astrophotography imaging processing software

[David Crane]

Apart from Pixinsight, can anybody recommend good image processing software. Thanks

[happy-kat]

Hi

DSS for stacking and StarTools for manipulating the output. Both have active development and support.

[alan potts]

I use DSS and Photoshop, I keep looking at others as some things in PS are a bit long winded, though it is a program that you can probably do anything in if you know how.

Alan

[tooth_dr]

Astro Pixel Processor - for stacking and some processing.

[WanderingEye]

APP (astro pixel processor) for me all the way, it does the lot but it’s stacking and calibration is the best out there.... 

[WanderingEye]

1 minute ago, tooth_dr said:

Astro Pixel Processor - for stacking and some processing.

You beat me too it.. 😀

[Guest]

Astro Pixel Processor

[David Crane]

Thanks, I might try the 30 days free first. I've been using DSS and Photoshop but I'm not always happy with my stretching in Photoshop although I've used it for years.

[pc387]

I used to use ImagesPlus by Mike Unsold, seems to have remained current and worked extremely well. 

Not sure why I stopped using it and switched to PI

 

pc387

[PeterCPC]

+1 for APP and Affinity Photo.

Peter

[alan4908]

17 hours ago, David Crane said:

Apart from Pixinsight, can anybody recommend good image processing software. Thanks

I use the following software for processing my images - you can see the results by going to my gallery. I seem to have collected quite a lot of software over the years....

1. Pixinsight - now my main processing source.

2. Photoshop - now mainly used for cosmetic corrections and colourisation.  This used to be my main processing source along with CCDstack. 

3. CCDstack - I still use this for calibration and sometimes permanently stretching images since it is so easy to use. One day I shall move to using PI for calibrating my images. 

4. Registar - I use this for registering images that other programs cannot.  It is very useful for moasic construction. I also find that it is sometimes useful to re-register RGB mages in this program if you are having problems with star colours. 

5. Gradient Exterminator - a plugin for Photoshop that eliminates gradients. I sometimes use this but now find it is largely replaced by PI's DBE. 

6. Noels Actions - a plugin for Photoshop that has a variety of excellent actions, some of which I still use (eg increase star colour).

7. Straton - a stand alone program for removing stars in images.  

8. NeatImage - a stand alone program to reduce noise in your images. This is very good but I find that I'm using this less as I gradually get more proficient with PI's TGV Denoise. 

Alan

 

[DaveS]

ATM I use AstroArt 5 (Now in ver 7) for all my stacking and processing, but debating whether to upgrade to version 7 or stump up for PI. Both cost money :(.

I find the stacking in AA tio be very fast, and pretty good.

[Merlin66]

I use AstroArt for all my image acquisition.

Fabio is highly responsive to users needs - he included spectrograph slit guiding for us.

Highly recommended.