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Ok final image attached below. This was All of Andy's images processed at once by APP with its process. The integrated master FITS I then put into PixInsight to enhance nebulosity and reduce the stars. I didn't crop and rotate to match Andy's original pic.
With AstroPixelProcessor I changed to my usual settings with regards to processing iterations and pixel rejection. I'm no expert with APP and it doesnt have the fine control of PixInsight so its still close to the program defaults and i dont know What its internal process does but it can take all subs in multiple sets and go through its process with them all. As I've said before its more a step up from DSS in that its closer to a one click program without the learning curve or complexity of the other astrophotography programs like PixInsight, Nebulosity, AstroArt etc. More a bridge program and I find it invaluable for quickly throwing subs together to make sure i got my target and feel out the processing potential before i lose a week or two in PixInsight. My experience is that a properly processed image in PixInsight is only a little better than what APP produces more simply by default. Colour calibration is very good too in the result.
The little work I did on this image in PI was pretty minimal as the steps require good attention to detail and adjustments VERY specific to the image being worked on; in other words they are not settings apply to another image as it will have unique strengths and weakness that need to be taken into consideration. The star removal is overdone while the nebula stretch is underdone. As it is it was several hours instead of days work to do those steps.
Andy's lights were varying exposure durations and iso settings, but APP just swallowed them up no problem and its result is pretty damn good I feel. I also chose the "mosaic" registration mode so you can see jagged edges in this last pic. Its a great feature of APP and I use APP instead of the BPP script in PI to get me a master integration file to stretch. One of the sets Andy supplied was upside down compared to the other two and APP just figured it out and dealt with it.
I guess my nose is brown enough so no more package name dropping. I'm no expert in any of this but with a disability my time and efforts mean much to me so I like to try to use my hardware and software at the limit of what it can achieve since I dont havemoney to throw at new gear. So my opinion here with Andy's query is complicated. I think he has yet to find the limits of his camera and finding those will help his images improve. Of course a newer camera will help too, it always will but then you have its limits to find.I think I've shown there is processing room for improvement too. DSS isn't built for great stretching/post processing and neither is Photoshop really. And I think its time for Andy to move beyond those. I know some people can make them sing and dance but I've no idea how, so maybe Andy will work it out? More subs will also help regardless and lets not argue that here (its been done and overdone elsewhere many times) and while its a matter of diminishing returns, technically it still makes a measurable if not noticable improvement. As with all the options its a personal decision as to what option to follow, some are easier than others and some people have better aptitude than others, So maybe others can help Andy decide and mention options I haven't figured on. I better go now and upload files for Andy to play with and examine beyond these lowres jpegs.
good luck mate!
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