Processing a webcam image

[redneon]

As I finally got semi-clear skies last night I took the scope out to try a get a decent shot of Jupiter. This is what I got:

Given the amount of freezing fog in the air I'm happy with how this has turned out.

This is the image after stacking, though. There's no processing on it whatsoever (apart from the wavelets stuff in Registax). All of the image processing tutorials I can find seem to be geared towards DSO processing so I'm not really sure what I could/should do to improve this image. I was contemplating scaling it up by 120-150% to make it look larger but would that be a bit disingenuous?

Any help or constructive criticism on the image would be much appreciated.

[nephilim]

I've had a quick look at your image in cs5 (photoshop) & although im no expert I dont think it really needs anything doing to it, its a really good image, if you take the size up a bit you could start to lose detail & risk it becoming slightly 'blocky'. I'd be very happy with that, nice one If i'm wrong then i'm sure someone will be along soon to correct me

Steve

[redneon]

Yeah, I think I'm probably a bit over-critical. If anything, I think it's too bright. It looks a bit washed out. I did remember this morning that the video I was recording I had to stop manually because the next door neighbour's spotlight came on. I got about 2:40 out of an attempted 3 minute recording. The thing is, I didn't remove the spotlight spoiled frames from Registax so I wonder if I'd get a better result if I removed them... I'll have to give it a try tonight.

[nephilim]

Well i've darkened it slightly & fidled with vibrance & exposure which has brought out a little colour (hope u dont mind) but the origional was very good anyway IMO.

Steve

[redneon]

Oh, that's much better! Thanks Just out of interest, what did you do? I've got GIMP and Photoshop CS2 and was going to have a play myself later. I'm completely new to the processing side of things, though.

[tich]

I think it's nice much better than what I've managed to achieve using a webcam.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

I just tweaked the colour curves in gimp (value channel, drag the mid-point of the curve down a bit) and got this result

[redneon]

Awesome, cheers. That looks great too. I think I should just start playing around with levels, curves and things in PS or GIMP and try and get an idea for what they're doing.

[nephilim]

Awesome, cheers. That looks great too. I think I should just start playing around with levels, curves and things in PS or GIMP and try and get an idea for what they're doing.

As I said I'm not great at it (Michaels is better) as i'm just starting out myself with Photoshop, theres so much stuff on it that it gets complicalted lots of practise needed I suppose.

[nephilim]

Oh, that's much better! Thanks Just out of interest, what did you do? I've got GIMP and Photoshop CS2 and was going to have a play myself later. I'm completely new to the processing side of things, though.

Whoops quoted wrong post haha, I just fiddled with the contrast, Exposure & curves a bit. If you have Gimp or Cs then just start messing about with things, in Photoshop I go to 'image' then down to 'adjustments' & take it from there.

[Astrosurf]

The unprocessed image is far better than anything I've managed with my 200P! Excellent. How did you focus? I think that's my problem with my rotten eyesight!

Alexxx

[redneon]

Cheers. I guess I was just lucky, really. I'd have thought the amount of freezing fog in the air would have really spoiled it. There was a LOT.

Anyway, to focus I was planning to use my Bahtinov mask but with a 2x barlow and webcam you can't make out the diffraction spikes. So I focused as best I could and then left the scope for a few seconds to let the image settle. Then made tiny adjustments to the focuser and let the image settle. Lather, rinse and repeat. I think that was the key, allowing the scope to settle, because whilst you're making adjustments to the focuser the scope is shaking about a bit and you have no idea exactly how it's affecting the image.

[Astrosurf]

You know, I do wonder if my 4x Imagemate is a bit too much. So many poeple use 2x Barlows and get great pics even though the image is smaller. I'll have to try it.

[Spikey]

To focus I always set up & centre the planet as I want it, do a rough focus and then slew to a nearby star (Aldebaran?) and use the bahtinov to tweak the focus that last little bit. Then slew back top the planet.

If it's too dim to see the diffraction spikes then crank the gain/exposure up until you can make them out

[redneon]

I had my gain and exposure maxed out I like the slewing idea but I'd be terrified I'd never find Jupiter again. I know, in theory, it should be simple but I find I always have trouble with the webcam and barlow.

[redneon]

I've spent an hour in CS2 this evening and this is what I've come up with. I'm not sure if CS2 cuts the mustard anymore but it's the only one I've got. Essentially all I've done is changed the curves a bit and I've also done a cheeky sharpen as it appeared to bring out a bit more detail. I also darkened the background to be pretty much pure black. Constructive criticism, please

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Nice result!