ORION TELESCOPES & BINOCULARS StarShoot G4 User manual

Orion®StarShoot™G4
DeepSpace Imaging Cameras
Color #53088, Monochrome #53087
INSTRUCTION MANUAL
IN 606 11/17
#53088 #53087
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or adapted, without the prior written consent of Orion Telescopes & Binoculars.
AN EMPLOYEE-OWNED COMPANY

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1. Introduction
Welcome to the exciting world
of astro-imaging. Your new
StarShoot G4 Deep Space
Imaging camera is capable of
capturing impressive celestial
objects like galaxies, star clus-
ters, and nebulae, as well as
the planets, Moon, and the Sun
(with an optional solar lter).
Additionally, the StarShoot G4
can be used as a dedicated
autogudier for any other astro-
imaging camera you might use
like a DSLR camera or large
array CCD camera. This man-
ual will show you how to install
and use your new StarShoot
G4. In a short time, you will be
capturing astrophotos and shar-
ing them with friends, family,
and the world!
Figure 1. StarShoot G4 Imaging Camera and included items.
Contents
1. Introduction ..................2
1.1. The StarShoot G4 .........3
1.2. Feature Highlights .........3
2. Getting Started ...............4
2.1. Parts List. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
2.2. System Requirements ......4
2.3. Software and Driver
Installation ...............5
3. Software Walk-Through ........6
3.1 Camera Control............6
3.2 Capture .................. 7
3.3 Histogram ................9
3.4. Analysis ................ 10
4. Astronomical Imaging ......... 11
4.1. Focusing................ 11
4.2. Using the Thermoelectric
Cooler (TEC) ............ 12
4.3. Imaging Deep Sky Objects . 14
5. Image Processing ............ 17
5.1 Save and Export .......... 19
6. Using the StarShoot G4 as an
Autoguider ..................20
7. Optional Accessories ......... 21
8. Specications ...............22
DC power cable
with lighter plug
USB cable
Dust cap 1.25"
nosepiece
(removeable)
StarShoot G4
Deep Space
Imaging Camera

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1.1. The StarShoot G4
The StarShoot G4 is an astronomical imaging CCD camera with a 16-bit image
output and a regulated thermoelectric cooler to enable maximum imaging perfor-
mance. Both the G4 Color and G4 Monochrome are very sensitive and capable
of detecting faint deep sky objects in a short exposure; and longer exposures
can reveal extremely deep elds with subtle nebulosity and galaxies in the
background.
You may also choose to use the G4 as a dedicated autoguider. The highly sen-
sitive, low noise, 16-bit camera allows faint guide stars to be detected. The on-
board autoguiding output allows you to connect the autoguide cable directly from
the camera to your ST-4 compatible mount.
1.2. Feature Highlights
• Simple interface: A USB port is all that’s needed to connect the G4 to your
computer (Figure 3). The power port is used to power the thermoelectric
cooler, which is recommended for the best imaging performance.
• Regulated cooling: Enables you to set the exact temperature within the
cooling range of the camera. This allows you to take calibration images like
dark frames at the exact same temperature as your light frames, making
for the cleanest images possible. Additionally, since you can match the
CCD temperature at any time (within the range of the cooler), you have the
freedom to take dark frames when it’s most convenient for you, so you don’t
have to use up valuable imaging time to take dark frames.
• Vibration-free MagLev Cooling Fan: This essential component of the
cooling system vents out the heat generated by the TEC.
• Autoguider output: (Figure 3)When used as an autoguider, the G4
can connect the autoguider relays directly from the camera body to your
equatorial mount. This eliminates the need to relay an additional adapter
from your PC.
Figure 2.1. The G4 can be connected to
your telescope in three different ways, 1.25",
2", or T-thread.
Figure 2.2. Standard 1.25" lter
threads add versatility to allow additional
accessories to be used.
2" Mounting base
1.25"
Nosepiece
T-threads
Standard 1.25"
lter threads
(M28.4x0.6)
T-threads
(M42x0.75)

