ImagesPlus 6.5 x64 & 6.0 x32 Processing Tutorials

Optimized for 32 and 64 Bit Multiple Processor Computers.
• All available processors are used in parallel when performing image processing operations from stacking to enhancement.
• Multithreaded Multicore Processing

 

GPU Acceleration
• The speed of some image processing functions can be dramatically increased by taking advantage of the very large number of parallel cores built into the GPU of a video card.
• See ImagesPlus GPU Acceleration System Requirements, Use, and Current Function List for details.

 

ImagesPlus Image Processing Concepts & User Manual
• Menu Reference & Summary - last update 11/07/15
• Basic Interface Operation - last update 12/23/15
• Image Set Operations & Preprocessing (in progress)
• Layers, Blend Modes, Opacity, & Masks - last update 11/10/14
• Making & Using Masks - last update 3/24/15
• Multi Scale Decompostion (in progress)
• Special Functions (in progress)
• Geometric Functions - last update 12/3/15
• Stretch Functions (in progress)
• Smoothing & Sharpening Functions - last update 12/2/15
• Color Models & Color Tools - last update 9/24/14
• Image Analysis Tools - last update 12/15/15

 

* ImagesPlus 6.5 x64 New Functions *
• Improved Video Processing Tool.
  • The Image Set Operations | Video Processing tool now has multi-point alignment with improverd grade function.
  • The change in image quality from best to worst for all images has been added in the top right corner under dQuality for a given best %. This makes it easy to compare the change in quality of the chosen best % compared to the quality change from best to worst image in the video.
  • The number of align points and best percent used are added to the combination file name.
  • Master flat, dark, and bias frames can be created from a video file and use when processing video light frames.
• Improved Align TSR tool.
  • The Image Set Operations | Align TSR tool has been extended to include up to 10 alignment points which can warp an image to match a reference image.
• New Special Functions | Distortion & Chromatic Aberration Correction Tool.
  • Correct pin or barrel distoration.
  • Corrects elongated stars in the corners of an image that point towards the image center.
  • Horizontal and vertical perspective correction with rotation.
• New Color | Reduce RGB Tool.
  • This tool makes it very easy to reduce a green cast in an image.
  • Red and blue can also be reduced.
  • A mask can be used with the Reduce RGB tool.
• Improved Blink Files Tool.
  • Blink Files can now be used to inspect a set of FITS images before they are used as light frames by auto image set processing.
  • The new Auto Process Light Frames button on Blink Files is used to populate the light frames tab of auto image set process with all files from Blink Files that are not excluded.
• New Bayer Conversion Options.
  • Reduce Green Noise and Build RGB Pixel Bayer conversion options have been added to Color | Bayer CFA Interoplation, Image Set Operations | Digital Camera Raw Convert, Image Set Operations | Bayer Interpolate File, and Image Set Operations | Auto Image Set Procerssing.
  • The Reduce Green Noise and Build RGB Pixel options are on the Light Frames Processing Parameters window of the Process tab of auto image set processing.
  • The Reduce Green Noise option will convert a Bayer format image into a color image with lower standard deviation since green noise is reduced.
  • The Build RGB Pixel option will convert a Bayer array to color by grouping RG,GB -> (R,G,B). So no interpolation based Bayer conversion method is used. This method works well with the CANON 5DS and Nikon D810a since they both have a very large number of small pixels.
• Convert Canon MOV files to SER format fro processing using the video tool.
• Support for the new Canon 5DS and 5DS R 50+ MP raw CR2 files.
  • The Build RGB Pixel raw conversion option can be used to convert a 5DS or 5DS R CR2 file with 4.14um square pixels into 8.28um RGB pixels without Bayer interpolation based color conversion.
• DSLR raw files have been added to File | Open.

