Startrails.de error messages?

[JB80]

I have a couple of questions as I'm trying to process some trails and I get a couple of error messages.

The first one I get is after it has created the complete trail it then comes up with an "error in input file" which I don't know what that means. I'm left with a nice image but it's full of noise so I'm not sure if it registered the dark frames.

I tired to run it through again but this time the message popped up quicker.

Any ideas as to what this might mean?

The second error message I get is when I try to make a video and I just get a box stating "error" and it wont continue doing anything or explain itself beyond that, how can I get it to make a video?

Also how many pics should I use when averaging the foreground? I used two but if I use more will I get less noise and do I average before or after it has completed the trails?

I am using 450ish jpegs and 60 darks, maybe I need more darks?

[Photosbykev]

Check that ALL the subs and darks are identical in pixel size and that the darks are 8 bit jpg as well, I don't think Startrails likes mixing different image formats. For the foreground just make one image that is correctly exposed and use that in Startrails, personally I've never found the need to average the foreground image.

60 darks is more than enough.

I've never had any success making videos in Startrails, probably a codec issue. I tend to use Adobe after effects CS5 or a free programme called AviDub

[JB80]

Ahh thanks, they are all the same size but both subs and darks have a bit depth of 24 so I guess I need to find a way of batching them all and resaving at 8 bit if that would work. Should I use the M setting to shoot jpegs on the dslr? To be honestI thought the jpegs shot in 8 bit to begin with.

At least now I know that I'm not the only one the videos don't work for, it seemed to good to be true.

[Photosbykev]

If they are jpgs they will be 8 bit images. 8 x 3 channels = 24 bit

By M I assume manual mode which is ideal for timelapse work. If you leave things to the camera you will get a lot of flicker between frames.

If you mean medium jpg then personally I shoot everything in max res raw and post process to 16 bit tiff files.

[JB80]

OK, so they are all 8 bit images then, both the subs and the darks are the same.

By M I meant medium jpeg as they were all set to L, I shot everything in Manual mode as well. But that I guess doesn't matter as I thought changing the jpeg size might of brought the bits down but they are already where they should be anyway.

So I'm back with the same issue again. I've checked and all my subs and darks are the same but I keep getting the "error in input file" coming up when it's finished making the trails.

[Photosbykev]

changing the jpg size only affects the number of pixels in the image not the colour depth.

The only other thing I can think of is maybe one of the jpg files is corrupt? Can you open or view each of the images in a image browser? something like Faststone Image Viewer will let you quickly scan through the images.

[JB80]

I have been through all of the pics and just then looked at the darks and nothing seems to be corrupted, they all look relatively normal to me.

I might try to swap the pics over and try on my laptop and see if that makes a difference.

Also how do you pick a single frame for the foreground?

[Photosbykev]

When I shoot timelapses with an interesting foreground I shoot the foreground separately with whatever exposure or lighting I need. All the Startrails programme does is take the brightest parts of each image and blend them together, if your foreground image is brighter it will show through the other images.

You could try using just 10 or 20 of the images and some of the darks and see if the programme finishes correctly? and then increase the number of images until it crashes, this might help discover what file the programme is struggling with. I've pushe over 2000 images through Startrails so it certainly isn't being pushed by 450 images.

[JB80]

So a good foreground pic will show through anyway, that should be easy enough.

I've been trying to decrease the numbers but I think starting low is a much better and quicker option. I think it's something to do with the first few of my darks, not sure yet.

[Photosbykev]

So a good foreground pic will show through anyway, that should be easy enough.

I've been trying to decrease the numbers but I think starting low is a much better and quicker option. I think it's something to do with the first few of my darks, not sure yet.

even 20 darks should be enough to reduce any noise problems, more is better but not that much better

[JB80]

If I use the last half of my darks I don't get any error messages and it completes, the foreground is still a bit noisy but if I had a seperate shot for that it would look a whole lot better.

Cool, thanks for that. I just needed some rational thinking to sort it out.

[Psychobilly]

If your going to let Startrails take care of the foreground then make sure the image you want for the foreground is the first in the list... or if your "averaging" that they are the first "n images" in the list...