Beginner question on raw and stacking

[SC_Astro]

I have been using Sharpcap 3.2 Pro with a C6, AVX mount and my Canon 6d. My goal is to do everything in SC for EAA outreach and impressing my grandkids! It is such a great product that makes many tasks very easy to accomplish. I have experimented with SC stacking but can only input jpg images (8 bit I believe) from my camera. The quality of the processed image seems to be lacking finer luminosity levels as compared to the same images shot in CR2 raw and processed with DSS. I assume this is just a natural consequence of jpg. Is there any work around? Maybe future feature enhancement? If not, then this fact alone will likely have me ditch my DSLR and purchase a dedicated astro camera.

A second question - The monitored folder is working very well for me and my DSLR however I do not know how to average a group of darks and a group of flats. It looks like the SC process to do this is just for dedicated astro cameras. I have been just using one dark and one flat image - probably not good.

Thanks for your help.

[admin]

Hi,

There is into direct solution for using CR2 files at the moment, but I have a feeling that someone on here found a workaround by using a separate application that automatically converted the CR2 into something like TIF and copied them into the SharpCap folder monitor folder. You can find out more in this thread - viewtopic.php?f=12&t=2178

As to averaged dark and flat images, I think you should be able to use the 'capture dark' and 'capture flat' tools with the folder monitor camera. Just choose the appropriate tool and then start the camera taking either darks or flats. I must admit to have never tried this myself, but I can't see a good reason why it wouldn't work.

Hope this helps, Robin