Still lost after 3 clicks

[EricD]

After my last post and the tips from Ivo I started reading the user manual and looked at a lot of video's. Tried processing several images over and over again, with the same result. Disapointing. I still can't get out 1 decent picture. What am I doing wrong, or do I have very bad data?
I stack in DSS with around 20 pics each for lights, darks, flat light and bias. I use a Canon 70D camera by Canon highest resolution and shoot in raw. This is typical data for me living in redzone lightpolluted area.
Let me show you some pictures of the first steps in processing data

first 3 steps.jpg (175.95 KiB) Viewed 5778 times

Second 3 steps.jpg (224.82 KiB) Viewed 5778 times

I'm completely lost after using autodev. I don't know what I'm seeing here and what to do. Working with development doesn't give a much better result.
When I proces the image like the video M8 with modest data nothing looks like it and all signal is gone. When I use temp dev in between I see a picture with a lot of vignetting and noise, noise and more noise. At least that's what I think.

A processed picture in DSS and lightroom gives the following result

Plejaden M45 NGC1432.jpg (428.13 KiB) Viewed 5778 times

Is there someone who can proces my data and show me what you are doing, because I think it's a very interesting progam and I'm willing to pay for it but I first have to know what I'm doing and what the possibilities are whith my data.

Here is a link ( wetransfer) to a fits file of my data 230 Mb

https://we.tl/VCepCYD89m

I hope to see a much better picture as the povides jpeg file above

greetings

EricD

[Cheman]

Hi Eric
I didnt see where you said how long your subs were. Also I usually shoot as many subs as I can, usually a minimum of 40 and sometimes as many as 70 or 80. I rarely if ever use as few as 20. I'm thinking more data would be useful. Tho we use different cameras,YMMV.
At any rate, my results processing your data is below along with the very basic workflow I used.

Che

plejaden startools (Large).jpg (430.92 KiB) Viewed 5768 times

File loaded [C:\Users\Che\Desktop\plejaden startools.FTS].
---
--- Bin
Parameter [Scale] set to [(scale/noise reduction 50.00%)/(400.00%)/(+2.00 bits)]
--- Crop
Parameter [X1] set to [4 pixels]
Parameter [Y1] set to [4 pixels]
Parameter [X2] set to [2744 pixels (-4)]
Parameter [Y2] set to [1831 pixels (-4)]
--- Crop
Parameter [X1] set to [103 pixels]
Parameter [Y1] set to [86 pixels]
Parameter [X2] set to [2638 pixels (-102)]
Parameter [Y2] set to [1718 pixels (-109)]
--- Wipe
Parameter [Mode] set to [Correct Color & Brightness]
Parameter [UNKNOWN] set to [Yes]
Parameter [Precision] set to [256 x 256 pixels]
Parameter [Dark Anomaly Filter] set to [6 pixels]
Parameter [Drop Off Point] set to [0 %]
Parameter [Corner Aggressiveness] set to [100 %]
Parameter [Aggressiveness] set to [93 %]
--- Develop
Parameter [White Calibration] set to [Use Stars]
Parameter [Gamma] set to [1.00]
Parameter [Skyglow] set to [0 %]
Parameter [Digital Development] set to [90.22 %]
Parameter [Blue Luminance Contrib.] set to [100 %]
Parameter [Green Luminance Contrib.] set to [100 %]
Parameter [Red Luminance Contrib.] set to [100 %]
Parameter [Dark Anomaly Headroom] set to [5 %]
Parameter [Dark Anomaly Filter] set to [3.7 pixels]
--- Life
Parameter [Detail Preservation] set to [Linear Brightness Mask]
Parameter [Compositing Algorithm] set to [Multiply, Gamma Correct]
Parameter [Inherit Brightness, Color] set to [Off]
Parameter [Output Glow Only] set to [No]
Parameter [Airy Disk Sampling] set to [128 x 128 pixels]
Parameter [Airy Disk Radius] set to [8 pixels]
Parameter [Glow Threshold] set to [0 %]
Parameter [Detail Preservation Radius] set to [20.0 pixels]
Parameter [Saturation] set to [100 %]
Parameter [Strength] set to [100 %]
Parameter [Mask Fuzz] set to [1.0 pixels]
--- Color
Parameter [Cap Green] set to [No]
Parameter [Bias Slider Mode] set to [Sliders Reduce Color Bias]
Parameter [Style] set to [Scientific (Color Constancy)]
Parameter [LRGB Method Emulation] set to [Straight CIELab Luminance Retention]
Parameter [Dark Saturation] set to [2.00]
Parameter [Bright Saturation] set to [Full]
Parameter [Saturation Amount] set to [200 %]
Parameter [Blue Bias Reduce] set to [1.47]
Parameter [Green Bias Reduce] set to [1.05]
Parameter [Red Bias Reduce] set to [1.24]
Parameter [Mask Fuzz] set to [1.0 pixels]
--- Develop
Parameter [White Calibration] set to [Use Stars]
Parameter [Gamma] set to [1.00]
Parameter [Skyglow] set to [0 %]
Parameter [Digital Development] set to [91.85 %]
Parameter [Blue Luminance Contrib.] set to [100 %]
Parameter [Green Luminance Contrib.] set to [100 %]
Parameter [Red Luminance Contrib.] set to [100 %]
Parameter [Dark Anomaly Headroom] set to [5 %]
Parameter [Dark Anomaly Filter] set to [Off]

