16 replies to this topic

[chvvkumar]

Just got my 1.25" L-Ultimate and thought I would post some comparision images. It was cloudy last night but I was able to get two images.

 

I had trouble finding direct comparisions and hopefully it is helpful to someone looking for similar datasets.

 

 

ZWO DualBand: HA 15nm, OIII 35nm

L-Ultimate: Ha 3nm, OIII 3nm

 

Subs for your reference if you want to take a look. Included are 120s and 300s subs. The files are only debayered:

 

https://drive.google...PKy?usp=sharing

 

 

Edited by chvvkumar, 26 September 2023 - 11:13 AM.

[danny1976]

Thanks for the comparison. I also have the L-Ultimate and it cuts out light pollution and the moon very well.

[chvvkumar]

Thanks for the comparison. I also have the L-Ultimate and it cuts out light pollution and the moon very well.

I am looking forward to do more comparisions but it's been cloudy and rainy for a week here. I am most interested in halos. My ZWO filter looks ok in that sample picture but I have donut halos on some of the stars using my refractor.

[Zambiadarkskies]

I have a very similar scope (AT80ED doublet and reducer) and use the Ultimate.  I also have an L-Enhance.  With both filters I do at times see halos. The Ultimate seems to through up halos on certain star colours (red).  I have seen this on Youtube reviews as well and heard others with the same.  I did find (by sheer accident) that the halos were completely eliminated when I use an Astronomik L3 ir/uv cut filter in conjunction with the ultimate.  So now my standard use is with the L3 on the front of my reducer and then the Ultimate in my filter drawer.  If I use that then I do not see a single halo.  Obviously YMMV, but I have done 000s of hours with this combination and been very happy with the results.   

[mjanzou]

I have a very similar scope (AT80ED doublet and reducer) and use the Ultimate.  I also have an L-Enhance.  With both filters I do at times see halos. The Ultimate seems to through up halos on certain star colours (red).  I have seen this on Youtube reviews as well and heard others with the same.  I did find (by sheer accident) that the halos were completely eliminated when I use an Astronomik L3 ir/uv cut filter in conjunction with the ultimate.  So now my standard use is with the L3 on the front of my reducer and then the Ultimate in my filter drawer.  If I use that then I do not see a single halo.  Obviously YMMV, but I have done 000s of hours with this combination and been very happy with the results.   

Your filter combo sounds interesting especially since the 533 does not have a uv/ir window like the 2600.

I might give it a try some day but I have not had any star halo issues with my 2" DUO filter.

Here is my processed crescent with 4.5 hrs. of 2 minute-g100 subs using just the DUO.

 

Edited by mjanzou, 27 September 2023 - 09:53 AM.

[chvvkumar]

I have a very similar scope (AT80ED doublet and reducer) and use the Ultimate.  I also have an L-Enhance.  With both filters I do at times see halos. The Ultimate seems to through up halos on certain star colours (red).  I have seen this on Youtube reviews as well and heard others with the same.  I did find (by sheer accident) that the halos were completely eliminated when I use an Astronomik L3 ir/uv cut filter in conjunction with the ultimate.  So now my standard use is with the L3 on the front of my reducer and then the Ultimate in my filter drawer.  If I use that then I do not see a single halo.  Obviously YMMV, but I have done 000s of hours with this combination and been very happy with the results.   

I've resorted to taking RGB stars with the IR filter and adding them in in post processing. Once I figured the right duration and sequence in NINA advanced sequencer, it works ok. Although the donut stars are stll not completely eliminated by either starnet or StarXterminator. I will try your method but I have a filterwheel and the stacked filters will be too thick for it. So not sure how I would do that.

[chvvkumar]

Your filter combo sounds interesting especially since the 533 does not have a built-in uv/ir filter like the 2600.

I might give it a try some day but I have not had any star halo issues with my 2" DUO filter.

Here is my processed crescent with 4.5 hrs. of 2 minute-g100 subs using just the DUO.

 

NGC6888-HOO-final-AP2-small.jpg

Interesting. I am also using the 533 and you can clearly see the halos in my picture of the Crescen using the DuoBand. About 12 hours of integration with 300s subs.

 

[mjanzou]

Interesting. I am also using the 533 and you can clearly see the halos in my picture of the Crescen using the DuoBand. About 12 hours of integration with 300s subs.

 

Are you using the 2" filter?

Look forward to your processed version using the Ultimate...

[Zambiadarkskies]

I've resorted to taking RGB stars with the IR filter and adding them in in post processing. Once I figured the right duration and sequence in NINA advanced sequencer, it works ok. Although the donut stars are stll not completely eliminated by either starnet or StarXterminator. I will try your method but I have a filterwheel and the stacked filters will be too thick for it. So not sure how I would do that.

Does the SVbony reducer not have the facility to accept a 48mm filter?  

[chvvkumar]

Are you using the 2" filter?

Look forward to your processed version using the Ultimate...

I will post my results once I get clear skies. I have the 1.25: filter.

 

Does the SVbony reducer not have the facility to accept a 48mm filter?  

Good point, I will have to check but I think I had to remove the nose piece to get my back focus correct for my OAG. The reducer itself has an M48 thread on the camera side.

[rj144]

Cool.

 

What's your Bortle zone?

[chvvkumar]

Cool.

 

What's your Bortle zone?

Bortle 6, ~19 mag./arc sec2 SQM

[chvvkumar]

Elephant's Trunk tonight with a good amount of moon light. I've uploaded individual sub FITS files to the google drive link in the first post:

 

Moon:

Waxing Gibbous
Illumination: 95%

 

[hoppes no9]

Interesting. I am also using the 533 and you can clearly see the halos in my picture of the Crescen using the DuoBand. About 12 hours of integration with 300s subs.

The data on Astrobin says two hours of integration, might want to fix that

[chvvkumar]

The data on Astrobin says two hours of integration, might want to fix that

Good call, forgot to add the extra night's session details there.

[chvvkumar]

I am impressed by this filter. This is only 1 hr and 40 minutes of integration time from a bortle 6 location.

 

https://i.imgur.com/kw7Rbfd.jpg

[Drothgeb]

I have a very similar scope (AT80ED doublet and reducer) and use the Ultimate.  I also have an L-Enhance.  With both filters I do at times see halos. The Ultimate seems to through up halos on certain star colours (red).  I have seen this on Youtube reviews as well and heard others with the same.  I did find (by sheer accident) that the halos were completely eliminated when I use an Astronomik L3 ir/uv cut filter in conjunction with the ultimate.  So now my standard use is with the L3 on the front of my reducer and then the Ultimate in my filter drawer.  If I use that then I do not see a single halo.  Obviously YMMV, but I have done 000s of hours with this combination and been very happy with the results.   

Very interesting. Do you see any differences in the image other than eliminating halos?