Re: [APML] Stacking film images

["Bradley Hope" <bradley@thorngarden.net>]

Morning, John;

My notes are starting to get out of hand..but that's ok. Someone mentioned a
learning curve. Right now it looks more like a sheer cliff considering I
have to learn virtually everything. But, perhaps, that's part of the
attraction. With the way the weather goes around here, I'm sure I'll have
plenty of time to spend learning how to process images.

I just looked back through the features of ImagesPlus again and it seems
like my query regarding image stacking software was unnecessary. I'd
completely forgotten that it performs that operation as well. I ordered it
primary as a result of seeing what someone did pulling detail from a poorly
focused and blurred image I took of Jupiter, but then, got lost in exploring
other software a couple of days ago and ended up looking for something I was
already going to have. With so many different software packages available, I
get confused wandering off down the various paths and forget where I've
been.

I'll most likely go ahead and download the trial version of at least Picture
Window Pro, since it's been recommended, and compare it to ImagesPlus (when
that gets here), though it looks like ImagesPlus will handle just about
everything Picture Window can do.

Thank you for the advice on exposures, I need all the help I can get.

Clear skies

Bradley Hope
http://astronomy.thorngarden.net

No matter where ya go...there ya are.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "John Boudreau" <jeboud@comcast.net>
To: "Discussion of Film Astrophotography" <astro-photo@seds.org>
Sent: Sunday, November 16, 2003 10:41 PM
Subject: Re: [APML] Stacking film images


> Hi Bradley,
>
> Registax can handle at least *some* film images just fine, up to 4096 x
4096 in either jpg, bmp, fits or tiff, at least  in it's current version.
I've stacked film-based Mars images with it, but not star field shots.
AstroStack was a fine program a few years ago, but it's been passed now by
several others like K3CCD or RegiStax, so I'd say forget it. I'm not sure
how RegiStax weighs each frame (probably equally), but programs like
RegiStar or Picture window allow you to make weight adjustments, and
RegiStar allows you to select types of weighting like, averaging, median or
sum to name a few.
>
> Here's a RegiStax film-based Mars from near the August opposition:
> http://home.comcast.net/~jeboud/film_mars.htm
>
> Actually, I just tried stacking a couple of film images with RegiStax a
few minutes ago, and it did just fine in that quick trial--- so I'd say it's
something worth exploring, especially since it's freeware ;o)
>
> Any film exposures should have been exposed correctly for this. You can
get away with some underexposure with avi video or other types of CCD
imaging, but film doesn't record the low range well at all and it can't sum
like digital exposures.
> You *can* blend in shorter film exposures of like say, the core of M42
into a longer exposure that shows the fainter areas (but "blows out" the
core), but that's usually done with manual masking and layering techniques
in programs like Adobe Photoshop--- that's something entirely different.
>
> The main advantage to stacking film images is to average out the grain
clumps of the film, ending up with a smoother result.
>
> John Boudreau
> http://home.comcast.net/~jeboud/astro.htm
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Bradley Hope" <bradley@thorngarden.net>
> To: "Discussion of Film Astrophotography" <astro-photo@seds.org>
> Sent: Sunday, November 16, 2003 3:10 PM
> Subject: [APML] Stacking film images
>
>
> > Good morning;
> >
> > I've a couple of questions concerning stacking images with film. I know
> > there are a couple of free stacking apps, Registax and AstroStack, which
one
> > is better? How is the film exposed for stacking, are they fully exposed
> > images, or are they intentionally underexposed? Lastly, is there any
real
> > advantage to be gained by stacking film images other than doing RGB
> > exposures and combining?
> >
> > Thank you and clear skies
> >
> > Bradley Hope
> > http://astronomy.thorngarden.net
> >
> > No matter where ya go...there ya are.
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Astro-Photo mailing list
> > Astro-Photo@seds.org
> > http://seds.org/mailman/listinfo/astro-photo
> >
>
>
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