I picked M31 as the subject for another test of Optolong's L-Quad Enhance Filter.I picked M31 as the subject for another test of Optolong's L-Quad Enhance Filter. I've tested it now on star clusters, a large nebula and this galaxy. The filter did a nice job suppressing light pollution without introducing any difficult-to-process colour cast. In fact, the star colours also look very good. Based on these results, I'll be leaving this filter in my imaging train for the winter, wh...
Test of Optolong L-Quad Enhance Filter on IC 1396 This is the first extended object that I have imaged using the Optolong L-Quad Enhance Filter (LQEF). It allowed the red to come through nicely while blocking the “orange-red” wavelengths associated with light pollution. This provided an apparent red boost, but it is actually just a boost in contrast. I think imagers in light polluted skies will find this filter useful....
Double Cluster, L-QEF was tested by Astrophotographer Dr. Ron BrecerThis image is a test of the new Optolong L-Quad Enhance Filter (LQEF), a light pollution filter for broadband photography. This test was conducted under a full Moon and moderate transparency – a tough test for any filter. For my first target I chose the Double Cluster to evaluate star colours and shapes. This filter performed well on these targets. I will test on a galaxy when the Moon is out of t...
L-Ultimate halo test on bright starsIt is different from the series of dual-narrowband L-eNhance and L-eXtreme in that L-Ultimate is a dual-3nm bandwidth filter that only passes through Ha and OIII emission lines. You will get a darker sky background, more contrast of the image and the suppression on stars. L-Ultimate has also been optimized in terms of halo performance, so that there is no obvious halo when shooting on a bright sta...
Testing with the Optolong 3nm Ha, OIII and SII filters, TJ Connolly hereMeet The photographer TIM "TJ" Connolly
On March 17, 2013, I entered the realm of astrophotography. I heard about a comet setting in the western sky at sunset. I took my Canon 450D, a tripod, an intervalometer, and my wife to a vacant corn field with a clear view to the west with a scenic view of Lyon Mountain. I started capturing 30 second exposed random images of the western sky. ......
Astrophotographer Shawn Nielsen is testing SHO-3nmI've used Optolong filters for the past 5 years now. They have performed well and are reasonably priced for the majority of backyard astrophotographers. Optolong sent me a set (Ha, OIII, SII) of their new 3nm filters and wanted me to try them out.
The advantage of 3nm filters vs the more common 7nm (or 6.5nm), is the bandpass is much narrower. This is good, especially for those backyard astro i...
Optolong 3nm Narrowband Filters: Review by Molly Wakeling (AstronoMolly)I recently tested Optolong’s new 3nm hydrogen-alpha, oxygen-III, and sulfur-II filters and overall I am very satisfied, particularly for their price point ($439 each for 2”, $1239 for the kit). Until now, Optolong only offered 7nm-class filters (6.5nm for OIII and SII, 7nm for Ha), but for those who live under heavy light pollution and have well-guided mounts capable of 10-minute exposures, 3nm is...
The Impressive Optolong L-eNhance Filter by AstroBackyardIn this post, I’ll share my results using the Optolong L-eNhance filter for deep sky astrophotography in the city. The L-eNhance is a dual band pass filter that ignores artificial light, yet collects a strong signal emitted by certain nebulae....