SharpCap live stacking

[furrysocks2]

Take one grainy, noisy, high gain, low light video feed:

 

Click "live stacking" in SharpCap and wait for 20 seconds (had to turn of aligning because there's no stars):

 

Then do some gentle post processing in GIMP (despeckle, destripe, unsharpmask and curves):

 

I know these aren't stellar pictures and I do need a better camera, but I'll have me some of that please!! All this time, didn't once click on "live stacking" in SharpCap because the webpage was out of date and said "no usb cameras".

I'm quite astounded by these three pics, obvious when you know but new to me right now! 

[Bruce Leeroy]

Nice results and a good idea, I know you dabbled with a ps3 camera is this an image from 1 of them? I have been tinkering lately and found this to be helpful...(this may help with any low-mid end camera) in SharpCap adjust the cameras RGB settings turning the green and blue channels OFF while keeping some of the red channel ON then using SharpCaps  FX setting tab set  "Red channel to mono", from memory I set Exposure at 100% and Gain at 0% and used the red channel slider to tweak the final results. I should be doing tests like that myself in the house instead of waiting for those elusive cloud free nights. I might put a star chart up somewhere and dim the lights

 

[furrysocks2]

7 hours ago, Bruce Leeroy said:

Nice results and a good idea, I know you dabbled with a ps3 camera is this an image from 1 of them?

No, not the PS3 Eye, though I believe you can expose up to 10 seconds with it, yet to try that.

The camera I used here was a RunCam Owl Plus FPV drone camera. I intend to buy a RunCam Night Eagle 2 Astro if and when they appear for sale - the Night Eagle Astro was a firmware mod to the Night Eagle and recommended for occultation astronomy but now discontinued. It's a sensitive little 1/2" camera I'd like to play with, but the Night Eagle 2 is only just out and no Astro version yet (onboard integration/sensup and perhaps other little tweaks).

 

7 hours ago, Bruce Leeroy said:

... adjust the cameras RGB settings turning the green and blue channels OFF while keeping some of the red channel ON then using SharpCaps  FX setting tab set  "Red channel to mono", from memory I set Exposure at 100% and Gain at 0% and used the red channel slider to tweak the final results.

I've got a sort of ASI120MM-clone coming (Datyson T7), mono, as is the Night Eagle. Interesting, though... have you taken any comparisons using this technique and without? I was thinking of getting another PS3 Eye and debayering it - tried once but didn't stay within the lines and I bricked it.

[furrysocks2]

7 hours ago, Bruce Leeroy said:

 I have been tinkering lately ...

With the PS3?

[Mick J]

Interesting stuff furrysocks2, where did the second hand go ?

[furrysocks2]

4 minutes ago, Mick J said:

Interesting stuff furrysocks2, where did the second hand go ?

You can see a few ghosts between the eight and the nine if you look hard enough.

Edit: also motion blur on the minute hand.

[Bruce Leeroy]

On 10/4/2017 at 08:09, furrysocks2 said:

I've got a sort of ASI120MM-clone coming (Datyson T7), mono, as is the Night Eagle. Interesting, though... have you taken any comparisons using this technique and without? I was thinking of getting another PS3 Eye and debayering it - tried once but didn't stay within the lines and I bricked it.

I think I remember reading that post and browsed the website you linked to they have alot affordable cams and extras. Yes I have a number of PS3 cams in various scopes they have the IR filter removed but not debayered as of yet and I have bricked quite a few trying to debayer them...there 50p in CEX.

The idea is to run 3 instances of SharpCap at the same time with various states of wide field to zoomed in all aligned on the same mount and object....

 

[Bruce Leeroy]

For the first time I've reviewed some of the images I took during that session where I found the Red channel to mono setting...seems the live view changes the red channel to mono but captures of video and images remain red...nothings ever that easy

[furrysocks2]

Great stuff!

12 minutes ago, Bruce Leeroy said:

The idea is to run 3 instances of SharpCap at the same time with various states of wide field to zoomed in all aligned on the same mount and object....

Nice idea, lots of set up and tweaking required!

 

What exposure setting (more or less inverse of frame rate I think) do you use with the PS3 Eye for the likes of the Pleiades? Have you not tried live stacking video from one yet then?

There are a few examples on the IOTA Night Eagle Astro page of focal reducer configurations:

http://occultations.org/observing/recommended-equipment/analog-video-cameras/nighteagleastro/

I knocked up a "Mighty Mini" of sorts last night with an old binocular objective, some plumbing bits, extension tubes and a visual back.  Reducer press-fit perfectly onto the binocular objective threads, and then into the coupling. The extension tubes press fit perfectly into the threaded side of the coupling. Couldn't get enough in-focus with the focal reducer on the end of the C-to-1.25" adapter, needs to be shorter, I guess. Or cut the plastic down a bit. Without the focal reducer, I had to install all my extension tubes.

 

The sensor/FR spacing will determine reduction as you'll know, but if you're within the operating range of the focal reducer itself, I guess it's mostly about tuning field of view and range of the focusser.

 

[furrysocks2]

1 minute ago, Bruce Leeroy said:

For the first time I've reviewed some of the images I took during that session where I found the Red channel to mono setting...seems the live view changes the red channel to mono but captures of video and images remain red...nothings ever that easy

If you've dropped the other two channels, I guess you can just desaturate the video. Alternatively, leave RGB alone and convert to mono? The likes of PIPP could do things like that for you, I've not played with SharpCap that much. Or live stack to remove the off-putting RGB noise? Not sure what you're working with, but unlikely a dead end. At 50p a camera, debayer again.