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2. Getting
Started
2.1. Parts List (Figure 1)
• StarShoot G4 Deep Space
Imaging Camera
• USB Cable
• DC power cable with lighter plug
• Removable 1.25" nosepiece
(threaded to camera)
• Dust cap for 1.25" nosepiece
2.2. System Requirements
Telescope
The StarShoot G4 ts any telescope equipped with 1.25" or 2" focusers, or it can
also t to any focuser or camera adapter with male T-threads (M42 x 0.75). Refer
to Figures 2.1 and 2.2.
Caution: Be sure to always rmly tighten the thumbscrew(s) that secure the
StarShoot G4 in the telescope focuser, or it could fall out and onto the ground!
If your telescope has T-threads for direct camera attachment, a more secure con-
nection can be made. First, unthread the nosepiece from the G4. This exposes
the camera’s T-threads. Then, simply thread the camera onto your telescope
(Figure 2.2).
Backfocus Requirement
The G4 only requires 5mm of inward focus travel (also sometimes called
backfocus) when connecting it to a 2" focuser on your telescope. If using
the 1.25" nosepiece, the backfocus is 22mm; if connected via T-threads the
backfocus is 18mm.
Mount
Deep sky imaging with the G4 requires an equatorial mount with a right
ascension (R.A.) motor drive. The goal for your mount is to seamlessly track the
apparent movement of the sky as the Earth rotates. The tracking must be very
accurate, or the object you want to image will drift and blur across the camera’s
eld of view while the exposure is taken. Even a small amount of drift will cause
Figure 3. The USB, power, and
autoguider ports.
Cooling fan
USB port
Power
port (for
TEC
and fan
only)
Autoguider
relay port

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a star to look oblong instead of a round point. We recommend using a high-
quality equatorial mount which utilizes periodic error correction (PEC) or has the
ability to interface with an autoguider.
Computer
The G4 requires a PC to operate the camera. For astro-imaging in the eld
at night, a laptop computer is highly recommended. The included software is
Camera Studio which requires Windows 7-64 bit edition and above to operate
(only 64-bit versions of Windows are supported).
The following hardware is also required:
• Processor – 1 GHz speed or higher, 64-bit processor
• Recommended minimum memory size is 1GB.
• Disk Space – 55 MB for software installation, 500 GB or more to store
images is recommended.
• Video Display – 800 X 600 or higher, 16-bit color or higher.
• Mouse
• High-speed USB 2.0 port
Power
The StarShoot G4’s thermoelectric cooler (TEC) requires 12 volts DC (12VDC)
with approximately 1 ampere of current. The camera itself can operate without
the cooler just by connecting to the computer’s USB port. For the best imag-
ing performance, we recommend using the TEC. The supplied 12V power cable
will plug into a cigarette style socket commonly available on power supplies or
eld batteries available from Orion. If you have access to an AC outlet at your
imaging site, you can use a 110VAC to 12VDC adapter for the camera, available
fromOrion.
2.3. Software and Driver Installation
Before the G4 can be used, the software and camera drivers must be installed
onto your computer. Do not connect the camera to your computer before you
have installed the software.
All software, manuals and guides can be downloaded directly from the Orion
G4 product support page located at the link below:
Color:
www.telescope.com/G4c
Mono:
www.telescope.com/G4m

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The following software can be located
on the right hand side of the product
support page.
1. Download, unzip and run the
installer that is compatible with
your operating system.
2. Run “GlobalSetup.exe” to run the
install wizard. Select language to
install and go through the prompts
to install the G4 camera driver
and prerequisite software (Figure
4.1). The wizard will automatically
detect which prerequisites you
need and prompt you to install
them (Figure 4.2).
3. Next select to install the G4
ASCOM driver (Figure 4.3). Note
that ASCOM is only required if you
wish to use the camera in another
program, such as Nebulosity and
MaximDL, or if you wish to use
the camera as an autoguider.
Select language to install and
go through the prompts until the
software is installed.
4. Next select to install the Camera
Studio Application (Figure 4.3).
Select language to install and
go through the prompts until the
software is installed.
Connecting the Camera to the PC
After the software and drivers have
been installed, connect the camera to
the USB port on your computer using
the supplied USB cable. You do not
need to plug in external power yet.
Windows will automatically detect the camera and install it onto your computer.
Wait for the message to appear, Device Installed Successfully.
Figure 4.3.
Figure 4.1.
Figure 4.2.

