SharpCap User Manual
<!-- If the browser does not support frames put the first topic content here --> <div class="WordSection1"> <p class="MsoTitle">SharpCap User Manual</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Copyright ©2018 Robin Glover and David Richards</p> <p class="MsoNormal">This version describes SharpCap 3.2.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">This is a pre-release copy of the User Manual and may contain errors.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><img width="601" height="154" id= "Picture 1977" src="SharpCapUserManual_files/image001.jpg" alt= "image" name="Picture 1977" /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style= 'font-size:18.0pt;line-height:107%'>SharpCap is an image capture application designed primarily for Astrophotography and Video Astronomy.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Support can be obtained via the SharpCap forum at <span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href= "http://forums.sharpcap.co.uk/" target= "_blank">http://forums.sharpcap.co.uk</a> .</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">You can download this manual in <span class= "MsoHyperlink"><a href= "http://downloads.sharpcap.co.uk/downloaddoc.html?filename=SharpCapUserManual_v32.pdf" target="_blank">PDF format</a></span>.</p> </div>
Contents
Topics
SharpCap User Manual
Foreword
Introduction
Requirements
Supported Cameras
Altair Cameras
Basler Cameras
Celestron/Imaging Source Cameras
iNova Cameras
Point Grey Cameras (now FLIR)
QHY Cameras
StarlightXpress Cameras
ZWO Cameras
ASCOM Cameras
DirectShow Cameras
Virtual Camera
Choosing Between ASCOM and DirectShow
Software
Hardware
Minimum Hardware Specification
Recommended Hardware Specification
SharpCap Pro
Installing SharpCap Pro
Trying out SharpCap Pro
SharpCap Pro Features
Buying a SharpCap Pro License
Installing your SharpCap Pro License
License Expiry and Renewal
Claiming a SharpCap Pro license bundled with a new Camera
Quick Start
Installation and First Steps
Installing the Camera Driver
Installing SharpCap
Testing SharpCap
Removing SharpCap
Introduction to the SharpCap User Interface
Title Bar
Menu Bar
Tool Bar
Capture Display Area
Camera Control Panel
Work Area
Status Bar
Frame Progress
Capture Progress
The Menu Bar
File
SharpCap Settings
Exit
Cameras
Rescan for Cameras
Close Camera
Reconnect Camera
Available Cameras
Options
Full Screen
Reset Control Order
Other Options
Capture
Tools
Histogram
Live Stack
Polar Align
Plate Solve
Sensor Analysis
Focus Assistant
Seeing Monitor
Collimation (Experimental)
Feature Tracking (Experimental)
Scripting
Help
View Help
SharpCap Pro License
Check for Updates
Report a Bug
Support Forum
Show LogSharpCap shows ASCOM focuser positions on the Focus score graphs
About
The Tool Bar
Start Capture
Quick Capture
Stop Capture
Pause
Snapshot
Two Monitor View
Live Stack
Object Name
Frame Type
Preview FX (effects)
None
Highlight Over Exposed
Image Boost
Image Boost More
Frame Stack (3)
Frame Stack (5)
Frame Stack (10)
RGB Align
Stop Motion Video
FX Selection Area
Reticule Overlays
No Reticule
Crosshairs
Circle
Single Crosshair
Zoom
Image Histogram
Calculate Focus Score
Camera Control Panel
Capture Profiles
Capture Format and Area
Camera Controls
Image Controls
Pre-processing
Mini Histogram and Display Stretch
Testing Controls
Other Controls
Capturing Videos and Images
Start Capture
Stop Capture
Delete Last Capture
Open Capture Folder
Capture Dark
Capture Flat
Camera Basics
Colour Spaces Explained
Uncompressed Colour Spaces
RGB24
RGB32
MONO8 (also Y800)
MONO16
RAW8
RAW16
Compressed Colour Spaces
YUY2 / YUV
I420
MJPEG
Choosing the Correct Colour Space
Capture Formats Explained
AVI
SER
PNG
FITS
TIFF
JPEG
Camera Controls
Common Camera Controls
Capture Format and Area
Binning
Additive Binning
Averaging Binning
Camera Controls
Image Controls
Pre-processing
Mini Histogram and Display Stretch
Adjusting the Display Histogram Stretch
Display Histogram Stretch Buttons
Camera Specific Controls
Altair Camera Controls
ASCOM Camera Controls
Basler Camera Controls
Celestron/Imaging Source Camera Controls
iNova Camera Controls
Point Grey Camera Controls
QHY Camera Controls
Starlight Xpress Camera Controls
ZWO Camera Controls
DirectShow Cameras
Webcams
Microsoft LifeCam (webcam)
Frame Grabbers
Modified Webcams
DirectShow Controls
Virtual Cameras
Test Cameras
The Histogram
The Histogram in Detail
Understanding the Histogram Axes
Linear and Logarithmic Scales
Using the Histogram to Improve Image Quality
Worked Examples
A Monochrome Deep Sky Example
A Colour Deep Sky Example
Smart Histogram
The Smart Histogram Bars
The Smart Histogram Brain Window
Measuring Sky Brightness
Setting Limits and Targets
The Results
Live Stacking
The Live Stacking User Interface
Left Panel
Status Tab
Histogram Tab
Alignment Tab
Stacking Tab
Default Stacking
Sigma Clipped Stacking
Enhancement Tab
Guiding Tab
Monitoring Guiding
Dithering
Filter (FWHM) Tab
Filter (Brightness) Tab
Drift Graph Tab
Log Tab
Live Stack Reference
Using Live Stacking
Focusing
Introduction
The Focusing Tools
Which Focus Tool Should Be Used?
