How To Get Pictures From DSS To SGL!

[Wedge]

Hi Guys,

I have just created a picture of Taurus on DSS, and saved it as a .TIFF file. Unfortunately SGL does not accept this image kind, and as it is over 100MB big, I cannot upload it anywhere else...

How do I make the file smaller, and perhaps into a different format such as JPEG to share it with you!

Thanks a lot,

Remy

[SteveL]

I`d suggest that if the image has come straight out of DSS, then its going to need a fair amount of pre-processing before its oing to be posted. As such, it will need to be loaded into a paint package of some kind that will accept TIFFs (save it in DSS as a 16 bit TIFF, as not many programs will load and process 32 bit TIFFs), do you processing work on it, then save it as a JPG (which will require the image to be converted to an 8 bit format if you are in Photoshop).

Then the file will be (a) small enough and ( in a format that the SGL forum software will accept.

[Wedge]

Hi,

Sorry for the late reply, however I really cannot seem to get on with what you suggest.

I have download downloaded GIMP, and saved my images as 16bit TIFF files, however when I open them, they lose all of their quality! Look at this image - the DSS is on the left (print screen) and the file form GIMP is on the right.

(click to enlarge)

What am I doing wrong? :?

Remy

[Wedge]

Anyone?

:?

[jgs001]

What settings are you using in GIMP to save as JPG ? If you use to high a compression rate (too low a quality setting) you will get all sorts of artefacts through the image. It's a balance between size and quality.

[Wedge]

I saved it as a high quality JPEG - although for the sake of the example picture I simply did a print screen)

I think the problem lies more within the file that GIMP opens.

I noticed that when I save a file as a 16bit TIFF, or try to open a TIFF image anywhere else it comes out as the left image above.

In short, only DSS allows me to see my pictures in all of their stacked and starry glory!

Again, any help will be much appreciated

[Sam]

When you open the image in Gimp (Gimp will open it as a 8 bit TIFF even though you've saved it as a 16 bit TIFF) you'll have to play with the levels and curves a bit to bring out some of the detail. The detail is there as DSS has given you a taste of it. When you open the levels dialog in Gimp it'll have a picture of the histogram with three little triangles at the base of the graph, move the one on the left up (to the right that is) to the where the histogram starts going up and move the one in the middle to where the histogram is going back to zero. This will stretch the image and show up a heap more detail. Keep in mind though that Gimp is only 8 bit so the stretching of the histogram can only go so far (but it's not too bad and for widefields it does a fine job).

cheers

Sam

[themos]

I think I know what you mean but it's been a while since I played with DSS. See if you can find a DSS menu item that lets you copy your image onto the system clipboard. Also, the FAQ http://deepskystacker.free.fr/english/faq.htm#saveresult says

"You must save the file in 32 bit (rational) TIFF file format to open them later in Photoshop."

It also says:

When the adjustment settings are applied, the picture stored in the TIFF file is the one resulting from applying the settings to the picture resulting from the stacking process. It is the picture as you see it in the processing tab.

I don't use GIMP but I've found XnView quite handy for conversions

http://pagesperso-orange.fr/pierre.g/xnview/enhome.html

[Wedge]

I think I know what you mean but it's been a while since I played with DSS. See if you can find a DSS menu item that lets you copy your image onto the system clipboard.

OK I have done this, and I could open it in GIMP, and save it as a JPEG that opens everywhere else!

Thank you SO MUCH!

Remy

[Wedge]

Here is the link with the uploaded pictures:

http://stargazerslounge.com/index.php/topic,37256.0.html

Thanks to everyone else who offered help too

Remy