ASI Studio | The amazing feature rich imaging package for beginners and experts.... And it's free!

In todays programme, Astroworkz presenter, Simon Lewis takes a look at the amazing ASI Studio package from ZWO.
If you are new to ZWO products the ASI Studio offers a fabulous set of imaging applications that wiill suit the needs of any newcomer to astrophotography whether your interest is in deep sky, lunar, planetary or solar imaging.
We take a walk through of the apps that make up this awesome suite of programmes and what each offers.
We also look at your first installation of ASI Studio and how to get your ZWO cameras, focusers, filter wheels and mount connected to your PC or Mac so that you can easily get imaging.
ASI Studio is totally free and regularly updated making it the one stop shop for newcomers and its also the tool that ZWO use for testing if you call the helpdesk so even for experts its good to have it installed and know how to use it!
As always we off up a number of top tips for newcomers and experts alike so you will find something for everyone in todays show.
ZWO Camera Drivers and Software:
www.zwoastro.com/downloads

[@richardshagam8608]

For me, ASIFitsview is the most useful program in the suite--use it all the time!

[@TeamAstroworkz]

me too!!!

[@ohwell2790]

Just received ( 1/28/2023)my ASI planetary camera and loaded the soft ware. Will be getting out and getting some images. Got a great shot of my ceiling fan.😁😁😁

[@TeamAstroworkz]

That's a good start I always setup inside first and bench test ...next stop a dark sky ..good luck :)

[@morgan_bowe]

Excellent information. Thank-you sir.

[@TeamAstroworkz]

Glad it was helpful!

[@arthurkaye8999]

Looking forward to future Videos Simon , ASI studio is so simple to use and much underrated.

[@TeamAstroworkz]

Absolutely

[@yourfavoriteastronerd]

Great info! Thanks. Diana

[@TeamAstroworkz]

You are so welcome!

[@gregerianne3880]

I agree 100%, Simon: this is a really great piece of software. About the only part I used (until last week) was the FITS viewer, but I had to delve into it a little when you asked me to send some images to check my new camera and -- I was very impressed! It has a very intuitive interface and is no slacker in terms of capabilities, either. I'm looking forward to the other videos on ASIStudio. Thanks for the great information!

[@TeamAstroworkz]

Totally agree! Its a v underrated package and very much overlooked - and its free too .... can't get better than that!!

[@pathdoctor1]

The ASI Estudio saved the hobby for me and helped me to easily transition to the ASIAIR.

[@TeamAstroworkz]

nice! its a great handy tool and its simple - quite often people complain things are broken but as soon as they move to studio they find the issue isn't with that specific component but their software setup . And likewise its easy to confirm there is an issue and then focus on fixing that .... ASI FitsView is just worth installing studio for too!!!

[@pathdoctor1]

I still use FitsView as my default viewer and occasionally use the Deep Stacker too ( fast and simple to use). By the way, (hint, hint 😉), it would be great if a blink(ing) tool were added to the FitsView.

[@johnk12345100]

Thanks for the video, I checked for videos getting more into using each piece of the software. Just getting started so complete newbie on planetary photography, so would love to see in depth on what setting should look like, etcetera when I'm taking those pictures. Thanks

[@bhastro9959]

I've not found the solar stacking feature to work well using the Asi Videostack program: the stacked images (of solar prominences) are actually worse than the best of the individual frames of the Avi videos. Maybe because it requires a full-disc view of the entire sun?

[@ArkansasSkies]

Thanks for the email help, Tom. This really did help, and since it has a 1.25 inch thread, the asi120mc-s will work perfectly for the NexStar 4se telescope, the only real astrophotography I have done is photographing the moon with my Canon 90D, now I can broaden my horizons. Donny

[@lancebaker7134]

I would love a video on how to use the ASI Meteor Cap program.

[@TeamAstroworkz]

sounds like a video subject we can cover off :)

[@craiglowery4427]

I love ASI Studio. What does Debayering mean when using a OSC camera?

[@refetastro]

Hi Great video Question what is different if I use asi air pro app On asiair pro app my avi files got stacked automatically and my avi files look only black and white Any ideas 💡

[@ricklaird2218]

Thanks for the great video. Always good to hear a Kiwi voice from back home. Does ASILive have the ability to monitor a folder and stack from there? Thank you

[@Grahamwarrellow1]

Thanks Simon! I’d love to see you do a video specifically on ASICAP for solar/lunar/planetary imaging. There are so few options available for Mac that it’s great to see the ASI Studio suite come along.

[@TeamAstroworkz]

Great suggestion! I feel the need to aquire a Macbook permanently - I have borrowed one in the past :)

[@alandyer910]

Thanks! I assume the ASI Studio software will work for stacking files from the SeeStar? And in the DeepStack module is it possible to permanently apply the auto screen stretch to a saved file? I could not see a way to do that. Or will the live stacked and stretched image that the SeeStar provides be as good as stacking the individual FITS files later? I suspect that will not be the case.

[@chrismartin8381]

Any word if ZWO will have adjuster to the rgb after autorun stacking? I sometimes notice my reds are way more predominant than the blue or green. It would be a great tool in their studio app.

[@TheNarrowbandChannel]

Lol I just did a video on the Deep Sky Stack section of this software.

[@TeamAstroworkz]

I didn't know that .. great minds think alike LOL - its a very underused tool

[@charlesthieken1241]

Very informative! Would this work for EAA astronomy? Can the live version stack in real time for a better view of what you’re observing?

[@TeamAstroworkz]

Yes it will - live stacking means a 30s frame then becomes 1m ...5m ... 10m.... 60 :) as long as your patience lasts :)

[@achernarpolis8842]

Would something like this work to auto run a sequence for a ZWO OSC camera for the upcoming Total Solar Eclipse? If so any thought on what a good sequence would be? Thx

[@Rubik3x]

Would ASI Studio work better for me for DSO than my ASIair Pro? I have a Celestron NexStar 6" Evolution mount that does a good job of maintaining alignment. I also have ASIair Pro and ASI 462 camera. They work great shooting moon and planets in video mode. But, without a guide camera, it appears impossible (?) to take hundreds of 15 second exposures automatically and save them to the USB drive for off-line stacking. Would one of the apps in Studio make this possible? I can connect the camera to a laptop next to the scope vs. remotely with WiFi. Will Studio work with the ASIair pro?

[@TeamAstroworkz]

Studio is a stand alone suite of software - it doesnt actually interface with ASIAIR at all - Pro will do what Studio does for capture and stacking to be honest - Alt Az mounts will be limited in exposure times - the issue with the evo and 462 is that it will be limited in field of view and also plate solve will be a prob given the tiny field of view - studio relies on PHD2 as an extra to guide for example ... not sure why capturing 15s frames would be an issue but likely the issue is star drift (?) no easy answer for alt az on a fork mount or arm like the evo

[@Rubik3x]

Thanks for the prompt reply. Yes, plate solving with ASIair hasn't work for me with this setup. I've stacked video files of nebula using ASIair Pro and Autostakkert! with limited results. The short exposure time of video frames makes for noisy images. All I really want is a way to automate the process of taking hundreds of 15s (+/-) exposures so that I can stack them in AutoStakkert! Possible?

[@Steve_The_Ignorant_Astronomer]

I cant get the mount to work in this software

[@TeamAstroworkz]

which mount ?? AM5??

[@Steve_The_Ignorant_Astronomer]

After watching your video I realized I don't have the mount that would be controlled by that program I have the EQ6R pro

[@laniakeasupercluster4606]

Not very useful if you’re interested in SeeStar S50 post processing.

[@TeamAstroworkz]

hmm and why not ??? if you save the FITS or RAW video files than Studio works fine ... I use it to process my seestar data!

[@geomark8851]

@@TeamAstroworkz I use it also. Perhaps the OP meant that it would be nice to be able to plug in the S50 and control it via the ASI Studio program versus the S50 app? Features such as automatically storing the FITS and RAW files on the PC or MAC would eliminate a step or two.