How to image Save As in PI ???

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Ed217 United States of America
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How to image Save As in PI ???

#1

Post by Ed217 »


No luck at saving an existing image as a JPG file. I’ve read other posts on this, but not working for me. Here are my steps:

Load a FiT file
Use STF and radioactive button to expand
Open HT
Drop STF triangle to bottom bar of HT
Apply HT to selected image
Use Save As to save to a JPG file
Result is always mostly black just like the original FiT file

I have tried a variety of other actions between 5 and 6. This includes dropping HT triangle on image window, resetting STF, etc, but same result always occurs. Save format also doesn't matter...PNG, TIFF, JPG...all end up the same black.

Clearly something wrong, but no clue as to what.
Scopes: Celestron Nexstar 8SE, Celestron C6N, WO Z61, WO GT71, iOptron RC6 .
Mounts: Celestron Nexstar, iOptron Sky Guider Pro, iOptron HEM27 w/iPolar
Cameras: Nikon D780, Nikon Zfc ,ZWO ASI224MC, ZWO ASI120MM-S, ZWO ASI294MC Pro, ZWO ASI485MC, ZWO ASI174MM, ASI662MC, ASI294MM, ASI2600MC Pro iPhone 14.
Tools: Raspberry PI4 with Stellarmate OS, Intel NUC Mini PC, Beelink MiniPCs.
Accessories: Celestron focus motor, ZWO EAF focusers, F6.3 field reducer, assorted eyepieces, 11" video monitor, polar scopes, iOptron iPolar
Computers: Dell desktops, MacOS MacMini, ASUS laptop, Intel NUC, Beelink MiniPD, PI, assorted software packages, iPhones, iPads
My AstroBin Images: https://www.astrobin.com/users/EdDixonImages/
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STEVE333 United States of America
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Re: How to image Save As in PI ???

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Post by STEVE333 »


Hi Ed - What you are doing sounds about right.

Maybe try this:
1) Load the original unstretched image.
2) Make a copy of the original image (still unstretched).
3) Use radioactive button on STF to "stretch" the original image on the display.
4) Open HT.
5) With original image active drop STF triangle to bottom bar of HT.
6) Apply HT to unstretched copy. The copy should now look like the original image.
7) Saving the copy should now produce the desired image.

Hope this helps,

Steve
Steve King: Light Pollution (Bortle 5)
Telescope + Mount + Guiding: W.O. Star71-ii + iOptron CEM40 EC + Orion Magnificent Mini AutoGuider
Camera: ASI 1600MM Pro + EFW Filter Wheel + Chroma 3nm Siii, Ha, Oiii + ZWO LRGB Filters
Software: PHD2; APT; PixInsight ***** My AP website: www.steveking.pictures
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Ed217 United States of America
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Re: How to image Save As in PI ???

#3

Post by Ed217 »


STEVE333 wrote: Wed Feb 10, 2021 6:21 am Hi Ed - What you are doing sounds about right.

Maybe try this:
1) Load the original unstretched image.
2) Make a copy of the original image (still unstretched).
3) Use radioactive button on STF to "stretch" the original image on the display.
4) Open HT.
5) With original image active drop STF triangle to bottom bar of HT.
6) Apply HT to unstretched copy. The copy should now look like the original image.
7) Saving the copy should now produce the desired image.

Hope this helps,

Steve
It seems to be somewhat hit or miss, not always working., but sometimes does. After step 4... I made further changes within HT (using real time preview) to mold the image into something I like better. Tbat's the image I need to be able to save. Have not yet gotten that to work with step 6 above.

Ed
Scopes: Celestron Nexstar 8SE, Celestron C6N, WO Z61, WO GT71, iOptron RC6 .
Mounts: Celestron Nexstar, iOptron Sky Guider Pro, iOptron HEM27 w/iPolar
Cameras: Nikon D780, Nikon Zfc ,ZWO ASI224MC, ZWO ASI120MM-S, ZWO ASI294MC Pro, ZWO ASI485MC, ZWO ASI174MM, ASI662MC, ASI294MM, ASI2600MC Pro iPhone 14.
Tools: Raspberry PI4 with Stellarmate OS, Intel NUC Mini PC, Beelink MiniPCs.
Accessories: Celestron focus motor, ZWO EAF focusers, F6.3 field reducer, assorted eyepieces, 11" video monitor, polar scopes, iOptron iPolar
Computers: Dell desktops, MacOS MacMini, ASUS laptop, Intel NUC, Beelink MiniPD, PI, assorted software packages, iPhones, iPads
My AstroBin Images: https://www.astrobin.com/users/EdDixonImages/
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Ed217 United States of America
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Re: How to image Save As in PI ???