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3. Software
Walk‑Through
Camera Studio is an easy to use yet
comprehensive imaging program that
controls your G4 for image capture,
and provides the processing tools to
assemble your image and export it.
The following section of the manual
will walk you through the basic fea-
tures of the software – Camera
Control, Capture, Calibrate, Process
and Save & Export.
3.1 Camera Control (Figure 5)
The Camera Control tab rst appears
on the right hand side of the screen when you open Camera Studio. This tab
allows you to connect to the camera, activate the cooler and set the cooling tem-
perature, adjust the gain and offset (not recommended), or enable faster readout
for quick image downloads.
Connect/Disconnect
Connects the G4 and instantly displays the CCD temperature. The G4 camera
must be plugged into your PC before you click Connect.
Cooling
The CCD Temperature will always display while the camera is connected. To
use the TEC, plug the 12V power cable from your power source (eld battery or
other) to the G4 camera. The fan will automatically power on. Click Cooler On.
Set the Target (°C) to approximately 20°C lower than the current CCD tempera-
ture reading. Do not click Cooler On until external power has been plugged into
the G4.
Gain
This feature allows you to manually adjust the analog gain and offset. The default
values have been selected for your camera and should normally not need adjust-
ment. However, you may make adjustments to customize your settings. Default
values are Offset 127 and Gain 185.
Figure 5. Camera Control window.

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3.2 Capture (Figure 6)
The Capture tab sets your exposure
time, exposure type, save path,
subframing, and other options.
Exposure
Set the exposure time in seconds. You
can also specify fractions of seconds,
like 0.5 seconds or 1.75 seconds, for
example.
Type
Choose from Light, Dark, Flat, and
Bias. Most of the time you will only
need to choose from Light and
Dark frames, but for the best results,
you can also take Flat frames. See
“Astronomical Imaging – Dark Frames,
Flat Fields”. To start imaging or
focusing, take Light frames.
Bin
You can bin 1x1, or 2x2. For most
imaging, you should always keep the
setting at 1x1, which provides the full
resolution of the camera. Binning 2x2
will group 2 horizontal and 2 vertical
pixels, and is most commonly used
to quickly nd and frame a celestial
object. Binning in these modes
provides faster download times and
greater sensitivity.
Subframe
You can selectively download a segment of the whole eld of view to provide
extremely fast download times. This is useful for focusing since you typically just
concentrate on one star. Click and drag the mouse across part of the image to
form a square (Figure7), then check the Subframe box. The subframe size and
coordinates will also be displayed in the Subframe dialog.
Note: Make sure the Subframe box is unchecked when you start capturing your
astrophotos, or you could unintentionally subframe your images into a small
square!
Capture – Single
Takes a single exposure only. The exposure length will be determined by the
Exposure value in seconds you entered.
Figure 7. Subframing a small area
speeds up the download time and allows
you to concentrate on one area of the chip;
ideal for focusing.
Figure 6. Capture window.

