Pixinsight Calibration and Stacking help

[ashworthacca]

This is a tutorial for calibrating and stacking DSLR Raw files in Pixinsight that I nabbed off the Pixinsight forum.

Canon Raw Calibration and Stacking Tutorial

1. Prepare the DSLR RAW format module to read pure RAW images:

- Open the Format Explorer window

- Double click on the DSLR_RAW item

- On the RAW Format Preferences dialog, select:

- Uncheck both white balance options

- Check the Create RAW Bayer image option

- Check the No black point correction option

- Click OK and you're done.

Now RAW images will be read exactly as they have been created by your camera. This is a one-time procedure; PixInsight will remember your settings.

2. Convert your RAW files to the FITS format:

- Select Script > Utilities > BatchFormatConversion

- On the BatchFormatConversion script, click the Add button and select your RAW files.

- Select your output directory, if necessary (recommended).

- Write .fit in the Output extension field. In this way your raw files will be converted to the FITS format.

- Click OK and wait until all your files have been converted.

3. Create your master calibration frames. Follow Vicent Peris' tutorial:

PixInsight — Master Calibration Frames: Acquisition and Processing

4. Calibrate your images with the ImageCalibration tool.

5. Debayer your calibrated images. Use Ken Pendlebury's excellent batch debayer script:

New Script: Batch Debayer

which in turn uses Sander Pool's great Debayer tool (included in PI's standard set of processes).

6. Register your images with StarAlignment

7. Integrate your images with ImageIntegration

I've used the tutorial where I have only taken images at one exposure length but I'm not sure how to go about image calibration where I have lights and darks at different exposure lengths. I have got to a point where I have a master dark at 60secs, 120secs, 300secs and 600secs but I now need to calibrate my Flats with my Master Dark (s). Do I calibrate all my Flats 4 times (one with Master Dark 60sec, another with Master Dark 120sec and so on) or do I integrate all my 4 Master Darks into one Master Dark and calibrate my Flats with that??

Any help or guidance would be appreciated.......and most graciously accepted.

[ashworthacca]

Anyone have any idea?

[ashworthacca]

Looks like I've stumped everyone, haha

[harry page]

ok

give me time to think

harry

[ashworthacca]

ok

give me time to think

harry

Thanks Harry...

[swag72]

I'm just having a go at this myself and starting to work on the dark frames. Am I right in thinking that once I have a master dark I just put it into the normal integration process when I put in the images for stacking?

[swag72]

How do I image calibrate the dark master frame that I have?