Focusing Procedure
Overview of Display
Focus Tools Controls
The Graph Pane
History Tab
Graph Tab
History and Graph Manipulation
Setting the Correct Black Level
Using a Bahtinov Mask
(Nearly) Automatic Focusing
Automatic Focus Scanning
Point of Best Focus Detection
Returning to Best Focus
Go to Best Focus Position
Go to Best Focus Score
Automatic focussing with a Bahtinov Mask
Polar Alignment
How does it Work?
What is required?
Step-By-Step
Tips
Troubleshooting Polar Alignment
No matter how much I adjust I can’t get the error down to zero!
Stuck at the first Step? The ‘Next’ button never becomes enabled?
Not enough stars being detected
The camera/telescope is pointed more than 5-6 degrees away from the pole
Hot pixels are being detected as stars
Stuck in Step 2 or Step 3, nothing updates or everything takes a very long time
I get the wrong results – SharpCap says my Polar Alignment is great after adjustment, but it isn’t!
The directions that SharpCap says I should move my mount are wrong
Sensor Analysis
Preparing to run a Sensor Analysis
Running Sensor Analysis
Selecting the Measurement Area
Bit Depth and e/ADU Measurements
Dark Measurements
Gain and Binning Measurements
Sensor Analysis Results
Seeing Monitor
Configuring Seeing Monitor
Seeing Triggered and Seeing Filtered Capture
Feature Tracking
Hardware Requirements
Setting up Feature Tracking
Starting Monitoring Image Drift
Calibration
Guiding in Action
Collimation
Keyboard Shortcuts
Configuring SharpCap
General Tab
Startup Settings
Show tips when SharpCap starts
Automatically connect to camera when SharpCap starts
Automatically restore camera settings
Display Settings
Display in night vision colours
Auto Stretch Intensity
Saving Options
Save capture settings file alongside each capture
Start cameras with ‘Auto’ output format
Save 10/12/14 bit images in FITS files without stretching to 16 bit
Preferred Video Format
Preferred Still Format
Saved target names
Misc Settings
Record extra information in the log for troubleshooting
Log all QHY GPS data to file
Hardware Tab
Filenames Tab
Save captured files to
Speed Test
Organise captured files into subfolders
Date and then Target Name
Target Name and then Date
Create WinJUPOS Compatible File Names
Use UTC times in files and folder names
Use sortable date format (YYYY-MM-DD)
Save capture settings file alongside each capture
Sequences
Extras
Sample Filenames
Filename Templates
Memory Tab
Plate Solving Tab
Polar Alignment Tab
Start-up Scripts Tab
Capturing and Using Dark Frames
Camera Noise
Dark Frames Explained
Capture Dark Dialogue
Capturing and Using Flat Frames
Introduction to Flat Frames
Creating Flat Frames
Setup Flat Field Illumination
Setup Camera Settings
Adjust Exposure to get correct Histogram Shape
Choose Options
Start Capturing Flat Frames
Using Flat Frame Correction
Scripting
The Scripting Console
Run a Script
Scripting Tutorial
Create a Script
SharpCap Scripting Object Model Reference
The Camera Object
The Control Object
Scripting Samples
Periodic Capture and Timestamp Image
Controlling the Selection Rectangle
Example Task to Script
ASCOM Hardware Control
Focuser Control
Filter Wheel Control
Mount Control
Bugs & Crashes
How to Report a Bug
How to Report a Crash
Submitting a Crash Report
No Crash Report?
