[Sticky] Combining R, G, B with Ha & OIII data using an Optolong L-eNhance filter

This algorithm-dropdown menu shows several options. Am I right that we can call these options "debayering options"? I assume now that your answer is "yes". This debayering takes place during loading-the-frames. So we can say that APP starts the calibration process with debayered frames. Somewhere on the internet I read that debayering must be done before stacking (of course!), but after calibration! So I am amazed about this APP-approach. Can you explain this in some detail? E. g. what about the darks, and the bias-frames, and the flats? If I choose option "Extract Ha", the calibration must be done in a  way that differs from calibration-when-extract-O3 is chosen. Isn't it?

@jan-monsuur Debayering takes place in APP during the integration step, not before calibration.

@wvreeven I have reason to think that you are wrong. It is in tab "0) Raw/Fits" that you have to specify the demosaic-algorithm, which is just another word for "debayering algorithm". If you make the wrong choice there, you cannot correct thar after loading the frames!. Instead you have to start all over again to make the correct choice. So the demosaic-process, or in other words: the debayering process, takes place during loading the frames! You can see this also in the tutorial about extracting Ha and extracting O3, where it is stated that you must clean APP, OR START OVER AGAIN, after extracting the Ha, and before extracting O3.

Hello APP Group. Nice to see so many responses to my original post. I would like to ask again -  Is there anyway I can get APP to produce HA / OIII Data from a single stacked image that was taken by SharpCap " Live Capture " that was taken with l-eNhanced filter? ( understanding Sharp Cap produces a many frame stacked Image that can not be unstacked ). rgds & tnx, Mike

We've asked Mabula about this, I'm not sure to be honest, I think it'd only work when no demosaic algorithm has taken place but we'll update this when we get an answer from Mabula to be sure.

On the same subject I have the enhance filter by doing the above will it pull more OIII out of the subs? I recently did the Rosette Nebula No OIII just HA Dominant. I would like to know how to pull more OIII out of the images.. Thanks 

@andyneored5

 Thats my HOO using the Lextreme and splitting the Ha OIII channels in APP. 

Thanks for the reply. That's just what I'm after.. Was it quite easy to complete. Awesome picture Matt

@andyneored5 I followed a tutorial on processing Ha and OIII with a OSC it was two parts first was APP second was then how to tweak a bit in photoshop. Id of been clueless without it. 

@astromike47

hi, I used sharpcap as well and the way to use the live stack is to select the option that all images are also saved individually so you’ll have the option. If I recall correctly the option is selected on the tab where you select the options for live stacking. 

@bungle78 Can you put a link to the videos pls matt..

@mavdg Do you have the option to save individually in APP?

Yes, in the lower tabs , where you select the different stacking options, there is an option to save the individual images of the stack. However if an image is not added to the stack it will also not be saved.

 Check the yellow arrow and circle

cheers

I'm using a monochrome camera, ZWO1600mm, and I've shot LRGB data as well as Ha & OIII data on Thor's Helmet. Would I use this exact same procedure to combine this data or is it different using a monochrome camera?

Thanks

@johnmckay The part where you integrate the subs is different since you already have the data per filter so you can use the default settings in tab 0. Just load all subs in tab 1 and make sure that they get loaded with the correct filter setting. Also make sure to make flats per filter and you're set. Once you have the integrations per filter you can combine them in the same way as for a OSC with a dual band filter.

Posted by: @wvreeven

@johnmckay The part where you integrate the subs is different since you already have the data per filter so you can use the default settings in tab 0. Just load all subs in tab 1 and make sure that they get loaded with the correct filter setting. Also make sure to make flats per filter and you're set. Once you have the integrations per filter you can combine them in the same way as for a OSC with a dual band filter.

Thank you!

Excuse this simplistic question, but this procedure implies you need (1) a set of image files with no filter, and then (2) a second set of image files collected thrpugh an L-Enhance or L-extreme filter ?? Please advise.

Is there another workflow for L- images only?

thank you/

Excuse this simplistic question, but this procedure implies you need (1) a set of image files with no filter, and then (2) a second set of image files collected thrpugh an L-Enhance or L-extreme filter ?? Please advise.

