Astropixel Processor (APP)

[gnomus]

I have been playing around with a new program called AstroPixel Processor.  So far I have been reasonably impressed with it.  Up to now, I have been using PixInsight for calibrating, registering and stacking subframes.  However, I am seriously thinking moving over to APP for this.  There are also tools for stretching the final linear image.  At the moment, I think these are not as convincing as the calibration -> stacking routines.  Nevertheless, they are certainly usable and they are quick.  

I recently posted an image of an Ha stack of the Pelican Nebula.  This was processed using my usual combination of PI and PS.  It can be seen here: https://stargazerslounge.com/topic/295500-pelican-in-ha-first-real-test-of-dual-rig/

I decided to reprocess using just* APP.  This took a fraction of the time of the previous method.  It is a combination of 16 x 1200s frames shot though 3nm and 5nm Ha filters (8 of each):

* - I didn't know how to slightly rotate and crop in APP so the crop was done in PI.  I have since found out how to rotate and crop in APP .....  I think I'll stick to PI or PS!  

 

[Kinch]

I did exactly the same as you.....stacked the sub frames with APP just to try it out. Indeed it is fast compared to what I was doing previously....but I'll need to take a little more care the next time and get a better handle on APP.

This is the Ha result in APP:

 

The final image (Completed with PI) is here:

[swag72]

I've been very impressed with APP and have made some videos if anyone is interested in some of the basics...... The mosaic registration is excellent.

Like you though Steve, I can't do any of the processing in it yet!!

[gnomus]

Just now, swag72 said:

I've been very impressed with APP and have made some videos if anyone is interested in some of the basics...... The mosaic registration is excellent.

Like you though Steve, I can't do any of the processing in it yet!!

Oh ... this was processed in APP Sara (apart from the crop).  I thought it was at least 'OK' ....    

I have seen your videos and they are excellent.  I provided Mabula with some files of my Pelican and he made a video of that too - I was struggling to get my head around the program.   

I have no affiliation to the program or its maker beyond that video he kindly volunteered to make for me.  The webpage is here: https://www.astropixelprocessor.com/

[swag72]

4 minutes ago, gnomus said:

Oh ... this was processed in APP Sara (apart from the crop).  I thought it was at least 'OK' ....    

I think that this is more than OK!! Good on you for doing the processing bit in APP as well  

[gnomus]

1 minute ago, swag72 said:

I think that this is more than OK!! Good on you for doing the processing bit in APP as well  

The main problem with APP is that this took only around 3-4 minutes of playing with the sliders.  The PI/PS version took well over an hour.  I will probabaly have to go back to PI/PS, because, with APP, I'd end up having to spend those spare 56-57 minutes with the wife and kids - a ghastly thought.....

[swag72]

For me the problem is exactly this 

1 minute ago, gnomus said:

..........The main problem with APP is that this took only around 3-4 minutes of playing with the sliders. ........

I like to know what I'm pressing and why!! At the moment, like you I would just be wildly playing with sliders.... In PS I know what I am doing, why and how to resolve things  ... Well sometimes anyway!!!

[r3i]

Always good to see new products becoming available - do you know if it can stack images from different cameras/image scales (i.e. like Registar)?

[gnomus]

9 minutes ago, swag72 said:

For me the problem is exactly this 

I like to know what I'm pressing and why!! At the moment, like you I would just be wildly playing with sliders.... In PS I know what I am doing, why and how to resolve things  ... Well sometimes anyway!!!

I agree - the interface on the processing side of APP is still a little unsophisticated - and we could do with a decent manual.  On the other hand - I was thinking this morning - what do we do in PS and PI?  All I do is play with sliders (sometiimes wildly) - it's just that I get a prettier interface when doing it in PI/PS.  

[gnomus]

1 minute ago, r3i said:

Always good to see new products becoming available - do you know if it can stack images from different cameras/image scales (i.e. like Registar)?

There is a 52 minute video where he shows himself doing this (in real time - hence the 50 minutes) on the Rosette -  https://www.astropixelprocessor.com/registration-normalization-integration-using-ddc-lnc-mbb/

[PhotoGav]

This is a very interesting comparison Steve. The APP processed image is great and, in my opinion, shows more detail in the finer structures than the PI/PS version. 

APP is by no means a replacement, but is an excellent addition to the armoury. I think the integration part of it is superb. It knocks the socks off my previous workflow in both speed and results. I will certainly be using it for that from now on.

As regards the processing side of APP, I have so far found it to be more effective with galaxies than nebulae. I agree, the few sliders are slightly mysterious as to what they are actually doing, there is no masking, which would be a great help when processing brighter stars and the stretch options seem to be limited to only a few prescribed choices. I would like to have more control over the stretching - it might well be there in the sliders, but I haven't worked it out yet.

It is fast, which, as you suggest, has its pros and cons!!!!

[PeterCPC]

I have posted a seperate topic on APP because I cannot get my Windows 10 with Norton to accept it. I have been in contact with Mabula and he is looking at this issue.

Peter

[The Admiral]

This looks an interesting application which could be of benefit to my current situation, because I use a Fuji mirrorless camera which doesn't employ the standard Bayer pattern (it uses its proprietary X-Trans). Although DCRAW can de-mosaic it, it does mean that if I attempt to calibrate my frames without de-mosaicing, as I'm meant to, I can no longer de-mosaic for stacking.

According to the Forum, I gather that APP doesn't use DCRAW for DSLR images, but uses its own algorithms, and "The implementation of other RAW image formats (Sony, Fuji, Pentax for instance) is on the TODO list to be implemented with high priority." The trouble is, one cannot register on the forum to ask about development timescales unless one has got the trial, and there'd be no point in doing that until the decoding is instigated.

By the way, I also had a look at Sara's tutorials; I like their clarity and I think that they would be very useful.

Ian

[PatrickGilliland]

Nice work Steve - APP looks like another nice bit of kit I will have a look at that in next few weeks even though it is getting harder to remember all the programs and their features.

[Barry-Wilson]

On 30/06/2017 at 09:06, swag72 said:

I've been very impressed with APP and have made some videos if anyone is interested in some of the basics...... The mosaic registration is excellent.

Like you though Steve, I can't do any of the processing in it yet!!

Hi Sara - do you know if APP will process a mosaic from stacks calibrated with another software program, eg PI?

Thank you for your tutorials, most informative.  As you know I am a PI devotee , however a program with an easier and very effective mosaic registration and merging routine would be a welcome addition to anyone's processing armoury.

[swag72]

Yes it does Barry..... They don't have to be pre-processed in APP to use the mosaic feature.

[gnomus]

Sara, will it work with stacks, or does it need the calibrated subframes?

[swag72]

46 minutes ago, gnomus said:

Sara, will it work with stacks, or does it need the calibrated subframes?

It will work with stacks