Gradient X Terminator?

[tingting44]

do many of you use the PS plugin GXT? just wondering if its worth the $50 

edit, oh i see there is a trial for it, will check it out right now

[Psychobilly]

Yes and Yes....

But hopefully the trial will let you decide how useful it is....

Peter...

[Leveye]

Yes get it. Amazing results with it.

[tingting44]

Thanks guys! yes i am liking it very much, will be getting the full version when my 30 day trial runs out/....

next thing, i need a bit of help from PS user's, im trying to add color to my image as its mono at the moment, i have been searching all over youtube with no luck, does anyone have a good link or a bit of advice of how to bring out the color? i cant figure out for the life of me, also not sure how i can adjust the RGB like i do in DSS, in DSS it seems so easy but cant figure it out in PS CS5

Yes and Yes....

But hopefully the trial will let you decide how useful it is....

Peter...

Yes get it. Amazing results with it.

[Psychobilly]

Adjusting the Saturation is one method of  "boosting" the colour... do it is a number of small increments rather than one big one...

[Astrosurf]

What camera / imager are you using?

Alexxx

[tingting44]

Adjusting the Saturation is one method of  "boosting" the colour... do it is a number of small increments rather than one big one...

Thanks mate, i got a lot to learn 

What camera / imager are you using?

Alexxx

im using a canon 7d dslr Alexxx

[ollypenrice]

It's good but it's a one trick pony. Pixinsight has a much better gradient removing routine (Dynamic Background Extraction or just one click Automatic Background Extraction) plus a million other features. Comparing the prices of both really does play in favour of Pixinsight. I have Grad X and was glad of it at the time but I no longer use it.

Olly

[tingting44]

i do see where your coming from, where im getting more into DSO's now i can see me getting it in the future, Pixinsight does look an amazing program and lots of great reviews on it

[oldpink]

Thanks guys! yes i am liking it very much, will be getting the full version when my 30 day trial runs out/....

next thing, i need a bit of help from PS user's, im trying to add color to my image as its mono at the moment, i have been searching all over youtube with no luck, does anyone have a good link or a bit of advice of how to bring out the color? i cant figure out for the life of me, also not sure how i can adjust the RGB like i do in DSS, in DSS it seems so easy but cant figure it out in PS CS5

you could create colour layers from the original image

as to adjusting colours you can use the histogram / curves / colour balance or a combination of these

[glowingturnip]

+1 for Pixinsight, I'm preaching it like a new convert.  I figure that even though I only have average hardware, I may as well have world-class processing software, and it really is very very good (but very tricky to learn)

[tingting44]

big difference GXT makes tho!

here is before

M51 (whirlpool galaxy) {WORK IN PROGRESS} by tingting44, on Flickr

and after

M51 (whirlpool galaxy) {Re-process #2} by tingting44, on Flickr

ive given up on the color tho! seems what ever i do makes the image go horrid a few people are saying there is not a great deal of color from M51 so thats good enough for me lol

[lensman57]

do many of you use the PS plugin GXT? just wondering if its worth the $50 

edit, oh i see there is a trial for it, will check it out right now

I have it and the PI and Startools. GradientXterminator works on some images but not on all, it is also not so useful if you have multiple complex gradients ( in my case almost 95% of my captures). I agree with Olly that PI is a much better value as a whole package but it does have a very steep learning curve and to get the best of it you really need to understand the software in and out. The best value dedicated package for me is StarTools but it does get some getting used to as it is a dedicated AP software not a main stream garphic one.

A.G

[lensman57]

big difference GXT makes tho!

here is before

M51 (whirlpool galaxy) {WORK IN PROGRESS} by tingting44, on Flickr

and after

M51 (whirlpool galaxy) {Re-process #2} by tingting44, on Flickr

ive given up on the color tho! seems what ever i do makes the image go horrid a few people are saying there is not a great deal of color from M51 so thats good enough for me lol

Drop the raw unmolested data in to drop box ( fits or tiff )  and post a link if you wish and lets see if there is any colour.  BtW there are still some gradients ( radiowave I call them ) around the capture and gradient xterminator has also introduced some dark regions around the main structures.

A.G

[tingting44]

Drop the raw unmolested data in to drop box ( fits or tiff )  and post a link if you wish and lets see if there is any colour.  BtW there are still some gradients ( radiowave I call them ) around the capture and gradient xterminator has also introduced some dark regions around the main structures.

A.G

Thanks AG do you want all the RAW lights/darks/bias be very interested to see what you can do to the data! :D

yes i know its not perfect but im glad im improving...i think lol

edit, will dropbox be big enough as the files are big

Edit, uploading lights and master dark & bias, its saying a few hours so i will be in bed before then, here is the link to them for when they finish

lights

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/uyxv74ih3fnw9rb/2Kfo7UYGAT

master dark and bias

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/lqqb0zsqvh07ok9/SY1BKt8Cbv

i think ive done it right, i dont use DB much...

