

Edited by jdbastro, 04 October 2016 - 12:03 AM.

[Eddgie]

All beautiful pics. 

 

I was out with the 12" dob last week and spend 20 minutes or more on just the Veil nebula and the amount of structure I was able to resolve was pretty wonderful.

 

Crescent was a big surprise.  I had seen it before using one of my first PVS-7s, but perhaps the night was not so good or maybe it was the tube because the view I had last week was quite amazing.  The first time I saw it, I could see the curve  and some mottling, but last week the amount of detail I could see was far better, with considerable structure that had escaped my first view.

 

I love these pictures. It gives me something to shoot at and unlike in the past, I think I actually have a shot at seeing some of the things someone else captured in a picture!

[GlennLeDrew]

Excellent captures, J! This NV stuff is mighty potent.