Trouble Shooting
Hardware
Software
Imaging
Image Too Bright
Jumpy AVI Will Not Stack
Grainy Image
Histogram with Gaps
Colours are Wrong
Appendix
Test Write Speed
SharpCap Uninstall Clean-up
Maintenance of Capture Profiles
Useful Software
Glossary
(Nearly) Automatic Focusing
A Colour Deep Sky Example
A Monochrome Deep Sky Example
About
Additive Binning
Adjust Exposure to get correct Histogram Shape
Adjusting the Display Histogram Stretch
Alignment Tab
Altair Camera Controls
Altair Cameras
Appendix
ASCOM Camera Controls
ASCOM Cameras
ASCOM Hardware Control
Auto Stretch Intensity
Automatic Focus Scanning
Automatic focussing with a Bahtinov Mask
Automatically connect to camera when SharpCap starts
Automatically restore camera settings
Available Cameras
Averaging Binning
AVI
Basler Camera Controls
Basler Cameras
Binning
Bit Depth and e/ADU Measurements
Bugs & Crashes
Buying a SharpCap Pro License
Calculate Focus Score
Calibration
Camera Specific Controls
Camera Basics
Camera Control Panel
Camera Control Panel
Camera Controls
Camera Controls
Camera Controls
Camera Noise
Cameras
Capture
Capture Format and Area
Capture Formats Explained
Capture Dark
Capture Dark Dialogue
Capture Display Area
Capture Flat
Capture Format and Area
Capture Profiles
Capture Progress
Capturing and Using Dark Frames
Capturing Videos and Images
Capturing and Using Flat Frames
Celestron/Imaging Source Cameras
Celestron/Imaging Source Camera Controls
Check for Updates
Choose Options
Choosing Between ASCOM and DirectShow
Choosing the Correct Colour Space
Circle
Claiming a SharpCap Pro license bundled with a new Camera
Close Camera
Collimation
Collimation (Experimental)
Colour Spaces Explained
Colours are Wrong
Common Camera Controls
Compressed Colour Spaces
Configuring Seeing Monitor
Configuring SharpCap
Controlling the Selection Rectangle
Create a Script
Create WinJUPOS Compatible File Names
Creating Flat Frames
Crosshairs
Dark Frames Explained
Dark Measurements
Date and then Target Name
Default Stacking
Delete Last Capture
DirectShow Cameras
DirectShow Cameras
DirectShow Controls
Display Histogram Stretch Buttons
Display in night vision colours
Display Settings
Dithering
Drift Graph Tab
Enhancement Tab
Example Task to Script
Exit
Extras
Feature Tracking
Feature Tracking (Experimental)
File
Filename Templates
Filenames Tab
Filter (Brightness) Tab
Filter (FWHM) Tab
Filter Wheel Control
FITS
Focus Assistant
Focus Tools Controls
Focuser Control
Focusing
Focusing Procedure
Foreword
Frame Grabbers
Frame Progress
Frame Stack (10)
Frame Stack (3)
Frame Stack (5)
Frame Type
Full Screen
FX Selection Area
Gain and Binning Measurements
General Tab
Glossary
Go to Best Focus Position
Go to Best Focus Score
Grainy Image
Graph Tab
Guiding in Action
Guiding Tab
Hardware
Hardware
Hardware Requirements
Hardware Tab
Help
Highlight Over Exposed
Histogram
Histogram Tab
Histogram with Gaps
History and Graph Manipulation
History Tab
Hot pixels are being detected as stars
How does it Work?
How to Report a Bug
How to Report a Crash
I get the wrong results – SharpCap says my Polar Alignment is great after adjustment, but it isn’t!
I420
Image Boost
Image Boost More
Image Controls
Image Controls
Image Histogram
Image Too Bright
Imaging
iNova Camera Controls
iNova Cameras
Installation and First Steps
Installing your SharpCap Pro License
Installing SharpCap
Installing SharpCap Pro
Installing the Camera Driver
Introduction
Introduction
Introduction to Flat Frames
Introduction to the SharpCap User Interface
JPEG
Jumpy AVI Will Not Stack
Keyboard Shortcuts
Left Panel
License Expiry and Renewal
Linear and Logarithmic Scales
Live Stack
Live Stack
Live Stack Reference
Live Stacking
Log all QHY GPS data to file
Log Tab
Maintenance of Capture Profiles
Measuring Sky Brightness
Memory Tab
Menu Bar
Microsoft LifeCam (webcam)
Mini Histogram and Display Stretch
Mini Histogram and Display Stretch
Minimum Hardware Specification
Misc Settings
MJPEG
Modified Webcams
Monitoring Guiding
MONO16
MONO8 (also Y800)
Mount Control
No Crash Report?
