I use APP for stacking as I like how it works with filters.
I use PixIsight for some of then post processing work as it has tons of tools and good support.
I use SIRILn for fast stacking in the field to make sure images are clean.
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I use DeepSkystacker for stacking - Free.
PinInsight for post processing.
And you will want a second processing program for color and layer detail. Most people use PhotoShop, I use GIMP - Free
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Pixinsight has great stacking, not sure why you would use DSS if you owned PX
Max
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Pixinsight has great stacking, not sure why you would use DSS if you owned PX
Max
In my opinion there is exactly one reason: DSS is way faster than PI if you work with short exposure times and have to process a lot of files. Admittedly I gave up on DSS a while ago because I find it much better to do everything in PI and PI just has more capabilities. Astropixelprocessor is an interesting software which resides somewhere in the middle between DSS and PI both in terms of stacking performance and capabilities. It was a tough decission for me between APP and PI given that APP is very intuitive to handle.
Clear skies
Wolfgang
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Pixinsight has great stacking, not sure why you would use DSS if you owned PX
Max
In my opinion there is exactly one reason: DSS is way faster than PI if you work with short exposure times and have to process a lot of files. Admittedly I gave up on DSS a while ago because I find it much better to do everything in PI and PI just has more capabilities. Astropixelprocessor is an interesting software which resides somewhere in the middle between DSS and PI both in terms of stacking performance and capabilities. It was a tough decission for me between APP and PI given that APP is very intuitive to handle.
Clear skies
Wolfgang
Agree on APP & PI! I used DSS to kinda get myself started then gradually grew into APP which I find to be awesome! I’ve processed in both PI and APP but find that APP is just easier to use (to me) but APP was also a stepping stone to get into working with PI for post processing!
I never would have thought I’d be saying that I really like PI but with all the capability it has, its become my main post processing software now. As @Starman609 mentions above I still use other software for layers and final adjustments. (I love Gimp with its plugins!)
Dale
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I used to always use APP for stacking, then PS for post.
But since I have been on a proper training course in Pixinsight I am realising that it just blows everything else out of the water. Not only for post, but the WBPP script for stacking is incredibly impressive. I suspect I'll even be dropping my old pal Photoshop for the very last bits too. PI is just a remarkable project in every way.
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Stuart Taylor:
I used to always use APP for stacking, then PS for post.
But since I have been on a proper training course in Pixinsight I am realising that it just blows everything else out of the water. Not only for post, but the WBPP script for stacking is incredibly impressive. I suspect I'll even be dropping my old pal Photoshop for the very last bits too. PI is just a remarkable project in every way.
I haven't been on a training course, but I would concur. I may use photoshop or Topaz AI Denoise to tweak tiny things for posting to social media, however PI is the goto tool for all the heavy lifting. StarTools, DSS and GIMP have been relegated to the bin I'm afraid. I've never tried APP though.
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Guys, and Gals
Is there an one software answer to this question? If there is I would like to know it as I found different software does better in some areas.
For me I love APP for the stacking process, its interface is about as clunky as can be, but it does a good job managing the data and doing the conversions. APP has fantastic tools for dealing with your data, and splitting OII and Ha and SII data.
Its post processing tools I found lacking IMHO, this is why I then use Pixinsight for post processing. Pixinsight is well supported, and has scripts that help automate some of the more challenging processing tasks
I also recently saw some tool called star tools talked about, so I downloaded it, and found it has some interesting features as well. However as all these neat software packages can get pricey, and I do not wish to learn yet one more tool, I am happy with the tools I use, and after all that should the the only goal.
For free software, I find Siril to be a nice offering, and I use it in the field for fast stacks just so I can see if I have any issues with the image train. It is fast, and does a nice job and has some ok post processing tools.
This is not a cheep hobby as I am finding out, software, hardware, scopes, filter do not get me started on filters, to get good ones by the time you are done, you have spent about as much as you would for a decent scope.
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Stuart Taylor:
I used to always use APP for stacking, then PS for post.
