223 replies to this topic

[mewmartigan]

Slowly raises his hand and asking sheepishly...


So what is the appeal of the L-extreme? Is this mostly for EAA?

I am strictly an OSC guy so the eXtreme works great for cutting out the moon and increasing contrast on certain targets. I don't want to use individual filters with my osc since not having a filter wheel and separate flats is a benefit to me.

[Huangdi]

Slowly raises his hand and asking sheepishly...

 

I've tried one of these for the last couple of nights through a ASI294MC, and though the results while good, they aren't better than I get with a monochrome ASI1600MM with even my cheap'o Ha and Oiii filters. And integrating monochrome images into color is many times simpler than extracting unwanted colors from a color image.

 

And the cost of a mini electronic filter wheel with the above-mentioned cheap'o Ha and Oiii filters are about the same price as an Optolong L-extreme filter.

 

So what is the appeal of the L-extreme? Is this mostly for EAA?

If they were better, monochrome cameras would be pointless.

 

The point for me is price. Used D3300 with L-Extreme = 500€

ASI1600=1500

FW=300

Filters=700
 

thats 5x the cost.

[bosh60]

Brent, nice image! Who did you order the L-xtreme from? I ordered from Agena Astro they are on backorder.

I am from Canada -  https://www.ontariotelescope.com

[elmiko]

Thanks Brent.

[17.5Dob]

Slowly raises his hand and asking sheepishly...

 

I've tried one of these for the last couple of nights through a ASI294MC, and though the results while good, they aren't better than I get with a monochrome ASI1600MM with even my cheap'o Ha and Oiii filters. And integrating monochrome images into color is many times simpler than extracting unwanted colors from a color image.

 

And the cost of a mini electronic filter wheel with the above-mentioned cheap'o Ha and Oiii filters are about the same price as an Optolong L-extreme filter.

 

So what is the appeal of the L-extreme? Is this mostly for EAA?

If your NB setup is so great, why do you have a 294.....

My modded dSLR and L-enhance is $250 less than a 294...not to mention  the cost of mono+ NB filters

[tjay]

I am from Canada -  https://www.ontariotelescope.com

Darn, they are going to sell out before I can get one now

 

I'm actually a long way away from buying one, but the images here are amazing!

[Lancelot365]

Comparing L-extreme to ZWO Duo-band (similar but supposedly a bit inferior to L-enhance based on the technical reports)

 

These two images are both 10x300' subs. They are calibrated with the same dark and bias frames,  but obviously different flat frames.

The processing is done by a fully automated Pixinsight script - Denoise, stretch and star reduction.

 

I used to think they are similar in quality based on my images for NGC7000, but now I think the L-extreme is clearly better.

 

Guess which is which

 

[TareqPhoto]

Comparing L-extreme to ZWO Duo-band (similar but supposedly a bit inferior to L-enhance based on the technical reports)

 

These two images are both 10x300' subs. They are calibrated with the same dark and bias frames,  but obviously different flat frames.

The processing is done by a fully automated Pixinsight script - Denoise, stretch and star reduction.

 

I used to think they are similar in quality based on my images for NGC7000, but now I think the L-extreme is clearly better.

 

Guess which is which

 

Left is L-Extreme and right is ZWO one.

[Huangdi]

Comparing L-extreme to ZWO Duo-band (similar but supposedly a bit inferior to L-enhance based on the technical reports)

 

These two images are both 10x300' subs. They are calibrated with the same dark and bias frames,  but obviously different flat frames.

The processing is done by a fully automated Pixinsight script - Denoise, stretch and star reduction.

 

I used to think they are similar in quality based on my images for NGC7000, but now I think the L-extreme is clearly better.

 

Guess which is which

Yes you can see the improved contrast and reduced star size in the L-Extreme image. However this particular nebula (or in general the entire veil complex) is strong in Oiii and that's why it isn't an ideal image in my opinion.

 

The ideal comparison would be targets especially like NGC7000, gamma cygni, elephants trunk, heart, etc nebulae. While all of those have strong Oiii signal, it's way weaker than  in the veil nebula. Comparing the extracted Oiii channel will really show why I dislike the L-Enhance and why it is no match for the L-Extreme or similar. I've to this date never seen a truly clean Oiii mono image from an L-Enhance filter image and if there is one, it was probably shot with very expensive/fast optics.

[Lancelot365]

Yes you can see the improved contrast and reduced star size in the L-Extreme image. However this particular nebula (or in general the entire veil complex) is strong in Oiii and that's why it isn't an ideal image in my opinion.

 

The ideal comparison would be targets especially like NGC7000, gamma cygni, elephants trunk, heart, etc nebulae. While all of those have strong Oiii signal, it's way weaker than  in the veil nebula. Comparing the extracted Oiii channel will really show why I dislike the L-Enhance and why it is no match for the L-Extreme or similar. I've to this date never seen a truly clean Oiii mono image from an L-Enhance filter image and if there is one, it was probably shot with very expensive/fast optics.

I have not seen clean OIII for NGC7000 or Butterfly nebula with L-extreme by myself...

