Processing/Stacking Questions

[CosmicOrangutan]

Hi Everyone,

I'm having a few issues processing a numbers of subs i have been taking over the last few months. The main problem arises in Deep Sky Stacker.

I'm using version 3.3.2 which apparently allows you to feed RAW's directly into it from my Canon 600d and it should be able to stack the image. This isnt working however and after stacking the lights/darks/flats/bias it gives you a very thin black image with no data on it at the end of stacking. Also when feeding in RAW files into DSS it gives a very strange resolution 1336 x 3516. Please see below image:

To get round this i have been converting the RAW files into .dng files and then stacking them through DSS that way and it then seems to correct the resolution and i can stack the subs. I'm certain however that i must be losing a lot of a data using .dng files. see below a 300 second sub of Andromeda in its RAW format and then when its converted to .dng. This loss of data seems to show through after the image has been stacked as it has yellow tinge to it with no way of bringing out any details.

 

Can anyone help me in being able to feed just straight RAW files into DSS so i can then go on to extract the full amount of data from the subs?

[iapa]

I recently started having a similar issue after it working fine for a while

Upgrading to 3.3.4 corrected it.

[Peco4321]

+1 for upgrading, sorted it out. 

Nice sub of Andromeda by the way, looking forward to seeing them all stacked and processed. 

[red dwalf]

yep you need the newer version of dss, the older one is ok for can raw files but not for canon raw 2 files, cr2

[CosmicOrangutan]

Thanks so much for the quick fix guys

I've just tested a few subs using 3.3.4 and its worked a charm. 

Clear skies,

George

[ecuador]

It's crazy that they still keep the 3.3.2 download on top with huge letters and 3.3.4 is some sort of sub-note under it. Everyone with a DSLR from at least 2010 onwards (pretty much everybody now) has this exact problem when they first try DSS.

[Astrofriend]

The development of this DSS software are for long time ago ended. The develooper just update the DCRAW software which is implemented inside the DSS software. DCRAW is the part that read the raw files.

 

I use the DSS in combination with Fitswork. I have a tutorial for it here:

http://astrofriend.eu/astronomy/tutorials/tutorial-fitswork/tutorial-fitswork.html

 

I ussually only use DSS to calibrate, align and stack images, after that I take the 32 bit Fits file to Fitswork and continue there. But you can also calibrate, align and stack in Fitswork too. It depends on the situation which is best.

 

Both softwares are old today and no development, only Windows 32 bit.

 

/Lars

[CosmicOrangutan]

Thanks again guys. Here's my final image. I'm pretty happy with it as a first finished attempt on Andromeda. Taken through a 130PDS and stacked in DSS and processed in Pixinsight:

Apologies its uploaded as a JPEG so has suffered from compression but you get the idea  

 
 

[Racey]

All came good in the end George. Nice end result 

[SteveBz]

Oh, Man, it's fantastic.  I have completely failed with my stacking attempts on DSS.  Where did you get the 3.3.4 version.  When I unpack the one you are directed to I get an empty directory. 

Do you think you could unzip it and post it somewhere I could download it from?

That would be great.

Thanks

Steve.

[wornish]

25 minutes ago, SteveBz said:

Oh, Man, it's fantastic.  I have completely failed with my stacking attempts on DSS.  Where did you get the 3.3.4 version.  When I unpack the one you are directed to I get an empty directory. 

Do you think you could unzip it and post it somewhere I could download it from?

That would be great.

Thanks

Steve.

You can download 3.3.4 here see below

 

[SteveBz]

Ok. I managed to download it on a Windows system. 3.3.2 unloads on any system. 3.3.4 needs windows.

 

[Moonshed]

That picture of Andromeda is one to be proud of. Well done

Keith

[edarter]

Didn't know that there are issues with cr2 files on 3.2.2, very interesting. Have avoided 3.3.4 until now as it says it's a beta, sounds like it's a bit more than that!