I have decided to add a personal thank you in every video I watch because 1) he is likeable and makes me feel like with the necessary effort I too can capture great images 2) he responds to most post, unlike that canadian astrobackyard guy, 3) he saves me money, I was considering buying a filter but I will be in South America for a year and all my travel plans involve isolated places with negligible light pollution. Thank you very much, I am anxiously waiting for your review of the spacecat 51 william optics.
Thank you for making such videos. Your videos are not just very informative but are also very explanatory (easy to understand). I have watched numerous videos by a few well known astro TH-camrs but, you are by far the easiest to understand. You explain things in a way in which even an absolute newbie like me can make sense. Your comparisons and intricacies and details are worth watching 20+ mins videos. You are an excellent teacher. Thank you for doing this.
If you'd like to purchase either of these filters, you can save 5% off your order by using the code: "WorkshopStudent" at the links below. You can enter the coupon code by click "More Payment Options" Be sure to visit my website for more information about camera compatibility though! Some Canon / Nikon models are not properly supported with clip-in filters: www.peterzelinka.com/blog/2019/8/light-pollution-filters-for-astrophotography L-Pro: startrackerphoto.com/products/l-pro-clip-in-color-balance-light-pollution-reduction-filter UHC: startrackerphoto.com/collections/frontpage/products/uhc-clip-in-ultra-high-contrast-filter Also, if you'd like to join my upcoming Deep Space Workshop you can learn more and register here: www.marisamarulli.com/zelinka
I have the svbony UHC 1.25" filter, and I mounted it to a t-ring adapter on my Nikon D7100. I set a custom white balance, and now the whites look white with very little color cast. I haven't got to test it out in a scope yet, but I'm sure it would work be a lot easier adjusting the color balance in post with this custom white balance.
They have 2 different filters for telephoto and wide angle camera lenses. The normal filter causes the wavelengths to focus differently at wide angles. So if shooting in wide angle make sure to get the appropriate filter. Makes a huge difference.
I have an Astronomik CLS screw in filter for my telescope which I intend to use only for red emission nebulae. I used it for the North American Nebula and got pretty good results.
Hey Peter, this is great info, especially the recap on your site. For newbies it’s all a bit of a struggle understand, but your comparisons are great. Thanks!!
the colour cast will be a piece of cake to deal with if you set a custom white balance under daylight with the filter in using a grey card, and then use that white balance in camera while you’re photographing.
HI Peter! I have modded sensors (D70, NX300) removed IR cut filter etc. I mostly used Baade UV/IR cut now ordered an Optolong UHC, I hoipe it would help me in city sky for Orion Nebua. I could only targat that from here during winter time. I also hav unmodded D700 and D750 but they cut off most of stuff and I don't plan to mod them yet so don't use them for astro. I made 52mm screw on external filters from the 2" ones so I have to kepp using smaller lens, maxmimum 50-135mm which allows that filter size on the front lens.
Excellent tutorial Peter. I have an Astronomik UHC clip-in and have had great luck with it with my Canon T3i/600D. Interestingly, I don't have to worry about flipping the mirror down in in live view, I just install it. I also have the Astronomik Ha clip-in which I highly recommend, however, live view is just about useless for frame and focusing it. Additionally, since my camera is modified, I have the OWB filter which makes it 'normal' again. Laslty, my camera has the cropsennsor so EF-C lenses won't work with the clip-in filter as the lenses have a protrusion that hits the filter. For example, the 18-55mm EF-C standard lens dosn't work with clip-in filters. Fortunately, the nifty-fifty, Optec 6.5mm Fisheye, and the Canon EF 200mm f/2.8L II USM work fine.
Yeah, I've read that on Canon systems you need to watch for the lens hitting the filter. I know there are some problems using live view on the D850 as well, according to one of my viewers.
@@eduardomenezes4924 Depends on the filter, The UHC filter and other noise pollution filters let enough light through on live view. It is only the Ha-filter wide angle or not that live view focusing is difficult.
Hi Peter. Although you were saying that mounting the filter in front of sensor is not a big deal, I think it's all the issue we have here. This distortion problem has nothing to do with the filter itself, but it's due to the optical configuration you need to use it. When you use a 2mm thick filter, you change the optical path the photons fly to reach the sensor. Between the middle of the image and the corners. Stars are at infinity, when you put a filter in front of the lens, this 2mm is negligible with the distance of stars. But when you put it between the lens and the sensor, 2mm is quite comparable with 14mm of focal distance, where the image forms. This explains why it is better in case of the telephoto lens of 135mm, since 2mm is more negligible in this case. If you find a way to mount the same filter in front of the lens, you will not see the same distortion. It's a pity that a company like Optolong didn't think of this issue since I don't see any reason of mounting the filter between the sensor and the lens! It can make the photo terrible if you have some bigger objects, or some objects in the foreground, and completely useless for a fisheye lens! However, thanks for the review.
