Question about a nebula photo I took 2 years apart

I was going through old files and found a shot of the Orion Nebula I took in 2022 with my old DSLR and a 200mm lens. Then I compared it to one I took last week with a dedicated astro cam and a small refractor. The difference is crazy. Same target, same exposure time around 90 minutes total, but the new one shows way more of the faint outer dust. Did anyone else see a big jump when they switched from a camera lens to a telescope? Was it just the gear or did I learn better processing too?

2 comments

2 Comments

faith275d agoMost Upvoted

Oh man! I totally get where you're coming from. That leap from a camera lens to a real telescope is like night and day. You're finally seeing what's actually out there, not just the bright stuff. And yeah, you definitely learned better processing too. Two years of practice adds up whether you think about it or not. You're probably stacking differently and pulling out more faint detail without even realizing it. Good on you for sticking with it, that's a real satisfying feeling.

logan2715d ago

Is it weird how improving any skill seems to make your old gear magically better too? I see the same thing with people learning to cook or fix things around the house - the tools you already had start working better once you actually know what you're doing. Sounds like you hit that same point with your astrophotography, where both the new gear and the new skills were pushing each other forward.