Post-Processing Workflows for Astrophotography with Nikon Z7II

DeepSkyStacker (DSS) is one of the most popular free stacking programs for astrophotography and works well with Nikon Z7II RAW files.

Key Features:

• Native support for Nikon Z7II NEF files
• Automatic star detection and alignment
• Support for calibration frames (darks, flats, bias)
• Ability to save in 32-bit format for maximum editing flexibility

Basic Workflow:

1. Load your light frames (your actual astrophotography images)
2. Add any calibration frames (dark frames, flat frames, bias frames)
3. Use the "Register checked pictures" option to align the images
4. Stack using the "Median" combining method for best noise reduction
5. Save the result as a 32-bit TIFF file for further processing

Tips for Z7II Users:

• DSS works best with uncompressed RAW files from the Z7II
• For best results, use at least 10-20 light frames
• When shooting with the Z7II at high ISO (3200+), dark frames become particularly important

Sequator is particularly good for wide-field astrophotography and nightscapes, which the Z7II excels at with wide-angle lenses.

Key Features:

• User-friendly interface
• Excellent for nightscapes with foreground elements
• Automatic sky region detection
• Star tracking with static foreground

Tips for Z7II Users:

• Excellent for processing Z7II files from landscape astrophotography
• Can handle the high-resolution files from the Z7II efficiently
• Use the "Freeze Ground" feature for nightscapes with foreground elements

Siril is a powerful open-source alternative that works well with Nikon RAW files.

Key Features:

• Comprehensive pre-processing capabilities
• Supports various stacking methods
• Powerful scripting for automation
• Cross-platform (Windows, Mac, Linux)

Tips for Z7II Users:

• Convert Z7II NEF files to FITS format first for best results
• Excellent for deep-sky astrophotography processing

PixInsight is a professional-grade astronomical image processing platform favored by serious astrophotographers.

Key Features:

• Comprehensive suite of advanced processing tools
• Excellent noise reduction algorithms
• Powerful color calibration tools
• Extensive masking capabilities

Tips for Z7II Users:

• Can handle the large 45.7MP files from the Z7II
• Excellent for bringing out the fine details captured by the Z7II's high-resolution sensor
• Steep learning curve but offers the most control

Lightroom is an excellent starting point for processing astrophotography images from your Nikon Z7II.

Basic Astrophotography Workflow in Lightroom:

1. Import and Basic Adjustments:

• Import your stacked TIFF file or individual RAW files
• Set Profile to "Adobe Standard" for a neutral starting point
• Adjust White Balance: typically between 3800-4200K for natural star colors
• Increase Exposure to make the image brighter while watching histogram
• Reduce Highlights to recover any blown-out stars
• Increase Shadows to reveal nebulosity and dark areas
• Set Blacks to maintain deep space darkness
• Add slight Clarity to enhance star definition

2. Noise Reduction:

• Luminance noise reduction: 20-30 (adjust based on ISO used)
• Color noise reduction: 25-50
• Detail: 50-70 to preserve star sharpness
• For Z7II files shot at ISO 1600-3200, a luminance setting of 20-25 often works well

3. Color Adjustments:

• Vibrance: +15 to +30 to enhance star colors
• HSL panel adjustments:
  • Increase blue/purple saturation for nebulae
  • Adjust orange/yellow hues for warmer star colors
  • Use targeted saturation to enhance specific features

4. Sharpening and Detail:

• Amount: 40-60 (lower than daytime photography)
• Radius: 0.7-1.0
• Detail: 30-50
• Masking: 50-70 (to avoid sharpening noise in dark areas)

5. Lens Corrections:

• Enable Profile Corrections to remove vignetting
• Enable Chromatic Aberration removal
• For Z-mount lenses, Lightroom has excellent built-in profiles

6. Local Adjustments:

• Use Radial Filters to enhance the Milky Way core
• Use Graduated Filters to balance sky brightness
• Use the Adjustment Brush to enhance nebulosity

Nikon's own software is optimized specifically for NEF files from the Z7II and can be an excellent starting point.

Key Features:

• Perfect compatibility with Z7II NEF files
• Accurate lens corrections for Z-mount lenses
• Color profiles that match Nikon's in-camera processing
• Basic adjustment tools suitable for initial processing

Workflow Tips:

1. Use NX Studio for initial RAW conversion and lens corrections
2. Export as 16-bit TIFF for further processing in other software
3. Particularly useful for maintaining accurate colors from the Z7II

For more advanced processing, Photoshop offers powerful tools beyond what's available in Lightroom.