Thanks! That’s the first time I’ve seen someone point out how bad it is to place a filter near the sensor when using a wide lens. The steep angle of the light going through the filter off axis is going to spread out like a spectrum. Clip in filters are a bad idea for nightscape work. But when using them on a telephoto or telescope what about the vignetting at the corners and edges of the frame? It looked like there was more darkening at the edges in the filtered shots. As it is, the flipped up mirror in a DSLR causes darkening along the bottom of the image. Now you put a filter with a metal frame in the mirror box as well. I wonder about the vignetting these filters add in full frame cameras. Again, thanks for the test. Clear skies!
I didn't really notice any additional vignette at telephoto focal lenghts. However, there did tend to be an odd red glow in the upper corner. You can see it a bit when I'm working on the UHC shot of the North American Nebula. I couldn't rule out that it was caused by a stray light hitting the lens, but it could be from the filter. I'd recommend checking out the RAW files for a better look.
@@PeterZelinka Thanks! I downloaded the Raws and indeed the images through the telephoto lens seemed to be vignetted (from the lens) by about the same amount with or without the filter. So that's good. I opened them in ACR and measured the RGB levels at the centre, edges and corners with the Sampler tool. However, as you mention, it looks like the UHC shows a pink cast to the right edge of the frame -- it's colour balance is not uniform. It might be that it was tilted ever so slightly -- with such extreme dichroic filters their bandpasses change a lot as you tilt them or with the angle of incoming light, thus the poor results with wide angle lenses. But even with the telephoto the UHC was showing a big colour shift across the frame that would be a nuisance to even out in post. Such a deep filter is best for visual use not photo use I would think. Again, thanks for the test and images. Very informative.
Eduardo Menezes Yes, certainly. It’s what I use, though the problem with really wide lenses is that they have front elements too large to accept screw-on filters, and perhaps not even square slide-in filters in a holder, which would be very costly anyway. Thus the interest in clip-in filters. But as Peter shows, they don’t work.
Do you have a recommendation for someone with an unmodified DSLR (Canon 5D4), living in a city mainly lit at night by LED streetlights (Victoria, BC)? I go to the darker areas of the city, but the light pollution is still an issue. Also, I sometimes drive out to darker sky areas, and there the problem is the light from the 20 miles away in the US, which is more yellow. Sky is mainly dark, but the horizon is pretty yellow, at least until later in the season when the MW is more in the south. When in the east, the city lights from US are a major factor--bright yellow! Can you suggest a filter for this 2nd kind of use case? I have Kase filter holder, so can use 100mm filters, and my two astro lenses are 77mm. I'm happy to use clip in filters like you describe, of course. Thanks kindly!
Hey Peter, does the Optolong L-Pro fit your D780? I bought one and tried to install it, and it doesn't seem to sit far enough down and I can't get my lenses to seat. Seems like the top edge of the filter sticks up and blocks the area where the electrical contacts sit.
Thanks Peter. That was a great video. Exactly what I needed to know especially I am also using a D750. I am going to look into how I can order these filters and get them shipped to Tunisia.
I might consider getting one of these except for the fact that no where can I find a guide for specific camera model that it will fit. So they want you to send the $$ and hope that it fits your full frame canon or nikon. No thanks.
Yeah, I couldn't find a sheet anywhere with Optolong's camera compatibility. However, Astronomik does list their filter compatibility here. It should be the same for Optolong. (Click the Clip-In Filters tab on the left for other camera options) www.astronomik.com/en/clip-filter/clip-filter-canon-aps-c.html
Has anyone tried either filter with a mirrorless? It would seem to eliminate the mirror interference issue, or is the body too much smaller to even fit a sensor filter? Specifically I have an EOS R.
👍Thank! this is very interesting!🦉📷🔭🌟hoo! Questions.... Is the filter directly in front of the sensor or in front of the mirror? I did not see the mirror once you completed the filter install... can we still see through the viewfinder with the filter installed or is it only live view at that point? Could you recommend equivalent or better light pollution filter which are screw on type ? Is there any performance differences advantages between the screw on and clip in type? 🤔 Thanks 👨🚀
These clip in filters, at least on my Nikon D750, will keep the mirror locked up. Therefore, you can't look through the viewfinder. Even if you could, the filters would block a decent amount of light, making it hard to see anything at night. I don't have any experience yet with screw-on filters, so I can't say. The main downside would be having to purchase different filters for different lenses.
Thank you so much for the information. I was thinking about getting a LP filter for wide angle nightscapes but never seen anything about those focus issues in the corners. Guess I’ll avoid filters for wide angle shots.
Peter Zelinka I think the clip-in system may be the cause. It looks like it’s distorting the focal plane. It’d be great if you could test other brands of clip-in filters on upcoming videos. Thanks again.
I have a Sony A7 III and Sigma MC-11 adapter. Sigma 150-600mm lens, Canon mount. Anyone know if a clip filter for Canon will fit into the MC-11 adapter?
