Anonymous
Unregistered
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Hello Hello:
Well, Christmas is coming up, and I've been making my list and checking it twice. I've heard different things, about both filters. I'm looking for the filter that will preform best for the Messier objects. Which one helps on other nebula's, remnants, and plantaries the most?
Personal testamonies welcome...
Thanks for your help. 
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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Hi Adam,
I have both filters made by Lumicon. If you have the aperture to use it I would go for the OIII. It's amazing the difference it makes with emission nebulae...especially in light polluted areas. If I had to have two I think I would rather have a H-beta filter. Although my 8-inch is probably at the low limit for its use, I think I would use it more than my UHC- well as much as an H-beta filter could be used.
Sam
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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Not on your list, but the Orion Ultrablock is not bad too.
My personnal favorit is OIII, a must.
Good on so many intresting objects !
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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Thanks Sam and Frédéric!
I was already leaning towards OIII, and you guys proved why. I was just wondering about the UHC, because most people who use them, swear by them. I was also looking at an article here at cloudy nights comparing UHC, OIII, H-beta, and Deepsky filter. UHC was actually the top ranked.
Sam: What objects have you found to be better in the UHC than the OIII?
Frédéric: Doe's the Orion Ultrablock help less, as much, or more than the OIII?
Thanks!
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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Adam,
Like Sam said, use the OIII if you have the aperture. I have a UHC and a friend has an OIII. In my smaller scopes I like the UHC better. It passes a Hydrogen line and the OIII line, important to me since Hydrogen is a major component of emission nebulae (if not the major emitter of light...OIII is), and with small scopes, every photon helps. Stars are also brighter, due to the wider bandpass. As many emission nebula have embedded clusters, I find the view with the UHC more pleasing. It is also easier to focus with the UHC with a small aperture as the stars are brighter than in the OIII. I'd go to a star party and try them both before you buy if you can.
Warpd
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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I have a 10" dob. What do you guys consider 'enough aperture'?
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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That's probably enough!
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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A 10" is fine. I'm talking about my small 70mm and 127mm scopes. I think Lumicon has some recommendations on aperture and f-ratio on their page for their various filters. I'm not sure I understand the rationale behind a recommended f-ratio, except that the filters, since they are interference filters, may work differently if the light-cone passes through the filter at an angle.
Warpd
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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Where are the recommendations for the f/ratios at Lumicon? Just looked under the FAQ and the OIII description page, but couldn't find them. I think it'd be a great help. My scope is a f/4.5.
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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Adam,
I found them in an ad...not on the web site. Sorry for the confusion. Okay, now I'm confused. An old ad, Sky and Telescope, Dec 2001, page 110, says about the UHC, "It is best used visually with any telescope of f/6 or longer focal ratio." This is what I use. About the OIII filter it says it "is best suited for 6" and larger aperture telescopes with focal [ratios] of f/10 or faster." The new ads say nothing about all this, just parroting the web site.
Anyway, Lumicon used to have f-ratio recommendations for their filters. Apparently they no longer do, or they've omitted them.
Warpd
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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Thanks for all of your replies!
It looks like the OIII is the way to go for my scope. Sometimes I wish this thing wasn't so fast. I think this subect is kind of like the Telrad vs. Quikfinder debate. It all comes down to your favorite objects and personal preference. I'll probably end up buying an OIII used, see how I like it, and sell it. Then I'll buy a UHC, try it, and decide which works better. Or, if I somehow become rich, I can buy a 25" Obsession, and both 2" filters to attach to my newly aquired set of naglers. 
Thanks again for everyone's help.
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Echo
Post Laureate
Reged: 09/29/03
Posts: 3320
Loc: So Cal
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Adam,
I have a 10" SCT and prefer the OIII. WarpD and I usually go scoping together and the UHC is definitely better on his scopes. You have enough aperture for either so I think it depends on how much starlight you want to let through. If you are going to look at the Orion nebula you might like the Trapezium to show a bit better and would use the UHC. If you are going for a 14th mag planetary nebula you'll want the OIII to blank the stars and make the nebula pop out. I would give up my good eyepieces before I'd give up my OIII filter. As for your dream setup, it sounds right up my alley. When you get rich how about moving into my neighborhood.
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Queen of GOTO
Life is short.... get a massage!
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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Adam,
The ultrablock is close to the UHC, not to the OIII. On small scopes, the view is more beautifull with UHC or ultrablock because they block less light and let see more stars. Details on the nebula are most of the time better with the OIII. The difference is, do you want to see more details of the nebula (OIII), or more stars in the field of view. I have used an OIII with an 8" years ago and as I prefer details on the nebula, I used the OIII. It's really a great filter.
