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 see a full alphabetical list of module topics click here
Shrink (aka Magic) Module
Purpose:
- To modify the way stars look in the image - by shrinking bloated stars, recover the colour and manipulate the core and halo.
For a general overview see Magic: Star Appearance Manipulation
This module can be used to control bloated stars (with the Shrink or Tighten algorithm) that the Decon module had trouble with - possibly because they were overexposed. It changes the star sizes. It complements the Repair module which is used for severely deformed stars.
Useful Sources
There are a number of useful links in StarTools Links and Tutorials.
The notes below relate to StarTools version 1.5, 1.6, and 1.7 up to 1.7.419.
When to use:
- Can only be used when Tracking is off. Towards the end of the processing workflow.
- Can be used more than once.
AutoDev-{Band/Lens}-Bin-Crop-Wipe-AutoDev(or Develop)-{As needed: Decon/Sharp/Contrast/HDR/Flux/Life}-Color-{Filter}-Denoise-{If needed: Layer/Shrink/Heal/Repair/Synth}
Key: {...} optional modules
Method:
To shrink and improve the colour in stars.
- Create Star Mask.
- Set Mode to Shrink Core - This mode will shrink any overexposed parts of your stars and draw any colored part into the core.
- Set Iterations to whatever you like (more iterations draws color in further).
- You might also want to increase the 'grow mask' parameter 1 or 2 pixels.
- 'Keep' the result.
- Launch the Color module.
- Bump up the Saturation parameter to accentuate the star colour.
- 'Keep' the result.
If the Mode is set to Shrink or Tighten
- Stars are more concentrated and have improved colour.
- Consider using other modules that require Tracking to be off - like Heal, Repair and Synth.
Reduce bloom around bright stars
This is a way of using the module to reduce the halo or bloom around bright stars:
- Create Star Mask.
- Open Mask editor and click Auto - Stars
- Set Selection Mode to 'Highlights>Threshold'
- Set Threshold to about 90% - depending on the brightness of the stars you want to include.
- Click 'Do' - The star cores will be selected (green).
- Click Grow as needed to expand to cover the whole star.
- Keep the result when done.
- Set Mode to 'Tighten' - This mode will remove the halo that is around the star (as long as it is within the mask).
- Set Iterations to whatever you like (more iterations draws color in further).
- You might also want to increase the 'grow mask' parameter 1 or 2 pixels if not all the halo is selected.
- 'Keep' the result.
Mask:
For general instructions on using masks see Mask
- The use of a star mask is highly recommended.
Defines the Mode the Magic module operates in:
- Shrink - Shrinks the full star. It is best applied when star fields in wide-field images detract from a DSO. It is also useful to subtly make blown out stars appear less blown out.
- Shrink Core - Shrinks only the star core, gradually filling the core with pixels that are not completely white.
- Draws color into a star's core by progressively adopting surrounding pixels for the overexposed core - Bringing the stars colour into the core.
- It may also help to subsequently increase the stars colour using the Color module.
- Expand Core - Expands the star's core.
- Tighten - Reduces the star halos, drawing them in to the star. Does not affect the star core.
Sets the strength of the effect.
- Default is 1 pixel. Range is 0 to 30 pixels.
Sets the amount to temporarily grow the mask by. Use this if rings occur in or around the stars when using a star mask.
- Default is 1 pixel. Range is 0 to 10 pixels.