Webcam Software - Getting Started

[SimonS]

Hey all,

I am at the point where I am keen to try my hand at astrophotography and with the SGL camp coming up, I see this as the perfect chance to play around and see what happens.

I have had an Orion StarShoot IV camera for a while, but after no luck early on and plenty of other commitments, it has sat in its box with my SW 1145p. I now believe the reason I didn't have much luck before was due to a temperamental USB to Mini USB wire that I have now replaced.

While at Lucksall I will try the camera out with my SW Evostar 80ED. The software I have installed on my laptop is Registax and Orion AmCamp which came with the camera along with AviStack.

I am interested to hear what software everyone has used when using webcams for astrophotography, are there any packages you would recommend that I try or stay away from? Also if you have any advice for a novice like myself please share, I am keen to learn as much as I can.

Many Thanks in advance.

Simon

 

[michaelmorris]

There are two main pieces of Windows software people use for image capture SharpCap and FireCapture - both are free.

SharpCap - http://www.sharpcap.co.uk/

Great for using colour cameras (supports mono with filter wheel too) and comes with loads of nice features and tools such live image stacking and a superb pole alignment tool.

FireCapture - http://www.firecapture.de/

This is a more powerful piece of software that seems to be the software of choice for the more serious imager.  It has advanced scripting capabilities and also has a neat auto-centering (crude autoguiding) routine.

[cjdawson]

SharpCap is my goto piece of software for my webcam.

For my DSLR, I'm using BackYardEOS when its attached to the scope.

 

Well, when I say using that lot, the truth is that I have it all, installed and ready to go.   However, I've not actually used it yet due to other comitments/weather.

[SimonS]

Thanks both

[Helen]

Hi Simon,

I've mostly used Firecapture, but recently have tried Sharpcap too and it has loads of great features and is actively developed too. 

For stacking I use Autostakkert2 (AS2!) and Registax (often try both and see what works best for the particular imaging conditions).  https://www.autostakkert.com/wp/download/ 

For post processing and bringing out details imppg https://greatattractor.github.io/imppg/ is good too.

Happy to run through the basics of these at the star party, or get together  

Helen

[furrysocks2]

Here's everything I use just now:

• SharpCap
• PIPP
• AS!2
• Registax
• ImPPG
• GIMP

All I've really done has been a PS3 Eye webcam on the moon (once on the sun, once on Venus). Never taken a picture of a night star yet. I'm not a particularly serious imager. A lot is down to the camera and mount, and I've not really got either going yet. But I've gotten to grips with the software I've needed so far.

Got a new USB guide-cam-type camera in the post but just starting to play tonight with an old 50mm binocular objective, a cheap (but not very sensitive) analog camera and a USB frame grabber. I turned most of the lights off and tried live stacking the clock across the room in SharpCap, it's surprisingly good fun...

From this (single frame):

To this (20 second stack):

And a bit of a fiddle in GIMP:

 

Good luck with it!

[SimonS]

Thanks Helen, will see you in a couple of weeks

Cheers for the pictures, it is great to see how pictures improve with extra exposures and stacking