Combining Astropixel Processor, Pixinsight and other software programs for your favorite workflow

[Nebulasnow]

Hi All,

I’m trying to get a sense of how you guys are combining multiple software programs and scripts for your favorite workflow for DSO’s. I mostly shoot nebulas with the ZWO 2600 MC pro with a idas nbz nebula filter

I’m trying to balance image quality, speed and ease of use. I know that is a very subjective statement, but wanted to get your perspective.

Here’s how I go about things:

1) Stacking - I currently use Astropixel Processor for stacking for the speed and I think I have good results. I use their remove light pollution/gradient tool and background neutralization ,  then stretch and save and move into Pixinsight.

2) Pixinsight-  I use  Blur and Noise Exterminator then use the Narrowband Normalization script from blanshan/cranfield. Love these programs/scripts. Recently I have been using SETI astros automatic dynamic background extraction and his stretch script. I’m seeing nice improvements with these scripts on top of the Astropixel gradient removal tool, so I’m going to experiment more with SETI’s tools. Plus he has a couple more scripts I have to dig into.

3) Photoshop- I do a little color work and a little stretching here. Not much though. I use the curves tool to stretch the mids and lower the black point and then use the camera raw tool to adjust colors. I also have tried Affinity Photo and like it. I will switch over when I have to renew Photoshop. I plan to learn more about Affinity.

II know there isn’t a one size fits all approach here, but wanted to get some different perspectives and your thoughts on what programs/scripts/workflows are your favorites.

Thank you for your thoughts

 

[tomato]

I also use APP for calibration and stacking, image rotation, cropping and LP removal . I have tried other LP removal tools but none seem to work as well for me as APP’s version. I then take the linear file into PI for the RC treatment, and stretching using different processing tools dependant on the target. Colour calibration is flexible, sometimes it will be SPCC but this doesn’t always yield good results so I will use APP’s csc. Affinity Photo is the last port of call for final adjustments.

[Fegato]

I use Pixinsight only.  It's a powerful  piece of software, and I was lucky to have the time to totally immerse myself in it for some weeks in order to get to a good level of confidence with it. I like being able to do everything in one place, and I like the fact that it is totally aimed at astrophotography processing. I've never used any of the other dedicated astro processing tools (apart from the planetary ones).

I've always had Photoshop, but never used it that much, and I don't find it intuitive or easy to use.  I'm sure this is just a case of never having made the opportunity to really learn it properly, and I guess if you're expert at it already, it would be hard not to want to use it!  But I don't believe Pixinsight is any harder - it's just very different.

re: Speed - some of the pre-processing processes in Pixinsight are fairly slow, particularly if you follow the full workflow in WBPP including local normalisation (which I do). I'm sure Juan at Pleiades would argue this is down to the rigour of what the processes are doing. A high spec PC helps, and I just put up with this part of it - at the end of the day you can just leave it running and go and do something else. And sadly I don't capture enough data to make it a major pain!

 

[Clarkey]

I now use PI only. I did get on with APP for pre-processing but my license expired and I did not renew. 12 months ago I hated PI, but I have gradually got to grips with it (mainly down to endless Adam Block videos). I very occasionally touch up with Affinity, but it is rare these days.