VERY beginner ap questions

[Larry 1969]

So, I'm not sure if this belongs in the AP forum or beginners forum. Please feel free to move if required.

I recently acquired a Canon T3i full spectrum modified DSLR with no UV / IR filter. My scope is a Skywatcher 10" collapsible dob. (I know..... Not a great imaging rig)
I'm trying to capture some of what I'm seeing to get others interested in the hobby.

I started with a home cooked web cam with 1.25" mount and got some really close up shots of the moon (although super low quality)

My next set-up was a Revolution Imager R2. I took a few lunar images and was able to use PiPP and registax 6 and GIMP to create a (still fairly poor) image.

Now to this camera. Totally different! My lunar captures from the other night were completely different! I'm not sure where to begin.......

I don't know anything about photography, more or less astrophotography...... I've heard people set the camera to "raw" image files so that's what I did.

I found out quickly that Sharpcap would not work with this camera so I found DigiCamControl (free) that works but is confusing.

I then found out that the moon is pink??????? I suppose it's the removed filters? I could clean it up in processing by going grayscale?

Next, PiPP doesn't like the raw Canon files (.cr2) so I found a converter and made them .tiff files. Problem is the raw .cr2 files are 18mb and the .tiff files are 3 times their size at 51mb......

Now Registax 6 likes the .tiff files but they are HUGE and it locks up the program......... I'm dying here..........

I have some really cool, detailed (although pink) lunar photos that I'd like to process and stack.

I'm sure I did EVERYTHING wrong but can I save these photos?

What can I do in the future? What file formats work well with PiPP, Registax, DSS, GIMP etc?

Thank you!

Larry

[JayTee]

Hi Larry,

To use the Canon efficiently you need a camera control program like either Astrophotography Tool (APT) or Backyard EOS (BYE). Both are commercial software and not free (although they have free trial versions). But their prices are so reasonable ($21 and $35/50) that you can't go wrong. Both will control your camera and many, many more things for both planetary and deep sky imaging.

The programs: PIPP, AutoStakker!2, Registax 6 are for use with video files (predominantly). So you would take your .mov or .avi files and put them through these titles.

Cheers,
JT

PS, my preference is for APT -- it does more for less.

[Larry 1969]

Thanks JayTee! I'll look into those camera control programs.

Those wouldn't happen to replace PIPP, DSS and Registax would they?

Do you think I should set the camera to take video and process it through one of those programs or photos through a different program? Suggestions?

Larry

[KathyNS]

Thanks JayTee! I'll look into those camera control programs.

Those wouldn't happen to replace PIPP, DSS and Registax would they?

Do you think I should set the camera to take video and process it through one of those programs or photos through a different program? Suggestions?

Larry

The programs that JayTee mentioned are for capturing the images/videos. You still need to process the data. PIPP for frame selection, DSS for Deep Sky images (which you are not likely to be taking with your Dob), and Registax for video of solar system objects.

You definitely want to shoot video. Because of atmospheric distortion (= "poor seeing"), you need thousands of frames to have a chance of getting some clear ones.

[Altocumulus]

"I don't know anything about photography, more or less astrophotography."

Wow - you've a steep learning curve ahead. Just take each step slowly....

[Larry 1969]

Thanks guys!
It's hard to go one step at a time when there's only 10 decent viewing nights a year! Lol.

So, I always start with lunar photos because the moon is easy to find and track. Do you think it best to take video of the moon vs photos?

Also, what can I do about the pink images? I think this is because the camera was astro modified. Should I just edit it in processing?

Thanks again!

Larry

[Gordon]

Hi Larry,

Astrophotography can be fun but also frustrating. Just hang in there and ask lots of questions. We have a lot of "AP'rs" here that are more than willing to help get you on your way!

[JayTee]

This is a bit pricey, but it does get rid of the pink.

https://www.highpointscientific.com/ast ... FbEALw_wcB

Cheers,
JT

PS, standby, I'm currently writing a post on AP software and what all you need for each type of image. It's lengthy so it is taking a while. jt

[OzEclipse]

You should be able to do a custom white balance to offset the T3i full spectrum colour shift.

Joe

[Larry 1969]

You should be able to do a custom white balance to offset the T3i full spectrum colour shift.

Joe

Thanks! How would I determine this "custom white balance"?
Thanks again!

Larry

[OzEclipse]

Larry

The instruction manual will have instructions on the camera control part. You need to point the camera in daylight at a neutral grey card when doing the CWB.

Joe

[Larry 1969]

Thanks OzEclipse!

I didn't get a manual with the camera but I'll bet I can find it online.

