Thanks guys! I'm just getting going on this so hopefully the output will get better over time.
Scott: I don't know the answer to your question but since these were taken at a higher iso setting and with long exposures I'm not sure how impressive the dynamic range is or isn't. What I
do know is that they're swamped pretty badly with noise! They're also pretty dark the way they come out so most of the processing is an effort to lift the faint glow of the galaxies or nebulae in levels and curves whilst struggline to tamp down light pollution noise and signal noise. When I finally get set up with a guiding CCD for my spotter scope and perhaps even a better mount setup (that's a big maybe - I'm running out of funds...) I'll be able to expose for longer durations (50 seconds seems to be my max right now) which should help in this regard. It'll be interesting to compare 1 minute 400iso and 4 minute 100iso exposures for noise.
PhotoAcute isn't really astro software at all. It just so happens that it's the only "stacking" software that I currently know how to use so that's why I'm using it. As far as I know it's mostly used for focus stacking and noise reduction through stacking but it also has an HDR function. I've used it in the past with good results on macro subjects. Here is a cocoon imaged with a Schneider-Kreuznach Xenon 50mm lens on my E-3. Even at f/11 the DOF was such that maybe one quarter of the cocoon was in focus but I used (if I recall) five images stacked in PhotoAcute to reasonably bring the whole thing into focus:
At any rate, I need to learn some proper astro software but I'm having a hard time getting motivated to do that.
Cheers,
Oly