Sharpcap and stacking in Astro Pixel Processor

Discussion of using SharpCap for Deep Sky Imaging
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Ancalime
Posts: 10
Joined: Sat Aug 14, 2021 8:05 pm

Sharpcap and stacking in Astro Pixel Processor

#1

Post by Ancalime »

Hi guys and girls,

Perhaps this has already been asked before, and if so, maybe you could refer me to that topic, but I am in a bit of a pickle
I have an ASI 183 MC pro camera, combined with a Redcat. When I shoot the images, be that seperately or in the live stack function, my files are being saved as 16 bit grey files with color information. I am shooting in Raw16, unity gain, small offset etc. As far as I can tell this is normal and nothing to worry about. I have been told you need to 'debayer' the pictures. Debayering still seems a bit counterintuitive to me (I think I am removing the color information from the picture rather than adding it again.... I am de-doing something... sounds logical innit?) Nevertheless, I have found this function in DSS, where I can force debayer the frames, in order to get a color picture. The bayer matrix for my camera is RGGB. In DSS when I select RGGB, this works fine, however, as soon as I load up the images in Astro Pixel Processor, it comes with the information that this is shot as GBRG (it's inverted). Now I have tried multiple times in APP to adjust this by selecting RGGB and force debayer, I have also tried GBRG and force debayer, but I am only getting pictures of the psychedelic kind. Purple stars, Red stars, Green stars, Green nebulosity, Blue background, you name it, but the correct colors are nowhere to be seen. Also when I try to color calibrate, it comes with an error denoting that the color information could not be found.

To conclude: I am doing something wrong, whether that is in Sharpcap or in APP, I do not know. If you do, I would be much obliged if you could share it with me

Gideon
Ancalime
Posts: 10
Joined: Sat Aug 14, 2021 8:05 pm

Re: Sharpcap and stacking in Astro Pixel Processor

#2

Post by Ancalime »

I just redid it in APP, using GBRG using force debayer resulting in a black and white picture..... :?:
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Re: Sharpcap and stacking in Astro Pixel Processor

#3

Post by admin »

Hi,

as you have spotted different processing applications have different ideas about what the 'right' bayer pattern is for a particular image :(

In order to help cope with this, SharpCap 4.0 now has an option to allow you to pick compatibility with your favourite application when writing FITS files.
Capture.JPG
Capture.JPG (69.53 KiB) Viewed 884 times
I'm afraid I've only used APP far enough to test this feature, so I can't give advice on how to successfully force it to process the images the way you want, but switching the setting above before your next imaging session ought to create files that APP will work correctly with.

cheers,

Robin
Ancalime
Posts: 10
Joined: Sat Aug 14, 2021 8:05 pm

Re: Sharpcap and stacking in Astro Pixel Processor

#4

Post by Ancalime »

Hi Robin,

The shown setting works perfectly fine with APP. Thanks for the tip!
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