Alan Dyer

Testing six AI-based noise reduction programs for astrophotography

Nov 22, 2022 by Alan Dyer Add Comment

In a detailed technical blog I compare six AI-based noise reduction programs for the demands of astrophotography. Some can work wonders. Others can ruin your image.

Over the last two years, we have seen a spate of specialized programs introduced for removing digital noise from photos. The new generation of programs use artificial intelligence (AI), aka machine learning, trained on thousands of images to better distinguish unwanted noise from desirable image content. At least that’s the promise – and for noisy but normal daytime images they do work very well. But in astrophotography our main subjects – stars – can look a lot like specks of pixel-level noise. How well can each program reduce noise without eliminating stars or wanted details, or introducing odd artifacts, making images worse?

To find out, I tested six of the new AI-based programs on real-world – or rather “real-sky” – astro photos. Does one program stand out from the rest for astrophotography?

In-depth testing of the Sony A7III for astrophotography

Jun 8, 2018 by Alan Dyer 2 Comments

I put the new Sony A7III mirrorless camera through its paces for the features and functions we need to shoot the night sky. Sony’s A7III camera has enjoyed rave reviews since its introduction earlier in 2018. Most tests focus on its superb auto exposure and auto focus capabilities that rival much more costly cameras, including Sony’s own A7RIII and A9.

For astrophotography, none of those auto functions are of any value. We shoot everything on manual. Indeed, the ease of manually focusing in Live View is a key function.

10 contenders go head-to-head to see which software is the best for processing astrophotography

Dec 8, 2017 by Alan Dyer 9 Comments

To Adobe or not to Adobe. That is the question many photographers are asking with the spate of new image processing programs vying to “kill Photoshop.”

I tested more than ten contenders as alternatives to Adobe’s image processing software, evaluating them for the specialized task of editing demanding nightscape images taken under the Milky Way, both for single still images and for time-lapses of the moving sky.

Testing the Canon 6D Mark II for astrophotography nightscapes

Aug 11, 2017 by Alan Dyer 11 Comments

No pretty pictures in this blog I’m afraid! This is a blog for gear geeks. The long-awaited Canon 6D Mark II camera is out, replacing the original Canon 6D after that camera’s popular 5-year reign as a prime choice among astrophotographers for all kinds of sky images, including nightscapes and time-lapses.

As all new cameras do, the 6D Mark II is currently fetching a full list price of $2000 U.S. Eventually it will sell for less. The original 6D, introduced in 2012 at that same list price, might still be available from many outlets, but for less, likely below $1500 US.