Jump to content

Banner.jpg.b89429c566825f6ab32bcafbada449c9.jpg

Any Mac Users out There?

Tim99

Recommended Posts

Tim99

Tim99

Posted
Posted

Before I just jump into Astrophotography and spend a bunch of money, I thought I would see if there are any folks out there who use an iMac for their stacking, editing etc?

As usual, there seems to be more software for PC users but Nebulosity is highly recommended for Mac users.

Trying to learn as much as I can so if there are any of you who can offer advice and general help, I would like to friend-up and shoot some bull.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • Replies 41
  • Created
  • Last Reply
graemlourens

graemlourens

Posted
Posted

Hey.

I am Mac-User, and got hooked on Pixinsight for everything Post-Processing. (Not easy to learn, but has tons of help & tutorials online, not cheap though)

For Capturing, and the Astrosessions itsself, i have got a separate Laptop running Windows, with all the necessary Software, (PHD, Sequence Generator, Plate-Solving and so on). Capturing-Software for Mac is available, but i didn't even want to try to get all drivers etc running, it will be a pain (I am a developer myself)

Btw: Tried Boot-Camp & Vmware to run the session-software, had major problems with connectivity of USB, especially with the Highrate transfers of for example Guide/Planetary-Cam. Either it didn't work or had intermittent timeouts that ruined most of my early sessions.

Regards, Graem

Link to comment
Share on other sites
damnut

damnut

Posted
Posted

Hi Tim,

For the most part your Mac will run a lot of the software needed as the Mac has a background in graphics. However there are a lot of specialised astro products that were developed for the windows environment and you will find like Graem above that folk will use a netbook or laptop running windows to run things.

Try using the different parts fo the forums, so you get specifc responses from the experienced folk here.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Davey-T

Davey-T

Posted
Posted

Hi Tim, I have a MBPro that I've been attempting to use for astro capturing but not processing, some stuff works on it and some not so I've got a Bootcamp partition for software that doesn't work on the Mac, hoping to eventually get the Mac to do it all but could be a while as it seems to rely a lot on DIY programmers rather than mainstream.

ATM the Canon software runs on Mac, PHD, oaCapture written by James F of this forum and SER video player by CGarry also on this forum.

There is also EQMac from another member but haven't tried it as it works on SW Mounts which I don't have.

Dave

PS; haven't experienced any USB  problems like Graem, using Skyris 274 / USB3 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 2 weeks later...
devoldev

devoldev

Posted
Posted

has someone installed libusb under macport? to install then libdc1394? in this way some software unix should be better used under mac os x

however Mac os x can be used na dwith the most recent versions of the system (above 10.8) a lot of CCD may be used directly

Celestron C8 - advanced GT; Newton 114/900-; CCD Chameleon CMLN-13S2M-CS - webcamLogitech 3000 pro - IR-cut -

Mac OS X 10.6.8: oaCapture0.5.0/ AstroIIDC/Astrostack/Keithastroimager/IOxperts/Lynkeos - Stellarium 0.11.4 - porting Unix through Xcode/macport:XEphem 3.7.6

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Tim99

Tim99

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Thanks for the replies everyone.  I think that I will get an Windows machine to get started capturing and stacking.  Sounds like it will be an easy way to get started and I can pick up a machine fairly cheaply to dedicate just to my Astronomy work.  It's probably better to take it outside rather than my Mac anyway.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
joecoyle

joecoyle

Posted
Posted

Hi

I'm totally Mac - MacBook Pro for capture / guiding using my Atik 414ex CCD with a nice piece of software from CloudMakers called AstroImager £7.99 on the mac app store. It supports Atik and Starlight Xpress cameras. Plus it will plate solve images.

I use PHD for my Orion starshoot auto guider. Works perfectly. If I'm using a DSLR then i just capture straight to the card and edit on my iMac later.

I use my iMac for pre and post processing in either Nebulosity, or PixInsight (PI is a learning curve!!) Nebulosity is a lot simpler to use (and only 95USD compared to 200USD) plus if you have a Canon camera or a wide variety of others (except Nikon) it can capture your images too, then stack them etc.