[Bruce Leeroy]

Exposure settings are mostly on the fly but I am going to continue with 100% exposure 0% gain "Red channel to mono" using the red channel slider as if it where my exposure level if that makes sense! I find this removes the most noise.

Like you I have tried various bino objectives with FR's varying results but I'm trying...I did cut down my nose piece to gain focus on a small objective lens from some Russian opera glasses hoping for a wide field view but I've since reused the nose piece and have it on the 120/600, as I said I removed the FR from it's housing and place it at the bottom of the nose piece so the distance from PS3 chip to FR is not great enough but when I screwed it onto the nose piece I couldnt get enough inward travel, I need a few more nose pieces with IR cut filter but I have to make some money and do some jobs around the house before more purchases.

I love messing with lenses! lol

[furrysocks2]

1 minute ago, Bruce Leeroy said:

Exposure settings are mostly on the fly but I am going to continue with 100% exposure 0% gain "Red channel to mono" using the red channel slider as if it where my exposure level if that makes sense! I find this removes the most noise.

Try playing with frame rate too, perhaps.

I'll have another go with the PS3 Eye, maybe stop into my local CeX soon too.

[Bruce Leeroy]

I forgot to say yes I have used live stacking once but at the focal length I was working with I got too much drift to make it work properly, I'm more for live view than editing images and video after the fact.

[Bruce Leeroy]

Just now, furrysocks2 said:

Try playing with frame rate too, perhaps.

Yes I've tried many settings the lowest I can goto is 0.130 fps which gives around a 10 second exposure. Needs a decent motorised tracker mines not working so well.

[furrysocks2]

Just now, Bruce Leeroy said:

Yes I've tried many settings the lowest I can goto is 0.130 fps which gives around a 10 second exposure. Needs a decent motorised tracker mines not working so well.

Yeah, ok. That's about right. I've no tracking at all yet.

[Bruce Leeroy]

5 minutes ago, furrysocks2 said:

I'll have another go with the PS3 Eye, maybe stop into my local CeX soon too.

They wont let you buy more than 2 at a time unless you chat with the manager and tell him what your using them for!!

Stock checker!!!

https://uk.webuy.com/product.php?sku=SPSEYEE001#.WdS98sZryUl

[furrysocks2]

1 minute ago, Bruce Leeroy said:

I'm more for live view than editing images and video after the fact.

Wish I could afford a Lodestar X2 but I can't. Happy to play around with cheap substitutes as and when I can afford to make such mistakes.  I'm not the first, won't be the last.

There are some cheap IMX290 board cams. I know fine that not all cameras with the same sensors are made equally. Ideally one with on-board integration/sens-up, I can live with amp glow and such for now, just want to get some sensitivity and learn a bit more of how to handle the tool-chain.

Very keen to try a RunCam Night Eagle variant.

[Bruce Leeroy]

All said and done I think my best results have been with an iPhone 4s, this is an unedited capture of Jupiter at 28mb in file size...if only I had tracking on the day I took the video and a record of lens arrangements used. Scope used was a 220/1200 Dark Star dobsonian with very poor mirrors. I use VLC media player to view the video. If you suffer from motion sickness don't watch!

IMG_3659.MOV

The lens arrangement would have looked something like this.

[furrysocks2]

31 minutes ago, Bruce Leeroy said:

All said and done I think my best results have been with an iPhone 4s, this is an unedited capture of Jupiter at 28mb in file size...if only I had tracking on the day I took the video and a record of lens arrangements used. Scope used was a 220/1200 Dark Star dobsonian with very poor mirrors. I use VLC media player to view the video. If you suffer from motion sickness don't watch!

IMG_3659.MOV

+1 for the dob with very poor mirrors. -1 for using somewhat of a proper camera, albeit a phone, but +1 for the masking tape and hose clamp! Haha! 

You processed that video yet? Some nice calm spots after the initial "oops, where's it gone...?!".

[Bruce Leeroy]

7 minutes ago, furrysocks2 said:

You processed that video yet?

No I haven't, I did try with other videos but had some errors so gave up on that.

These are still images taken on the same night I guess..tracking would have made them sharper. I'll add an iPhone moon panorama as well, I let the moon drift through the view and selected panorama.

I'm all for hose clamps and tape.

[furrysocks2]

iPhone doesn't count, sorry.

[Bruce Leeroy]

Just now, furrysocks2 said:

iPhone doesn't count, sorry.

I'm sure you've tried the iphone out ... an iphone 4 from memory, maybe the "s" makes all the difference!!!!!

[furrysocks2]

My wife's perhaps... your memory is better than mine.

On the subject of more inappropriate cameras, found an IMX290+EN771E cctv cam with up to 32x sensup for £25 (link). It's 1080P (AHD/CVI/TVI), so I'd need a different capture card (which looks like it might cost more than the camera... a converter at least here: link, don't know if I could capture the composite out with existing capture card). Perhaps a non-starter.

[Bruce Leeroy]

I found more videos from that session when I looked for the still images. Imagine tracking and using airplay on the TV to view live indoors.

IMG_3660.MOV

[furrysocks2]

6 hours ago, Bruce Leeroy said:

IMG_3660.MOV

Either this one or the other one, I forget...

(Pretty, but off-topic for live stacking... )