APT trial version - reviewing your Lights

[Startrek]

No imaging or visual due to smoke haze the past 5 weeks in Sydney , so in my spare time I thought I would give the APT trial version a go , as some time next year I’m going to progress from DSLR to OSC imaging
I downloaded APT trial version 3.81 on my desktop and used an old ZWO ASI120MM USB2 Camera ( spare )
Downloaded ZWO and Ascom drivers and camera connected ok in APT
Changed skin to red ( like I use in BYEOS)

Set a capture plan in Plans editor , just 5 lights , 20 sec exposures , 1x1 binning etc..
Pressed start and captured the 5 images ( obviously white images as camera was sitting on desk )
Found the 5 x FITS files under C Drive in APT folder but obviously can’t open them for review
Questions -
How do I open the FITS file images for review before stacking them into DSS ?
Can you review your lights in APT as you take them like I did with BYEOS ?

I’m so use to BYEOS where you can review the images at will during the capture plan by just opening any thumbnail. And then also review them again in your designated folder using Windows Photo Viewer ( so easy )

Read the user guide but it doesn’t discuss about reviewing your images during or after your capture plan with a CCD / CMOS ( only for DSLR users )

Anyone using APT , appreciate any advice on the above

[Imme]

I’ve moves on to SGP but from memory there is an ‘image’ tab on the right hand side of screen.
You can review all images there.

Were your images being shown on the screen as they were being taken? They should have been

[Startrek]

Jon
No they were not displayed on the screen as thumbnails after each frame
Martin

[Imme]

APT....Astro Photography Tool?

If so then I believe default is they are displayed as they are downloaded until the next pic of taken (from memory, it’s been a while since I used it)

Regardless there definitely was a tab in which you could open any image from and image run you had done

[The_bluester]

I stopped using APT as focus was problematic with my SCT having the primary mirror moving. But you definitely should be able to have the most recent image taken displayed on screen until the next comes in. In addition as Jon wrote. You can use the files tab to pull up a full list of thumbnails and cycle through display of the full images there.

[Startrek]

Thanks guys
I’m a bit spoilt after using a DSLR and BYEOS for a few years , it’s such a simple straight forward and complete capture package
Fiddling around with APT today I found the images can be captured and saved in my C Drive as both individual FITS and Cr raw thumbnails by hitting Shift + double clicking on the folder
The Cr raw thumbnails can be viewed with my Windows Photo Viewer , I just have to zoom in
I found the preview in the Image browser, Img tab
Also you can cycle through each image as well once you open the thumbnails plus there is a feature called ICT which zooms in your the centre of each image for closer inspection of stars etc...
Getting somewhere now after a few hours looking at this software
Also found how to set PHD2 Dithering
Next hurdle is learning about gain, offset etc.... any advice on that ??
I assume most people use the default gain ( unity gain ) in the native driver
Still learning about gain and offset , bit over my head , I’m so use to just setting my DSLR at ISO800 and that’s it , set and forget

Cheers

[The_bluester]

If you are using an OSC I tend to look to unity gain. Whatever is the most linear in terms of ADU to captured photons. Offset wise on my ASI294 I just use the default in the driver.

[Startrek]

Paul,
I was considering moving from the DSLR to OSC during Autumn 2020
My first choice was the ZWOASI071MC as it almost replicates my current image scale with a pixel size of 4.78uM and APS-C sensor size
However I noticed on Bintel’s website there is a new ZWO OSC camera available from January , the ZWOASI2600MC-P
It has a Sony IMX571 APS-C sensor with 3.76uM pixel size with ADC 16Bit
It’s $1000 more expensive than the ASI071 but could be worth waiting until April/ May 2020 to get some performance feedback locally and around the world

Your thoughts ?

NB: I’m not in any rush as I will always have a place and use for my DSLR , not only great for DSO imaging in the cooler months , it’s also a great year round planetary camera too

[The_bluester]

I am considering moving to a new camera and given APS-C Mono seems to be a rare thing the 2600 is the one I have my eye on, just I am keep to allow others to beta test them in the field. The 16 bit ADC has some appeal, looking at my cam, it might have 65K pixel wells but the ADC can only spit out about 15,000 levels, so what is the benefit? You can either have non linear data where up to four photons have to be converted to see an ADU change by 1, or 1:1 on the conversion but effectively 15K pixels.