But since I have been on a proper training course in Pixinsight I am realising that it just blows everything else out of the water. Not only for post, but the WBPP script for stacking is incredibly impressive. I suspect I'll even be dropping my old pal Photoshop for the very last bits too. PI is just a remarkable project in every way.
I have tried the stacking script and perhaps I did not spend enough time. Can it handle extraction of HA OII SI data, then recombine them with the HOO or SHO or OHS pallets? As I have already invested money in both products, I would be hard pressed to change unless I could see a major difference, or the process was easier.
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Pixinsight has great stacking, not sure why you would use DSS if you owned PX
Max
In my opinion there is exactly one reason: DSS is way faster than PI if you work with short exposure times and have to process a lot of files. Admittedly I gave up on DSS a while ago because I find it much better to do everything in PI and PI just has more capabilities. Astropixelprocessor is an interesting software which resides somewhere in the middle between DSS and PI both in terms of stacking performance and capabilities. It was a tough decission for me between APP and PI given that APP is very intuitive to handle.
Clear skies
Wolfgang
I agree with this 100%. I use DSS for my moon shots, it is faster and seems to be more specific for processing this type of data where you end up with tons of frames. My moon shots are often 1000 images as I can take them so fast. Again, I still ask, is there honestly a one software solution?
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Robert Winslow:
Guys, and Gals
Is there an one software answer to this question? If there is I would like to know it as I found different software does better in some areas.
For me I love APP for the stacking process, its interface is about as clunky as can be, but it does a good job managing the data and doing the conversions. APP has fantastic tools for dealing with your data, and splitting OII and Ha and SII data.
Its post processing tools I found lacking IMHO, this is why I then use Pixinsight for post processing. Pixinsight is well supported, and has scripts that help automate some of the more challenging processing tasks
I also recently saw some tool called star tools talked about, so I downloaded it, and found it has some interesting features as well. However as all these neat software packages can get pricey, and I do not wish to learn yet one more tool, I am happy with the tools I use, and after all that should the the only goal.
For free software, I find Siril to be a nice offering, and I use it in the field for fast stacks just so I can see if I have any issues with the image train. It is fast, and does a nice job and has some ok post processing tools.
This is not a cheep hobby as I am finding out, software, hardware, scopes, filter do not get me started on filters, to get good ones by the time you are done, you have spent about as much as you would for a decent scope.
I totally agree with for processing in APP, however I don’t understand what you mean by “clunky” To me its as easy as putting in your lights and calibration frames and it just works wonderfully. Also agree with you for the Ha and OIII extraction algorithms!
PI definitely for post processing! I’d I’ll just say I’d never get rid of Gimp for my final tweaks. There is to many little things that it is just to powerful to not use.
I know a lot of people like Siril and Star Tools but I have just found them both not very intuitive for me. APP and PI just seems to flow for me much better then these two. However I always recommend them because so many do like them and everyone learns differently.
Dale
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Dale Penkala:
Robert Winslow:
Guys, and Gals
Is there an one software answer to this question? If there is I would like to know it as I found different software does better in some areas.
For me I love APP for the stacking process, its interface is about as clunky as can be, but it does a good job managing the data and doing the conversions. APP has fantastic tools for dealing with your data, and splitting OII and Ha and SII data.
Its post processing tools I found lacking IMHO, this is why I then use Pixinsight for post processing. Pixinsight is well supported, and has scripts that help automate some of the more challenging processing tasks
I also recently saw some tool called star tools talked about, so I downloaded it, and found it has some interesting features as well. However as all these neat software packages can get pricey, and I do not wish to learn yet one more tool, I am happy with the tools I use, and after all that should the the only goal.
For free software, I find Siril to be a nice offering, and I use it in the field for fast stacks just so I can see if I have any issues with the image train. It is fast, and does a nice job and has some ok post processing tools.