Great question. I have the same setup with an a6000 and it would be much easier to find a clip in filter for the MC-11 adapter. Have you found out if it works?
@@pavelvlcek4082 Awesome, can't wait to hear about it. Since then I've solved my problem. I 3d printed an adapter in the shape of the MC-11 and made it so I can fit 2in filers inside. It works great, I got an Optolong L-Enhance and a Baader Moon&Skyglow Neodymium Filter.
@@pavelvlcek4082 sure. I'm still testing and need to fix some reflections but I will upload it. Search for cucu on thingiverse. I don't have many designs there but if you find a sigma 100-400 lens collar, you're in the right place.
It's possible, I think the main reason there is distortion is because the filter is so close to the sensor. If it was at the end of the lens, it might not have the same distortion problems. I can't say for sure though
Hei man, nice video. Are you really using a non-modified camera here?! Maybe the additional plane plate (filter) is causing your decrease in performance close to the edges. I have modified my camera by taking away all the stock filters in front of the sensor. If I'm using no clip-in filter, I get really bad corners. But if I'm using a clip-in filter (with the modified version) everything turns out very nice. So maybe you should think about modifying your camera, too ;)
Thanks. Another great video . I have your fantastic Deep Space Course, and think all your "hands-on-instructions" there will hopefully make me able to make the necessary curve adjustments needed for the Optolong L-Pro. I need/want it for DSOs (Deep Sky Objects). I wonder how it will work for my astromodded EOS 5D Mk II...? For my Canon EF 11-24mm clip-on filters are the only options (huge front lens), but apparently I must expect a lot of distortion in edges/corners. That lens has only 3-4% distortion at 11 mm, and about zero % at 14 mm, but the filter will "ruin" the corners/edges anyway...? Well, I will find out :-)
Thanks Arnstein! Yes, regardless which wide angle lens you use, the clip-in filters will likely cause star distortion in the corners. I'm not sure how it would work with a modded camera, but it should be a good combo!
@@PeterZelinka Its true actually it doesn't work, I have order one from Astronomik (CLS) even its says in the website its work for the Nikon D850, it's not practical at all, as every-time you take a photo you have to remove the lens, remove the filter flip the mirror and do the installation again. not recommended at all.
Thanks for a great review :) Just to be on the safe side. Have you done any astro mods on your camera, or are you shooting stock? I've purchased both theese filters for my Canon 6D (so far stock), but living i Norway (perpetual twilight from start of April to start of September) I have barely had a chance to test them yet. Your review will save me tons of time testing on my own when my season finally starts again in a few weeks.
How are you locating the objects? With a basic tracker you don't have goto. I am assuming some of it is just your experience, but any tips would be helpful. I just got my Star Adventurer and have been chasing M31 lately, but would like to grab some wide shots that contain some of these objects, before zeroing in on them. Cheers
Yeah, I have to find everything manually. In my Deep Space Course I explain how to find 12 different objects pretty easily. Of course, even if you know where to look, it can be hard to find the object with the camera. It's especially difficult when looking for the more faint objects in a light polluted area. If you don't know what to look for, you might not even realize the nebula is in the frame.
@@PeterZelinka Half the fun is trying to find stuff on your own. It's soooo rewarding when you're able to find an object purely based on your own knowledge of the night sky :)
Keep a close Eye on our sky.... If you look up at a blue sky during the day, you can see the humidity increasing week by week..... It is this humidity, which is reducing the amount of Light reaching the Earth's surface at night, and the light from Cities is also illuminating this increasing humidity, more and more.
I noticed that all the wide angle shots were taken at f/2.8. I wonder if the distortions in the corners would have been significantly improved if you had stopped down a bit.
It's possible, but I doubt it. Remember, the filter is being placed behind the lens, right next to the sensor. Therefore, changing the aperture value would have no effect on that extreme star distortion in the corners. It would make the stars a bit sharper, but the main problem is the filter itself. See Alan Dyers comment for more info. Keep in mind, we don't see that star distortion at a telephoto focal length of f/2.8. The star distortion is only seen at wide angles, due to the way light is hitting the filter and then passing on to the sensor. I'll give it a try though, just to see. I am curious to see the difference between f/2.8 and f/5.6 with the 14mm and the filters.
@@PeterZelinka I ordered one so I'll give it a try too :) My thought was that a smaller aperture would reduce the angle of incidence of the light hitting the corners of the filter, possibly reducing the distortion. I think a telephoto lens has a straighter path for the light to reach the sensor without as much of an angle of incidence issue. Considering the number of elements and complexity of these lenses, I'm sure my understanding is grossly oversimplified if not completely wrong :)
Problems are typically with Canon EF-s lenses, which are designed with a longer bayonet connector to the camera body. The lens crushes itself into the filter.
You definitely underexposed the shots in the countryside , of course they look that bad. You should've compensate for the light loss with a longer exposure to see the real potential of the filters in dark areas. Great city comparison tho!