Your photo inspired me to image on these area with my L-extreme. However I dont have much success with the OIII data right now.

Maybe I need to get more data and longer subs

[Stargazer3236]

I have some more post processing i need to figure out... some stars with a bit too much red are hard to dial with and others tend to blow out with a mask not quite big enough - learned binarize to help make that better so i'll release another update.

 

Anxious to try for more nebulas and see what O3 i can get elsewhere

What size telescope did you use to make your images?

[Stargazer3236]

This is my best attempt using an AT60ED APO using the L-eNhance filter and my ASI294MC uncooled camera. My subs were 10 min total, gain 450, 8 sec subs.

 

Attached Thumbnails

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Edited by Stargazer3236, 29 August 2020 - 10:48 PM.

[ImCat]

Hi,

 

can anybody confirm I got it right: imaging in the city, Bortle 5-6: I use L-extreme. Imaging in the countryside (Bortle 2-3): I use L-Pro. Is that correct? Camera is ASI 533MC.

[TareqPhoto]

Hi,

 

can anybody confirm I got it right: imaging in the city, Bortle 5-6: I use L-extreme. Imaging in the countryside (Bortle 2-3): I use L-Pro. Is that correct? Camera is ASI 533MC.

What do you image?

[ImCat]

What do you image?

Nebulae is what I was thinking about. Let me reframe the question: would using L-Pro instead of L-Extreme make more sense under dark skies?

My scopes are not really suited for the smaller galaxies, but I guess for broadband targets the way to go is always L-Pro, even in the city?

[Huangdi]

Nebulae is what I was thinking about. Let me reframe the question: would using L-Pro instead of L-Extreme make more sense under dark skies?
My scopes are not really suited for the smaller galaxies, but I guess for broadband targets the way to go is always L-Pro, even in the city?

It really depends on what targets you are shooting. For emission nebulae where narrowband is usually applied, the L-Extreme will obviously be of great help.

I would absolutely not use a light pollution filter such as the L-Pro at a dark site. In my eyes, it only makes things worse. When shooting from a red zone? Sure. Go for it. But not at a dark site.. It'll likely only mess up your color balance.

[TareqPhoto]

L-Pro = light pollution for broadband targets

L-eXtreme = Nebulae for SHO or HOO like targets

 

Dark site = no filters, if you must use a filter then better L-Extreme for emission nebulae only

[sn2006gy]

If you're at a dark site and want to shoot with moon up, then the l-pro is good for broadband there too.  The L-enhance/Extreme are viable no matter the skies if you're target is an emission nebula.  You can shoot some in broadband (such as pelican) however most people seem to enjoy the output from filters.

[ImCat]

Ok, color me impressed. Attached is my first image with Optolong L-Extreme, with 97.3% Moon and from Bortle 5/6 area. Keep in mind that I am extremely new to this, took my first DSO picture less than two weeks ago and this is my like third semi-proper image (semi-proper because I did not have any calibration frames for it). This one needs to be reprocessed but for me it is impressive enough.

Edited by ImCat, 05 September 2020 - 04:50 PM.

[Stargazer3236]

 

Ok, color me impressed. Attached is my first image with Optolong L-Extreme, with 97.3% Moon and from Bortle 5/6 area. Keep in mind that I am extremely new to this, took my first DSO picture less than two weeks ago and this is my like third semi-proper image (semi-proper because I did not have any calibration frames for it). This one needs to be reprocessed but for me it is impressive enough.

 

 

Exposure details and setting? Camera and Scope?

[17.5Dob]

L-Enhance, night of the full moon a couple of days ago..AT65EDQ, Nikon D5300a

 

 

 

.

Edited by 17.5Dob, 06 September 2020 - 01:20 AM.

[starbuckin]

This guy VisibleDark on YouTube did the same target with both. I have to say, I was impressed enough to order the Lextreme, though I already have and love the Lenhance.

 

https://www.youtube....YbGUzodg&t=317s

[astrodd]

Here's a 45*300s stack from Friday (Bortle 4) using a ASI533mc/L-eXtreme/RASA 8.

 

Edited by astrodd, 06 September 2020 - 08:47 AM.

[beeboman82]

This guy VisibleDark on YouTube did the same target with both. I have to say, I was impressed enough to order the Lextreme, though I already have and love the Lenhance.

 

https://www.youtube....YbGUzodg&t=317s

 

That is a very nice head-to-head comparison.  Thanks for sharing!

[ImCat]

Exposure details and setting? Camera and Scope?

Exposure: 37 x 180sec. No darks/bias/flats/whatever.

Telescope: Sky-Watcher 150/750mm Newtonian with Baader MPCC V-1 Mark III coma corrector.

Camera: ZWO ASI 533 MC Pro, gain 101, -10°C.

Filter: Optolong L-Extreme 2".

Mount: Sky-Watcher EQ6R-Pro

Guidescope: ZWO 30mm 120F4

Guide camera: ZWO 120MM Mini

Acquisition: ZWO ASIAIR Pro

Location: Vilnius, Lithuania, Bortle 5/6

Date: 2020-09-03/04

Moon: 97.3%