This is not a cheep hobby as I am finding out, software, hardware, scopes, filter do not get me started on filters, to get good ones by the time you are done, you have spent about as much as you would for a decent scope.
I totally agree with for processing in APP, however I don’t understand what you mean by “clunky” To me its as easy as putting in your lights and calibration frames and it just works wonderfully. Also agree with you for the Ha and OIII extraction algorithms!
PI definitely for post processing! I’d I’ll just say I’d never get rid of Gimp for my final tweaks. There is to many little things that it is just to powerful to not use.
I know a lot of people like Siril and Star Tools but I have just found them both not very intuitive for me. APP and PI just seems to flow for me much better then these two. However I always recommend them because so many do like them and everyone learns differently.
Dale
Perhaps clunky is a bad word for it. For me it would be nice if it remember window positions, as well as working directories. I also have not found a way to save a configuration file that will allow me to pick up where i left off.
I also would like to see it process the files based on filter. So if I tell it it is HA data, it does the extraction. I also would like it to have a better way of processing HA and OII data from multi band filters. I would love to load the same images twice, tell it that on set is HA and the other set is OIII, and have it do the extraction in one go.
I love the software, it does the best at stacking, I just feel that it could use a few tweeks. Perhaps the items I have mentioned are in the software, if they areI have not figure them out. Heck it took me 2 days to figure out how to extract than combine the data back in the RPG tools.
And still lto this day, I am not sure how I process the data with SI HA OIII, I end up needing to make 3 passes over the data, and I have to be sure to change the setting so it extracts the data. If I could add the data by the filter type, and it extracted the data for them filter types, and allowed one pass, I would be a very happy camper.
Just processing images with HA and OII requires me to run 2 passes, would be far simpler to allow me too load the images, and have setting that says extract HA and OII form this data, and then have frames where it will extract the SI. AS it is, if I do want to process as SHO, I have to make 3 passes.
Now that I rambled I am waiting for you to tell me how wrong I am and how simple it is to do what I outlined above, I would love nothing more than you to tell me how foolish I am and point me to how I get this software to do one pass processing.
Heck I did not find out for a week that I did not have to process each tab on its own. Was so happy when I learn you can set your settings and just hit integrate.
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Robert Winslow:
Dale Penkala:
Robert Winslow:
Guys, and Gals
Is there an one software answer to this question? If there is I would like to know it as I found different software does better in some areas.
For me I love APP for the stacking process, its interface is about as clunky as can be, but it does a good job managing the data and doing the conversions. APP has fantastic tools for dealing with your data, and splitting OII and Ha and SII data.
Its post processing tools I found lacking IMHO, this is why I then use Pixinsight for post processing. Pixinsight is well supported, and has scripts that help automate some of the more challenging processing tasks
I also recently saw some tool called star tools talked about, so I downloaded it, and found it has some interesting features as well. However as all these neat software packages can get pricey, and I do not wish to learn yet one more tool, I am happy with the tools I use, and after all that should the the only goal.
For free software, I find Siril to be a nice offering, and I use it in the field for fast stacks just so I can see if I have any issues with the image train. It is fast, and does a nice job and has some ok post processing tools.
This is not a cheep hobby as I am finding out, software, hardware, scopes, filter do not get me started on filters, to get good ones by the time you are done, you have spent about as much as you would for a decent scope.
I totally agree with for processing in APP, however I don’t understand what you mean by “clunky” To me its as easy as putting in your lights and calibration frames and it just works wonderfully. Also agree with you for the Ha and OIII extraction algorithms!
PI definitely for post processing! I’d I’ll just say I’d never get rid of Gimp for my final tweaks. There is to many little things that it is just to powerful to not use.
I know a lot of people like Siril and Star Tools but I have just found them both not very intuitive for me. APP and PI just seems to flow for me much better then these two. However I always recommend them because so many do like them and everyone learns differently.
Dale
Perhaps clunky is a bad word for it. For me it would be nice if it remember window positions, as well as working directories. I also have not found a way to save a configuration file that will allow me to pick up where i left off.
