StarTools

Hi all,

Sorry if this forum is not the most appropriate to ask this.
I'm (still...) planning to buy a mono cam (a QHY294m pro, in particular) and the corresponding filter wheel (QHYCFW3-M US, 36mm, unmounted) and filters. I have many doubts about these ones.
I wish to still use Startools for my processing. That's why I'm posting here. I don't know if a particular LRGB filter set works better with Startools; for example, for white balancing colors.
Do you happen to have a mono cam and could recommend a particular (L?)RGB filter set to work flawlessly with ST? I'm looking for some, let's say, intermediate filters. I cannot afford astrodon nor chroma. I've read quite well about Baader, astronomik (don't know still if type 2c or deep sky are better for ST), antlia (the new pro series seem to be much better than the previous one), and zwo or optolong.
Any feedback and experiences (about filters and mono imaging with ST, in general) are really appreciated.

Regards

EDIT: forgot to mention my scope is a refractor (TS) 102ED f7

Hi,

Just replying to give you at least some guidance...

I think any filter set will be fine, though try to pay some attention to the L filter in particular.
See what the spectrum response is of the filters and how it cuts off the spectrum (UV/IR) of the camera you are thinking of purchasing.

Definitely try to purchase a set that that has the L-filter spectral response cut-off match the red (IR) and blue (UV) filters cut-off.

Some filters are more aggressive with the cut-off than others. Depending on your optics (chromatic aberration) it may help a little being more aggressive with the cut-off.

To make synthetic luminance generation more accurate, it helps having filters for R, G and B. that govern precisely 1/3rd of the spectrum (the spectrum response would ideally look like squares that overlap as little as possible, rather than "humps").

Hope any of this helps!

Hi Ivo,

Sorry for the late reply. I don't know why but I stopped to receive notifications on updates. I've just reviewed my profile config and hope to get the notifs again.
One of the best option I think can fit my setup are the astronomik deep sky RGB filter set, with the L3 luminance filter:
I also have been offered an astodon LRGB kit (E series, gen-2). I know astrodon/chroma are the very best brand, but maybe the curve does not fit as well as astronomik's; not sure:
In the (near? far?) future I guess I would change my ota (not sure if a triplet or an RC), and I would like to buy something that fits my actual setup and the future. I guess I'm asking for an impossible
any advice?

Miguel

The Generation-E series seems to have a good overlap. I'm curious as to why there is a notable "gap" between the green and red channel response (e.g. one would miss some part of the spectrum)...

It seems to coincide somewhat with sodium lines (I guess it's to avoid light pollution?). This would definitely have some impact on coloring...

admin wrote: ↑Thu Sep 16, 2021 2:55 am The Generation-E series seems to have a good overlap. I'm curious as to why there is a notable "gap" between the green and red channel response (e.g. one would miss some part of the spectrum)...

It seems to coincide somewhat with sodium lines (I guess it's to avoid Na/Hg light pollution?). This would definitely have some impact on coloring...

Also definitely have a look at ZWO filter sets, which (if I remember correctly) have L filters that very closely follow the response cut-off of the R and B filters.

Hi Ivo,

Thanks for the reply.
Yes, I think the gap you mean is to exclude partially light pollution. Some LRGB filters have this gap, including the Astronomik LRGB deep sky. However, I did never hear about any problem regarding this.
ZWO filters have a lower blue cutoff, and I think that may impact on the aberration that my doublet introduces. That was one of the reasons I think astronomik would be a bit better.

regards

Hi all again! If anybody else has some recommendation, I'm all ears

I've just purchased the mono camera, and now I'm trying to decide which filters to buy. My f7 refractor shows a noticeable color aberration. I wonder if astronomik deep sky filters + L3 will improve it. Or maybe a could live with a quite cheaper baader lrgb set.

cheers

admin wrote: ↑Thu Sep 16, 2021 2:55 am It seems to coincide somewhat with sodium lines (I guess it's to avoid light pollution?). This would definitely have some impact on coloring...

hi Ivo. What kind of impact do you think I would experience? Would color balancing be more difficult? Or maybe color would not look natural?

mgutierrez wrote: ↑Wed Oct 27, 2021 10:10 pm

admin wrote: ↑Thu Sep 16, 2021 2:55 am It seems to coincide somewhat with sodium lines (I guess it's to avoid light pollution?). This would definitely have some impact on coloring...

hi Ivo. What kind of impact do you think I would experience? Would color balancing be more difficult? Or maybe color would not look natural?

You would miss out a tiny bit on registering the colors of some things that are yellow/orange (probably mostly impacting stars).

mgutierrez wrote: ↑Tue Oct 19, 2021 8:55 am I've just purchased the mono camera, and now I'm trying to decide which filters to buy. My f7 refractor shows a noticeable color aberration. I wonder if astronomik deep sky filters + L3 will improve it. Or maybe a could live with a quite cheaper baader lrgb set.

If your scope has a noticeable color aberration, get filters that cover narrower parts of the spectrum. The wider the spectrum, the more the aberrations will show. E.g. you can't fail to focus wavelengths if those wavlengths aren't even coming through.

So the Astronomik L3 would be better in that case than L1.

Thanks Ivo, I think I will give them a try. I've been searching around astrobin and found really impressive images. Makes sense what you say. I don't notice that effect in the sample images I've found, but of course could be a result of a good processing. So I think I will try.

Thanks for your help.