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North America Nebula on TechPan.

Astrophotography Classic Celestron Reflector
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#1 lumière tangible

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Posted 21 June 2025 - 08:00 PM

Hi,

 

my first post in the 'Film Astrophotography' forum.

I'm very proud of my first real result (i.e.: not a total failure).

 

The North America Nebula on 35mm Kodak TechPan (exp.: 1997) using a 8 inches Celestron Schmidt Camera on a Cave Astrola mount.

25 minutes exposure manually guided (Bortle 5), no filter.  I'm impressed by how much nebulosity the film recorded without being h

ypered and without any filter.  That was my first time using the 8" Schmidt Camera and it look like it's a total beast!

 

The film was developed in D-23 (N+1).  The positive is a quick scan before i try to print that in my darkroom.

 

Any feedback, tips or infos on how to use or improve my results using that kind of gear is very welcome!

 

img20250621_19122958 (1).jpeg

 

 

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#2 pcrichmond

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Posted 21 June 2025 - 08:14 PM

Wonderful!


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#3 Bob4BVM

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Posted 21 June 2025 - 10:55 PM

Absolutely beautiful !  Really takes me back to my AP days, especially the 2415 which was my favorite.

Zooming in on your pic shows the great detail that 2415 can produce.

Is that triangular structure above Hudson Bay a lens / reflection artifact ?

 

Anyway it is so refreshing to see a real astrophoto like this, so different from all the common computer-manipulated stuff.

 

Thanks for sharing your work,

Bob


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#4 Todd N

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Posted 21 June 2025 - 10:57 PM

I had to look up D23 and I assume you are mixing your own developer. Use high contrast developer like D19. Or you can approximate D19 by diluting Dektol(or similar) stock solution 2:1 (Dektol/water). I would assume the old standard development time of 4 min. for hypered Techpan is going to be too short for unhypered. Try Fomapan 400. It has extended red sensitivity and it's less sensitive in the green and blue parts of the spectrum. Despite Fomapan being a bit grainy, D19 works well with it producing finer grain than typical developers like D76. 

 

Fomapan 400 & D19 development 8min.


Edited by Todd N, 21 June 2025 - 11:00 PM.


#5 EJN

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Posted 21 June 2025 - 11:32 PM

Any feedback, tips or infos on how to use or improve my results using that kind of gear is very welcome!

 

attachicon.gif img20250621_19122958 (1).jpeg

 

I would print it on high contrast paper. I used to use Ilford Multigrade with the filter set, don't even know if it is still made.

 

Also I would try to get a high resolution scan of the negative. I hope you don't mind - I took your quick scan image and did some Photoshop work on it, a stretch, contrast boost, and cleaned up the black spots and scratches. You also captured the Pelican nebula quite well.

 

post-470978-0-34605900-1750553496p.jpg

 

 

Anyway it is so refreshing to see a real astrophoto like this, so different from all the common computer-manipulated stuff.

 

Yeah I agree, for 2/3 of my life there were only film astrophotos. Quite a few digital astro images I see, despite getting rave comments, and despite involving impressive technical skills, to me are so far removed from reality that they seem almost fake. I especially dislike the false-color narrowband images.


Edited by EJN, 21 June 2025 - 11:53 PM.

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#6 lumière tangible

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Posted 22 June 2025 - 08:28 AM

 

Is that triangular structure above Hudson Bay a lens / reflection artifact ?

Thank you Bob!

 

Yes, from what i have read (Robert Reeves's article) any object of magnitude 1 or brighter will create internal reflections in a 8" Schmidt camera.

 

Eric



#7 lumière tangible

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Posted 22 June 2025 - 08:33 AM

I had to look up D23 and I assume you are mixing your own developer. Use high contrast developer like D19. Or you can approximate D19 by diluting Dektol(or similar) stock solution 2:1 (Dektol/water). I would assume the old standard development time of 4 min. for hypered Techpan is going to be too short for unhypered. Try Fomapan 400. It has extended red sensitivity and it's less sensitive in the green and blue parts of the spectrum. Despite Fomapan being a bit grainy, D19 works well with it producing finer grain than typical developers like D76. 

 

Fomapan 400 & D19 development 8min.

Thanks, i have used D-19 on other projects but not with TechPan yet, i will give it a go.  I didn't knew about Fomapan 400 extended red sensitivity.  I have also seen beautiful results from James Cormier using Acros 100 II.



#8 lumière tangible

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Posted 22 June 2025 - 08:40 AM

I would print it on high contrast paper. I used to use Ilford Multigrade with the filter set, don't even know if it is still made.

 

Also I would try to get a high resolution scan of the negative. I hope you don't mind - I took your quick scan image and did some Photoshop work on it, a stretch, contrast boost, and cleaned up the black spots and scratches. You also captured the Pelican nebula quite well.

 

Thanks! I have a good paper selection (past an actual ones).  The scan and computer work look like a good idea to see what is on the negative before printing it.  I plan on learning to create masks in the darkroom, i think it could be very helpful with astrophoto work.



#9 TxStars

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Posted 22 June 2025 - 06:44 PM

Great job..

The Schmidt camera is fast enough to get good results without hypered film on brighter objects.

Modern slow 100-200 asa print and slide films work well with it..

 


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#10 lumière tangible

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Posted 22 June 2025 - 10:02 PM

Great job..

The Schmidt camera is fast enough to get good results without hypered film on brighter objects.

Modern slow 100-200 asa print and slide films work well with it..

Thanks!  

I didn't knew it would be that good without hypering or using filter.  Maybe NGC 7000 is just an easy target, can't wait to continue to explore..  



#11 lumière tangible

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Posted 22 June 2025 - 10:46 PM

So i managed to enlarged and improved the details and contrast of the original 35mm negative.

 

The original 35mm, the 4x5 interpositive and the new 4x5 negative.  I prefer working with large format as it is easier to manipulate and work with.  I'll try to do a few prints with this 4x5 and then produce an 8x10 negative for alternative processes.

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#12 Jhunt

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Posted Today, 03:18 PM

awesome. This gives me hope. I have 10 boxes in my fridge that I was afraid to use since I couldn't do the hypering part. 




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