No matter how much I adjust I can’t get the error down to zero!
No Reticule
None
Not enough stars being detected
Object Name
Open Capture Folder
Options
Organise captured files into subfolders
Other Controls
Other Options
Overview of Display
Pause
Periodic Capture and Timestamp Image
Plate Solve
Plate Solving Tab
PNG
Point Grey Camera Controls
Point Grey Cameras (now FLIR)
Point of Best Focus Detection
Polar Alignment
Polar Align
Polar Alignment Tab
Pre-processing
Pre-processing
Preferred Still Format
Preferred Video Format
Preparing to run a Sensor Analysis
Preview FX (effects)
QHY Cameras
QHY Camera Controls
Quick Capture
Quick Start
RAW16
RAW8
Recommended Hardware Specification
Reconnect Camera
Record extra information in the log for troubleshooting
Removing SharpCap
Report a Bug
Requirements
Rescan for Cameras
Reset Control Order
Reticule Overlays
Returning to Best Focus
RGB Align
RGB24
RGB32
Run a Script
Running Sensor Analysis
Sample Filenames
Save 10/12/14 bit images in FITS files without stretching to 16 bit
Save capture settings file alongside each capture
Save capture settings file alongside each capture
Save captured files to
Saved target names
Saving Options
Scripting
Scripting
Scripting Tutorial
Scripting Samples
Seeing Monitor
Seeing Monitor
Seeing Triggered and Seeing Filtered Capture
Selecting the Measurement Area
Sensor Analysis
Sensor Analysis
Sensor Analysis Results
Sequences
SER
Setting Limits and Targets
Setting the Correct Black Level
Setting up Feature Tracking
Setup Camera Settings
Setup Flat Field Illumination
SharpCap Pro
SharpCap Pro Features
SharpCap Pro License
SharpCap Scripting Object Model Reference
SharpCap Settings
SharpCap Uninstall Clean-up
SharpCap User Manual
Show LogSharpCap shows ASCOM focuser positions on the Focus score graphs
Show tips when SharpCap starts
Sigma Clipped Stacking
Single Crosshair
Smart Histogram
Snapshot
Software
Software
Speed Test
Stacking Tab
Starlight Xpress Camera Controls
StarlightXpress Cameras
Start cameras with ‘Auto’ output format
Start Capture
Start Capture
Start Capturing Flat Frames
Start-up Scripts Tab
Starting Monitoring Image Drift
Startup Settings
Status Bar
Status Tab
Step-By-Step
Stop Capture
Stop Capture
Stop Motion Video
Stuck at the first Step? The ‘Next’ button never becomes enabled?
Stuck in Step 2 or Step 3, nothing updates or everything takes a very long time
Submitting a Crash Report
Support Forum
Supported Cameras
Target Name and then Date
Test Cameras
Test Write Speed
Testing Controls
Testing SharpCap
The Camera Object
The camera/telescope is pointed more than 5-6 degrees away from the pole
The Control Object
The directions that SharpCap says I should move my mount are wrong
The Focusing Tools
The Graph Pane
The Histogram
The Histogram in Detail
The Live Stacking User Interface
The Menu Bar
The Results
The Scripting Console
The Smart Histogram Brain Window
The Smart Histogram Bars
The Tool Bar
TIFF
Tips
Title Bar
Tool Bar
Tools
Trouble Shooting
Troubleshooting Polar Alignment
Trying out SharpCap Pro
Two Monitor View
Uncompressed Colour Spaces
Understanding the Histogram Axes
Use sortable date format (YYYY-MM-DD)
Use UTC times in files and folder names
Useful Software
Using a Bahtinov Mask
Using Flat Frame Correction
Using Live Stacking
Using the Histogram to Improve Image Quality
View Help
Virtual Camera
Virtual Cameras
Webcams
What is required?
Which Focus Tool Should Be Used?
Work Area
Worked Examples
YUY2 / YUV
Zoom
ZWO Camera Controls
ZWO Cameras
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