Keith's Image Stacker issues

[shankar]

I am having issues with Keith's Image Stacker (KIS). I recorded a clip of Jupiter drifting in the FOV. KIS just stacked the frames and created a blurry crap. If someone knows how to create a sharp single frame out of a quicktime movie using KIS, i shall be grateful. I have struggled for months now. Please reply.

[mswhin63]

I had a look at the website and the displayed images on there would not fill me with confidence in purchacing the software. I am sorry if you already have.

I have not used it and I dont think I will so would best advise one of 2 programs - Registax and AVIStack over KLS.
I have been flicking between Registax and AVIStack once I learn new features in each. They are freeware/opensource too.

On another note the AVI you record could have something to do with the final image as well.

EDIT: FOV recording is the way i used to do imaging and it will not produce the best results.

[irwjager]

Hi Shankar,

Looking at the website, and from the description of your problem, it sounds like KIS stacks images just fine, but doesn't align them.

If that is the case, then you'll have to align the images first by some other means (i.e. make sure Jupiter is exactly centered in every frame).

KIS may be intended for tracking scopes only (which will keep the object nicely centered throughout the clip).

But I'm just guessing here obviously... :shrug:

As mswhin63 suggests, AVIStack or Registax is your best bet (but AFAIK they're Windows only). If you have an Intel Mac, there are various ways of running Windows software on your Mac though.

Hope this helps a little,

[ballaratdragons]

Good grief.

I just went and had a look at Keiths Image Stacker.
Sorry if I upset anyone (especially Keith) but it looks like a really crappy program, and he is charging for it!

Whereas there are many highly regarded stacking programs most of which are totally free.

Registax is about the most commonly used and is quite powerful.

Ivo, even the best of mounts will not keep an avi perfectly centred,
A stacking program needs to be able to lock onto a chosen point (or several points) to account for small mount errors and atmospherics (seeing, etc).

[irwjager]

Alignment is pretty critical at high magnifications of course, but an Orion Nebula as pictured on his website could be doable. Doable yes, advisable no... :D
The stacking phase does not involve such a thing, because that procedure is performed in the alignment phase. In Keith's defense (if this is indeed the case), to publish & sell a stacking program that does not align is acceptable, but admittedly fairly useless when it comes to astrophotography. It may be useful to improve the SNR when doing more earthly low light photography though.

EDIT: One of the features is indeed; "Translationally and rotationally aligning the frames", so it sounds like something might be going wrong there.
How do I align images?

There are two forms of image alignment: translational (sliding around) and rotational. Translational alignment can be done in three different ways: difference, centroid, and cross-correlation. If you want to keep things simple, just use the difference method and don't sweat the details. Rotational alignment can only be done using the difference method.
The first thing to do is define an Operation Bounds Rect. This is a rectangle that specifies an area where the frame being aligned will be compared to the reference frame (the first frame in the Clips Window). Start by making sure no clips are selected (Deselect All from the Edit menu). Then shift-click one clip. Conventionally one would use the reference frame, so shift-click the first clip in the Clips Window. Move to the Frame Inspector Window. If it is blank, you don't have exactly one frame selected. Try again. Otherwise, click-drag a rectangle in the Frame Inspector Window to define the Operation Bounds Rect. I recommended that you keep the Operator Bounds Rect small (to speed the alignment process up) and include edges and other interesting areas of the image in the Operation Bounds Rect (this will make alignment perform better).
Now you are ready to align the frames. Deselect all the frames (Edit menu). To align a single frame, hold down the '1' key (large distance difference alignment) and click one clip in the Clips Window. It will autoalign. If the alignment isn't very good, give a second or third try, it may converge on the proper alignment over a series of repeated attempts. Alternatively, you might consider defining a different Operation Bounds Rect or manually nudging the clip closer into alignment (sloppily and quickly) before running autoalignment again.
To align multiple frames at once, shift-click or shift-click-drag a selection of clips in the Clips Window. To align all the frames choose Select All from the Edit menu. In either case, multiple or all, hold down the '1' key and click on any selected clip. They will all autoalign.
To perform rotational autoalignment, use the '6' key. Rotational autoalignment will align minor rotational misalignments better if the Operation Bounds Rect is not near the center of the image. Think about it, it makes sense.


Looking at the manual, KIS sounds pretty damn powerful...

[ballaratdragons]

True, a locking alignment feature isn't needed in the stacking phase but I was talking about a stacking program See quote:



An Astro stacking program should include an alignment feature. It's essential to all Astro work.

So we are both right :lol: