Software for beginners?

[Moonshed]

I was looking through some threads picking up tips here and there  and came across a link to Raw Astrophotography Data, a handy site where you can download raw image data for practising with and then compare it to that guy's finished image. Handy for newbies like me. Anyway, he said he uses DSS and Photoshop, just as I will be, and he put in links to two apps that he uses as PS plug-ins, they are  GradientXTerminator and Astronomy Tools Action Set, and that's all he uses. The results he gets are amazing, so I have decided to download them and give it a go, the total cost for both only amounts to £55. My point is that many here have recommended that I get Pixinsight, it does looks amazing but costs around £270. Now having spent quiet a bit upgrading my mount, getting a camera, adapters, remote timer etc. have little left for software so was a bit taken aback with the extra layout needed. I am sure other newbies will be in a similar financial position and if they already have PS then this will save a lot of money.

I appreciate that the more experienced here will say it will not produce such good results and I am sure they are right. However, as a beginner, would I be able to see the difference? It's a bit like a new golfer starting out and spending £5000 on a set of titanium clubs when he would do as well with a hockey stick. I only do astronomy and astrophotography  for the sheer pleasure I get out of it and showing my handiwork to a few friends. When and if I reach the level where I can look at my images with a more experienced eye and see room for improvement then that's when I will lay out some more money. But beginners can start small, get some experience and gradually upgrade, just as in any hobby, you don't normally start out with the best of everything.

That's  just my two pence worth on the subject, I highly value the help and advice I get from this site but think that the drive for perfection early on can be a bit off putting for newbies like me. It's a lot to take on board and can be a big financial outlay and I am just trying to find ways to save a few bob, that's all.

Keith

 

 

[DannyLee]

You are so right. On the subject of mounts, I see lots of posts saying only an EQ6 or equivalent will do for imaging. Mainly posted by people with an EQ6.  OK so if you are in competition with the experts, spend the cash, otherwise buy what you can comfortably afford ( it is only a hobby)  and do the best you can with that, if you are like me you will be happy and see the limitations of equipment as a challenge not a reason t give up..

Dan

[swag72]

In my opinion, Photoshop will produce results as good as anything where people have used Pixinsight..... So no I dont think you need to buy it at all.

I do think that spending time with any software will help you get the most out of your imaging.

[happy-kat]

If you do not own Photshop then Paintshop Pro does pretty much all and many plugins also work such as Gradient Exterminator, it is the PhotoShop scripts that can't be used, Paintshop Pro is under £100.00 think I paid £65.00 for my x7, under that is GIMP and Paint.net both free. I like StarTools to go with my PaintShop Pro and that was £32.00

[Moonshed]

Thank you so much guys, I find all your comments very encouraging, which is the thing us beginners need. It's just that a reply someone posted on a thread of mine was obviously made by a person with plenty of money to spend on what is just a hobby and to be honest I found it very offensive, it cut deep. We aren't all in that fortunate position and some of us have to carefully consider every purchase we make. Thanks again, I do appreciate it.

Keith

[Scott]

You are quite right that splashing out the big bucks when you're starting out is silly. There are certain things you MUST have if you intend to venture into deep sky imaging. First and formost being the mount. after that, you can get away with shaving a few pennies buy using the relatively cheap scopes and cameras available and using free software.

One thing that took me a while to come to grips with was processing and this really should be a concideration only after delving into imaging and deciding that it's for you. Of course good data is a must to produce good images but really, its after the mount is parked, everything is packed away and you've got your data loaded onto your processing pc that things get interesting. When you concider the money you have spent on your mount,camera,scope etc etc, it really does make sence to get descent processing software. Having never used pixinsight, I can't comment on it other than to say that many people seem happy with it. I do believe that photoshop is the best processing software in MY arsenal but it's definately not the only one.

Start out slow and build on your software the same as we do with our imaging equiptment. It's probably not a bad idea to accept that we'll always want that little bit more. "after i get the new camera and maybe that other bit of softwhere, oh and that new scope, I'm sure I'll be complete".........Bahaha

 

[spillage]

Hi Keith,

I look at astro photography the same way as I look at computers. If you listen to most people yesterdays computers are rubbish and the only way to do anything is with the latest and greatest (most expensive) rigs..they ignore the fact the last years computers where at the time the latest and greatest.

I you do not have one pick up a cheap second hand dslr (I would choose a canon) the best mount you can afford and from what I can see this is the most expensive bit of kit and a scope..

DSS is free so is gimp.

Yes you can spend thousands but if you are willing to wait for cheap second hand kit you can get great results on a budget.