#4

Post by Ed217 »


This process seems to work:

Open file
Duplicate image
STF to stretch
Copy to HT
Apply HT Stretch to duplicate
Duplicate stretched image
Use CurvesTransformation to mod histogram for second duplicate
Apply and Save

Ed
Scopes: Celestron Nexstar 8SE, Celestron C6N, WO Z61, WO GT71, iOptron RC6 .
Mounts: Celestron Nexstar, iOptron Sky Guider Pro, iOptron HEM27 w/iPolar
Cameras: Nikon D780, Nikon Zfc ,ZWO ASI224MC, ZWO ASI120MM-S, ZWO ASI294MC Pro, ZWO ASI485MC, ZWO ASI174MM, ASI662MC, ASI294MM, ASI2600MC Pro iPhone 14.
Tools: Raspberry PI4 with Stellarmate OS, Intel NUC Mini PC, Beelink MiniPCs.
Accessories: Celestron focus motor, ZWO EAF focusers, F6.3 field reducer, assorted eyepieces, 11" video monitor, polar scopes, iOptron iPolar
Computers: Dell desktops, MacOS MacMini, ASUS laptop, Intel NUC, Beelink MiniPD, PI, assorted software packages, iPhones, iPads
My AstroBin Images: https://www.astrobin.com/users/EdDixonImages/
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Piet Le Roux South Africa
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Re: How to image Save As in PI ???

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Post by Piet Le Roux »


Good day,
I would like to ask a favour, Your discussion sounds interesting but as a novice in Astrophotography I am having problems with your abbreviations and because of that it is not possible to learn anything from your discussion. As, PI, STF, HT, ? It would help it you could first write the whole word and after that abbreviate it.
Main Equipment : Tele Vue 27mm Panoptic, 7&13mm Nagler, Big Barlow : 8" Meade LX90ACF with Meade 2.0" Enhanced Diagonal : Camera Fuji XT100
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Re: How to image Save As in PI ???

#6

Post by Ed217 »


Piet Le Roux wrote: Thu Feb 11, 2021 12:48 am Good day,
I would like to ask a favour, Your discussion sounds interesting but as a novice in Astrophotography I am having problems with your abbreviations and because of that it is not possible to learn anything from your discussion. As, PI, STF, HT, ? It would help it you could first write the whole word and after that abbreviate it.
I have only a few days working with PI, but had a problem trying to save an image to a standard JPG file. In the PI menu system, this is done with the Save As feature. However my initial attempts always yielded a black file (no real visible data).

STF = Screen Transfer Function: Used to stretch FIT files...mostly

HT = Histogram Transformation - more complex stretching function

Many in this forum use this software and my title was reaching out to some who know it better and could help with the save issue. Steve was one here who responded with good info. Being more specific would have been better for others reading it.

I had other similar conversations in the company forum for the PI product. Between the two...I got good info that solved my problem.

There are dozens of different astro software packages. Some are free, some low cost, and others (like PI) more pricey.
Scopes: Celestron Nexstar 8SE, Celestron C6N, WO Z61, WO GT71, iOptron RC6 .
Mounts: Celestron Nexstar, iOptron Sky Guider Pro, iOptron HEM27 w/iPolar
Cameras: Nikon D780, Nikon Zfc ,ZWO ASI224MC, ZWO ASI120MM-S, ZWO ASI294MC Pro, ZWO ASI485MC, ZWO ASI174MM, ASI662MC, ASI294MM, ASI2600MC Pro iPhone 14.
Tools: Raspberry PI4 with Stellarmate OS, Intel NUC Mini PC, Beelink MiniPCs.
Accessories: Celestron focus motor, ZWO EAF focusers, F6.3 field reducer, assorted eyepieces, 11" video monitor, polar scopes, iOptron iPolar
Computers: Dell desktops, MacOS MacMini, ASUS laptop, Intel NUC, Beelink MiniPD, PI, assorted software packages, iPhones, iPads
My AstroBin Images: https://www.astrobin.com/users/EdDixonImages/
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STEVE333 United States of America
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Re: How to image Save As in PI ???