You don't change filters in the dark. Hardly ever change the lens in the dark, although that's a lit easier. The filter allows you to get amazing shots at night - even of city life. But if you are near a town and want to photograph stars, nebula, milky way, you need a filter.
Re. some Canon models: Eric at Astroshop.eu wrote to me: "Regarding the Clip filters one extra hint: They will not work in your 5DSR. The camera (as 5D Mk4 and 6Dmk2) have a mechanism that checks the swing of the mirror on each exposure. Since the filters block the mirror, you get an error message on these cameras. It works just fine with the other 5D variants." Other sites report: " The filter is not compatible with EOS 6D Mk II, EOS 5D Mk IV, EOS 5Ds, EOS 5Dsr and EOS 1Dx (all versions)."
L-PRO is really bad filtering the LED city lights, with time this problem will be even worse... Optolong UHC also is not the best option, but at least will avoid partially the problem... :(
@@PeterZelinka However some frequencies are specially bad when you let them pass... the region around 450nm for blue leds and the region between 525 and 575nm for all the leds physics.stackexchange.com/questions/351539/why-does-the-led-light-colour-spectrum-spike-in-the-blue-and-green-wavelengths-b
Does the camera have to be modified for astrophotorgraphy? Basically having the stock camera filter removed. I've heard conflicting comments on this subject. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I'm new at this hobby and am looking for help from anyone that is willing to help me along. Thank you. Gerry D.
Nope! I don't have my sensor modified. Frankly, I think the sensor modifications cause more problems than they solve. Especially if you are going to be doing wide angle nightscapes
@@PeterZelinka Thank you so very much for your quick reply. Finally someone that knows what they are talking about. I'm going to purchase a filter and give it a try, will let you know how it works out. 👍👍👍👌
why wouldnt you adjust the white balance of the no-filter images with the telephoto. the filters do apply a huge color cast, but you dont even try to adjust the white balance to a more blue so this comparison is kinda fail
![30 ชั่วโมงคนเดียว บนรถไฟชั้น 3 โซเวียต [Around The World Ep. 2]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/MlE9boAVqDA/mqdefault.jpg)
I have decided to add a personal thank you in every video I watch because 1) he is likeable and makes me feel like with the necessary effort I too can capture great images 2) he responds to most post, unlike that canadian astrobackyard guy, 3) he saves me money, I was considering buying a filter but I will be in South America for a year and all my travel plans involve isolated places with negligible light pollution. Thank you very much, I am anxiously waiting for your review of the spacecat 51 william optics.
Thank you for making such videos. Your videos are not just very informative but are also very explanatory (easy to understand). I have watched numerous videos by a few well known astro TH-camrs but, you are by far the easiest to understand. You explain things in a way in which even an absolute newbie like me can make sense. Your comparisons and intricacies and details are worth watching 20+ mins videos. You are an excellent teacher. Thank you for doing this.
If you'd like to purchase either of these filters, you can save 5% off your order by using the code: "WorkshopStudent" at the links below. You can enter the coupon code by click "More Payment Options" Be sure to visit my website for more information about camera compatibility though! Some Canon / Nikon models are not properly supported with clip-in filters: www.peterzelinka.com/blog/2019/8/light-pollution-filters-for-astrophotography
L-Pro:
startrackerphoto.com/products/l-pro-clip-in-color-balance-light-pollution-reduction-filter
UHC:
startrackerphoto.com/collections/frontpage/products/uhc-clip-in-ultra-high-contrast-filter
Also, if you'd like to join my upcoming Deep Space Workshop you can learn more and register here:
www.marisamarulli.com/zelinka
I have the svbony UHC 1.25" filter, and I mounted it to a t-ring adapter on my Nikon D7100. I set a custom white balance, and now the whites look white with very little color cast. I haven't got to test it out in a scope yet, but I'm sure it would work be a lot easier adjusting the color balance in post with this custom white balance.
They have 2 different filters for telephoto and wide angle camera lenses. The normal filter causes the wavelengths to focus differently at wide angles. So if shooting in wide angle make sure to get the appropriate filter. Makes a huge difference.
Could you give a link to the one for wide angle lenses? I couldn’t find it.
I have an Astronomik CLS screw in filter for my telescope which I intend to use only for red emission nebulae. I used it for the North American Nebula and got pretty good results.
cls is a lighter version of the uhc, its mainly for visual since uhc cut lots of light
Hey Peter, this is great info, especially the recap on your site. For newbies it’s all a bit of a struggle understand, but your comparisons are great. Thanks!!
the colour cast will be a piece of cake to deal with if you set a custom white balance under daylight with the filter in using a grey card, and then use that white balance in camera while you’re photographing.
thank you, that's the reassurance i needed for the L pro broad band : )
HI Peter! I have modded sensors (D70, NX300) removed IR cut filter etc. I mostly used Baade UV/IR cut now ordered an Optolong UHC, I hoipe it would help me in city sky for Orion Nebua. I could only targat that from here during winter time. I also hav unmodded D700 and D750 but they cut off most of stuff and I don't plan to mod them yet so don't use them for astro.