Larry

[KathyNS]

So, I always start with lunar photos because the moon is easy to find and track. Do you think it best to take video of the moon vs photos?

For the Moon, definitely shoot video. It is super bright, so you can push the frame rate as high as your camera and computer will take. High frame rates cut through poor seeing, and give you lots of frames to choose from.

Also, what can I do about the pink images? I think this is because the camera was astro modified. Should I just edit it in processing?

Don't bother to try fiddling with a custom white balance in the camera. That only affects JPG images, and you should be shooting raw. Custom white balance will work if you intend to use the modified camera for daytime snapshots, but is pointless for AP.

Yes, you adjust the colour in processing. Most software has colour calibration routines that will automatically balance the colours, and of course you can always adjust them manually.

[Larry 1969]

Thanks Kathy!

I'll try lunar video and see what happens.

I recently took 60 or so images and stacked them. The result was lesser quality than any single image......
All the images were 97% quality and higher. I don't get that. I am pretty happy with my single exposure though!

Larry

[KathyNS]

I recently took 60 or so images and stacked them. The result was lesser quality than any single image......
All the images were 97% quality and higher. I don't get that. I am pretty happy with my single exposure though!

How did you stack them? The results will depend on what software and techniques you used. The best applications for planetary (including lunar) stacking are Registax and AutoStakkert. Both take a bit of practise to use well.

[UlteriorModem]

All the images were 97% quality and higher.

I dont even know what that means?

How did you stack them? The results will depend on what software and techniques you used. The best applications for planetary (including lunar) stacking are Registax and AutoStakkert. Both take a bit of practise to use well.

I actually use both Regisatx and AutoStakkert. I use one to do the actual stacking, then the other for wavlets, gamma, and color, or cosmetics.

Cant actually remember but I think I stack them in Autostakkert, then do the cosmetics in Registax.

Also use another bit of software to sort through and cherry pick the 'best' frames. But I cant remember the name at the moment.

[UlteriorModem]

Okay I finally got home and can describe my processes a little better.

I shoot in .avi format, the camera I use gets around 12 fps, and I typically shoot around 2,000 frames.

I then run those frames through PiPP to 'cherry pick' the best frames. This shortens the .avi down to maybe 600-800 frames or so.

Then I stack the frames using Autostakkert creating two stacked version one with 5% of the frames and another with 10%.

Then I open the resulting stack from Autostakkert with Registax and do the comsmetics (Wavelets, gamma, cropping, etc.)

I get pretty good results this way.

M 1 by Tom Whit, on Flickr

[Larry 1969]

Thanks for the replies!
I believe PIPP has a "sort by highest quality" selection. All of my frames were 97% and higher according to that.
Registax didn't seem to like the large files. It kept locking up. Autostacker! wound up stacking them but the image looked very "smooth". No sharp detail.
I need to play with file formats too. My original captures were in RAW format which is Canon .cr2. Nothing seems to like that much so I converted them to .tif and the ended up 3 times the size!
I was thinking about capturing in .jpeg and working them from there but this video capture thing has my interest.
I think I'll try to capture some in .avi and process as above.

Thanks again for the suggestions!

Larry

[Gulf Coast Guy]

I'm running into the same weeds right now. I just bought a EOS 550D(T2i) body for live view, an upgrade to 18 Mpixels, and to capture HD Video. Like I said, the same patch of weeds. The Canon shoots .MOV which by my research is an H.264 format in a.MOV container. I think VLC player may do the h.264 extraction, or maybe Quick Player 7 Both Registax and Autostakkert need either an uncompressed .AVI or a .SER file. The trick as I understand it now is to pull the h.264 data and repackage it into an uncompressed .AVI container. The snag is I can't seem to find on open source utility to do that. Format Factory looks promising.

[JayTee]

I'm running into the same weeds right now. I just bought a EOS 550D(T2i) body for live view, an upgrade to 18 Mpixels, and to capture HD Video. Like I said, the same patch of weeds. The Canon shoots .MOV which by my research is an H.264 format in a.MOV container. I think VLC player may do the h.264 extraction, or maybe Quick Player 7 Both Registax and Autostakkert need either an uncompressed .AVI or a .SER file. The trick as I understand it now is to pull the h.264 data and repackage it into an uncompressed .AVI container. The snag is I can't seem to find on open source utility to do that. Format Factory looks promising.

And this is why we run all our video through PIPP (Planetary Imaging Pre Processing), it takes care of all those problems. Here's the link, OBTW it's free.
https://sites.google.com/site/astropipp/downloads

Cheers,
JT