To Mac or not to Mac

[pvelez]

I've read a few threads about using a Mac compared to a PC. Surprisingly, there is no consensus but there appear to be a few Mac diehards plugging away.

So for you Mac users - what software do you use to control your cameras?

I presently use a Canon 350D and Images Plus. I now have access to a Mac and was toying with using it rather than the old laptop running XP. What can I use instead if IP to control the camera, help with focus etc?

Pete

[gbeal]

I am a recent Mac convert, and let me state from the outset, I WILL NEVER GO BACK.
There, said it. BUT.......I have to use the antiquated PC for imaging. Pete, I don't think you can run IP with a Mac, I did write and ask Mike Unsold, but all he suggested was a Windoze emulator for the Mac.
Registax, K3 CCD Tools, Maxim, all run only on PC. If I ever come into some spare money, yeah right, I will look at Parallels, and run XP (or Vista) on a Mac. It seems crazy to have to do this, but for most imaging there is little choice.
I do understand that the ST2000 can be controlled with the Mac, but after using Maxim for so long, I don't think it is worth it.
Macs rule.

[fringe_dweller]

I agree with Gary - really you have to be a mac-sochist :P to buy/use a mac exclusively for astrophotography (unless its for film astro work only - in which case it is better to use a mac) I am in awe of the clever hardy true believers that do so, but life is too short, and it goes against the mac credo 'it just works' and the point of using macs to slave away at the frontier/coal face with noob/user unfriendly software IMO.
there are recent developments, and continue to be so, but everytime there is, the usually free/cheap and choice plentiful pc stuff jumps even further ahead, so defeating any catch-up advances on macs.
But I'm with Gary, mac's rule! :) just not in astrophotography ;)
btw the bundled software with camera will allow you to do what you want, never tried it tho.

[Omaroo]

Not sure about Canon software, but Nikon are realistic about providing excellent software to accompany their cameras. All three of their major software packages run on MacOSX as well as Windows - including the latest iterations of Vista. This runs with the tide of professional graphics studios who are still overwhelmingly Mac users.

Package 1) Camera Control Pro - remote control of your Nikon camera via whatever interface it runs - WiFi to USB2.

Package 2) CaptureNX - A "photoshop"-like environment especially designed to work with images generated by Nikon cameras - taking into account Nikons' in-camera image processing systems & techniques.

Package 3) PictureProject - a library system like Picasa, only logically and seamlessly tied to the other two packages.

All three work very well in both environments. I guess that this is another reason I'm a dedicated Nikon user.

Is there an interface standard of some sort that might allow Canon DSLR users to use the Nikon software? I'd doubt it - but you could download the trial versions and see...

Cheers
Chris

[gbeal]

Chris,
sorry, I actually use the 20D with the Mac, not so much to capture, but the EOS Viewer is Mac as well as PC. I was talking more of Registax, and the CCD control stuff, Maxim especially.
Gary

[Omaroo]

Oh! Sorry Gary.. I misunderstood.

OK - there's quite a bit available for Mac. Go to:

http://homepage.mac.com/deal/subpages/software/software.html

to start, but I run Lynkeos, Keiths Image Stacker and Macam.

Cheers
Chris

[gbeal]

Chris,
no problem. I had seen that link previously, thank you.
I still harp back to the old favourites though. In my case webcam capture with either K3 or IRIS. Stacking etc with Registax, (and without having tried anything else, is there anything better). CCD camera control and preliminary processing with Maxim DL.
Telescope control is with either or both maxim, and The Sky.
Anything else gets done with the Mac, usually with Photoshop.

[pvelez]

Thanks team - I knew I'd get a response. There's something about Macs that gets people all enthusiastic.

I'll have a play with the Mac Astronomer site when make it home and onto the Mac

Pete

[rat156]

Hi All,

Well, I run most of my imaging from my MacBook. I simply installed BootCamp from the Apple website and XP. Then it works just like a PC, but somehow better...

I have an SBig camera and run CCDSoft, CCDStack, CCDOps, TheSky6 Pro etc. I have had no problems. The only hassle is having to reboot to swap OS, but the new version of OSX should allow a windows in a window like Parallels.

That said, I have just bought a cheap desktop PC for the observatory, mainly because if it gets pinched I won't be too concerned.

The Macbook is what I use when I'm on the road though.

I hace also used the Macbook for planetary image capture and processing using a simple webcam image capture software and Registax.

Cheers
Stuart

[fringe_dweller]

that is hardly using the mac os for astro stuff tho is it :) i think thats what the question was?, and you need a recent u beaut intel duo inside mactel to do what your doing besides, it bears mentioning ;)
I didnt know about the running both os's simultaneously in 10.5, with parallels like 'in a window' ability, yikes! that would be a power/memory hungry trick! boy theyve come a long way since when i used to muck around with virtual pc back in os 8 - that was a total piece of junk that was :screwy:

interesting to here some aussie feedback on this :) thanks

[Rigel003]

Pete
Have you seen Nebulosity for camera control with the Mac?
http://www.stark-labs.com/nebulosity.html
Made by Craig Stark who has produced PHD guiding which also has a Mac version. Nearly all the programs on his site are for Mac as well as PC.

I'm a dyed in the wool Mac user but have a PC laptop that I use almost exclusively for astrophotography. I tend to do the capture and basic processing (Images Plus and Registax) on the PC and then transfer files to the Mac for final work in Photoshop. I have had some problems with colour casts changing between platforms.