I made 52mm screw on external filters from the 2" ones so I have to kepp using smaller lens, maxmimum 50-135mm which allows that filter size on the front lens.
Excellent tutorial Peter. I have an Astronomik UHC clip-in and have had great luck with it with my Canon T3i/600D. Interestingly, I don't have to worry about flipping the mirror down in in live view, I just install it. I also have the Astronomik Ha clip-in which I highly recommend, however, live view is just about useless for frame and focusing it. Additionally, since my camera is modified, I have the OWB filter which makes it 'normal' again. Laslty, my camera has the cropsennsor so EF-C lenses won't work with the clip-in filter as the lenses have a protrusion that hits the filter. For example, the 18-55mm EF-C standard lens dosn't work with clip-in filters. Fortunately, the nifty-fifty, Optec 6.5mm Fisheye, and the Canon EF 200mm f/2.8L II USM work fine.
Yeah, I've read that on Canon systems you need to watch for the lens hitting the filter. I know there are some problems using live view on the D850 as well, according to one of my viewers.
AstroQuest1 Does yours astronomik clip-in filters present the same focus issues with wide angle lenses?
@@eduardomenezes4924 Depends on the filter, The UHC filter and other noise pollution filters let enough light through on live view. It is only the Ha-filter wide angle or not that live view focusing is difficult.
Hi Peter. Although you were saying that mounting the filter in front of sensor is not a big deal, I think it's all the issue we have here. This distortion problem has nothing to do with the filter itself, but it's due to the optical configuration you need to use it. When you use a 2mm thick filter, you change the optical path the photons fly to reach the sensor. Between the middle of the image and the corners. Stars are at infinity, when you put a filter in front of the lens, this 2mm is negligible with the distance of stars. But when you put it between the lens and the sensor, 2mm is quite comparable with 14mm of focal distance, where the image forms. This explains why it is better in case of the telephoto lens of 135mm, since 2mm is more negligible in this case. If you find a way to mount the same filter in front of the lens, you will not see the same distortion. It's a pity that a company like Optolong didn't think of this issue since I don't see any reason of mounting the filter between the sensor and the lens! It can make the photo terrible if you have some bigger objects, or some objects in the foreground, and completely useless for a fisheye lens! However, thanks for the review.
Thanks! That’s the first time I’ve seen someone point out how bad it is to place a filter near the sensor when using a wide lens. The steep angle of the light going through the filter off axis is going to spread out like a spectrum. Clip in filters are a bad idea for nightscape work.
But when using them on a telephoto or telescope what about the vignetting at the corners and edges of the frame? It looked like there was more darkening at the edges in the filtered shots. As it is, the flipped up mirror in a DSLR causes darkening along the bottom of the image. Now you put a filter with a metal frame in the mirror box as well. I wonder about the vignetting these filters add in full frame cameras. Again, thanks for the test. Clear skies!
I didn't really notice any additional vignette at telephoto focal lenghts. However, there did tend to be an odd red glow in the upper corner. You can see it a bit when I'm working on the UHC shot of the North American Nebula. I couldn't rule out that it was caused by a stray light hitting the lens, but it could be from the filter.
I'd recommend checking out the RAW files for a better look.
@@PeterZelinka Thanks! I downloaded the Raws and indeed the images through the telephoto lens seemed to be vignetted (from the lens) by about the same amount with or without the filter. So that's good. I opened them in ACR and measured the RGB levels at the centre, edges and corners with the Sampler tool. However, as you mention, it looks like the UHC shows a pink cast to the right edge of the frame -- it's colour balance is not uniform. It might be that it was tilted ever so slightly -- with such extreme dichroic filters their bandpasses change a lot as you tilt them or with the angle of incoming light, thus the poor results with wide angle lenses. But even with the telephoto the UHC was showing a big colour shift across the frame that would be a nuisance to even out in post. Such a deep filter is best for visual use not photo use I would think. Again, thanks for the test and images. Very informative.
Alan Dyer do you think screw on filters could work on wide angle nightscapes?
Eduardo Menezes Yes, certainly. It’s what I use, though the problem with really wide lenses is that they have front elements too large to accept screw-on filters, and perhaps not even square slide-in filters in a holder, which would be very costly anyway. Thus the interest in clip-in filters. But as Peter shows, they don’t work.
Do you have a recommendation for someone with an unmodified DSLR (Canon 5D4), living in a city mainly lit at night by LED streetlights (Victoria, BC)? I go to the darker areas of the city, but the light pollution is still an issue.
Also, I sometimes drive out to darker sky areas, and there the problem is the light from the 20 miles away in the US, which is more yellow. Sky is mainly dark, but the horizon is pretty yellow, at least until later in the season when the MW is more in the south. When in the east, the city lights from US are a major factor--bright yellow!