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Capture – Loop
Continuously takes exposures until
you press Stop. The Stop button will
only appear when taking a single
or looping exposure. The Loop is
useful for focusing when you are at
the telescope and wish to monitor the
focusing progress on your monitor.
Capture – Sequence
Automatically capture and save
images. This is a very convenient
feature. It allows you to save your
images while you sleep or do other
tasks. In the Sequence window
(Figure 8), you can set your destination Directory to save your images to,
as well as specify the same parameters you would in the Capture tab, like
Exposure, Type, and Bin. In the Sequence window you can also specify
Repeat, to set the total number of exposures you want to automatically capture.
Click Run Sequence when you are ready to begin.
Capture – Color: Raw, YCbCr, RGB (for StarShoot G4 Color only)
These modes determine what kind of images will be captured. If you are using
the StarShoot G4 Color, we recommend always capturing in Raw to allow for
image calibration later (See “Image Processing – Calibrate Raws”). The image
will appear black and white at rst, but can later be converted to color. But for
quick imaging to instantly get color, you can select YCbCr (the most natural color
from the camera), or software-processed RGB.
Note: The StarShoot G4 Monochrome will have this feature disabled since the
images can only be captured in monochrome.
Capture – Auto dark
If you save a dark frame you can optionally check the Auto dark box to
automatically calibrate the saved dark frame each time you capture an image.
While this can be convenient, we recommend keeping this feature off under
normal use, since enabling it permanently affects the raw data you capture.
Capture – New buffer
Check this box to display a new window each time a new image is captured. This
is useful to compare or keep the image open without saving it. Keep in mind that
more images will consume more system memory. The New buffer box should be
left unchecked during multiple looping exposures or long sequences.
Figure 8. The Sequence dialog allows
you to set your exposure then automatically
image while you are away from the
computer.

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3.3 Histogram (Figure 9)
The Histogram window displays
how the bright and dark pixels are
distributed in your image. You can
make all the adjustments to the
Histrogram you want to reveal the
details within the image, and it will not
affect the image data, only the way it
is displayed. Choose the presets like
Medium, or drag the light and dark
markers manually to adjust the image
on your screen. Your computer monitor
only displays 8-bits of depth from black
to white, whereas your StarShoot G4
camera takes images with 16 bits of
depth. That’s the difference between
255 counts and 65,535 counts! So
you need to check the Histogram to
see how much image detail you really
have.
3.4. Analysis (Figure 10)
The Analysis window displays
quantitative data from the image
pertaining to pixel brightness and star
diameter. Your mouse cursor position
will focus on that region of the image
for the Analysis display (Figure 10).
The information displayed is very
useful, but for beginning astro-imagers,
concentrate mainly on getting the smallest HFD possible when focusing on a
star.
To aid in focusing turn on the Large HFD display window.
Actual
Displays the brightness value of the pixel your mouse cursor is pointing at
(Figure 10). This value is known as an Analog to Digital Unit (ADU). The camera
can theoretically get as high as 65535 ADUs in value. The image will start to
saturate (or overexpose) at around 50,000 ADU. This demonstrates the large
range in brightness that 16 bits of data has, and is one of the reasons the
StarShoot G4 can capture dynamic images with faint detail.
Maximum
Displays the highest ADU pixel value for the immediate area.
Figure 9. The sliders on the Histogram
can be adjusted to reveal lighter or darker
depths of the image.
Figure 10. The Analysis window displays
useful data about your image. Hovering the
mouse over a star will also display the HFD
value which indicates the star diameter for
best focus.

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Minimum
Displays the lowest ADU pixel value for the immediate area.
Average
Displays the average ADU pixel value for the immediate area. This is useful to
see the general value of an area without letting a hot pixel throw off your reading.
Std Dev
Displays the standard deviation for the immediate area.
Global
Displays the Std Dev., Average, Maximum, Minimum pixel values for the entire
image.
Star
Pay attention to the Half-Flux Diameter (HFD) value when pointing the mouse
cursor at a star (Figure 10), to determine the best focus. The smaller the HFD
value, the better the focus.
The following sections will describe more software features which you will
encounter during your imaging session, and later on when you are ready to
process your images.
4. Astronomical Imaging
Now that you have familiarized yourself with the basic functions of the camera
and software, you are ready to begin using the StarShoot G4 to capture images!
4.1. Focusing
Focusing the CCD camera is one of the most critical parts of imaging. It can be
challenging, but Camera Studio has some helpful features which will assist you
when focusing your G4. Before focusing, make sure your mount is polar aligned
and tracking. For best results, we recommend focusing on a star at least 30°
above the horizon (or higher). Follow these steps to achieve an accurate focus:
5. Find and center a moderately bright star through your nder scope. Try to
nd a star around magnitude 4 or 5. If you are not using an optical nder
or just using your unaided eye, the star should look relatively faint. This is
important because brighter stars will easily over saturate the camera and
compromise the focus accuracy.
6. Center your telescope on the star using an eyepiece. Make sure the right
ascension (R.A.) tracking motor is engaged on your mount.
7. Replace the eyepiece with the G4.
8. Connect the G4 to your computer and open Camera Studio. In the Camera
Control tab, click Connect.