I dont care what people say about my images. I know they will never be published. Do I care NO!!!.

I get so excited every time I start to look at my data and see it come to life and over time I will get better and better. To me that is all that matters.

 

It is a hobby not a career so I am here to enjoy it with the budget I have.

 

p.s. hope one day to be able produce a photo that blows one out the water that has been taken using kits worth 1000's more than mine.

 

Cheers

Spill.

[Ouroboros]

Moonshed - do I understand from your initial post that you already have photoshop? If you do then I wouldn't bother with plugins at the outside. I would say you're  adequately tooled up to make a start following some of the online tutorials for using PS for processing astrophotographs. 

[cjdawson]

Hiya.

I got a subscription for the photoshop photographers pack, between photoshop and light room I pretty much have everything that's needed.

In addition to photoshop, I've bought Astronomy Tools Actions Set and Topaz Denoise.     The gradient tool is something that I might get later on, but so far don't think I've needed it.  (the muck is even where I image from )

 

There tends not to be a huge amount of difference between the tools - Astro art, pixinsight etc.  They all offer the same things that you can do with photoshop.  It's more a case that they are laid out with Astrophotography in mind rather than general image processing.  I believe it's more a case of learning to use the tools that you have to a degree where they produce the results that you want.   That said, if you have the cash to splash on more tools and the do a better job for you, go for it and enjoy.   It's not really an either/or situation.  Especially when you can ask a question on here about a specific technique or problem with an image.  You'll get lots of different ways to accomplish the same thing.

[Moonshed]

Thanks again, I appreciate all your comments. 

I have an 8" Celsestron SCT. An EQ5 mount. A decent enough set of EP's , a selection of filters, and have just bought a secondhand Cannon 1100D camera body and have a selection of lenses that fit it. I began taking digital images with a £50 Orion planetary camera and use Registax and Photoshop. I like the close up lunar images the camera gave me, and some not bad shots of Jupiter, and decided to go fully digital. That's when I joined SGL for some advice on what gear to buy. I have already downloaded DSS so really I am ready to go. I have started looking at some tutorials on DSLR astrophotography on YouTube and how to process the images using PS, all extremely useful.

I am now looking forward to getting started, making a lot of mistakes and learning from them as I go along. I have been taking film photographs for about 20 years on and off, depending on the LP where I lived. Currently, and finally, where I now live the night sky is not bad at all

Thanks again

BTW how do you get that info on the bottom of your posts that shows what equipment you have? It would save me having to repeat it as people need to know in order to give the right advice. Thanks.

Keith

[SilverAstro]

14 minutes ago, Moonshed said:

BTW how do you get that info on the bottom of your posts that shows what equipment you have? It would save me having to repeat it as people need to know in order to give the right advice. Thanks.

It is called a Signature. 

Go to your username at the top right (there is a little triangle signifying a drop down menu) click,  & select "Account Settings", in there on the left is "Signature" click it and compose away !

 

[Moonshed]

9 hours ago, SilverAstro said:

It is called a Signature. 

Go to your username at the top right (there is a little triangle signifying a drop down menu) click,  & select "Account Settings", in there on the left is "Signature" click it and compose away !

 

Okay thanks for that I will get it done

[happy-kat]

For tutorials budgetastro.net is excellent and is just right for your setup and software.

Your mount, dslr and a lens will give you endless data.

If you have an android phone/tablet then look at dslr controller by Chainfire it helps no end with focusing (if like me you don't have a laptop).

[Stub Mandrel]

I have the same stuff + Astra Image 4.0, which comes in to its own for planetary sharpening but also has better sharpening and deenoise than PS.

[SteveNickolls]

Hi Keith,

Astro-photography can quickly become a large money sink especially when you're starting out and unsure if it is for you. It helps if you have some of the items of kit already which also serve to let you do visual work or use the DSLR for family photography. It's getting that value for money out of gear which also applies to software when you can't afford everything all the time (and that's most of us). I've found DSS (free) very useful and it took months to get to terms with it. My only expense has been on StarTools for processing and I tried that for free until I decided I did want to use it. It has a different paradigm behind its use and I guess a bit like Marmite. I've not used (or could afford) PI but it might/might not appeal to you but I believe you can try it out for free first (that's another Marmite moment for you). As you get used to what you already have, and hopefully take to imaging (whether Moon, planets, DSO's) you will begin to know what you need to progress to that next step, but whatever that next step is it will be up to you to decide.

Anyway, good luck with whatever you decide to try.

Cheers,
Steve

[spillage]

+1 for startools.