Advanced Techniques in Photoshop:

1. Layer Masking:

• Create separate layers for stars and nebulosity
• Use luminosity masks to target specific brightness ranges
• Apply different adjustments to foreground and sky

2. Star Reduction:

• Use the Minimum filter to reduce star sizes
• Apply selectively with masks to maintain important stars

3. Noise Reduction:

• Use the "Apply Image" technique for advanced noise reduction
• Stack multiple exposures as layers with "Median" blending

4. Color Enhancement:

• Use Selective Color adjustments for nebula enhancement
• Apply the "Astronomy Tools" action set (available online)

5. Sharpening:

• Use High Pass filter for star sharpening
• Apply Smart Sharpen with a mask to target specific features

1. Capture Sequence:

• Use the Z7II's interval timer to capture a series of 30-second exposures
• Maintain consistent settings throughout the sequence

2. Processing Options:

• Use StarStaX (free) for dedicated star trail stacking
• Alternative: Stack in Photoshop using "Lighten" or "Screen" blend modes
• For Z7II files, convert to JPG before stacking to manage file size

1. Capture Approach:

• Bracket exposures: one for sky, one for foreground
• Use the Z7II's excellent dynamic range to capture details in both

2. Processing Workflow:

• Process RAW files separately in Lightroom
• Blend in Photoshop using luminosity masks
• Alternative: Use HDR software like Aurora HDR

1. Capture Requirements:

• Multiple long exposures (ideally with a star tracker)
• Dark frames at the same ISO and temperature
• Flat frames for vignette correction

2. Processing Workflow:

• Stack in DeepSkyStacker or PixInsight
• Process the stacked image to bring out faint details
• Use curves adjustments to enhance contrast in nebulosity
• Apply selective color adjustments to enhance emission nebulae

• Long Exposure NR: Generally best turned OFF for stacking workflows
• High ISO NR: Set to Low or Normal

• Stack multiple exposures to average out random noise
• For the Z7II, 10+ frames will show significant improvement
• 20+ frames approaches the optimal noise reduction

• Topaz DeNoise AI: Excellent for Z7II files with AI-based noise reduction
• Lightroom: Use 15-25 luminance NR and 25-40 color NR as starting points
• PixInsight: TGVDenoise and ACDNR tools work well for Z7II files

• Start with 3900-4200K as a baseline
• Adjust tint to balance magenta/green cast
• Use the "Daylight" white balance preset as a neutral starting point

• PixInsight's PhotometricColorCalibration for scientific accuracy
• Use known star colors as reference points
• For artistic interpretation, enhance blues in nebulae and warm tones in stars

1. Preparation:

• Import RAW files into Lightroom
• Apply lens corrections
• Set white balance to approximately 3900K

2. Basic Adjustments:

• Exposure: +1.0 to +2.0 (depending on original exposure)
• Contrast: +10 to +20
• Highlights: -50 to -80
• Shadows: +50 to +70
• Whites: +10 to +30
• Blacks: -10 to -30
• Clarity: +15 to +25
• Dehaze: +10 to +20
• Vibrance: +20 to +30
• Saturation: +10 to +15

3. Noise Reduction:

• Luminance: 20-30
• Detail: 50-60
• Contrast: 0-10
• Color: 25-35

4. Sharpening:

• Amount: 40-60
• Radius: 0.7-1.0
• Detail: 30-50
• Masking: 60-80

5. Local Adjustments:

• Radial filter over Milky Way core: Exposure +0.5, Clarity +15, Saturation +10
• Graduated filter for light pollution: Color Temperature adjustment, Dehaze

6. Final Touches:

• Slight S-curve in the Tone Curve panel
• Subtle vignette (Post-Crop Vignetting: -10 to -20)

1. Capture:

• 20+ light frames with the Z7II
• 10+ dark frames
• 10+ flat frames
• 20+ bias frames

2. Calibration and Stacking:

• Use DeepSkyStacker to calibrate and stack images
• Save as 32-bit TIFF

3. Initial Processing in PixInsight:

• DynamicBackgroundExtraction to remove gradients
• BackgroundNeutralization for color balance
• ColorCalibration for accurate star colors
• HistogramTransformation for initial stretch

4. Detail Enhancement:

• HDRMultiscaleTransform for dynamic range compression
• LocalHistogramEqualization for nebula detail
• TGVDenoise for noise reduction
• MorphologicalTransformation for star reduction

5. Color Enhancement:

• CurvesTransformation for saturation
• SCNR to reduce green cast
• ColorSaturation for targeted color enhancement

6. Final Processing in Photoshop:

• Further contrast adjustments with Curves
• Star enhancement with selective sharpening
• Final color balance adjustments

• DeepSkyStacker: Best free stacking software for deep sky
• Sequator: Best for nightscapes with foreground
• Siril: Powerful open-source alternative
• Nikon NX Studio: Best for initial RAW conversion
• GIMP: Free alternative to Photoshop
• StarStaX: Specialized for star trails

• Adobe Photography Plan (Lightroom + Photoshop): Most versatile solution
• PixInsight: Best for serious deep sky processing
• Topaz DeNoise AI: Best for noise reduction
• Starry Landscape Stacker (Mac only): Excellent for nightscapes
• Affinity Photo: One-time purchase alternative to Photoshop