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9. Go to the Capture tab, set the
Exposure to 1 second and click
Single. You should see the out
of focus star in the image. If you
do not see anything, you need to
increase the exposure time.
10. Draw a small box around the
unfocused star with your mouse
(hold-click and drag the mouse
cursor around the star to draw
the box, Figure 11). Check the
Subframe box.
11. In the Capture tab, click Loop.
The camera will only download
the area you previously selected,
which makes each image
download signicantly faster than
the whole frame. The exposures
will display continuously. Adjust
the focuser as needed to get the
sharpest looking star.
12. Once the star looks sharp, hover the mouse cursor over the star and pay
attention to the HFD value. Make additional adjustments to the focuser if
needed to achieve the smallest HFD possible.
Be sure to uncheck the Subframe box once you are done focusing.
Note: If the G4 is grossly out of focus, no object will appear in the image, not
even a blur. Increase the exposure time if needed and patiently move through
the focus range of your telescope until you see the centered star come into
view.
4.2. Using the Thermoelectric Cooler (TEC)
The StarShoot G4’s cooling system was designed to reduce the noise in your
astro-images. All digital cameras, whether CCD or CMOS have inherent noise.
Taking longer exposures at night on a target that is very faint will have little
signal, so the noise will be more apparent.
Cooling the CCD camera suppresses the most prominent noise, the thermal
noise. You will see bright pixels in most of the images you capture. These
bright pixels, and a lot of the noise you see will be reduced by activating the
thermoelectric cooler (TEC).
Just as importantly, the noise stays fairly consistent at the same temperature. You
should take your dark frames (see “Dark Frames” in Section 4.3) at the same
temperature as your light frames, which will remove most of the noise effectively.
Figure 11. Create a subframe around the
star you want to focus on.

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The StarShoot G4 can cool the CCD
to about 25°C below the ambient
temperature. But remember that the
ambient temperature changes and you
want to have enough cooling capacity
to take dark frames at the same
temperature later.
To set the cooler:
1. With the G4 already connected
to your computer, plug the 12V
power source into the G4’s power
port. The fan will immediately
power on.
2. Click Connect in the Camera
Control tab if you have not
already done so.
3. Click Cooler On, and the CCD
temperature will begin to drop.
4. Enter a target temperature for
the CCD in Target (°C), and
remember you can only cool
to about 25°C cooler than the
outside air temperature. The
CCD temperature will naturally
heat up on its own. To start with,
set the Target (°C) to about
20°C lower than the current
CCD Temperature, to allow
yourself some margin for outdoor
temperature changes. (Figure 12)
5. Let the camera temperature
stabilize. You can resume imaging while this takes place. It’s common for the
CCD temperature to uctuate to within about 1°C of your target temperature.
You can view the Temperature Log (Figure 13) to monitor the status of the
cooling system. Go to the Camera menu, and click Temperature Log If the
cooler power remains at 100% after 20 minutes, you need to reduce the target
temperature. Most of the time you can simply monitor the CCD temperature by
looking at the CCD Temperature in the Camera Control tab.
Note: Being able to match the light and dark frame temperature is more impor‑
tant than trying to cool the CCD more than the TEC will allow. Matching the dark
frame temperature to your light frames ensures a very effective calibration to
remove unwanted noise from your images.
Figure 12. Monitor the CCD temperature
and determine the best target temperature
to set.
Figure 13. The temperature log can help
you determine how much margin you have
to cool the camera based on the cooler
power and current CCD temperature.