Can you suggest a filter for this 2nd kind of use case?
I have Kase filter holder, so can use 100mm filters, and my two astro lenses are 77mm. I'm happy to use clip in filters like you describe, of course.
Thanks kindly!
Thanks mate! I recently reviewed SVBony's UHC filter on my channel. It works fabulously under my polluted suburban skies
I've used the L Pro for a long time but moved to the IDAS D2 for my needs. All are great choices
I switched from that to to the IDAS D2
What bortle scale are you guys in? I’m in bortle 9 and I’ve been wondering if it’s worth getting.
Question can light pollution filters be used with other filters ?? ( Lp and a hydrogen alpha be used together) thanks joe
Hey Peter, does the Optolong L-Pro fit your D780? I bought one and tried to install it, and it doesn't seem to sit far enough down and I can't get my lenses to seat. Seems like the top edge of the filter sticks up and blocks the area where the electrical contacts sit.
Hey Peter, thank you for valuable content. Is it possible to reupload raw files used in this video? Provided link is no longer available.
What focal length is suitable to use with these rear filters that will not result in stars distortion on the edge and corner of photos? 24mm or more?
Hi Peter just found your channel. Which program is this you used to show the difference in the filters?
Can you recommend a filter for a Canon EOS APS-C camera that is not super expensive for a beginner astrophotographer. Thanks
Svbony CLS or UHC clip in for APC-C. Make sure your camera is on their list. Check on Amazon.
How about visual observations ? Do they work for visual too or just for astrophptography ?
Are there any good light pollution filters for Sony Full frame mirrorless cameras? How about 600mm zoom lenses(95mm)
Thanks Peter. That was a great video. Exactly what I needed to know especially I am also using a D750. I am going to look into how I can order these filters and get them shipped to Tunisia.
Fucking thanks, literally the first of many videos that shows a comparsion between filter and no filter near a big city
Hi Peter, thanks for the information and these nice examples, very helpful!
I might consider getting one of these except for the fact that no where can I find a guide for specific camera model that it will fit. So they want you to send the $$ and hope that it fits your full frame canon or nikon. No thanks.
Yeah, I couldn't find a sheet anywhere with Optolong's camera compatibility. However, Astronomik does list their filter compatibility here. It should be the same for Optolong. (Click the Clip-In Filters tab on the left for other camera options)
www.astronomik.com/en/clip-filter/clip-filter-canon-aps-c.html
Hey Peter! Are you shooting on an astromodified camera or are these photos made on a stick Nikon?
Has anyone tried either filter with a mirrorless? It would seem to eliminate the mirror interference issue, or is the body too much smaller to even fit a sensor filter? Specifically I have an EOS R.
Great video. Try the to change Camera Calibration on Lightroom. It will help with the colour cast.
Great video. Thank you dear master.
Great video - very informative. Thanks Peter!
👍Thank! this is very interesting!🦉📷🔭🌟hoo! Questions.... Is the filter directly in front of the sensor or in front of the mirror? I did not see the mirror once you completed the filter install... can we still see through the viewfinder with the filter installed or is it only live view at that point? Could you recommend equivalent or better light pollution filter which are screw on type ? Is there any performance differences advantages between the screw on and clip in type? 🤔 Thanks 👨🚀
These clip in filters, at least on my Nikon D750, will keep the mirror locked up. Therefore, you can't look through the viewfinder. Even if you could, the filters would block a decent amount of light, making it hard to see anything at night.
I don't have any experience yet with screw-on filters, so I can't say. The main downside would be having to purchase different filters for different lenses.
Thank you so much for the information. I was thinking about getting a LP filter for wide angle nightscapes but never seen anything about those focus issues in the corners. Guess I’ll avoid filters for wide angle shots.
It's possible it's a defect, and other filters from other companies may work better. All I can say for sure is that it affected both of my filters.
Peter Zelinka I think the clip-in system may be the cause. It looks like it’s distorting the focal plane. It’d be great if you could test other brands of clip-in filters on upcoming videos. Thanks again.
I'm from Cleveland just getting g into this I got to take good pics of the moon I wasn't to get a dslr camera to get Vetter quality pictures
I have a Sony A7 III and Sigma MC-11 adapter. Sigma 150-600mm lens, Canon mount. Anyone know if a clip filter for Canon will fit into the MC-11 adapter?
Great question. I have the same setup with an a6000 and it would be much easier to find a clip in filter for the MC-11 adapter. Have you found out if it works?
@@cucubits i just purchased this filter for my modded 1000d. Also have the a7iii with mc-11 will let you know if i can get it to fit once it arrives
@@pavelvlcek4082 Awesome, can't wait to hear about it. Since then I've solved my problem. I 3d printed an adapter in the shape of the MC-11 and made it so I can fit 2in filers inside. It works great, I got an Optolong L-Enhance and a Baader Moon&Skyglow Neodymium Filter.
