Some digiscoping experiments with a dslr (2 Viewers)

[JGobeil]

Paul, my monitor is hardware calibrated and I can see all the details in the Photofriday URL you suggested.

If your monitor is properly calibrated, then there are problems with your last bird pictures IMO. They are so dark that I can barely see the details of the feathers on the back of the bird (first 2 photos) and the last photo of the bird in the tree has about a 50% black content. Is that how they should look ? As I see them, focus is very good but exposure is incorrect.

By the way, I don't think it is possible to calibrate a monitor using the internet like you do. Yes you can adjust contrast and brightness but you cannot adjust colors. To adjust colors, you need a hardware device that will read colors off the monitor screen and a software that will build a .ICM profile for your monitor.

 

[Paul Corfield]

In Photoshop I masked off just the Robin in the first photo just to isolate it from the background and then I did auto levels and it didn't alter one bit. If the bird was that much underexposed as you say then it would have altered but it didn't. I know that's only a rough guide but I can see all the details in the feathers on the back so I'm pretty pleased with how my monitor is working at the moment. I can tweak the sliders so that the shadows fade but that wasn't really how it was in real life at about half hour from sunset. There wasn't any direct sunlight hitting the bird as it was too low in the sky.

Paul.

 

[Paul Corfield]

A few from today, spot metered all these. Taken with the 76mm extension tube + 2X teleconverter. Range around 10m for the close one and 15m for the other two.

Paul.

 

[Paul Corfield]

This is a version of the Robin posted above. In this one I used the eyedropper to isolate a target shadow and highlight value and then I input them into the RGB channels in the adjust Curves screen. Looks quite good I think.

Paul.

 

[johnno]

Paul,
I found much improvement in the images to posted, so perhaps you could give me an opinion.
I recently bought a second monitor, they are of a different make, so I have been some difficulty in trying to match them, I think I have got them as close as I am going to get, at least I am hoping. I have posted to images, they are the same except mon1 has had no adjustments, mon2 has minimal, there is still a slight difference between them as far as I can see. which one is the closest to being correct, and what does the other need to be the same. I have a little bit of and idea, but would like to see if you opinion matches mine.

Hi Ernie,

To MY eyes,
the second image is the better.

Just my opinion.

All the best Mate.
John

 

[erniehatt]

This is a version of the Robin posted above. In this one I used the eyedropper to isolate a target shadow and highlight value and then I input them into the RGB channels in the adjust Curves screen. Looks quite good I think.

Paul.

Thanks Paul and John.
That is a great improvement Paul, all round.
I think I will leave them as is. Ernie

 

[Mickymouse]

Been an interesting thread this, I have just bought my first DSLR a Nikon D40 and hope to join the experimenting after crimbo when I should get the time.
BTW Ernie I think you second photo looks much better but could that be because it's bigger? At least it appears that way on my kit.

Mick

 

[erniehatt]

Been an interesting thread this, I have just bought my first DSLR a Nikon D40 and hope to join the experimenting after crimbo when I should get the time.
BTW Ernie I think you second photo looks much better but could that be because it's bigger? At least it appears that way on my kit.

Mick[/QUOTE

Thanks Mick, I was surprised about the size difference myself, I resized them the same, and the adjustments were very small. Ernie

 

[Paul Corfield]

Windows downloaded a new driver for my Nvidia 7600GT video card today and I tried out the monitor calibration wizard that comes with it. Just wondered how these look to everyone.

Paul.

 

[JGobeil]

Windows downloaded a new driver for my Nvidia 7600GT video card today and I tried out the monitor calibration wizard that comes with it. Just wondered how these look to everyone.

Much better Paul ! To be critical, I would say that they are a little to bright, but it is a matter of personal preference.

 

[erniehatt]

Windows downloaded a new driver for my Nvidia 7600GT video card today and I tried out the monitor calibration wizard that comes with it. Just wondered how these look to everyone.

Paul.

Paul we are looking good, that is one hell of a difference. That has me thinking of putting the nvidia back in the computer. Ernie

 

[Paul Corfield]

Thanks guys.
Should have paid more attention to you Jules so apologies for that. As you rightly pointed out yesterday, my monitor was still too bright. It's such a fine line getting them set just right.