14
Additionally, you will notice the CCD temperature will rise if multiple fast expo‑
sures are taken in succession.This is normal and the temperature will drop back
to your target temperature shortly.
4.3. Imaging Deep Sky Objects
Capturing impressive images of deep sky objects, such as galaxies, nebulae,
and star clusters, require relatively long exposures. You will take several
individual images and stack them together to form one high-quality resultant
image.
Very accurate polar alignment is essential for deep sky imaging. Stars will streak
across the eld of view without precise polar alignment and tracking. Longer
exposures of 60 seconds or more also require autoguiding with a separate
camera. The Orion StarShoot AutoGuider (available separately from Orion) can
be operated with the G4 in PHD Guiding.
To start:
1. Acquire and center the deep sky object into the eld of view of your
eyepiece. If you are using a mount with an accurate computerized go-to
system, you can keep the camera installed in your telescope’s focuser
without using the eyepiece.
2. Remove the eyepiece and replace it with the G4 camera.
3. Focus the camera as outlined in Section 4.1. If necessary, move the
telescope to a nearby star to determine the best focus.
For best results we recommend selecting Raw in the pull down menu next to the
Color label in the Capture tab (Figure 6). For StarShoot G4 Monochrome users,
no special selection is needed, all images will be raw.
4. In the Capture tab, set the Exposure value to around 10-20 seconds and
click Start. After the image downloads check to see if the deep sky object
is centered well in your camera. Adjust the camera orientation if needed,
keeping in mind that you may have to refocus the camera after making
the adjustment. Reposition the telescope if needed to center the deep sky
object.
5. Click Sequence and set the Directory save path, and File Name for your
images as well as your exposure details (Figure 8). For most deep sky
imaging, set:
Run: Always check on
Type: Light 1x1
Exposure: Greater than 30 seconds (to your choosing)
Binning: 1x1,
Repeat: multiple exposures, we recommend more than 5.
6. Click the Run Sequence and the G4 will immediately begin the sequence
of exposures. A naming convention is assigned to your File Name. If you

15
called your image Dumbbell and
you are capturing 10 images,
the sequence will save them
in your specied directory as
Dumbbell1L1.t, Dumbbell2L1.t,
Dumbbell3L1.t and so on.
Naming conventions are most
important for StarShoot G4
Monochrome users who may be using
LRGB or narrowband lters. Change
your le name to indicate what lter
you are imaging through. For example,
Dummbell_Luminance, or Dummbell_
Red, etc.
Dark Frames
Dark frames are images taken with
no light coming into the camera. A
dark frame is typically taken with the
telescope’s objective capped. The only data in the image is the inherent camera
noise (Figure 14). The noise contains the dark current, read noise (noise intro-
duced during camera readout and download) and hot pixels (bright dots in the
image). All of this noise exists in your raw astro-image too, which distracts from
the detail you want to see. To eliminate most of the camera noise, you can take
several dark frames, average them, then subtract them from your astro-images,
also called, “light” images.
Note: Make sure the CCD temperature is the same as was when took your light
frames.
To take dark frames for subtraction from “light” images:
1. Set the Exposure Type to Dark in the Capture tab. Or if you are taking a
sequence of images, set the Type in the Sequence window to Dark, this
will also assign a “D” suffix to your saved le name so you can easily identify
your darks later.
Note to StarShoot G4 Color users: You must take Raw Light frames in
monochrome BEFORE converting to color in order to utilize dark frames.
2. Use the same exposure time as the light images you have or will take. If
your light image is 60 seconds, the dark frame must also be 60 seconds.
3. Click Start or Run Sequence if you are taking several darks. Camera
Studio will remind you to cover your telescope. Remember to always cover
your telescope before taking a dark – and be sure to uncover it again when
taking light frames.
Figure 14. A dark frame contains the
thermal and background noise, as well as
any read noise. The same noise appears
in your “light” images. Dark frames isolate
the noise so it can later be subtracted from
your “light” images.

