Pixinsight

[cardconvict]

Thinking of purchasing pixinsight in the next couple of months but I have the trial version but struggling with the learning curve and not having being able to take any images because of the weather. 

What are people's thoughts on pixinsight, do you use pixinsight on its own all the time ? 

If anyone would be kind enough to let me borrow some raw image data so I can play with pixinsight before my trial runs out that would be appreciated.

[wuthton]

I like Pixinsight very much. Harry Page's videos are excellent, here's a link if you haven't already found them.

http://www.harrysastroshed.com/pixinsight/pixinsight%20video%20html/Pixinsighthome.html

I've pm'd a link to some of my subs.

[Big Bang!]

I spent much  time thinking about the software I ought to purchase.  This stuff is so expensive you need to be sure you are getting what you need and what suits you.

 

I went for PixInsight as my stand alone processing software.  Although I am new to this game and therefore don't know much about advanced processes, I don't think it lacks much - Layering is about the only function it doesn't have that might be useful.  Yes, the learning curve is very steep but I have found it well worth a few weeks messing around with it - in fact, after nearly a year I am still doing that whilst I am working up my modelling abilities with my mount.  (YouTube videos have helped my understanding enormously and PixInsight run special courses - the next is in May in the US)  One of the truly excellent features is the Dynamic Background Extraction tool which makes removal of gradients very quick and easy - either automatically or manually.

 

Like everything else, I guess, you don't get the full benefit until you have done all the learning.

 

Gus

[cardconvict]

Thanks for the reply I think I would like to buy this software in the next couple of months and use it as my primary processing software as it is dedicated to astrophotgraphy which I really like that. I have read on buying the software their is a tax ? Did you get taxed ?

[ollypenrice]

I use it in conjunction with PS. While it may only lack layering, that would, for me, be like saying a car only lacked wheels. I wouldn't want to process a whole image in PI but it has some functions which are brilliant and using it with PS Layers is wonderful. (For example you cannot 'fade'  a process you've just caried out in PI. Your only option if it isn't right is to scrap it, adjust the parameters and run it again. But what I prefer to do is run a PI routine, save it, and use it as a PS layer over the original so I can choose an opacity which retains the PI modification to the ideal degree and, critically, not necessarily across the whole image.)

Given the work that has gone into it, and still goes into it with free updates, we cannot complain about the price of PI. We can certainly complain about the price and marketing of Ps though, and maybe GIMP can provide the missing layering from PI for free? I don't use it. I use an old, Legit Ps CS3 bought at a reasonable price.

Wavelet scaling function. This parameter is unavailable for median based transforms. Peaked/small scaling finctions (such as linear interpolation) work better to isolate small scale structures. Smooth/large scaling functions  (such as cubic B spline) work better to isolate larger scales.  Well thanks for that, PI, you have a way with words... 

Olly

[zicklurky]

I just do everything in PixInsight, but my images don't compare to the likes of those from Olly and others. I've just finished watching the Warren Keller PixInsight series and he, like Olly, uses a mixture of PI and PS.

PI is very capable, but requires a different way of thinking than PS. It's all about masks, most of my time is spent getting masks right, but I guess that will improve with more experience (hopefully anyway!)