So, but that's just my point of view :
Maximum details : OIII
Beauty of the field of view : Ultrablock first, and UHC second.
OIII, in a good observing site give great images of thor's Helmet, Rosette nebula, M17, the veil (amazing with an OIII and some aperture), M27, NGC246, NGC281, M76, Jones 1, Cresent nebula and many others.
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Jarad
Post Laureate
Reged: 04/28/03
Posts: 3858
Loc: Atlanta, GA
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The OIII is the best for objects that only have the OII line (like the Veil). The UHC is best for objects that have both OIII and Hydrogen emission (like Orion), but it is still good for OIII objects and H-beta objects. The H-beta filter is best for the few H-beta nebulas (the Horsehead, and California nebula's), but useless on the rest.
If you can get 2, get the OIII and the H-beta. If you can only get 1, the UHC is the best all-around since it is useful on all emission nebulas, and best on some.
Jarad
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Mike28
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 06/21/03
Posts: 2889
Loc: Morris County,NJ
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Hi Echo: I was delaying purchasing the OIII (2") until I purchased my final EP for the year (31mm Nagler) and now that I have taken care of my 2" EP set I am ready. How good is the filter combined with UHTC on the LX200? Light polution is terrible where I live so I need to aquire one.
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Mike
'The only reason for time is so that everything doesn't happen at once.” Albert Einstein
NS11GPS/Sky align
TAKAHASHI TOA150F
Celestron 80ED
TV Pronto
Burgess Bino
Coronado Ha PST
CGE mount
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Echo
Post Laureate
Reged: 09/29/03
Posts: 3320
Loc: So Cal
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Mike,
I don't have those coatings. My scope is the last of the classic editions. I do love my OIII though. I used it with Warpd's Vixen FL102 recently and it really made the Orion nebula stand out. I actually bought the 1.25" OIII so I could use it on my high power eyepieces when I search for planetary nebulae. What I'd really like to have is one for the visual back. Believe it or not I sometimes use the filter all night long. Let me know what you think of the 31mm Nagler.
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Queen of GOTO
Life is short.... get a massage!
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Mike28
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 06/21/03
Posts: 2889
Loc: Morris County,NJ
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Will do-as soon as this weather co-operates. I purchased the 31 for clusters,galaxies,etc. My old Meade 56mm is too weak for details. Right now I am looking out office window and its raining and foggy. I spent all this $$ on 82' FOV's and mother nature decides to tease me. Oh well as the saying goes 'patience is a virtue' and I am being as patient as a school kid watching the clock at 14:55 hrs
just waiting for that bell to ring!
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Mike
'The only reason for time is so that everything doesn't happen at once.” Albert Einstein
NS11GPS/Sky align
TAKAHASHI TOA150F
Celestron 80ED
TV Pronto
Burgess Bino
Coronado Ha PST
CGE mount
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Echo
Post Laureate
Reged: 09/29/03
Posts: 3320
Loc: So Cal
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Mike,
I hope it clears off there soon. I'm so tired of these persistent clouds. It's funny, I normally have to watch the weather channel to see anything but day after day of sunshine. This has been a very strange month for us out here in the desert.
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Queen of GOTO
Life is short.... get a massage!
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John_Gillies
Vendor - Earthwin Optical
Reged: 04/23/03
Posts: 1385
Loc: Ontario, Canada
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Hi Adam,
Before you buy either, check out this link: http://pages.sbcglobal.net/raycash/filters.htm This is a great filter comparison identifying which filter works best for which target. I printed it off and keep in my observatory for quick reference. You will find that a greater number of targets will be enhanced with the UHC than the O111, but I think you should make it a special Christmas and get both anyway. Saves on shipping too. Either way you go, they are both great filters.
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John Gillies
12” LX200 GPS / Double Stacked PST
EarthWin Optical PFS-D Binoviewer System(s)
Skywatcher ST 80, 102 & 120
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LivingNDixie
Lord of Ferrets
Reged: 04/23/03
Posts: 15790
Loc: Hoover, AL
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Are you guys using the new Lumicons (Parks variety) or the old Lumicons??? I am just curious if theres a difference
LivingNDixie
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Preston
Celestron 11" Nexstar GPS XLT
Lunt LS60T/Ha 60mm f/8.33 (on order)
It’s not finishing something when your tank is empty that makes you a stronger person. It’s brushing yourself off and refacing the foe that defeated you with the same determination and willingness to fight that you had when you began your journey.
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