 

* ImagesPlus 6.0 New Functions *
• Lab Color
  • Lab Split & Combine has been added to the Color menu.
  • Hue, saturation, and (L,a,b) display has been added to the Cross-hair tool.
  • Lab Mode check box has been added to the Additive Color Balance, Brightness & Contrast, Micro Curves, and Hue-Saturation-Luminance tools.
    If the Lab Mode box is checked the tool first converts RGB data to Lab then the tool is applied before conversion from Lab back to RGB.
  • Lab Luminance has been added to the Mix LRGB & Hue tool. A luminance component can be assigned to either HSL or Lab luminance when building a color image.
  • Lab Luminance, Lab Color, Lab Hue, and Lab Saturation blend modes have been added to the Combine Images and Process History layer blend modes.
    Unlike Photoshop you do not need to go into Lab mode to use these blend modes so you can mix Lab and RGB blend modes.
  • A Lab Luminance Mask button has been added to the left vertical toolbar.
• Improved Selective Color Mask tool.
  • Luminance & saturation min, max, and feather range constraint sliders have been added.
  • Overall mask brightnes slider.
  • Smoothing radius slider to simplfy smoothing a mask while it is created.
  • Save As - Copy Mask button that automatically names, saves, and sets the selected color mask as the current system mask.
• Improved Custom Luminance Mask tool.
  • Mix R, G, and B.
  • Luminance min, max, and feather range constraint sliders have been added.
  • Overall mask brightnes slider.
  • Smoothing radius slider to simplfy smoothing a mask while it is created.
  • Save As - Copy Mask button that automatically names, saves, and sets the selected color mask as the current system mask.
• Color 8 & 16 bit SER video format files have been added to the video processing tool.
• Improved Auto Star alignmnet.
  • Auto star alignment no longer has input parameters and will handle images sets with or without meridian flip, wide field, and wide brightness range between images automatically.
  • With LRGB image sets select the L image as reference and it is still best to align and stack the L,R,G, and B sets separate.
• Special Functions | Star Size & Halo Reduction now has a "fix elongated star" option.
• Multi Scale Decompostion (only available in IP 6 x64)
  • 1 to 100 levels using box, binomial, Gauss, and median functions of 5x5 to 250x250.
  • The box, binomial, and Gauss functions are GPU accelerated if you have common compatible video card.
  • Multi resolution decomposition can be used many different ways to sharpen, stretch faint areas, and add contrast.
• Local paint tool now has blend mode, opacity, and feather radius. Clone is much easier to use with lighten blend mode.

 

* ImagesPlus 5.75 New Functions *
• Feature Mask© - Simplifies Mask Making & Processing By Splitting Stars From A Galaxy, Nebula, or Cluster
  • Using the Feature Mask© Tool with Color & Monochrome Images
  • RGB Processing example using the Feature Mask© tool
  • H-alpha with RGB Processing example using the Feature Mask© tool
  • Leo Trio RGB Processing example using the Feature Mask© tool
  • IC 1805 - Heart Nebula Processing example using the Feature Mask© tool
• Vertical & Horizontal Color Band Suppression
• Fine Vertical & Horizontal Line Suppression
• Advanced Band & Line Suppression
• Fixing Elongated Stars using Layers
• Monochrome DSLR LRGB and Narrow Band Image Set Processing

 

* ImagesPlus 5.5 New Functions *
• Digital Development - Increase Brightness and Contrast With HDR and Color Decompression
• ArcSinH - Increase Brightness and Contrast With HDR and Color Decompression
• Frequency Domain Concepts and Practical Applications of the Frequency Filter
  • Smoothing an Image Using the Frequency Filter
  • Sharpening an Image Using the Frequency Filter
  • Contrast Enhance & High Pass Sharpen Using the Frequency Filter
  • Creating Frequency Masks of Stars, Nebulas, and Galaxies
  • Removing Structured Noise in the Frequency Domain
  • Compute, Display, & Remove Residual Structured Noise After Calibration and Stacking
• Split, Edit, and Combine Frequency Tools - Split a color or monochrome image into color, R,G,B or monochrome frequency spectrum for paint on edit of a specific frequency.
  Very useful for removing structured noise without loss of detail.
• Feathered minimum and maximum luminance apply range has been added to Pixel Math and the Background & Highlight Smoothing tool.