--- Wavelet De-Noise
Parameter [Scale 1] set to [90 %]
Parameter [Scale 2] set to [90 %]
Parameter [Scale 3] set to [90 %]
Parameter [Scale 4] set to [90 %]
Parameter [Scale 5] set to [0 %]
Parameter [Mask Fuzz] set to [1.0 pixels]
Parameter [Scale Correlation] set to [6]
Parameter [Color Detail Loss] set to [12 %]
Parameter [Brightness Detail Loss] set to [12 %]
Parameter [Grain Size] set to [4.5 pixels]
Parameter [Read Noise Compensation] set to [Off]
Parameter [Smoothness] set to [75 %]
--- Magic
Parameter [Mode] set to [Tighten]
Parameter [Mask Grow] set to [1 pixels]
Parameter [Iterations] set to [1 pixels]

File saved [C:\Users\Che\Desktop\plejaden startools.jpg].

[EricD]

Hi Eric
I didnt see where you said how long your subs were. Also I usually shoot as many subs as I can, usually a minimum of 40 and sometimes as many as 70 or 80. I rarely if ever use as few as 20. I'm thinking more data would be useful. Tho we use different cameras,YMMV.
At any rate, my results processing your data is below along with the very basic workflow I used.

Che

plejaden startools (Large).jpg

File loaded [C:\Users\Che\Desktop\plejaden startools.FTS].
---
--- Bin
Parameter [Scale] set to [(scale/noise reduction 50.00%)/(400.00%)/(+2.00 bits)]
--- Crop
Parameter [X1] set to [4 pixels]
Parameter [Y1] set to [4 pixels]
Parameter [X2] set to [2744 pixels (-4)]
Parameter [Y2] set to [1831 pixels (-4)]
--- Crop
Parameter [X1] set to [103 pixels]
Parameter [Y1] set to [86 pixels]
Parameter [X2] set to [2638 pixels (-102)]
Parameter [Y2] set to [1718 pixels (-109)]
--- Wipe
Parameter [Mode] set to [Correct Color & Brightness]
Parameter [UNKNOWN] set to [Yes]
Parameter [Precision] set to [256 x 256 pixels]
Parameter [Dark Anomaly Filter] set to [6 pixels]
Parameter [Drop Off Point] set to [0 %]
Parameter [Corner Aggressiveness] set to [100 %]
Parameter [Aggressiveness] set to [93 %]
--- Develop
Parameter [White Calibration] set to [Use Stars]
Parameter [Gamma] set to [1.00]
Parameter [Skyglow] set to [0 %]
Parameter [Digital Development] set to [90.22 %]
Parameter [Blue Luminance Contrib.] set to [100 %]
Parameter [Green Luminance Contrib.] set to [100 %]
Parameter [Red Luminance Contrib.] set to [100 %]
Parameter [Dark Anomaly Headroom] set to [5 %]
Parameter [Dark Anomaly Filter] set to [3.7 pixels]
--- Life
Parameter [Detail Preservation] set to [Linear Brightness Mask]
Parameter [Compositing Algorithm] set to [Multiply, Gamma Correct]
Parameter [Inherit Brightness, Color] set to [Off]
Parameter [Output Glow Only] set to [No]
Parameter [Airy Disk Sampling] set to [128 x 128 pixels]
Parameter [Airy Disk Radius] set to [8 pixels]
Parameter [Glow Threshold] set to [0 %]
Parameter [Detail Preservation Radius] set to [20.0 pixels]
Parameter [Saturation] set to [100 %]
Parameter [Strength] set to [100 %]
Parameter [Mask Fuzz] set to [1.0 pixels]
--- Color
Parameter [Cap Green] set to [No]
Parameter [Bias Slider Mode] set to [Sliders Reduce Color Bias]
Parameter [Style] set to [Scientific (Color Constancy)]
Parameter [LRGB Method Emulation] set to [Straight CIELab Luminance Retention]
Parameter [Dark Saturation] set to [2.00]
Parameter [Bright Saturation] set to [Full]
Parameter [Saturation Amount] set to [200 %]
Parameter [Blue Bias Reduce] set to [1.47]
Parameter [Green Bias Reduce] set to [1.05]
Parameter [Red Bias Reduce] set to [1.24]
Parameter [Mask Fuzz] set to [1.0 pixels]
--- Develop
Parameter [White Calibration] set to [Use Stars]
Parameter [Gamma] set to [1.00]
Parameter [Skyglow] set to [0 %]
Parameter [Digital Development] set to [91.85 %]
Parameter [Blue Luminance Contrib.] set to [100 %]
Parameter [Green Luminance Contrib.] set to [100 %]
Parameter [Red Luminance Contrib.] set to [100 %]
Parameter [Dark Anomaly Headroom] set to [5 %]
Parameter [Dark Anomaly Filter] set to [Off]