Weather and birds are being good to me today. Very cold and frosty start here. Just gone mid day and still a thick frost where the sun hasn't got to it. That's bringing the birds into the garden. Here's some Blue tit's. These were taken with the 2X teleconverter and a 26mm extension tube. All taken on jpeg mode with the rapid continuous shooting.

Paul.

 

[johnno]

Windows downloaded a new driver for my Nvidia 7600GT video card today and I tried out the monitor calibration wizard that comes with it. Just wondered how these look to everyone.

Paul.

Hi Paul,

They look Great to me.

The difference in Brightness,between these last shots,compared to the earlier ones,
Is Waaay better.

Regards.
John

 

[JGobeil]

I'm glad your got it calibrated ok Paul. Those last photos are great. Outstanding sharpness. Can't wait to receive the adapters to try that.

 

[erniehatt]

Looks as though everyone agrees Paul spot on. Apart from a little CA great images. Ernie

 

[Paul Corfield]

Looks as though everyone agrees Paul spot on. Apart from a little CA great images. Ernie

Yeah, the CA will always be a problem with achromat scopes. Once I get hold of a William Optics VR-1 filter or something similar the CA should disappear. It's a minus violet filter that removes that part of the colour spectrum plus it improves contrast and resolves more details. There's other ones like the Baader Fringe Killer, Orion V-Block anti fringing CA filter etc. They just screw into the eyepiece holder in the scope so I'll just leave it screwed in all the time. Heard good reports about the VR-1 and the makers say it takes an achromat to near apo quality as far as CA is concerned. Seen some test photos and they seem to work well.

Beyond that and for a bit more money, William Optics also do a kit called the apograde which replaces the achromat lens with a fluorite doublet apochromatic lens. It can also be used on other 80mm scopes such as (according to their website) Megrez 80 II SD, ZenithStar 80, ZenithStar 80 Short, Orion Express, Stellarvue Nighthawk 2, Revelation 80, Astronomica 80, Geoptik 80, and all the other ZS80 achromat clones.

Paul.

 

[Paul Corfield]

I'm glad your got it calibrated ok Paul. Those last photos are great. Outstanding sharpness. Can't wait to receive the adapters to try that.

Thanks Jules.

For sharpening I use the 'Smart Sharpen' function in Photoshop. I use a radius varying from 0.3 to around 0.8 depending on if the photo can take it. The detail needs to be there in the first place though but I find Smart Sharpen works very well on feathers. On a high ISO it can be tricky as it makes any background noise really stand out so I do some careful work with the Neat Image plug-in to remove that while keeping the feather detail.

Paul.

 

[Neil]

Very good results Paul.
In the first photos you posted I was a bit concerned about the center of gravity of your rig. With the DSLR on the back it it looked a bit back heavy. It could be worth it to move the center of gravity about 6 - 9 inches forward for balance although with the sharpness you're getting you may have overcome this already.
Keep up the good work, Neil.

 

[erniehatt]

Ok Paul, now I get the picture, I assumed your scope was the same as mine , the 80 II ED apo, great results though, generally the CA is not that bad. Ernie

 

[Paul Corfield]

Very good results Paul.
In the first photos you posted I was a bit concerned about the center of gravity of your rig. With the DSLR on the back it it looked a bit back heavy. It could be worth it to move the center of gravity about 6 - 9 inches forward for balance although with the sharpness you're getting you may have overcome this already.
Keep up the good work, Neil.

The centre of gravity is a little back heavy but locking the pan/tilt handle on the tripod is enough to stop it moving. When I'm taking photos I have the pan/tilt totally loose so the tripod is basically only there to hold the weight and I can move the scope in any direction. Vibration is minimal and with the camera on burst mode I find it freezes the action pretty well. If I'm walking round the countryside I generally keep the camera round my neck and then it's just a case of pushing it into the eyepiece holder on the scope which is only a couple of seconds.

Ernie - didn't quite have the funds for the 80mm ED version. Surprised the wife even let me get this without too much earache. Mind you, I wont be getting hardly anything for Christmas. :-O

Here's a couple I took today with just the 2X teleconverter. Range around 10m.

Paul.