 

Calibrate, Normalize, Grade, Align, & Stack
• New Necessary Releation Between Flat and Light Frames For Good Flat Calibration
• DSLR & One Shot Color CCD Preprocressing and Basic Enhancement
  
  
• DSLR Automatic Light, Dark, Flat, Flat Dark, and Bias Image Set Processing - M15
• One Shot Color CCD Automatic Light, Dark, Flat, Flat Dark, and Bias Image Set Processing - Omega Centauri
• CCD Automatic Light, Dark, Flat, Flat Dark, and Bias Image Set Processing - M1 H-alpha
  
  
• Monochrome DSLR LRGB and Narrow Band Image Set Processing

 

Gradient Correction
• Multiple Point Background Color Balance & Flatten Tool

 

32 Bit Floating Point Layers with Blending Modes, Opacity, & Masks


• Process History Unlimited Undo & Redo Layers with Blend Modes, Opacity, & Masks
  • Quick Guide to Process History Layers - Insert, Modify, Copy, Paste, Delete, Save, and Load Project Files
  • Process History Unlimited Undo & Redo
  • Sample Project File - Automated Processing of NGC 7635 Narrow Band 4 Color Palette
  • Blending Modes & Opacity
  • Control Point & Image Masks
  • Using Control Point Masks
    • 1 - Basic Steps to Apply a Filter with Blend Mode, Opacity, & Control Point Mask
    • Converting Control Point Masks to Image Masks
    • Removing Uneven Field Illumination & Local Area Processing
  • Using Image Masks
    • 1 - Basic Steps to Apply a Filter with Blend Mode, Opacity, & Image Mask
    • 2 - Basic Steps to Create and Modify an Image Mask
    • Mask Controlled Midtone Highlight Sharpening, Background Smoothing, & Star Size Reduction
  
  
  
• Combine Image & Mosaic Layers with Blend Modes, Opacity, & Masks
  • Quick Guide to Combine Image & Mosaic Layers
  • 1 - Basic Steps to Apply a Filter with Blend Mode, Opacity, & Image Mask
  • 2 - Basic Steps to Create & Modify an Image Mask
  • Creating a Composite using Layer Masks - M42 Long & Short Exposure Composite
  • Blend H-alpha with RGB to Preserve Color & Enhance Detail
  • Multiple Luminance Layering - LRGB & LLRGB
  • Building a Mosaic
  • Saturation Layers - Increase Color Saturation without Noise
  
  
  
• Making & Using Image Masks With Process History Layers or Combine Image & Mosaic Layers
  • Custom Luminance & Inverse Luminance Masks
    • Mask Controlled HDR Stretch
    • Sharpen Midtones & Highlights using a Custom Luminance Mask
    • Smooth Background using an Inverse Custom Luminance Mask
  • Deconvolution using an Edge Mask
  • Selective Color Adjustment Mask
  • High Pass Contrast Enhancement with Background Mask
  • New Enhancing Small & Large Scale Structure using the High Pass Filter
  • Star Masks
    • Star Size Reduction using a Star Mask
  • Mask Painting
  • Feature Mask© - Simplifies Mask Making & Processing By Splitting Stars From A Galaxy, Nebula, or Cluster
    • Using the Feature Mask© Tool with Color & Monochrome Images
    • RGB Processing example using the Feature Mask© tool
    • H-alpha with RGB Processing example using the Feature Mask© tool
    • Leo Trio RGB Processing example using the Feature Mask© tool
    • IC 1805 - Heart Nebula Processing example using the Feature Mask© tool

 

Building a Color Image From Components
• Align stacked DSLR, one shot color CCD, and monochrome CCD Components for Color Combination.
  
  
• Building a Color Image from Ha and OIII.
  
  
• Mix LRGB & Hue
  • Basic LRGB
  • Narrow Band Hubble Palette
  • Narrow Band 4 Color Palette
  • Mixing H-alpha and color from a DSLR or one shot color CCD
  
  
  
• Blend H-alpha with RGB to Preserve Color & Enhance Detail
• Multiple Luminance Layering - LRGB & LLRGB
• New General L, Ha, and RGB workflow for DSLR, one shot color CCD, and monochrome CCD

 

Brightness & Contrast Stretch
• New High Pass Contrast Enhancement
  
  
• Digital Development - Increase Brightness and Contrast With HDR and Color Decompression
• ArcSinH - Increase Brightness and Contrast With HDR and Color Decompression
  
  
• Micro Curves - Increase Contrast and Reduce Background and Core Brightness
• Micro Curves - Improve Contrast & Color
• General Stretch Functions - Simplified Hybrid ArcSinH With HDR Option
  
  
• High Dynamic Range (HDR) Combination
• Histogram Stretch & HDR Combination
• Mask Controlled HDR Stretch