DSLR RAW data reduction script - Linux - video demo

[rcheshire (Rowland)]

Would that work?

I'm not sure but that's an innovative solution... if DSS plays ball - worth a try.

It might be easier to convert your raw files and create your masters with the script and drop them into DSS with no bias frames or master.

Regim, which is free software, will do all of this without manipulation, but I have found that getting the settings right is essential to success. If you go to the StarTools site there's a post in the discussion forum on image calibration with Regim which might help should you give it a go.

[luka]

Hi Rowland

The trick with the DSS may be useful for people who don't run linux. Tricking DSS worked (and DSS complained about the lack of bias files in the last step) but I am not sure if it did the right thing.

Anyway, my problem with the master TIFF files created by your script was debayering before stacking. DSS will not debayer TIFF files (at least I could not get it to do it).

I tried Regim a few days ago and liked it a lot (thank you for the hint ). More linux programs will make my life easier :-)

Regim will debayer TIFF files but, as far as I could see, it will only do one file at a time (menu Color -> RAW debayering). Ticking "Files are RAW" in Preprocessing -> calibration works only for RAW files, TIFF files were not debayered. I will check the forum you mentioned.

How are you actually debayering files from your DSLR? Am I missing an option in Regim (very likely).

Again thank you
Luka

[rcheshire (Rowland)]

I use PixInsight for debayering, alignment and stacking but prefer to use my script for calibrating DSLR files...

Regim startools discussion - here. Elaborates the settings. It had me thinking for a while - not easy to use. You should be able to load sets of files rather than one at a time. I will have another look tonight. But I think the thread covers it.

...still working on a debayer function to be followed by an alignment process - WIP.

[luka]

Hi Rowland

Thank you for the tip. I tried again to debayer multiple images (in preprocessing) with regim and failed. Then I thought I may try clearing the settings so I deleted the folder and started fresh - it worked straight away. No idea what I did differently, the same tick boxes were ticked (100% sure).

I have not tried your latest version yet, I run out of coffee :-)
Possibly tonight...

[rcheshire (Rowland)]

Here

Fixed bugs in install and remove scripts - added licence agreement.

[rcheshire (Rowland)]

Now with process preselection check boxes - includes an option to purge (nuke) the unprocessed RAW to TIFF converted 16bit files if these are not required - the check box is hidden from sight and is not selected by default. Need to scroll down the window to find it.

Note: bias flat and light frame selection windows are displayed by default as the minimum requirement (with cooled DSLRs in mind). Dark frames are optional but selected by default. All the windows may be cancelled without complication if RAW files were loaded, for instance, during a previous run.

The program may be run in user space and in that case will not write files to the system, otherwise. If installed, rawprepro and dependencies may be found in /usr/local/bin

[rcheshire (Rowland)]

This version extends frame selection to all frames...

[rcheshire (Rowland)]

This is the latest...

[rcheshire (Rowland)]

Latest and possibly the last...

[rcheshire (Rowland)]

Famous last words...

While this may be of limited interest to many, I have revamped and renamed my Linux preprocessing script (FAICS) to include a RAW to 16 bit monochrome CFA converter and a RAW to 16 bit monochrome CFA calibration routine (previously rawprepro). Both convert to any extension that ImageMagick can handle (fits is an obvious choice - tiff is default). The basic RGB preprocessing - calibration align and stack - script remains in place with some added tweaks. Debayer prior to calibration is not ideal, but it produces 'reasonable' images.

Still working on existing but difficult to implement debayer routine and Sigma rejection algorithm, which remain a very large hurdle with my limited C++ skills.

This is a labour of love and personal learning experience - I realise there are many other very worthy programmes out there.