They relate to StarTools version 1.5.368 and later.
Please let me know if anyone sees any errors or has any additional advice they think helpful.
I will update this post as needed.
To easily access similar notes on the other StarTools modules see StarTools Main Window Use.
AutoDev Module
Purpose:
- To intelligently apply a global stretch to the image for inspection and development purposes.
For a general overview see Autodev.
- AutoDev is designed to show up the faults in an image - that is why most images look bad when doing the initial global stretch.
- When given a suitably cropped and Wiped image AutoDev is designed to find the optimal global stretch.
- Autodev employs an enhanced algorithm that yields optimal global dynamic range assignment - without masking artifacts - while being easy to control.
There are good general instructions for the use of the AutoDev module here.
The notes below relate to StarTools version 1.5+.
The processing video 'StarTools complex LLRGB composite processing in 9 minutes real-time, with the Compose module' shows the use of the AutoDev module. This shows v1.5 but is still relevant for this module.
When to use:
- For the initial global stretch - Just after loading the image in StarTools - to allow initial viewing of the features and problems associated with the image.
- For the final global stretch - After using the Wipe module.
AutoDev-{Band/Lens}-Bin-Crop-Wipe-AutoDev(or Develop)-{Decon/Sharp/Contrast/HDR/Flux/Life}-Color-{Entropy/Filter}-Denoise-{Layer/Shrink/Heal/Repair/Synth}
Key: {...} optional modules
Example Workflow (v1.6):
AutoDev-{Band/Lens}-Bin-Crop-Wipe-AutoDev(or Develop)-{Contrast/HDR/Sharp/Decon/Flux/Life}-Color-{Entropy/Filter}-Denoise (or Denoise 2)-{Layer/Shrink/Heal/Repair/Synth/Stereo 3D}
Key: {...} optional modules
Example Workflow (v1.7):
AutoDev-{Lens}-Bin-Crop-Wipe-AutoDev(or FilmDev)-{Contrast/HDR/Sharp/Decon}-Color-{Shrink/Filter/Entropy/Super Structure}-Unified De-Noise-{Layer/Flux/Repair/Heal/Synth/Stereo 3D}
Key: {...} optional modules
Example Workflow (v1.8):
{Compose}-AutoDev-{Lens}-Bin-Crop-Wipe-AutoDev (or FilmDev)-{Contrast/HDR/Sharp/SVDecon}-Color-{Shrink/Filter/Entropy/SuperStr/NBAccent/}-Track/NR(Unified-Denoise)-{Flux/Repair/Heal/Layer/Synth}
Key: {...} optional modules
Method:
Initial global stretch
- Use default settings.
- The image produced will help you see many of the common problems with images and understand what issues need your attention.
- No need to Keep the results.
- Increase 'Ignore Fine Detail <' - usually until the image doesn't darken any more - to ensure AutoDev ignores noise, dust specks and other dark anomalies.
- Select Region of Interest (ROI):
- Highlight the subject, or a part of it, to select the range of levels that AutoDev should allocate dynamic range to.
- Sometimes highlighting an area within the subject gives the optimum dynamic range.
- If you want to highlight detail in the shadows then increase Shadow Linearity above 50%.
- In rare cases, possibly due to the subject or the amount of noise, AutoDev does not produce a good result. In these cases it is necessary to use the FilmDev (aka Develop) module instead.
- If you make a mistake, the 'Reset' button discards all the changes since you started using the module.
- 'Keep' the result when you are happy with it.
Initial global stretch
The image may look something like the one below:
-
- KurtM_M8_Autodev_v1.5_qs.jpg (68.71 KiB) Viewed 21984 times
- Stacking Artefacts - remove later with the Crop module.
- Colour bias (remove this later with the Wipe module)
- red or yellow/brown cast - skyglow that has been white balanced.
- teal, blue or green cast - skyglow that has not been white balanced.
- bright blue-green cast - skyglow filtered using a light pollution filter.
- missing yellow (e.g. no yellow stars) - indicates use of light pollution filter. - Vignetting - darkening towards the corners, Amp Glow - remove later with the Wipe module.
- Dust specks - remember to mask out when using the Wipe module.
- Noise.
- Banding - use the Band module next - but don't 'Keep' the AutoDev result.
- Debayering Problems - checkerboard pattern. See the description here.
- Coma - fix later with the Lens module.
The image may now look something like the one below:
-
- KurtM_M8_Autodev2_v1.5_Result_qs.jpg (83.17 KiB) Viewed 21984 times
- Good dynamic range in the area of interest, showing all the major structures of interest. Don't worry about the detail within the structures - they will be targeted later.
- Controlled noise in the background - if not go back and do a less aggressive stretch (by changing ROI selection). The Denoise module can handle a reasonable amount of background noise but has problems when it is excessive.
- Colour Bias, Vignetting, Dust specks, etc. should be well controlled or removed by this stage. If not you may need to go back and redo the Wipe or Crop.
- Use Flats and Darks (or Dither) when creating the original image
- Use the Bin module at the start of processing if the original image is oversampled.
- If you continue to have problems with background noise you may want to try the FilmDev (aka Develop) module instead. It may provide the level of control you need.
- After initial global stretch - use the Band module if needed (v1.6 and earlier) - followed by Lens-Bin-Crop-Wipe modules - as needed
- After final global stretch - Consider using the Decon, Sharp, Contrast, HDR modules as needed.
Presets
- Reset - Resets controls 'Ignore Fine Detail' to 'Off' and 'Outside ROI Influence' to 0%.
- No ROI - Clears any Region of Interest (ROI) set.
Sets the X value of the top left hand corner of the Region of Interest (RoI) in pixels.
- Choose an RoI that includes both the brightest areas and the darkest areas of detail you are interested in.
- If there are two subjects, put the RoI around the subject with the highest dynamic range.
- Default is 0 pixels. Range is from 0 to maximum pixel width.
Sets the Y value of the top left hand corner of the Region of Interest (RoI) in pixels.
- Default is 0 pixels. Range is from 0 to maximum pixel height.
Sets the X value of the top bottom right hand corner of the Region of Interest (RoI) in pixels.
- Default is maximum pixel width. Range is from 0 to maximum pixel width.
Sets the Y value of the top bottom right hand corner of the Region of Interest (RoI) in pixels.
- Default is maximum pixel height. Range is from 0 to maximum pixel height.
Allows AutoDev to ignore small features such as noise when allocating dynamic range.
- Particularly important when the image has a low signal to noise ratio (SNR).
- Default is Off. Range is Off then 1.1 to 50.0 pixels.
- Increase to exclude noise - usually until the image doesn't darken any more.
Defines how much dynamic range to reserve for outside the Region of Interest (ROI).
- Defaults to 15%. Range is 0% to 100%.
- Reduce if you have a high dynamic range subject and you want to allocate more dynamic range to the subject.
- Avoid AutoDev clipping the data by never reducing this value to 0%.
- Increase if there is some detail outside the ROI which you want to show up.
Allows you to apply a Gamma correction before the linear data is analysed by the detail detection algorithms
- Increasing the value above 1.00 will make bright details stand out more - so more dynamic range will be allocated to bright detail.
- Increasing the value above 1.00 will make bright details stand out less.
- The effect is like having an intelligent Gamma correction.
- Keep at 1.00 for no change.
- Default is 1.00. Range is 0.00 to 10.00
Sets how much linearity is applied to the shadows - before non-linear stretching takes over.
- Values above 50% allocate more dynamic range to the shadows and background.
- Values below 50% allocate more dynamic range to the highlights and foreground.
- Default is 50%. Range is from 0% to 100%.
The AutoDev module, along with the FilmDev (aka Develop), Contrast and HDR modules, provide automated stretching at all levels of detail. These modules replace the traditional curve-based adjustment of stretching.