Light Pollution Filters for Imaging: YOUR opinion appreciated!!!

[Trevor Woodrow]

Hi All,

I was considering picking up a light pollution filter for my imaging set up and started reading the reviews online...then I realized, I have like the best source of information on the topic right here...soooooo, here is my question:

I live in suburban Honolulu. Street lights and neighbors' flood lights are an issue. I image with a one shot color imager through apo and semi apo refractors...my question...what is the best imaging light pollution filter for the money? There are no wrong answers here, just like your opinions.

Thanks in advance for your input!

t

[Gregg Winter]

Hi Trevor,

I use an IDAS LP filter for imaging and I think it works great.All the narrow field images on my photo page were taken using the IDAS LP filter. I live about 18 miles from downtown Vancouver and live in a small city with a population of 200,000 people.I use a mono camera so for a OSC camera I don't really know if there are any strong color casts or not and how difficult they would be to remove.

Gregg

[Trevor Woodrow]

Thanks Gregg, had never even looked at the Hutech filters. Just Googled it, reading some nice stuff about it. Color loks nice through them as well. Thanks for the heads up.
t

[Trevor Woodrow]

Thanks again Gregg, I called OPT and they recommended the Astronomik CLS LIght Pollution CCD filter. The difference between the CCD version and the regular is that the CCD version DOES NOT have the IR properties b/c my single shot color ccd should already have. I am a bit skeptical of the advice because a) the Astronomik is the most expensive they carry...so they have an interest in recommending it...and b) my CCD came with an IR cut filter so the IR properties are not inherent in the CCD. Now I am even more confused...but between Gregg's recommendation and this http://www.sciencecenter.net/hutech/idas/lps.htm I am leaning towards the Hutech....

anyone else use a Light Pollution Filter for imaging?

t

[Marc Basti]

I use the Orion skyglow imaging filter. It seemed to work fine w/my dslr. I have a shopping mecca about 10-15mi away and w/my yard/tree arrangement I have to shoot somewhat in that direction. I usually go 4-7mns exps. depending on the objects height in the sky. One thing to keep in mind is that it's not going to help w/stray low light like spot lights. I have an occasional problem (depending on scope orientation) w/car headlights, not a lot, but they will show up on the pics. I can't give a good opinion on how it works w/the ccd cam as I just started using it, but so far so good. Marc

[Trevor Woodrow]

Thanks Marc...I was hoping you would not say that. I have a beef with Orion and was trying to avoid going that route as much as possible. Unfortunately for me, I have read a lot of good things about their filter and one of my favorite amateurs use it (the helix gate guy). Thanks for your input!

[John O'Neal]

Hi, Trevor, in spite of our beecs with Orion I have been very happy with their skyglow filter. It works very well ob the merc vapor lights up and down my street.

[Trevor Woodrow]

Thanks for your input John. I am finding that a lot of people use the Orion Sky Glow and are very happy with it. I have never had the oppurtunity to give it a try, but I can tell you that as approach the one year mark with my Astronomick filter, I am still very pleased with the results I get with it.

t

[Marc Basti]

I'm w/John on the actual filtering of the Skyglow imaging filter, but the one drawback is the threads (2"). Some things it threads on like butter other things it threads on 2-3 threads and stops. It's not just mine it's been written about in many astro threads. Popular consensus is the thread pitch is a bit different (??). Plus,mine is 2+ yrs. old maybe that's been resolved. But, I just live w/it and it's never fallen off or even come loose. Marc

[John O'Neal]

Marc, I do have the same problem with mine. fortunately it screws all the way into my T-mount barrel, so I always put it there, than add other filter afterward.

[Trevor Woodrow]

Hi all,

Follow up.

So I went with the Astronomik 2" CCD LPR. Why? To begin, I was wrong about the IR. This filter, in addition to being an LPR, actually claims to do the job of an IR cut filter too. So no seperate filter is needed. Second, the articles that I read spoke very highly of the filter with a couple of the reviews claiming it was one of the best you can buy and that it would produce dramatically better images. Third, my wife said I could get it.

Anyway, I finally got a chance to use it last night. I used it on a f4 reflector that I am in the process of refurbishing. More on that later. Anyway, I shot the attached frame (single 300 sec frame). Obviously, I am not done refurbishing the reflector, need a coma corrector, but the color is unreal! Very little work done on this frame. Just darks, no flats, and some stretching and that is it. And the darks were not even the correct amount of time...it is also important to note that Orion was towards the front of my house so I was shooting towards the streetlights out front and my neighbor's flod lights. I shoot outside my kitchen window and my wife kept going in a turning the light on....all of this would normally show up in my image, but not this time. Very excited to get out and use this with my refractors!

t

[Marc Basti]

Looks like it's working dude! Sweet, Marc PS The 3rd point-most important haha.

[Trevor Woodrow]

Thanks man...pretty happy with the filter. Now looking at maybe picking up the Baader Coma Corrector. Not confident that it can fix those stars though...some look like arrowheads. If I was sure it would work well, I'd pick it up right now. The thought of having a sweet 8" f4 that can give good pics is pretty exciting!

t