PixInsight tutorials

[Barry-Wilson]

Just to let you know that I am updating the small number of tutorials that I have on my SmugMug website - here.

Thank you to the community for the periodic PM's requesting processing help with PI, it is good encouragement for me to persevere with written detailed tutorials.  I do plan to continue to add to the menu of tutorials over the coming weeks (as life allows ?), including more advanced processing techniques and the necesssary mask work and PixelMath supportive steps.

My aim is to add to the already very good tutorials from Harry Page and Kayron Mercieca (amongst others).

Feel free to make suugestions on future tutorials and I will try to incorporate them (but cannot promise to do so).

CS!

Barry

[Adamar98]

I've always struggled with deconvolution. I followed your tutorial and it worked a treat! Thanks for the help!

[PhotoGav]

Good work Barry. As you know, I’m not a PI user, but I admire your tenacity to put the tutorials together. It takes a great deal of thought, time and effort to do so. I’m sure you are helping many people in their journeys through the minefield of astro processing. I have been thinking that I would like to create a series of Astro videos looking at Astro Pixel Processor, PhotoShop and general image capture stuff, but I have struggled to take it beyond the thoughts stage. Hence, congratulations to you for actually doing it!

[johnturley]

Hi Barry

I have Adobe Lightroom which I bought off someone for quite a cheap price, but sometimes struggle a bit to use it. A couple of years ago I went to a BAA 'Back to Basics' workshop at which they receommended PixInsight.

How does PixInsight compare with Adobe Lightroom both in terms of cost, performance, and ease of use.

John

[Barry-Wilson]

4 hours ago, Adamar98 said:

I've always struggled with deconvolution. I followed your tutorial and it worked a treat! Thanks for the help!

? thanks for the feedback Adam.  Glad it helped.

4 hours ago, PhotoGav said:

Good work Barry. As you know, I’m not a PI user, but I admire your tenacity to put the tutorials together. It takes a great deal of thought, time and effort to do so. I’m sure you are helping many people in their journeys through the minefield of astro processing. I have been thinking that I would like to create a series of Astro videos looking at Astro Pixel Processor, PhotoShop and general image capture stuff, but I have struggled to take it beyond the thoughts stage. Hence, congratulations to you for actually doing it!

You have to give back when and where you can ? - good for the 'soul'.

2 hours ago, johnturley said:

Hi Barry

I have Adobe Lightroom which I bought off someone for quite a cheap price, but sometimes struggle a bit to use it. A couple of years ago I went to a BAA 'Back to Basics' workshop at which they receommended PixInsight.

How does PixInsight compare with Adobe Lightroom both in terms of cost, performance, and ease of use.

John

Hi John.

I am not a PS/Adobe Lightroom user.  However I can make some general observations.

Perhaps most importantly, PixInsight has the functionality to carry out every aspect of processing your data into an image, that is, calibration, alignment and integration as well as further processing.  PS/Adobe Lightroom is not able to calibrate the data and another program is required to accomplish this step, eg PixInsight, DSS, APP, Maxim DL.

PixInsight has a one-off fee to purchase a licence which you can use on multiple computers.  Upgrades are included in the licence fee.  There is an active forum.  PS/Adobe has a subscription fee model.  There are specific astrophotography tools that you can purchase for PS.

Both products are very capable and will produce a fine image from your data.  Their respective interfaces differ, however many of the tools have much in common.  Neither is magic.  Many imagers use both applications.  They both offer a trial period for evaluation (PI certainly does, I think PS does).

I guess it is largely six of one/half a dozen of the other ?, whichever application you use/favour perseverance and practise are key.  With familiarity comes ease of use: it is a subjective judgement I'm afraid.

HTH - if you have a specific query please ask away.