@@cucubits Oh nice, would you mind sharing the stl file incase i cant get it to fit?
@@pavelvlcek4082 sure. I'm still testing and need to fix some reflections but I will upload it. Search for cucu on thingiverse. I don't have many designs there but if you find a sigma 100-400 lens collar, you're in the right place.
Did anyone try this filters out under Bortle 4 skies? How did they perform?
i have class 5 light pollution, I guess a filter is a must?
If things are that bad, you should probably get one and also try to drive outside town for a darker sky whenever possible!
@@PeterZelinka yeah sadly I live in The Netherlands and Europe is one glowing ball xD
I am kinda looking into the L-pro filter. I wondered if the screw-on version would solve the distortion problems with a wide angle lens?
It's possible, I think the main reason there is distortion is because the filter is so close to the sensor. If it was at the end of the lens, it might not have the same distortion problems. I can't say for sure though
Peter Zelinka I am going to try order one to see if that can solve the distortion problem. Thanks Peter!
Do these filters also fit in Nikon APS-c cameras?
Hei man, nice video. Are you really using a non-modified camera here?! Maybe the additional plane plate (filter) is causing your decrease in performance close to the edges. I have modified my camera by taking away all the stock filters in front of the sensor. If I'm using no clip-in filter, I get really bad corners. But if I'm using a clip-in filter (with the modified version) everything turns out very nice. So maybe you should think about modifying your camera, too ;)
Thanks. Another great video . I have your fantastic Deep Space Course, and think all your "hands-on-instructions" there will hopefully make me able to make the necessary curve adjustments needed for the Optolong L-Pro. I need/want it for DSOs (Deep Sky Objects). I wonder how it will work for my astromodded EOS 5D Mk II...? For my Canon EF 11-24mm clip-on filters are the only options (huge front lens), but apparently I must expect a lot of distortion in edges/corners. That lens has only 3-4% distortion at 11 mm, and about zero % at 14 mm, but the filter will "ruin" the corners/edges anyway...? Well, I will find out :-)
Thanks Arnstein! Yes, regardless which wide angle lens you use, the clip-in filters will likely cause star distortion in the corners.
I'm not sure how it would work with a modded camera, but it should be a good combo!
Does anybody know if it is possible to clean these filters? Many thanks
Thank you so much, very informative. Do you know by any chance if the L-pro fit the Nikon D850?
I believe the D850 has problems with clip-in filters, and it won't work.
@@PeterZelinka Its true actually it doesn't work, I have order one from Astronomik (CLS) even its says in the website its work for the Nikon D850, it's not practical at all, as every-time you take a photo you have to remove the lens, remove the filter flip the mirror and do the installation again. not recommended at all.
Very nice review
16:45 that actually looks kinda cool
Thanks for a great review :)
Just to be on the safe side. Have you done any astro mods on your camera, or are you shooting stock?
I've purchased both theese filters for my Canon 6D (so far stock), but living i Norway (perpetual twilight from start of April to start of September) I have barely had a chance to test them yet. Your review will save me tons of time testing on my own when my season finally starts again in a few weeks.
My Nikon D750 is stock, no modifications. I'll probably be doing a video on sensor mods in the future, and whether it's a smart investment
@@PeterZelinka Thank you 😊
I would love it if you made such a video 👍
Thanks for the superb info!
Hi Peter did you ever look at the NISI filter?
How are you locating the objects? With a basic tracker you don't have goto. I am assuming some of it is just your experience, but any tips would be helpful. I just got my Star Adventurer and have been chasing M31 lately, but would like to grab some wide shots that contain some of these objects, before zeroing in on them. Cheers
Yeah, I have to find everything manually. In my Deep Space Course I explain how to find 12 different objects pretty easily.
Of course, even if you know where to look, it can be hard to find the object with the camera. It's especially difficult when looking for the more faint objects in a light polluted area. If you don't know what to look for, you might not even realize the nebula is in the frame.
It's kinda like having GPS. They also make maps. Goto is just a convenience.
@@PeterZelinka Half the fun is trying to find stuff on your own. It's soooo rewarding when you're able to find an object purely based on your own knowledge of the night sky :)
@@T-Bear Yep its a good learning experience with widefield. Wouldn't recommend anything but GOTO when you get to long focal lengths, though
Keep a close Eye on our sky.... If you look up at a blue sky during the day, you can see the humidity increasing week by week..... It is this humidity, which is reducing the amount of Light reaching the Earth's surface at night, and the light from Cities is also illuminating this increasing humidity, more and more.
Great Video !!, what is the software editing programme you are using? Thanks
Adobe camera RAW
Peter Zelinka Thanks Peter ? 😊
I noticed that all the wide angle shots were taken at f/2.8. I wonder if the distortions in the corners would have been significantly improved if you had stopped down a bit.
it would,if you stop on f5 it would be gone
It's possible, but I doubt it. Remember, the filter is being placed behind the lens, right next to the sensor. Therefore, changing the aperture value would have no effect on that extreme star distortion in the corners. It would make the stars a bit sharper, but the main problem is the filter itself. See Alan Dyers comment for more info.
