StarStaX question

[blackstar]

Did a small test on Star trails: 6", iso=600, f/2.0, fl=20mm, z6ii, 20 shots (interval timer).
StarStaX results:
1. Amount= medium (default in Tools setting)

2. Amount= less

I suspect that the Amount setting in Tools is reversed, i.e., less = more and more = less. Any comments?

 

[Fred Kingston_RIP]

I'm lost... "Amount" in "Tools"... What "amount" in what "Tools"... Neither of those are in StarStax... as far as I can tell

 

[blackstar]

On the right side of the SS window, there are three icons: preference, tools, and xxx. Before and during stacking, it shows preference panel for setting desired features. Only after stacking, it changes to the Tools panel that you can change Threshold and Amount...

 

[Fred Kingston_RIP]

I never saw that... or, maybe I did, and just ignored that...

Here's my workflow for StarStax

I process my NEF files in batch with DXO Deep Prime... That creates Denoised, sharpened, lens corrected DNG files... I do this in LR, where the NEF files got Imported... so now, the DNG files are in LR... I then use LR to export those files to a new (temporary)folder as TIFF files... I load those files in StarStax and process them... as soon as the files are processed, I just Save the file as a TIFF file, and then Import that Stacked file back into LR... Any post process adjustments... cropping/color/etc are done IN LR... and or Plug-in processed in Topaz stuff via the LR plug-in...

It appears all that Threshold/Amount thing is doing is using a Mask with a gradient filter...You'd get better, granularity and control using those same tools in LR

I wouldn't use StarStax to do any post processing editing...

 

[blackstar]

I don't take that as pp for the star-trails images. Only use those tools as an enhancement or preference for the "trail" effect, which you don't (and can't?) do in pp...

 

[Fred Kingston_RIP]

Well... Let's see....

Here's an image of the tools with the least amt. of Amount...Notice the horizon line at the edges

Now here's the same exact one with Maximum Amount notice the difference.

Now here's the original least Amount that's had nothing done except a mask with a linear gradient intersected with a sky mask done in 3 clicks with no refinement... I'd probably try a Radial gradient next time, but I didn't

View attachment Test2Test.jpg

I don't know why it isn't inserting the 3rd image, just click the link.

 

[blackstar]

It looks like the "Amount" increases the "light exposure" and thus seemingly "reduces the amount of the trails". Because the 3rd image has a different viewing size (at least with my screen), hard to compare and see the effect of "gradient" processing except for clarity improvement.

 

[Fred Kingston_RIP]

Here's image with the gradient/sky intersect mask... I pushed the exposure setting alot more on the gradient just to show the effect

 

[blackstar]

Can't see (from my aging eyes) the effect, please deliberate a bit, Fred.