#7

Post by STEVE333 »


Ed217 wrote: Thu Feb 11, 2021 1:57 am Many in this forum use this software and my title was reaching out to some who know it better and could help with the save issue. Steve was one here who responded with good info. Being more specific would have been better for others reading it.

Thanks for the feedback Ed. I'll try to remember that next time I respond.

Cheers,

Steve
Steve King: Light Pollution (Bortle 5)
Telescope + Mount + Guiding: W.O. Star71-ii + iOptron CEM40 EC + Orion Magnificent Mini AutoGuider
Camera: ASI 1600MM Pro + EFW Filter Wheel + Chroma 3nm Siii, Ha, Oiii + ZWO LRGB Filters
Software: PHD2; APT; PixInsight ***** My AP website: www.steveking.pictures
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Re: How to image Save As in PI ???

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Post by Ed217 »


STEVE333 wrote: Thu Feb 11, 2021 3:09 am
Ed217 wrote: Thu Feb 11, 2021 1:57 am Many in this forum use this software and my title was reaching out to some who know it better and could help with the save issue. Steve was one here who responded with good info. Being more specific would have been better for others reading it.

Thanks for the feedback Ed. I'll try to remember that next time I respond.

Cheers,

Steve
I meant that I could have been more specific in my question and details. You answered fine.

Ed
Scopes: Celestron Nexstar 8SE, Celestron C6N, WO Z61, WO GT71, iOptron RC6 .
Mounts: Celestron Nexstar, iOptron Sky Guider Pro, iOptron HEM27 w/iPolar
Cameras: Nikon D780, Nikon Zfc ,ZWO ASI224MC, ZWO ASI120MM-S, ZWO ASI294MC Pro, ZWO ASI485MC, ZWO ASI174MM, ASI662MC, ASI294MM, ASI2600MC Pro iPhone 14.
Tools: Raspberry PI4 with Stellarmate OS, Intel NUC Mini PC, Beelink MiniPCs.
Accessories: Celestron focus motor, ZWO EAF focusers, F6.3 field reducer, assorted eyepieces, 11" video monitor, polar scopes, iOptron iPolar
Computers: Dell desktops, MacOS MacMini, ASUS laptop, Intel NUC, Beelink MiniPD, PI, assorted software packages, iPhones, iPads
My AstroBin Images: https://www.astrobin.com/users/EdDixonImages/
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Re: How to image Save As in PI ???

#9

Post by XCalRocketMan »


Hmmm. Interesting. I've never had a problem saving to JPG as described in the initial process of this thread. I do this all the time to create reference images for use in SGP.
Scopes Celestron EdgeHD-11; William Optics GT102; William Optics ZS61; Criterion Dynamax-8 SCT
Mounts AP1100GTO mount w/APCCpro; iOptron iEQ30 Pro; Criterion Dynamax-8 SCT
Lenses Hyperstar-III; Celestron 0.7x FR; WO Flat/Reducer 0.8x
Guiding Celestron OAG w/ASI174mm mini; WO 50mm; Orion ST80
Cameras and Filters ZWO2600mm Pro w/Optolong 3nm NB and RGB; ZWOASI1600mm Pro (ZWO LRGB and Astrodon Ha-5nm, Oiii-3nm, Sii-5nm), QHY10, Canon 50D; ASI174mm mini; ASI462MC; ASI120MC
Misc Moonlite focuser on Edge - Feather-Touch focuser on GT102; ZWO EAF on ZS61; ZWO 2" and 31mm FWs; Kendrick Dew System, Temp-est Fans
Software NINA; PHD; APT; BYE; PI; APP; PSP; Registax; FireCapture; SharpCap
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Re: How to image Save As in PI ???

#10

Post by jmfloater »


Just a quick note: The STF or screen transfer function is not a permanent stretch to a non linear format it is for screen display purposes only. The HT or histogram transformation function converts the image from a linear format to a non linear format. Any image that is still linear when saved as a jpg will not show any detail and appear black, it must be a non linear image. Hope that clears things up a bit.
John

Imaging scope Stellavue SV80S on a Losmandy G11 mount. Roll off roof observatory.
Software: PixInsight, SGPro, Phd2.
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