GIMP Startrail plug-in

maninsuitcase · 16 Apr 2011

When I was looking into doing startrails on my mac I noted that there wasn't really many options for non-windows users who didn't want to spring/pirate photoshop. So seeing as my PS trial is going to run out soon I decided to try use GIMP to do it.

A bit of googling revealed 1 script but it needed launching via command line, which is far too last century for me. Net result I am 1 evening down, but 1 plugin up.

I have put the script and some basic initial instructions on google code here: http://code.google.com/p/gimp-startrail-compositor/ . I will update these if people find them confusing or find holes so let me know.

Please bear in mind if you use this I wrote it last night and have only run it on 1 computer. I must have run it a dozen or so times on 100+ images sets so I am happy it does work but there may be dragons.

Compared to photoshop and the action the images are a tiny bit down on vibrance and contrast but nothing a curves tweak wouldn't fix.

Here's a side by side of the same source images in GIMP and Photoshop.

I will post a link to a full size side by side if people want it.

Hope people find this useful.

edit:
Also now on GitHub for those are so inclined.
https://github.com/themaninthesuitcase/gimp-startrail-compositor

maninsuitcase · 18 Apr 2011

Spent some more time on this this evening. Now gotten rid of the file type selection and replaced it with a list of accepted file types. Also spent a bit of time doing some proper documentation on it also.

I am much happier with this and it's really ready for a proper work out.

maninsuitcase · 21 Apr 2011

Just released a 1.2 version as I discovered a fairly huge flaw in how I dealt with dark frames :bang: Also automagically works out the image size saving you vital seconds

Release and code available on google code. :geek:

maninsuitcase · 21 Nov 2011

I added an option to save the intermediate frames to this last week as I have seen this as a feature in other apps.

As always: get it on google code

AndWhyNot · 25 Nov 2011

maninsuitcase said:
When I was looking into doing startrails on my mac I noted that there wasn't really many options for non-windows users who didn't want to spring/pirate photoshop.

It was always frustrating having to switch back and forth to from my Mac to Windows just for stacking startrails. Nice one for setting this up and keeping updated. The cumulative feature you've just added is great for people doing timelapses. Have you looked at running non-startrails through it? I sometimes stack traffic trails for instance.

Not sure if you're aware but since you started the thread a small freeware package has become available that runs multi-platform. It's called StarStaX.

maninsuitcase · 25 Nov 2011

AndWhyNot said:
It was always frustrating having to switch back and forth to from my Mac to Windows just for stacking startrails. Nice one for setting this up and keeping updated. The cumulative feature you've just added is great for people doing timelapses. Have you looked at running non-startrails through it? I sometimes stack traffic trails for instance.

I haven't but there's no reason it shouldn't work for light painting/trails as it's the same principle.

AndWhyNot said:
Not sure if you're aware but since you started the thread a small freeware package has become available that runs multi-platform. It's called StarStaX.

Came out about a week after my first release :lol: