Folks,

I wanted to give you an update on the soon-to-be-released version 2.0 of CCDInspector and to provide a preview of the new features.

CCDInspector 2.0 Preview of New Features

1. Ability to set limits on image parameters, such as FWHM, aspect ratio, background, etc. All images exceeding the limits will be flagged on the display for easy identification.

2. Automatic dark frame scaling: you no longer have to pick another dark frame just to change the exposure, or take auto-darks. All you'll need is a single master dark frame.

3. New camera extrapolation tool: allows curvature, star aspect ratio, and vignetting to be projected to a different size chip. Easily find out if you’ll need a field flattener with that larger sensor, or whether you’ll need a larger secondary due to severe vignetting, or if the new camera will produce acceptable images with your current optic.

4. Improved image Tilt indicator that shows the direction and absolute magnitude of the tilt.

5. A new Aspect Ratio Map tool. Similar to curvature map, aspect ratio map shows how stars shapes vary across the field of view, for example due to coma or to optical tilt.

6. A new tool to analyze shape and degree of vignetting from a star field image or a flat frame.

7. CCDIS plug-in is included with CCDInspector 2.0. This plug-in works in conjunction with CCDStack to provide a much faster and extremely accurate image registration using CCDI’s advanced star detection algorithm. This works seamlessly with existing CCDStack 1.3.2 and registers images completely automatically. CCDIS handles rotation, differences in scale, image flip, and linear shift with ease. For all the CCDStack users, you’ll love it, I guarantee it !

8. Over 100 new RAW DSLR image formats added, including some of the more popular:

• Canon 40D, 1D II and III, 400D/XTi, 450D/XSi
  
• Nikon D3, D300, D40, D60
  
• Fuji E900, S100FS, S5200/S5600, S5Pro, S6000, S9100/S9600
  
• Many others: Olympus, Panasonic, Samsung, Pentax, Leica, etc.
  

9. Support for displaying all FITS header keywords in the CCDI image list.

10. Support for command-line arguments so that CCDI can now be launched via script.

11. Improvements in noise rejection algorithm allow images with fewer stars to produce stable measurements of curvature and collimation.

12. Most other features and bug fixes requested by you.

Version 2.0 is now undergoing final testing. Official release is expected in June 2008.

Anyone who purchased CCDI 1.3.2 on or after April 1, 2008 will receive a free upgrade to version 2.0 when it comes out.

Regards,

-Paul