Don't give up on the Mac yet! 

Joe

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Lowjiber

Lowjiber

Posted
Posted

I'm a Mac guy, having given up on Microsoft when Bill Gates left; Vista crashed at its introduction at CES; and Microsoft forgot customer service.  That said, Macs don't "play well" with capture software, even when running something like Parallels with Windows 7.  I have a dedicated Toshiba laptop running Windows 7 for my capture and stacking (RegStax 6) software.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
JamesF

JamesF

Posted
Posted

I'm a Mac guy, having given up on Microsoft when Bill Gates left; Vista crashed at its introduction at CES; and Microsoft forgot customer service.  That said, Macs don't "play well" with capture software, even when running something like Parallels with Windows 7.  I have a dedicated Toshiba laptop running Windows 7 for my capture and stacking (RegStax 6) software.

What camera are you using for capture?

James

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Tim99

Tim99

Posted
  • Author
Posted

My approach for tackling something new is to do a lot of reading.  At some point, I make a decision and go for it!  After I actually start to "do" the new skill, I learn what I did wrong and make decisions to improve.  Ya know what I mean?  Since I am experienced Mac user ( no PC experience)  I would prefer to use that OS.  I've read about Nebulosity, download the manual and studied it.  Camera support is limited so, okay I gotta buy another camera.  DSLR or Webcam?  Don't know at this point.  I suspect that everyone who has succeeded in stacking some images to produce a decent photo was at at my stage of this game when he first got into it.  My brain is tired!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Tim99

Tim99

Posted
  • Author
Posted

So far, I have used my Panasonic GH2 DSLR to take some pictures through my 80mm Refractor.  I'm quite tickled with some of my moon pics.  I took some cool video through the scope too of the moon and even a couple of airplanes in the night sky!  LOL.  Now, I am considering purchasing the Celestron Edge 9.25 and stepping it up to doing some stacking.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Tim99

Tim99

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Hey Joe ... It sounds like you are using the approach that I am considering.  Nebulosity is apparently a relatively easy program to use.  So you say I can take video on the DSLR and then process it later in Nebulosity?Maybe that's a good place for me to start???

Link to comment
Share on other sites
joecoyle

joecoyle

Posted
Posted

Nebulosity is great - very simple. I don't use it for video. Never tried planetary with a DSLR. I don't think you'll get the resolution. What i do is take loads of RAW image frames if something like M27 or 51 (easy for beginners like me) and use nebulosity to stack them. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
joecoyle

joecoyle

Posted
Posted

Tim,

Have a look at Craterlet for os x from stark labs.

It's an application that will allow for video capture from webcam.

Not tried it myself but maybe worth investigating.

Go to the pre release section and 0.3 is there.

HTH

Joe

Link to comment
Share on other sites
devoldev

devoldev

Posted
Posted

Hi James, thankyou for the new version of oacapture 0.6.0; it appears that it works with my point Grey chameleon monochrome, but all the problems remain; no 16 bit , exposure time is limited and so on; however it works under 10.6.8; I decided to study C++ to understand your code at least.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
JamesF

JamesF

Posted
Posted

Aha!  I may have found the problem with 16-bit support.  I'll attempt a fix for 0.7.0 (which should be very soon as it's mostly just to incorporate the new ZWO library to get support for their new cameras).  Unfortunately I can't test it as I don't have any 16-bit IIDC cameras (which the Chameleon is, I believe), but I think it should at least give some progress.

James

Link to comment
Share on other sites
JamesF

JamesF

Posted
Posted

Hi James when did you sneak 0.6.0 out ? didn't notice it, have you got a link ?

Last night :) I've just not got as far as announcing anything yet. I was almost tempted not to bother as I now need to do a new release for the new ASI cameras, but as it appears there may be a few niggles on OSX on that front it's perhaps as well that I did.  It's mostly just some bugfixes to stop things dragging out too long between releases.  Between work and holidays I've struggled to find time to work on it over the last couple of months.  Once I have some deadlines out of the way at the end of  this month I hope everything should become a bit easier again.

Downloads at  http://www.openastroproject.org/downloads/

James

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue. By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.