[lensman57]

Thanks AG do you want all the RAW lights/darks/bias be very interested to see what you can do to the data! :D

yes i know its not perfect but im glad im improving...i think lol

edit, will dropbox be big enough as the files are big

Edit, uploading lights and master dark & bias, its saying a few hours so i will be in bed before then, here is the link to them for when they finish

lights

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/uyxv74ih3fnw9rb/2Kfo7UYGAT

master dark and bias

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/lqqb0zsqvh07ok9/SY1BKt8Cbv

i think ive done it right, i dont use DB much...

Thank you, just the final stacked file without any adjustment applied, the 2nd image is much better and I am sure that improvements will come quickly from now on.

Regards,

A.G

[tingting44]

Thank you, just the final stacked file without any adjustment applied, the 2nd image is much better and I am sure that improvements will come quickly from now on.

Regards,

A.G

ohhh ill stop all the DB files, silly me lol ill put the final stack with no adjustments embedded for you, one sec lol

Thanks AG i do hope so 

[ollypenrice]

The 'before and after' images show both gradient removal (good) and black clipping (bad) so caution is needed.

Olly

[tingting44]

Here is the final stacked image with no adjustments applied

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/qgru4qjtnsl8koa/qKqy9TsPvN

The 'before and after' images show both gradient removal (good) and black clipping (bad) so caution is needed.

Olly

Excellent observation! its really nice to have more then one pair of eyes on the image as after a while it becomes hard to notice little differences, will be having a 3rd attempt tomorrow after work, got to go to bed now as early start, all have a nice evening and catch up tomorrow

night

Martin

Edit, mhhh that stacked image in DB looks a lot worse compared to my origninal tiff file on my HDD......

[lensman57]

ohhh ill stop all the DB files, silly me lol ill put the final stack with no adjustments embedded for you, one sec lol

Thanks AG i do hope so 

ohhh ill stop all the DB files, silly me lol ill put the final stack with no adjustments embedded for you, one sec lol

Thanks AG i do hope so 

Hi Martin,

Here is a about a half hours of work mainly with PI, and there is color there. I have stopped short of saturation due to excessive colour noise but I am sure that others could do better with it.

I have a confession to make that I imported the processed file from PI into PS and used the GradientXterminator to flatten the background further as I couldn't get PI to do it in one go, there is also a little help from Annie's actions to enhance the dust lanes and a bit of local contrast push. Hope that you like it.

Regards,

A.G

[Russe]

Drop the raw unmolested data in to drop box ( fits or tiff )  and post a link if you wish and lets see if there is any colour.  BtW there are still some gradients ( radiowave I call them ) around the capture and gradient xterminator has also introduced some dark regions around the main structures.

A.G

GTX does introduce these dark regions. It's very annoying.

I usually select everything but the galaxy and do several runs on the pic to get a more even view in thresholds.

PI is very tempting, but after just having learned to walk with PS, I can't get myself to start over. Apart from the kerching...

[tingting44]

Hi Martin,

Here is a about a half hours of work mainly with PI, and there is color there. I have stopped short of saturation due to excessive colour noise but I am sure that others could do better with it.

I have a confession to make that I imported the processed file from PI into PS and used the GradientXterminator to flatten the background further as I couldn't get PI to do it in one go, there is also a little help from Annie's actions to enhance the dust lanes and a bit of local contrast push. Hope that you like it.

Regards,

A.G

That truly is awsome A.G!! when i try to add color the whole image changes and goes horrid lol, have not had any time to work on it this evening and feeling way too tired to try tonight least ive got something to work to and know the detail is there from your process

i found these video's quite good for helping me out

http://www.youtube.com/user/namregd/videos?view=0&sort=dd&shelf_id=2

GTX does introduce these dark regions. It's very annoying.

I usually select everything but the galaxy and do several runs on the pic to get a more even view in thresholds.

PI is very tempting, but after just having learned to walk with PS, I can't get myself to start over. Apart from the kerching...

i follwed this video on how to use GTX, and followed it step by step

again love your go at the processing A.G

[lensman57]

That truly is awsome A.G!! when i try to add color the whole image changes and goes horrid lol, have not had any time to work on it this evening and feeling way too tired to try tonight least ive got something to work to and know the detail is there from your process

i found these video's quite good for helping me out

http://www.youtube.com/user/namregd/videos?view=0&sort=dd&shelf_id=2

i follwed this video on how to use GTX, and followed it step by step

again love your go at the processing A.G

You are very welcome Martinand thanks for posting.

Regards,

A.G

PS:BTW you have captured quite a few little dim fizzies besides M51, they are on the right hand side about 1.30.