newb question

[andy274]

Hi all,
my 1st post - completely new to PI, which i think is fantastic incidentally - i used a combination of IRIS & Photoshop for all my processing prior to finding PI.
I have been following Harry's videos - which are fantastic.  My issue is around the creation & integration of calibration frames.  I followed the steps on Harry's video using the batch process routine, loading my darks, flats & bias (offsets in IRIS) raws, then my lights - which are of M42.  When compiling - it fails when trying to register the lights using the pre-processing method, yet when i just use the star alignment function & no calibration - it works perfectly.
What am i doing wrong?  I'd dearly love to nail this part - i never ever have had to take any other calibration frames other than those ive mentioned & had never even heard of a dark flat master before, never mind knew how to get one or what its for!!!
Any help or suggestions you may have would be gratefully received.
Cheers & apols for the epically long post!!!
Andy

[Carlos Milovic]

Andy, inspect the calibrated images, and see if they are fine. Also, how long are your lights?

[Carlos Milovic]

Also, what camera are you using? where (software) did you create the raws and masters?

[andy274]

Hi Carlos,
i have just used the raw images captured on my astro-modded canon 450d DSLR
The light frames were all 10min exposures & i take the darks at the same temperature as the light frames, i have always been told that flats & bias shots arent really affected by temperature.
Cheers
Andy

[Carlos Milovic]

Are they CR2 files? Are you cheking the CFA option in the script? Also, check the DSLR_RAW format options (from the format explorer). Use "Create RAW Bayer CFA image" and "No black point correction".

[andy274]

Hi Carlos,
they are all in .cr2 format & im checking the CFA option.  Ive amended the values as you've suggested and am re-running the batch script process. Will let you know how i get on
Cheers
Andy