StarTools

Hi everyone, this is my first post here. I have returned to astrophotography after giving up 7 years ago. I have bought a Canon 550D (replaced IR with Baader filter) and I am having many difficulties with the CR2 files.

Firstly, DSS doesn't debayer CR2 files properly (it produced a rubbish image as a stacked output - a weird panoramic 1.500 x 3.500 pixel image with no galaxy, only stars!). Following Ivo's suggestions in a forum, I managed to debayer the CR2 files with dcraw, creating TIFF files. These files were then used in DSS, with the settings sugested by Ivo. This time calibration and stacking was ok. The problem is that DSS produces a 32 bit file that StarTools cannot open!

I opened the 32 bit file in PS CS6 and converted it to 16 bit (I don't know if the settings I used are 'correct' to maintain a 'virgin' TIF file). I then opened it in StarTools and followed the Quick Start Tutorial (http://www.startools.org/modules/introd ... uick-start) but the results quite poor (don't know if due to the 32 bit to 16 bit conversion step) but I followed all the steps in the tutorial. I am sure ST can produce much metter results, bit I cannot identify the problem.

I have done the same process in a demo version of PixInsight 1.8: no problem with CR2 files and perfect calibration -and processing. Also, Adobe Camera Raw reads the CR2 files perfectly. The thing is I wanted to evaluate StarTools also to decide which to buy, but I'm having many problems to do so!

In conclusion:

1- Has anybody had any issues with CR2 Canon 550D files in DDS? (to avoid all the hassle of converting CR2 to TIF with dcraw)
2- Is there a way for DSS to output 16 bits files instead of 32 bit?
3- Alternatively, is there a way for ST to open 32 bit TIF images?

Thanks for your help!
Miguel

Which version of Deep Sky Stacker are you using?

The latest version I believe is 3.3.4 and this has support for the latest raw files. It can output .fits files which StarTools reads OK (at least on my 64bit Win7 machine).

Hi Miguel
regarding #2
In DSS
after stacking
select "Save picture to File..."and select the type you want.
Cant help with the rest
Che

Thanks Che and Almcl for your replys. Yes in fact the problem was that in the Spanish site (were I was redirected always) only version 3.3.2 was available. I managed to go to the English site where there was a link to version 3.3.4. This version has solved both problems (correct debayering of CR2 files and an option to export the file in 16 bit format -for ST which cannot read 32 bit files!).

Now the trouble I have is that StarTools is doing a mess with the combined image: I am following the instructions in the Quick Start Turotial but results are very lousy and completely different froms the examples in the guide. Furthermore, the processes take ages to complete (i'm using an i7 with 8 GB which should be enough!). I am frankly quite dissapointed with this program although I would like to make sure that maybe processing my image as suggested in the guide may not be the correct way to go...

Anybody with experience using ST can suggest to how to proceed? Thanks very much!

Miguel

Would you care to post a dropbox link to your stacked image. Both 16 bit and 32 bit. We'll see what we can do with them. Don't yet get discouraged with Startools. It has made a world of difference in my processing, after I figured out what to do.
Che

Hi. Why don't you save it from DSS to .fits format? Fts format works fine in Startools.

I was discouraged on my first try, but it ain't enough to just play with the sliders. Once you understand StarTools, how and why it works and you know what the different settings mean you can have super results ... Thanks to StarTools I not only have better results than any other stuff I tried before, but I understand why am I doing the steps ...

Thanks everybody for your replys. Following Cheman's suggestion I have sent by WeTransfer (download link. http://we.tl/vIpnDjXSiC) two files:16 bit and 32 bit TIF versions of M31 (combined and calibrated in DSS 3.3.4 from 12 lights, 18 darks, 5 min. subs, ISO 800, 18 ºC, f 5 FSQ) using the settings recommended in the StarTools tutorial. Subs are not correctly focused (problems with RoboFocus). I appreciate if someone can process it with ST and let me know how they did it so as to learn how ST works, and most important of all, to confirm it can rival other programs such as IP and PI!

By the way, you can see there are some round red reflections (?) below several mid-sized stars. I don't know what they are but suspect it could be something to do with the Baader BCF filter they fitted (after removing the original IR filter) and which might not be correctly aligned? Or maybe it could be some internal reflection in the telescope? (Tak FSQ 106). Considering the size of the circles, they seem to originate very close to the sensor. I would appreciate an expert's advice because if it is due to the BFC filter, I have to send the camera back to have it porperly fitted.

Regards,
Miguel

I have had a quick go at the 32 bit file which is in format that ST can't work with, so reloaded it into DSS and saved it as a FITS files and worked on that.

Here's the result. I should say that others will undoubtedly be able to do better, but if the result is of interest, post back and I'll put the log detail up.

Miguel
Here's what I came up with using a very basic process, although I had a tough time with the color and still not really happy with it. Here's my workflow
Cropped(to make sure there were no stacking anomalies) and binned to process faster on my slow computer, wipe with defaults. Contrast and sharpen also with defaults. Color not defaults.

Che

File loaded [C:\Users\Che\Desktop\M31- DSS 334-Combined-16 and 32bits\m31.FTS].
---
--- Crop
Parameter [X1] set to [31 pixels]
Parameter [Y1] set to [25 pixels]
Parameter [X2] set to [5132 pixels (-42)]
Parameter [Y2] set to [3369 pixels (-38)]
--- Bin
Parameter [Scale] set to [(scale/noise reduction 35.38%)/(798.89%)/(+3.00 bits)]
--- 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 [1 pixels]
Parameter [Drop Off Point] set to [100 %]
Parameter [Corner Aggressiveness] set to [100 %]
Parameter [Aggressiveness] set to [75 %]
--- Develop
Parameter [White Calibration] set to [Use Stars]
Parameter [Gamma] set to [1.00]
Parameter [Skyglow] set to [0 %]
Parameter [Digital Development] set to [82.81 %]
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]
--- Contrast
Parameter [Expose Dark Areas] set to [No]
Parameter [Compensate Gamma] set to [No]
Parameter [Precision] set to [256 x 256 pixels]
Parameter [Dark Anomaly Filter] set to [1 pixels]
Parameter [Aggressiveness] set to [75 %]
Parameter [Dark Anomaly Headroom] set to [15 %]
--- Wavelet Sharpen
Parameter [Intelligent Enhance] set to [Yes]
Parameter [Scale 1] set to [100 %]
Parameter [Scale 2] set to [100 %]
Parameter [Scale 3] set to [100 %]
Parameter [Scale 4] set to [100 %]
Parameter [Scale 5] set to [100 %]
Parameter [Mask Fuzz] set to [8.0 pixels]
Parameter [Amount] set to [100 %]
Parameter [Small Detail Bias] set to [75 %]
--- Color
Parameter [Cap Green] set to [No]
Parameter [Bias Slider Mode] set to [Sliders Reduce Color Bias]
Parameter [Style] set to [Artistic, Detail Aware]
Parameter [LRGB Method Emulation] set to [50/50 Layering, CIELab Luminance Retention]
Parameter [Dark Saturation] set to [2.00]
Parameter [Bright Saturation] set to [Full]
Parameter [Saturation Amount] set to [441 %]
Parameter [Blue Bias Reduce] set to [1.28]
Parameter [Green Bias Reduce] set to [1.95]
Parameter [Red Bias Reduce] set to [3.18]
Parameter [Mask Fuzz] set to [1.0 pixels]
--- 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 [3]
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 %]
File saved [C:\Users\Che\Desktop\M31- DSS 334-Combined-16 and 32bits\m31.jpg].