Is there another workflow for L- images only?

thank you/

Excuse this simplistic question, but this procedure implies you need (1) a set of image files with no filter, and then (2) a second set of image files collected thrpugh an L-Enhance or L-extreme filter ?? Please advise.

Is there another workflow for L- images only?

thank you/

Excuse this simplistic question, but this procedure implies you need (1) a set of image files with no filter, and then (2) a second set of image files collected thrpugh an L-Enhance or L-extreme filter ?? Please advise.

Is there another workflow for L- images only?

thank you/

You can follow the instructions just for the L images basically, that would be a very similar workflow.

Posted by: @wvreeven

The difference is that Ha - OIII Color will create a color image with R represented by the Ha signal and G and B by the OIII signal. It is similar to, but slightly different from, the default Adaptive Airy Disk. By using Ha - OIII separate Ha (or OIII) the Ha (or OIII) signal gets extracted producing a mono image.

Dear Wouter,

I am struggling to get a Ha, OIII or mono image following the process described in the workflow from page 1:

1. The result does not differ, if I select Ha-OIII extract Ha, Ha-OIII extract OIII or Ha-OIII mono algorithm in the first step:

2. Then, I load (calibrated) light frames shot with a dual-narrowband filter (Optolong L-eXtreme) and the ZWO ASI294MC Pro 

3. Clicking integrate will produce a color image, that looks the same regardless which algorithm I selected in Tab 0:

I have tried it with APP 1.082 and the current APP 1.083 beta.

Do you have any advice, where I do make a mistake?

Thanks, 

Phillip

@rudibarani Hi Philip, if in a first step you select Ha-OIII extract Ha and integrate and then in a second step Ha-OIII extract OIII and integrate again, you'll get one mono image with the Ha signal and one mono image with the OIII signal. Then you can go to tab 9 and use "combine RGB" selecting either HOO 1 or HOO 2 to combine the mono Ha and OIII images. The way you described combines the raw images using the Adaptive Airy Disc algorithm in tab 0 which produces a default RGB image ignoring the fact that you were using a dual band filter when you shot the images. Of course it is possible to go that way too but then you'd better select the Ha-OIII Color algorithm in tab 0 to get better separation of the Ha and OIII signal.

@wvreeven

Dear Wouter,

thanks for the quick reply. I did select "Ha-OIII extract Ha" and "Ha-OIII extract OIII" in Tab 0 and thought that each integration would lead to a mono image that I would then combine later. Currently, I do end up getting a color image from each integration (Ha-OIII extract Ha/OIII/mono) without combining them.

@wvreeven

Dear Wouter,

I tried some additional combinations and found that Ha-OIII extract Ha/OIII/mono works fine when I put in "raw" light-frames + MD/MB/MF.

If I put in calibrated light-frames (as I did so far), I do get a color-composite despite selecting Ha-OIII extract Ha/OIII/mono. Is this intended behavior or just a misunderstanding on my side?

Thanks,

Phillip

@rudibarani Hi Philip, that is a very good question. I'll ask Mabula and will get back to you with an answer as soon as possible.

@rudibarani Hi Philip, using those algorithms with calibrated data still should work as long as the data has not been debayered. Can you please check that that is the case?

@wvreeven

Dear Wouter,

thanks a lot for this suggestion. I had calibrated the subs initially to align the channels and get rid of a slight chromatic aberration. I thought this would be an improved storage format for my data and that I am not limited in its future use.

If I deselect this option during calibration, the resulting subs can be used to extract Ha, OIII etc. without a problem:

Maybe it would be possible to add a note if the input data seems to have been debayered and cannot be used with the selected algorithm, e.g. extract Ha.

Thanks

@rudibarani When you split the channels via the extract Ha/OIII algorithms and then combine them again, the channels will be aligned when you combine them again. And aligning of the color channels can only be done with debayered data. Still, you have a point that this can be calirfied better. I'll pass on your suggestion to Mabula.