--- Wavelet De-Noise
Parameter [Scale 1] set to [90 %]
Parameter [Scale 2] set to [90 %]
Parameter [Scale 3] set to [90 %]
Parameter [Scale 4] set to [90 %]
Parameter [Scale 5] set to [0 %]
Parameter [Mask Fuzz] set to [1.0 pixels]
Parameter [Scale Correlation] set to [6]
Parameter [Color Detail Loss] set to [12 %]
Parameter [Brightness Detail Loss] set to [12 %]
Parameter [Grain Size] set to [4.5 pixels]
Parameter [Read Noise Compensation] set to [Off]
Parameter [Smoothness] set to [75 %]
--- Magic
Parameter [Mode] set to [Tighten]
Parameter [Mask Grow] set to [1 pixels]
Parameter [Iterations] set to [1 pixels]

File saved [C:\Users\Che\Desktop\plejaden startools.jpg].

Hi Che,

First of all thanks for taking time for processing my data.
With this workflow I perhaps will understand a bit more whats happening when you change a setting.

The time for de subs is 167 seconds @ F5.6 280mm 3200 ISO and I used a CLS clip in filter.
There were twice as much subs but on a number of them there were tracks of planes and movement.

greetings EricD

[ecuador]

Hi Che,

First of all thanks for taking time for processing my data.
With this workflow I perhaps will understand a bit more whats happening when you change a setting.

The time for de subs is 167 seconds @ F5.6 280mm 3200 ISO and I used a CLS clip in filter.
There were twice as much subs but on a number of them there were tracks of planes and movement.

greetings EricD

Frames that have trailed are thrown away, but you can certainly use frames with planes or satellites. Just select kappa-sigma clipping as your stacking mode for lights in DSS.

[Cheman]

I cant help you with your camera settings or exposure times as I use a OSC ccd camera so am not familiar with your type of camera. I know I've read much discussion on ISO settings on other forums.
Ecuadors comment " Frames that have trailed are thrown away, but you can certainly use frames with planes or satellites. Just select kappa-sigma clipping as your stacking mode for lights in DSS." is certainly true and may salvage many of your subs. Also satellite , airplane and meteor trails can also be removed effectively in the heal module.
Che

[admin]

Hi Eric,

Looking at the data and from what you posted here, it appears your flat frames are not applied correctly or not suitable - they appear to cause a light fall-off (across different channels), rather than correct for them.
It's also important to note that a CLS filter will skew your colors (it tends to remove yellow when everything else is otherwise reasonably well color balanced, typically leaving you with either orange or blue stars).

Che definitely did a nice job with the data as-is and you'll notice in particular that he expertly used the Wipe module with a heavier aggressiveness towards the corners (due to the falling off gradient).

You got the nebulosity and associated structural detail in that area showing though, which is a nice start!