SharpCap Forums

I am using an ASI533MC Pro camera and have recently used Deep Sky Stacker for the comet stacking feature. I would like to capture flats in Sharpcap in 16 bit monochrome so that DSS will use monochrome for the flats instead of color. The Sharpcap flat tool will debayer RAW16 images and convert them to monochrome and make a master flat but will not save the individual monochrome flats files. DSS will not use a Sharpcap master flat, and I don’t think any type of master flat, but wants individual flat frames and the DSS user guide suggests not using color flats. Is DSS handling the RAW 16 files in the same way as the Sharpcap Flat tool to create a monochrome master flat? If not, how can I get Sharpcap to create some individual 16bit monochrome frames that Deep Sky Stacker can use to make monochrome master flats?
I would appreciate any advice.
Thanks in advance, Ken

Hi Ken and welcome

It's known that stacking programs like DSS are working best when they can make their own master calibration files.
There are 2 ways to save individual flats in SharpCap
You can make them without using the tool. Essentially they are normal captures but with all the settings to make flats and then capture for example 50 flats which you then can use in DSS to make a masterflat.

Or you can use the flat tool which has an option to save the individual flats (checkbox on the bottom of the flat tool window). These you can then use in DSS to make a masterflat.
If you don't have that checkbox, changes are that you are using an older version of SharpCap? In that case, you can download the current version here: https://www.sharpcap.co.uk/sharpcap/downloads

Menno

Thanks Menno!
I have not updated recently so I was unaware that saving the individual flat and dark files had been made an option. Glad to know and I will update. I had performed a standard capture in RAW16 with the exposure set for flats and those did seem to work fine in DSS, but I was just not sure if DSS was actually converting them to a monochrome master flat or just debayering and applying a color flat, so I wondered if I was getting the best possible result. I will now just save the individual files using the Sharpcap Flat Tool when capturing the master flat I will use with Sharpcap Live Stacking.
Thank you, Ken

You're welcome Ken
And it's always worthwhile to check now and then. The program is constantly evolving with new features, changes, bug fixes, and so on

Menno