Type of file to capture images in Sharpcap Pro?

[Moonstruck]

Hello,
I have a ZWO asi 294 color MC (cooled) camera. In Sharpcap Pro, what is the best type of file format for my deep sky image captures - FITS, PNG, TIFF, etc.? I am using deep sky stacker. I want to be able to see the final processed images in color, so should I choose FITS, so that in deep sky stacker I can check the box for debayering monochrome FITS images?

I'm not sure what the advantages/disadvantages are of each type of format, but I have heard a lot of people say that FITS is best. If I use another capture format I am not sure how to make them color, aside from using PIPP before stacking, but I want to avoid that if possible. In the end, I don't want to end up with a black and white image that cant be turned into color.

Also- as a test, I tried choosing FITS for capture, but then I looked at the captured frames afterwards, and they were all labeled as GIMP files (not FITS). For some reason my computer was turning all FITS files into GIMP files... why would that be, and how can I fix it?

[admin]

Hi,

FITS is the best bet for deep sky, providing you are not desperately short of disk space (PNG and TIFF can be compressed, so might be smaller). FITS has the best header data inside the file, ensuring all the info about the capture gets recorded. Also, as you say, DSS will debayer FITS for you without the extra step of using PIPP or similar.

re. GIMP and FITS files - I suspect that when you installed GIMP it set itself up to open every file format that it understands, FITS included... So, when it says 'GIMP Files' it means that it will open by default in GIMP if you double click it. Not a problem really, but you can right click on a file and choose 'Open With' if you want to choose another option.

If you are not seeing 'FITS' as part of the name, then you have probably not turned on the option to display file name extensions in Windows - see (for instance) https://knowledge.autodesk.com/search-r ... ndows.html

cheers,

Robin

[Moonstruck]

Thanks Robin, this is very helpful. I’ll use FITS from now on for deep sky.

I have another question though. If I am imaging the moon or planets, why is the preferred capture method video (using a .SER file) rather than long exposure imaging using FiTS, like deep sky? Both methods get stacked/processed; just wondering why the capture method is different.

[admin]

Hi,

for lunar/solar/planetary, you are trying to take 10s or 100s of frames per second and write them to file as quickly as possible. Doing this to a single video file that contains many frames is much quicker than creating a separate image file for each frame. Also, SER is designed from the ground up to be relatively simple, whereas FITS is designed to be incredibly flexible. That also makes writing to SER much faster.

If you tried to save lunar imaging videos to FITS you might find you could only save 1 or 2 frames per second, rather than 20-30 or more to SER.

cheers,

Robin

[Moonstruck]

Thanks again Robin, that makes sense.

[eugenrau]

I'm a beginner.I have Sharpcap Pro and Zwo 294MC, Windows 10.Don't know why after 3 sessions of taking pictures not succeed to see coloured pictures (except one of Moon).I checked settings in order to have all over "save as PNG".I was adviced to save stacked frames as PNG's because Windos 10 usually can open them.( saved with the leftside buttons, near main histogram :saved "with adjustments" and "saved exactly as seen").I understand that stacks are saved as PNG files wich could be opened with my Windows 10 (right-click, >> "open with Photo".Because not seen coloured pics I deleted all pictures taken in that 3 sessions. Don't know what I missed, or what to do further to see pics like those seen on the screen ?

[admin]

Hi,

colour astronomy cameras create 'RAW' saved files that look monochrome, but if you zoom in you will see a chessboard like pattern at the pixel level. The individual pixel values have the colour information - some pixels measure red, some green, some blue.

To get a colour image to view, you need to use a tool that can 'debayer' the RAW images. See this thread for more info on this : viewtopic.php?t=254

cheers,

Robin

[eugenrau]

From some weeks before I am strugling with the same problem: saved stacks as PNG are all black and white, (and besides there are not DSO depicted there, there are only some faint stars).I told to Mr. Tiago Ferreira and he adviced me to post on Discord some if that pictures.

[admin]

Hi,

I hope you get it sorted - if you are still stuck, please post the images here on the forums along with the 'capturesettings.txt' files saved next to them. If the images are too large, please upload to dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, etc and share a link to them.

thanks,

Robin

[eugenrau]

[ZWO ASI294MC]
FrameType=Light
Debayer Preview=On
Pan=0
Tilt=0
Output Format=FITS files (*.fits)
Binning=1
Capture Area=4144x2822
Colour Space=RAW16
Temperature=18.6
High Speed Mode=Off
Turbo USB=80(Auto)
Flip=None
Frame Rate Limit=Maximum
Gain=551
Exposure=14.128s
Timestamp Frames=Off
White Bal (B)=99
White Bal (R)=56
Brightness=8
Auto Exp Max Gain=285
Auto Exp Max Exp M S=30000
Auto Exp Target Brightness=100
Mono Bin=Off
Trail Width=3
Minimum Trail Length=100
Trail Detection Sensitivity=9
Remove Satellite Trails=Off
Background Subtraction=Off
Planet/Disk Stabilization=Off
Banding Threshold=10
Banding Suppression=0
Apply Flat=None
Hot Pixel Sensitivity=5
Subtract Dark=None
NegativeDisplay=0
Display Black Point=0
Display MidTone Point=0.5
Display White Point=1
Notes=
Telescope Simulator for .NET=RA=04:29:40,Dec=-00:00:00 (JNOW)
TimeStamp=2023-08-13T07:04:59.3398091Z
SharpCapVersion=4.0.9562.0
TotalExposure(s)=4.20437
StackedFrames=1
LiveStack.SaveRawFrames=None
LiveStack.AlignFrames=True
LiveStack.Derotate=True
LiveStack.StarsForAlignment=25
LiveStack.StarDetection.Sensitivity=76
LiveStack.StarDetection.SuppressHotPixels=True
LiveStack.AlignAutoDisabled=False
LiveStack.ReduceNoiseAmount=0.5
LiveStack.BrightnessLimit=0
LiveStack.FilterBrightness=False
LiveStack.AutoBrightnessLimit=True
LiveStack.FWHMLimit=4
LiveStack.FilterFWHM=False
LiveStack.WarningThreshold=5
LiveStack.StackingMode=0
LiveStack.SigmaClipInitialCount=5
LiveSack.SigmaClipThreshold=3
LiveStack.SigmaClipLowLimit=1
LiveStack.AutoSaveReset=False
LiveStack.AutoSaveResetMinutes=5
LiveStack.LogarithmicHistogramHorizontalAxis=False
LiveStack.AutoSave=True
LiveStack.BlackLevel=16.97248
LiveStack.WhiteLevel=96.94189
LiveStack.MidLevel=19.65988
LiveStack.WBB.db=-3.142254
LiveStack.WBG.db=0
LiveStack.WBR.db=0.8756943
LiveStack.Saturation=1
AutoStretch.Strength=2
LiveStack.StarDetection.FaintStarsOptimization=True