debayering issue on ASI294MC

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Broz
Posts: 53
Joined: Wed Mar 03, 2021 2:12 pm

debayering issue on ASI294MC

#1

Post by Broz »

I have a 8" Meade Newtonian on a CGX in a roll-on-roll-off shed I built in the back yard. I bought an ASI294MC as the primary camera and a 120 mini for the 60 mm finderscope, and am trying to teach myself a little about photography and EAA. Last night I collected about 700 images of the supermoon as a first attempt at planetary (off-line) processing. It was at only about 20 degrees elevation and is not intended to make a good picture, just to give me something to work with to run through the steps.I am using PIPP to debayer the color images (FITS) prior to using AutoStakkert!, and am not having any luck in getting the images from PIPP to eliminate what looks like a residual Bayer grid. I'm using the PiPP RGGB debayering, and have tried every combination of processing steps and outputs (mono, color, various formats etc) and I still get a grid of pixels at high magnification. I did not take and am not using any calibration frames since this is just a test/work through. Could this be the source of the problem? If not, any other suggestions? Thanks from a newbie.
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Menno555
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Re: debayering issue on ASI294MC

#2

Post by Menno555 »

Hello

In PIPP try the GBRG debayer. Sometimes that works. I had that a few times when I had my 294MC Pro camera.
Also, for moon captures you best can use to save as SER instead of FITS. The SER file can be opened in AutoStakkert directly and has the right color then.
Also with moon captures, the colour space doesn't have to be high. You can set that to RAW8 or RGB. This way the capture files are smaller and stacking is also faster.

Menno
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turfpit
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Re: debayering issue on ASI294MC

#3

Post by turfpit »

Broz

Have a look at viewtopic.php?f=35&t=254.

Colour spaces explained https://docs.sharpcap.co.uk/3.2/#Colour ... 0Explained.

Download FITS Liberator, double click on a FITS file and look at the Image Headers tab. The BAYERPAT will tell you which of the 2 patterns to try for your camera. Note: the example below is for an Altair 183C - your camera may well be different.

FITS-Liberator-Image-Headers.JPG
FITS-Liberator-Image-Headers.JPG (66.78 KiB) Viewed 1318 times


I have captured lunar as a series of FITS files in the past. This is not a problem as all the FITS files can be selected and dragged and dropped onto the Open button in Autostakkert. PIPP can be used to load all the FITS files and write out a single SER file.

You might find viewtopic.php?f=35&t=1450 useful.

If you carry out a forum search - top right of the web page - for +lunar +turfpit, you will find posts of mine which discuss lunar imaging techniques. For example viewtopic.php?f=16&t=4054 shows some Registax settings.

If your camera offers an 8-bit MONO Colour Space, using that will give you the highest possible fps, which is preferred for lunar imaging. SER is the preferred capture format for lunar/solar/planetary - lots of software tools support the format.

Dave
Broz
Posts: 53
Joined: Wed Mar 03, 2021 2:12 pm

Re: debayering issue on ASI294MC

#4

Post by Broz »

Thank you Menno555 and turfpit, I will try your suggestions. I appreciate th help.
Broz
Broz
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Joined: Wed Mar 03, 2021 2:12 pm

Re: debayering issue on ASI294MC

#5

Post by Broz »

The GRBG did the trick, and thank you turfpit for the links. I basically followed your procedure for Autostakkert and got good results, although I ran through numerous bad combinations of parameters for PIPP and Autostakkert before getting it working the way I wanted. Thank you both for the help - now on to calibration frames etc.
Broz
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turfpit
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Re: debayering issue on ASI294MC

#6

Post by turfpit »

Broz

Glad you got sorted. All pain I have been through in the past. The first 3 years are the hardest.
now on to calibration frames etc
Speak to you soon then ....

Some more links:

viewtopic.php?f=35&t=2552

viewtopic.php?f=18&t=1809

viewtopic.php?f=18&t=1808

viewtopic.php?f=18&t=1151

Dave
Broz
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Re: debayering issue on ASI294MC

#7

Post by Broz »

Dave,
All incredibly interesting and useful. Many thanks. This seems to be a great hobby for someone with a lot of time (retired) and an internet connection. We bought the telescope almost 40 years ago and it has spent the last 30 in the basement. Thought we'd try to resurrect it for something to do in the time of covid, and one thing led to another - new focuser, diagonal and spider, then a CGX mount, then a 1000 lbs of bagged concrete for a base to a nice pier, then an 8" thick concrete pad (the smallest amount of ready-mix we can have delivered is 5 yards) separated from the pier base by a styrofoam wrapping, then a 11x12 shed with a roll-off roof that came out surprisingly well, then 2 cameras and a large screen flat panel for EAA, and now for the really hard and time consuming part - learning how to use this stuff. And having started with a rebuilt old Meade 8" Newtonian, I now find myself hankering for an 11" or 14" SC or RASA. This is worse than guitar acquisition syndrome (GAS). Thanks again.
Broz
Broz
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Re: debayering issue on ASI294MC

#8

Post by Broz »

I posted that GRBG did the trick above - correction, it was GBRG. Thanks,
broz
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