Problem with RAW

[robindurant]

I have a problem with RAW that I hope someone can help me with. I used to take JPEGS and was recommended by Deepskystacker to go over to RAW. However when I load the images onto DSS they immediately loose any colour they had and when processed are grainy, overblown and no definition or colour. When trying to process them I can't get back the details such as stars in the M42 that were clear on the original subs. If I turn the RAW back to JPEG and carry out the stacking process etc it is OK. Any ideas where I am going wrong.

Canon 350D - Celestron 8i - Prime Focus - Deepskystacker - CS2

[FLO]

Any ideas where I am going wrong.

In a word... No

However, I have used DeepSkyStacker to process Canon RAWs from an EOS D60 and had no problems. It is worth noting that a RAW file is monochrome, it contains no colour. Colour is added at the conversion stage and is calculated using software algorithms based on the Bayer filter array (RGB filters placed over the pixels). Perhaps your version of DSS lacks the necessary support for the Canon 350D?

Its just a guess...

[moondog]

I have used DSS with the Canon 350D RAW files.

These have been OK for colour and grain.

I don't know what the cause could be.

The main problem I had with DSS was that sometimes it didn't recognise stars properly. CC also had the same problem.

This was the reason I changed stackers - nothing to do with RAW files.

Have you tried e-mailing the program creator ? I understand this is possible.

MD

[Ambermile]

RAW files are just that, raw data. To convert from this raw data to jpg/bmp/whatever, the camera firmware applies a smoothing/blurring algorythm as well as some stretching. It is this processing that you have to replicate later yourself. The thing with RAWs is that you get only the data, nothing that has been messed about before you get the chance too.

To be honest, if you can't get stars in a RAW file that would be there in the camera-processed jpg then it's your processing skills that need brushing up and there are many places in this site and the broader internet to help/guide you there.

Arthur

[daz]

Robin

I have the same issue - I have emailed the creator and am waiting on a response.

Of course, I'll let you know if and when I get one

[Alan D]

Robin

I have just started using DSS as well and lot`s of people have mentioned your problem on the DSS user group so worth looking in the Archives.

Alan D

One from yesterday:

Hi,

> I know that the raw images when viewed in my canon zoombrowser

> software are very dark, but when zoombrowser converts to .tif

> or .jpg, the resulting files are very vivid because the program

> applies adjustments to the raw file to make the photos pleasing.

Indeed ;-)

> If I don't "turn up the color saturation" in the raw edit in DSS

> before converting to .tif, doesn't the .tif file have very little

> color info present, or is it still there, only dark like the raw

> file?

No. The colors will be in the tif file even if you don't turn up the

color saturation in DSS. It is just very dark.

However you might want to save the resulting image as a 32 bit

rational TIF file (especially if you are using PixInsight) to keep as

much range as possible. If your images are very dark it may help to

keep all meaningful information available.

Clear skies,

Luc

PS: I will not be able to answer any question before tomorrow morning

(French time) because my internet connection at home is quite dead.

--- In DeepSkyStacker@yahoogroups.com, "hewholooks" <hewholooks@...>

wrote:

>

> Thanks for the prompt response, Luc. Very classy.

>

> I will change my stacking method, however, I have tried maxing the

> saturation and upping the luminosity when processing in both

> photoshop and pixlnsight (great program by the way)with less than

> optimal results for color. Maybe the different stacking method will

> make a difference.

>

> I know that the raw images when viewed in my canon zoombrowser

> software are very dark, but when zoombrowser converts to .tif

> or .jpg, the resulting files are very vivid because the program

> applies adjustments to the raw file to make the photos pleasing. If

> I don't "turn up the color saturation" in the raw edit in DSS before

> converting to .tif, doesn't the .tif file have very little color info

> present, or is it still there, only dark like the raw file?

>

> Maybe I should try stacking a couple vivid terrestrial raw files and

> see what I can produce.

>

[robindurant]

Arthur

Re Stars. The Stars are in my RAW file, nice and clear. it is when I load them on to the DSS they dissapear in a white blob. When I then try to process the resulting stacked image on CS2 there is no way I can get the stars back again or get rid of the white blob. This is all before save the image to jpeg. If I convert all the RAW to JPEG before stacking and processing I get a good result with the Stars

[moondog]

I gave up and bought the ImagesPlus software, problem sorted !

MD

[robindurant]

I tihink that I have found what I am doing wrong. It lies in the DSS RAW & FITS DDP Settings window.There are 3 settings - Brightness, Red Scale & Blue Scale. I had the brightness set at 20. I have lowered it to 1 and Red & Blue also at 1 and it now makes a difference. The result on the DSS is unrecognisable but when I load it onto CS2 it's OK

[robindurant]

I might add that I do not know what to set as to - Auto White Balance & Camera White Balance. Iv'e clicked them both !!