16
Flat Fields
A at eld is an image taken with
uniform featureless light entering
the telescope, such as a blue sky
in the early morning or after sunset.
Flat elds solve a number of issues
in your astro-images. However, for
the beginner astro-imager, you may
choose to skip this step for the time
being.
Vignetting
Vignetting (Figure 15.1) in a
telescope reveals edge-darkening in
the astroimage. The sensitive CCD
chip can easily detect vignetting
through a telescope, even specialized
astrographs. Vignetting is more
apparent when the telescope’s
illuminated eld is not large enough
to illuminate the full area of the CCD
chip. As a result, more light is detected
in the center of the image compared to
the edge. In general, vignetting should
not be a problem on the ½" format
CCD inside the G4.
Dust and Particles
Dust and particles (Figure 15.2) will
inevitably show up in your raw astroimages. Large particles on the CCD optical
window sometimes look like unfocused circles or doughnuts in your images.
It’s too late to clean your camera if you are already imaging in the eld at night.
And even when the camera is clean, dust usually nds a way to show up in your
images.
To take a at eld image:
1. Ensure that the telescope is focused and ready for astro-imaging.
2. Point the telescope at a uniform and featureless light source, like the sky
at dusk or dawn, or a blank white sheet of paper. Make sure the camera
orientation is exactly the same as it is or was for astro-imaging (Although
the telescope is pointing at a featureless surface, the focus and orientation
must be set as it normally would be for astro-images.)
3. Set the Exposure Type to Flat in the Capture tab. Or if you are taking a
sequence of images, set the Type in the Sequence window to Flat, this will
Figure 15.1. Larger format CCD cameras
like the Parsec reveal vignetting through
most telescopes. Vignetting occurs when
the edge of the image plane has less
illumination than the center.
Figure 15.2. Dust or other particles on
the camera’s optical window can show up
as distracting dark shapes in your images.

17
also assign a “F” suffix to your
saved le name so you can easily
identify your ats later.
4. Set the Exposure value to 0.1
seconds for now and click Start
or Run Sequence. Looking
at the Global section of the
Analysis window, you want the
Maximum to read somewhere
around 10,000-15,000. Adjust the
exposure time as needed until the
Maximum is close to this range.
It’s a good idea to take several at
frames and try different exposure
times until you nd the correct
exposure. If you are taking your
ats near dusk or dawn, the sky
brightness will change rapidly.
5. Image
Processing
After you have captured your astro-
images (with or without dark frames),
you will need to:
1. Calibrate Raws
2. Convert to Color (only applicable to StarShoot G4 Color)
3. Align
4. Combine
If you are using the StarShoot G4 Monochrome, all of these steps can be
performed in the Combine Images window (Figure 16). For StarShoot G4 Color
users, the calibration and color conversion should be done separately before
proceeding to align and stack.
Calibrate Raws
1. Open your saved astro-images. They should be saved as Raw to enable the
following steps. Do not convert your raws to color yet.
2. Go to the Process menu and select Calibrate. The Calibration window will
appear (Figure 17).
3. Click Add Files and select your saved dark frames and at elds if
applicable.
Figure 16. The Combine Images window
allows StarShoot G4 Monochrome users to
calibrate, align, all in a streamlined task.
Figure 17. The Calibration window
lets you select your darks and ats (if
applicable). Bias frames are not typically
needed if you have dark frames.