I also would like to see it process the files based on filter. So if I tell it it is HA data, it does the extraction. I also would like it to have a better way of processing HA and OII data from multi band filters. I would love to load the same images twice, tell it that on set is HA and the other set is OIII, and have it do the extraction in one go.
I love the software, it does the best at stacking, I just feel that it could use a few tweeks. Perhaps the items I have mentioned are in the software, if they areI have not figure them out. Heck it took me 2 days to figure out how to extract than combine the data back in the RPG tools.
And still lto this day, I am not sure how I process the data with SI HA OIII, I end up needing to make 3 passes over the data, and I have to be sure to change the setting so it extracts the data. If I could add the data by the filter type, and it extracted the data for them filter types, and allowed one pass, I would be a very happy camper.
Just processing images with HA and OII requires me to run 2 passes, would be far simpler to allow me too load the images, and have setting that says extract HA and OII form this data, and then have frames where it will extract the SI. AS it is, if I do want to process as SHO, I have to make 3 passes.
Now that I rambled I am waiting for you to tell me how wrong I am and how simple it is to do what I outlined above, I would love nothing more than you to tell me how foolish I am and point me to how I get this software to do one pass processing.
Heck I did not find out for a week that I did not have to process each tab on its own. Was so happy when I learn you can set your settings and just hit integrate.
I see what your talking about Robert, I use a OSC camera and only need to extract the Ha and Oiii channels. If I want a SII channel I need to run the algorithm “Ha/Oiii mono and that becomes my synthetic SII channel then do the combine in Tools tab. But now with PI I just do it in there. I do all my processing and extraction in APP.
I had heard there was suppose to be a big release with updates but I have no idea when that is or if it will happen. I know some people are upset about not having a manual for the software, just a forum.
I get your point now and understand your frustration. I’d say then move towards PI and learn it better so you can just run your data 1 time and be done with it.
At some point I will probably transition over to PI but for now APP just works great for what I do with my OSC cameras.
Dale
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If you look at the Top Astrophotographers List on Astrobin you can see that the top guys use a range of different software and get amazing results. However the most common processing package by far is Pixinsight. So that gives me some comfort.
I think Pixinsight gets unfairly criticised for its "Steep Learning Curve" In my opinion there are few good learning resources for those new to the package. The most commonly used book is "Inside PixInsight" but as excellent as it is, it is really a reference manual for those already familiar with the topic. The section for beginners "Learning by Example: One-Shot Color" starts on page 239!
A better book to start with is Mastering Pixinsight but its only available as an expensive hard copy from the US or a Digital download.
Many of the videos describe nice but not vital details and steps.
The sheer number of processes in Pixinsight can be overwhelming. In my opinion the best way to start learning Pixinsight is by using a core process with defaults and then building from there.
My core process is: (using default values)
WDPP: to stack lights, Darks, Flats etc
-Dynamic Crop - cut out edge artifacts
-ABE/DBE Remove background casts / wipe
-PC Photometric Color calibration, includes Background Neutralisation
-EZDnoise - requires download of EZsuite Pre stretch noise reduction
- Masked Stretch best general purpose stretch allows choice of area of interest
-Optional: StarNet V2 - needs download this separates nebulosity from stars and makes processing so much easier.
-Curves TRansformation (on Neb & Stars separately if you used Starnet)
These two optional and just on Neb if you split
-LHE – contrast improvement
-HDRMultiscale Trans good for details in galaxies but watch for artifacts
- If you split using Starnet: Pixelmath recombine 50/50 with limit
-TGV noise reduction
Done
Tart up in Photoshop/Lightroom etc
This is MY process, not the best, just mine.
You can then change parameters in each step or add in extra steps to solve specific problems. This is very similar to the Startools basic workflow
I emphasise that this is my core process and leaves out optional stuff like Deconvolution, but you get good results fast (ish)
Best of lucK
Max
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4.82
6.45
2.61
7.75
15.85
4.69
11.01
