Calibration Frames Explained

In this video I explain what calibration frames are, how to take them, and why they're so important for astrophotography. I demonstrate their importance by comparing identical images, one with calibration frames and one without. These images are so important and can really be the difference between an okay image and an amazing image!

**The equipment I use**

[MADHIKER]

Best explanation and illustration of correction frames out there! Thank you!

[IKP]

Thank you. This is by far the best tutorial on the subject I've found. This is the first time I've heard someone actually explain which parts of the process are most important! As a beginner using a DSLR I will now try my first session by skipping dark frames and saving myself a whole lot of time and effort. :-)

[HaruNatsuuuu]

I'm currently doing my fyp on spectroscopic analysis and this video helps me to understand image reduction process. Thank you so much!

[garymoss]

Superb channel. Just got into AP and didn’t realise how steep the learning curve is. Thanks for all your videos mate really appreciated 👍👍

[drandrewclarke]

yep, sold it to me.excellent vid, simple, right amount of detail and most importantly those examples. thanks

[BanglawalaNeesarg]

Going to desert tonight for some milky way shots. I’m shootings with my wide angle lens but wanted to learn how to take those calibration frames. This video helps!

[sirknow]

the best explanation about calibration frames i found, superb, cheers mate congrats

[OutlandishJourneys]

That was the BEST video I’ve seen on this topic...clear, concise and easy to follow! Great channel mate and keep up the good work! Waves from north of the border! 👍🏻

[andreasbrand]

good explanation, however I have argued for years that there is no point in many flat frames or dark flat frames, one + some math is better than 500 of them. One doesn't have to record more than one flat frame and the dark flat frame can be omitted altogether. Just mathematically fit a low frequency 2d surface to the flat frame to get rid of all of the statistical noise, correcting just the low spatial frequency illumination inhomogeinities, including vignetting or sensor related optics. Done. ;-)

[BrewNomads]

Just about to get started with this hobby and had been mystified about the details of calibration frames. This laid it all out quite nicely! One question, though. I didn't see any substantive difference between how to take flat darks vs. darks. What's the difference? Thanks!

[russellcartmell]

Hi Nick. Great explanation of calibration frames. Dare I say, I found your explanation better than A'backyard Trev's - definitely sold the idea to me! Time to find an old t-shirt now 👍

[THEAWAKENEDSHOW]

We’re short tutorial on how to stack light frames dark frames etc

[greskilgaming]

Very helpful, now i can improve my photos, thank yoou

[wildlifephotographybeneath]

thank you very much for your great tutorial...by watching it, it is the first time I have fully understood these kinde of frames and how to take them. I really excited to get my new skywatcher adventurer and try to follow your tutorials as much as I can. Thanks again for explaining difficult technical things in an easy course it is not easy...:)

[perry]

Best explanation ever. Much appreciated

[PsytastikTunes]

Question: For dark flats, you mentioned the same settings as the flat frames. Now, seeing that I'm using AV mode for those, where the camera sets the shutter speed, am I correct in thinking that when I do dark flat frames I should put the lens cover on and then switch to manual and match the exposure settings the camera set in AV mode for the flats? OR, do i just leave it on AV mode, put the cap and go? I"m thinking this will result in 30'' exposures every time because the camera will not detect any light. Thanks, great video mate!

[pierrechaput]

Very informative and helpful. Thank you

[robertleeimages]

Hey Nick, can flats and bias be used with milky way images? Also when you do the t-shirt bit on AV, I assume you just keep the aperture the same as what it was for the light frames? I do a few cap on darks to put in sequator to help reduce noise during stacking, but not sure if the other techniques can be included let alone what I'm even doing lol

[andysuzierawlins]

I do wide field nightscape photography, but I like doing panos, I recently did panos, and even with 50%overlap, there were still stitch lines, I think it's because the lens was vignetted

[craiglowery]

Great video for us beginners. How many flats do I take? I didn’t hear you mention a number