Does DSS support Panasonic M43 cameras?

[Chris]

Hi, I'm researching a YouTube video idea and just wondered if deep sky stacker supported micro four third cameras such as my Panasonic G80? They put out Raw CR2 files just like any other camera used with DSS, so can't see why not, but wanted to check before mentioning something potentially not true on a video. 

I quick Google search hasn't been helpful.

Thanks

Chris

[Cornelius Varley]

29 minutes ago, Lockie said:

Hi, I'm researching a YouTube video idea and just wondered if deep sky stacker supported micro four third cameras such as my Panasonic G80? They put out Raw CR2 files just like any other camera used with DSS, so can't see why not, but wanted to check before mentioning something potentially not true on a video. 

I quick Google search hasn't been helpful.

Thanks

Chris

The G80 outputs in RW2 raw format not CR2 which is Canon's own proprietary raw format. DSS doesn't seem to have RW2 in the file filters so it might not support it. Try taking a photo in RW2 format and opening it in DSS.

[vlaiv]

Maybe time better spent would be to see if there is RW2 (if camera indeed provides this format) to FITS converter.

DSS will have no trouble working with FITS, so if there is utility for converting RW2 (or any other camera format for that matter), you will have no problem working with DSS.

[Chris]

1 hour ago, Cornelius Varley said:

The G80 outputs in RW2 raw format not CR2 which is Canon's own proprietary raw format. DSS doesn't seem to have RW2 in the file filters so it might not support it. Try taking a photo in RW2 format and opening it in DSS.

Hi thanks, it looks promising but I'm not 100%. I wanted to go out last night and capture some RW2 files of a star field and try and stack them, but typically it was cloudy every time I checked despite the weather report. 

I've just took a couple of RW2 pics of a chair and DSS seems perfectly happy uploading and stacking the one file. I tried stacking two pics but I think because it's not stars it wasn't very happy. I'm going round a mates for a drink and a chat tonight but if I'm not too wobbly when I get back and it's clear I'll try again  

[Chris]

1 hour ago, vlaiv said:

Maybe time better spent would be to see if there is RW2 (if camera indeed provides this format) to FITS converter.

DSS will have no trouble working with FITS, so if there is utility for converting RW2 (or any other camera format for that matter), you will have no problem working with DSS.

Thanks, that could be a good work around if the above doesn't work. I've just done a quick search and I think there is such a thing  

[Stub Mandrel]

It's not up to DSS, it depends if you have the right codec (translation software) in Windows.

Apparently Microsoft haven't released an RW2 Codec, but Panasonic have produced one themselves:

http://av.jpn.support.panasonic.com/support/global/cs/dsc/download/raw/index.html

If you install this DSS should recognise RW2 as image files.

(You would probably find that any RW2 to FITS converter would require the codec anyway. After much searching DSS seems to be one of the easiest to use programs for converting files to FITS format!)

 

[The Admiral]

1 hour ago, Stub Mandrel said:

It's not up to DSS, it depends if you have the right codec (translation software) in Windows.

Hmm, interesting. I thought DSS used DCRaw to interrogate the file. Strangely, when I was having trouble with DSS recognizing Fuji X-Trans raw files, I compared it with a Panny GH2  RW2 file, and that seemed to work OK!

An alternative is to use the free Adobe DNG converter to convert the RW2 files to DNG, which are recognized by DSS.

Ian

[The Admiral]

2 hours ago, Lockie said:

I've just took a couple of RW2 pics of a chair and DSS seems perfectly happy uploading and stacking the one file. I tried stacking two pics but I think because it's not stars it wasn't very happy.

Yes, I found that with a Lumix GH2 RW2. See previous post.

Ian

[Stub Mandrel]

25 minutes ago, The Admiral said:

Hmm, interesting. I thought DSS used DCRaw to interrogate the file. Strangely, when I was having trouble with DSS recognizing Fuji X-Trans raw files, I compared it with a Panny GH2  RW2 file, and that seemed to work OK!

Interesting!

A few weeks ago i was looking for a program that could convert TIFFs to FITS and in the end the best solution was DSS.

[Alien 13]

You can always batch convert a cameras Raw files to Adobe DNG format.

Alan

[Chris]

Interesting discussion, I think that answers my question nicely in that it will likely be ok, but if not for some reason I can just convert the files. Thanks for the input folks!  

I do have one more question I've been trying to find a definitive answer on, but I'll post that up separately.