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4. Click Calibrate all les, and you
will notice most of the hot pixels
and noise should disappear from
your images.
Convert to Color (For the StarShoot
G4 Color only)
1. With your calibrated images still
open, goto the Process menu
and select Color, then CMYG
Raw conversion. We recommend
using the default values (Figure
18), but you may adjust them to
your liking.
2. Click apply to complete the
color conversion. Repeat color
conversion for all open les. Color
conversion can alternatively be
done after combining images
by using the “Convert to color”
checkbox.
Note: All les must be in same color
format in order to align and combine.
Note: If using RAW les within
other processing software such
as MaximDL select convert
color‑>Generic CMYG to convert the
RAW le to color.
Align
1. With your images still open, goto
the Process menu and select
Align. The Align Images window
will appear.
2. Select Auto Star matching and click Align. The images should
automatically align. If they do not appear to align correctly when they are
combined later, you can manually align the images by selecting Translation
(Manual) and select a star in each image to align to by clicking Start
Manual Star Pick (Figure 19).
Combine
1. With your images still open, goto the Process menu and select Combine.
The Combine Images window will appear (Figure 16).
2. Since you have already calibrated and aligned your images, proceed to the
Stack tab. Remember that if you are using the StarShoot G4 Monochrome,
Figure 19. Manual Star Pick can be used
if you have difficulty aligning your images
with the automatic methods.
Figure 18. For G4 Color users: Convert
CMYG Raw is the best way to convert raw
images to color.

19
you can perform all of these
tasks in each of the tabs of the
Combine Images window.
3. Select Add Images, then Select
All, then Apply (Figure 20).
4. Proceed to the Stack tab.
Keep the default settings. We
recommend Sigma Reject which
is effective at removing unwanted
leftover hot pixels, satellite trails,
or other unwanted artifacts from
your image.
5. Click Combine, and your resultant
image will appear. If the image did
not appear to combine correctly,
go back to the Align tab and try to
use a different alignment method.
Normally the Auto Star matching
is the easiest method.
Check the box “Convert to Color” to
automatically convert a raw image to a
color image after combining images.
Getting a Color Image with the
G4Monochrome
The G4 Monochrome requires captur-
ing images through a series of lters,
such as Luminance, Red, Green and
Blue lters to obtain a color image, or
with specialized narrowband lters.
The image processing program ultimately wants to have image data for Red,
Green and Blue.
RGB/LRGB Combine Using CameraStudio
After aligning and combining each of the individual RGB or LRGB le groups the
resultant images can now be combined into RGB or LRGB channels by selecting
process->color->RGB combine and assigning open les to one of the RGB or
LRGB channels (Figure 21).
RGB/LRGB Combine Using Photoshop
Camera Studio allows you to export 16 bit TIFF les or the raw FIT les to your
favorite post image processing program such as Photoshop. Save and export
each of your color channel images from the Monochrome G4. If you used LRGB
lters, export each of the LRGB images to a program like Photoshop. Before
exporting, align and combine each of the LRGB images individually, then align
Figure 20. Select the open images to
align.
Figure 21. RGB and LRGB Color
combine.

20
the LRGB together, but do not com-
bine them yet.
Add the RGB images to a new RGB
layer in Photoshop or similar pro-
gram that uses layers. Assign your
red image (which will still look mono-
chrome) to the red channel, green
to the green channel, and blue to
the blue channel. The image should
then appear in color. Then add the L
(luminance) layer and select “color”
in the layer mode. This can also be
performed in freeware programs like
Paint.Net. Import the luminance layer
and select “color” in the layer mode.
The image detail will come from your
luminance image, and all color detail
will come from your RGB images.
There are several different ways to
process the color this way, especially
if you use narrowband lters. This will
give you complete control over the
color balance in your image.
Donald Waid of “Waid Observatory” provides an excellent step-by-step video
tutorial of LRGB processing in Photoshop (or similar program that uses layers).
Visit www.waid-observatory.com/article-LRGB.html.
Color Balance
Select Process->Color->Color Balance in order to tune each individual color
channel.
5.1 Save and Export
Always save your work in the native .FIT format which will preserve all of the
image data you worked on. .FIT is a common le format for CCD imaging, and
is understood by many other image editing programs, including plugins that are
available for Adobe Photoshop.
You may choose to edit your image further. Camera Studio has several other
image enhancement features, such as sharpening, low pass lters, Gaussian
blur lters as well as color balance adjustments to enhance your image. Explore
these features in the Process menu. But always save your original FIT le.
Choose Save As in the File menu to save different versions of your edited work.
Figure 22. Choose your le format and
export settings to export your image as a
TIFF or JPEG.