My new QHY268C is a 26MP APS-C camera. This is crazy resolution, and I wanted to see what it would look like if I just cropped the Pillars of Creation out at native resolution without any resizing. This is effectively about 1/6th of the original 26MP image. I have enjoyed pressing the limits of my refractor (805mm FL/135mm aperture/f 7.0) without the expense and tuning required by a catadioptric scope (SCT, RC, MAK, etc.). When I look at images taken with much more expensive catadioptrics compared to this native resolution crop from my modest refractor I think it is comparable for magnification, thus pressing the limits and versatility of my gear. (No flame wars, please, on scope types. I'm still new to this hobby. Please educate me.) I chose a refractor telescope for its simplicity and clarity. 

I am still learning this hobby, and I am sincerely interested in your feedback in the comments below. Things I know need work:
- More data
- Learn to use false color palettes
- PixInsight processing for fine tuning details
- Stars bloated slightly with the levels in GIMP

This is a reprocess and crop of my first version here. I tried to do a light-touch processing on it to get the most quality. Not sure if I like it better than the original.

Differences on this version:
- APP left out the 300" exposures that had minor star trails
- APP 50 best frames by quality (cutting 22 frames of lower quality) - discovered that you can right click the file list in APP to get an analytic graph of quality!
- APP calibrate star color
- GIMP No Filter/Generic/Erode, leaves more stars but doesn't put dark circles around them
- GIMP No resize, just direct crop to 1920x1080
- Topaz DeNoise AI used automatic settings without over-processing

This integration:
50 x 120" lights (50 darks)
1 hrs 40 min total exposure

APP (LPC, CSC, stretch) > GIMP (levels, curves, crop) > Topaz DeNoise AI > GIMP (watermark)

Description from original

I took this picture in my back yard last night... M16 Eagle Nebula. It's Milky Way season now, and this is one of several major nebulae visible. The interesting "finger structure" in the middle of the nebula was made famous by the Hubble picture titled "The Pillars of Creation".

After months of clouds and many test sessions this is my first full run with my new QHY268C camera. First time shooting this target. I whispered "wow" three different times while capturing this nebula. It is breathtaking.

QHY268C
Mode 1 high gain
Gain 56
Offset 30
USB speed 10