Image Processing Software Updated
Following
is a list and a brief description/source/price of the image processing software
that I have used in processing video clips of the planets and moon. I've also
tried to list some of the functions I use them for as well as any pros/cons Freeware | |
- Free from
- This is my workhorse for dealing with the large number
of images that video clips can produce (see Image Processing Techniques
Part 2). I use it to convert the .AVI file to a sequence of .FIT images, to
automatically select the best images and to convert the .FIT images to .BMP for
use in other programs. It has many operations that work in batch mode which greatly
facilitates working with many files.
- This program works very well, is quite
fast and has some good documentation (even though it appears to be somewhat incomplete).
The documentation is also good for general image processing concepts.
- I've
found it best to have the .AVI and all the subsequent .FIT files to be in the
same default directory - initially I had some problems until I settled on this
approach. In general it requires the images it works with to be in .FIT format.
At least one program (ImagesPlus) can't read the .FIT files produced by IRIS (although
all other programs I've tried can).
- In summary, I very highly recommend IRIS
for dealing with video files. It's the only program I'm aware of that will automatically
order images by quality.
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- Free from
- This currently is my workhorse for image enhancement. I
use it to resample images, stack them and enhance them using unsharp mask and
the Van Cittert algorithm.
- This program work very well. In particular, I find
that the enhancement algorithms work very effectively (usually in my opinion better
(or at least with less effort) than the same operator found in other image processing
software). I found the documentation good but see image processing techniques
part 3 for additional description of operation.
- The program has storage
limitations (which depending on image size, limits the number of images that can
be stacked) and image size limitations (max size 768 x 576). A new version is
under development which will improve in these areas, but as of 4/02, it is not
yet available. The program requires images to be in .BMP format.
- In summary,
I very highly recommend Astrostack. I found it particularly easy to get good results
from it compared to other image processing software (in other words a great beginner's
tool).
| Commercial | |
- Adobe Photoshop is available from almost any PC software vendor and retails
for around $600.
- This is a VERY full feature graphics design program of which
I've only used a tiny fraction of its capabilities. I use it specifically to deinterlace
images (see image processing techniques
part 2), to crop images and sometimes to change their format. It has a batch
capability which facilitates working with large numbers of images.
- Adobe Photoshop
also comes with a program called ImageReady which I have used to create GIF animations
for this web site.
- In summary, Photoshop is an excellent but expensive program.
If I hadn't already had it available I would have found ways to do the above functions
in other programs (specifically I would have searched the web for freeware to
deinterlace and create animations). People who do imaging of deep sky objects
also find many of its other functions very useful.
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- ImagesPlus is available from There is a ImagesPlus
- This is a full
function image processing program geared to astro images. It has operators that
I have not seen implemented elsewhere.
- The high degree of functionality is
a real strength, but be prepared for a lengthy learning curve to understand all
the knobs and levers (Mike Unsold provides some tutorials that you will likely
find useful). I have not used the program very much and generally can't get as
good of results with it as I can with Astrostack. That's simply because Astrostack
is fairly straightforward but limited in function vs a very high function product
that I haven't taken the necessary time to master. This program is very popular
with the
- In summary, a high function image processing program with a very
reasonable price but a very extensive learning curve.
|
| | - MaximDL Version 3
- This
program is perhaps most famous for its CCD camera and telescope control functions.
There are a number of image processing functions, but if that's all you want from
it, ImagesPlus would be a less expensive higher function alternative. This program
does have a user-friendly comprehensive implementation of Maximum Entropy Deconvolution
algorithm, although even after extensive tries I've not yet mastered it enough
to get consistently useful enhancement of planetary images.
- In summary, a
very professional, high quality program that is probably the top of the heap for
CCD camera and telescope control (e.g. focusing), but if these functions are not
important to you I'd stick with ImagesPlus, Astrostack or IRIS.
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