TheSkySearchers

Cuiv the Lazy Geek did a recent video about camera Offset settings. I've only ever used the default Offset settings until now. I understand what the offset is but I've always assumed the factory default was ok. So I carried out the testing that the Cuiv man describes and discovered that I have a lot of redundant pixels! My ASI 1600MM factory Offset setting was 8, now it's 20.

I've been out capturing new Dark Frames tonight with the new Offset. Tomorrow is the first clear night for ages but it's up to 18mph winds. Wednesday night looks better. Here's hoping I get an opportunity to trial my new settings.

Here's the video:

I just recently did the same thing Graeme. The default setting on my 2600MM and MC was 50 and I had always kept it as that. I had just finished building my new master dark library for the winter using 50 and then I ran across Cuiv's video so I decided to watch it. I forwarded it to a friend that I know as a local expert who's advice I trust just to confirm Cuiv's process and he agreed with it so I ran the test. And of course my best results came in different, 15 to be exact, so I spent two more nights rebuilding my master dark library.
Oh well, what else is there to do on the cloudy nights?

Interesting video!

I am a big time Cuiv fan. He has cost me lots of money! His reviews steered me to the ASI533, Sharpstar 61, Mele Overclock 3C, and ASI EAF (I'm sure others too).

I enjoyed the video and checked histograms to find that I did have some (small) offset to the right. Definitely small, but there is all of the lights that I looked at.

I changed from default on the ASI33MC (don't remember if it was 70 or 50) to 30 many moons ago. My darks at 30 still measured 1200 adu, so I felt comfortable there. I saw no need to have over 2000 adu just thrown away by using a higher offset. Of course, by thinking may be wrong!

An interesting note though, I could be wrong, but I don't believe that Cuiv uses dark frames at all with his "no amp glow" sensor cameras. He says that the difference in noise levels are negligible.

Thanks Graeme for the interesting link!