Keep in mind, we don't see that star distortion at a telephoto focal length of f/2.8. The star distortion is only seen at wide angles, due to the way light is hitting the filter and then passing on to the sensor.
I'll give it a try though, just to see. I am curious to see the difference between f/2.8 and f/5.6 with the 14mm and the filters.
@@PeterZelinka I ordered one so I'll give it a try too :)
My thought was that a smaller aperture would reduce the angle of incidence of the light hitting the corners of the filter, possibly reducing the distortion. I think a telephoto lens has a straighter path for the light to reach the sensor without as much of an angle of incidence issue.
Considering the number of elements and complexity of these lenses, I'm sure my understanding is grossly oversimplified if not completely wrong :)
@@kanefsky Possible! I'm going to test it tonight and let you know!
I tested this last night. Started at f/2.8 and went down to f/5.6, but the stars looked identical in each shot using the filter.
Do any of these filters work with a Canon T7i? I can't really tell from the website, as I don't know that kind of sensor model the T7i has
Astronomiks makes them for your T7i. I plan to get them for my T3i.
The opting uhc had a canon eos version that works for a T7i, that’s what I use.
Great video, cheers!
I can't find any for my Sony A7III. 🥺😭
Excellent.
Great review Bro!
No issues with the rear part of your lenses with this clip on?
Nope, haven't had any problems with my various lenses
Problems are typically with Canon EF-s lenses, which are designed with a longer bayonet connector to the camera body. The lens crushes itself into the filter.
The camera you tested these filters on, is it modified?
No, just a stock Nikon d750
But do they work on large telescopes with 750+?
You definitely underexposed the shots in the countryside , of course they look that bad. You should've compensate for the light loss with a longer exposure to see the real potential of the filters in dark areas. Great city comparison tho!
Software used?
That's crazy. Especially on a reflex body. Doing this in the field in the dark? Not me.
You don't change filters in the dark. Hardly ever change the lens in the dark, although that's a lit easier. The filter allows you to get amazing shots at night - even of city life. But if you are near a town and want to photograph stars, nebula, milky way, you need a filter.
Re. some Canon models: Eric at Astroshop.eu wrote to me: "Regarding the Clip filters one extra hint: They will not work in your 5DSR. The camera (as 5D Mk4 and 6Dmk2) have a mechanism that checks the swing of the mirror on each exposure. Since the filters block the mirror, you get an error message on these cameras. It works just fine with the other 5D variants."
Other sites report: " The filter is not compatible with EOS 6D Mk II, EOS 5D Mk IV, EOS 5Ds, EOS 5Dsr and EOS 1Dx (all versions)."
Do you have a motorhome while you travel across the country?
Nope, just living out of a CR-V. It's cramped, but it works
L-PRO is really bad filtering the LED city lights, with time this problem will be even worse... Optolong UHC also is not the best option, but at least will avoid partially the problem... :(
Yeah, unfortunately most filters are useless against white LEDs, since they cover a broad spectrum.
@@PeterZelinka However some frequencies are specially bad when you let them pass... the region around 450nm for blue leds and the region between 525 and 575nm for all the leds physics.stackexchange.com/questions/351539/why-does-the-led-light-colour-spectrum-spike-in-the-blue-and-green-wavelengths-b
Does the camera have to be modified for astrophotorgraphy? Basically having the stock camera filter removed. I've heard conflicting comments on this subject. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I'm new at this hobby and am looking for help from anyone that is willing to help me along. Thank you. Gerry D.
Nope! I don't have my sensor modified. Frankly, I think the sensor modifications cause more problems than they solve. Especially if you are going to be doing wide angle nightscapes
@@PeterZelinka Thank you so very much for your quick reply. Finally someone that knows what they are talking about. I'm going to purchase a filter and give it a try, will let you know how it works out. 👍👍👍👌
@@Gerry0843 what camera do you have?
@@PeterZelinka Canon EOS 70D
why wouldnt you adjust the white balance of the no-filter images with the telephoto. the filters do apply a huge color cast, but you dont even try to adjust the white balance to a more blue so this comparison is kinda fail
I've provided the RAW files. Feel free to try it yourself. It won't help too much on the no-filter images
8:25 your lens has this weird optical defect, it almost looks like jupiter has rings... 🤔
Dang these are not good filters for wide angle. Maybe the lonely speck pure night will be worth the money
I don't see that is fixed very good there. From mirror bouncing up and down there's no risc? 🤔
If you shake the camera around it may fall out, but I didn't have any problems, even when my camera was turning at weird angles on the star tracker
Long story short, it looks better without filter if you go far away from light pollution.
Too risky and screw on filters get better results. Filters BEHIND the lens exit pupil are always going to create aberrations. Hard pass.