OSC Narrowband Filters - What to buy?? Let's compare!

Multi-Band filters for one shot color Narrowband Imaging are very popular - and with good reason! I've owned four of them (I say three in the video, but I actually also had the ZWO Duo Band, I just had forgotten about it), from cheap to super expensive. Let's look at their specs, and my hot take on them!

Note that I may be completely wrong, there may be a great reason for that H-Beta business for instance! I just don't see it! Senpai-tachi, teach me!

If you wish to support me and plan on buying astro equipment such as those filters, please consider buying through OPT using this affiliate link!

00:00 Introduction
02:05 IDAS NBZ
03:35 Band shifting
09:21 Sightron Quad BP
09:38 SII and H-Beta - Necessary?
14:30 ZWO Duo Band
15:20 Radian Triad Ultra Quad-Band
18:33 Radian Triad Tri-Band
19:54 Optolong L-eNhance
20:48 Optolong L-eXtreme
22:54 Conclusion & Recommendation

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[williamhouse]

Cuiv, I follow several YouTube Astrophotographers and have learned so much from all of them however, I have to say I learn so much more from you. Thank you for what you do with such passion, it's truly infectious in a good way.

[Freakwave]

You put all the answers to questions I had about duo narrowband filters in general into one video. Thanks. This video should be way higher up in the results for people researching about multi band filters.

[tomthomas]

There is a nice alternative for the Optolong L-Extreme: the Antlia ALP-T with 5nm bandwidth and it produces less halos around bright stars

[calimark]

Thanks! I'm using the Antlia 5nm dual band filters now for Ha/O3 and S2/Hb. They work pretty well in Bortle 5-6 but I find that I need 2x the data with the S2/Hb filter. I like the results.

[krissifeldeen]

You must have been quite happy with the L-Ultimate then! Sounds like it's exactly up your alley. Great video!

[scottrk]

Excellent Video ! Astroblender touched on Filter issues related to Optical speeds but really didn't know what was going on . You have finally uncovered the physics of the issue . Very interesting and important . Thanks and we all hope you are feeling better ./SRK

[JonDoe-semi]

Hi Cuiv, I use the same Sharpstar61 scope with the ASI533MC and got the L-Extreme filter recently. Your information was priceless to me and so many others. I always find new information from watching your channel. You always keep it real. I like that you haven`t taken the commercial advertising route as so many of the others have today. I owe you a Rasa if I ever come into a few quid. Your channel is a wealth of knowledge on the subject.

[rickbohart]

The very best filter overview I've seen. Thank you so much!

[marvinwhisman]

Once again, an amazing video with so much great info. So glad you are making videos again. My plans for coming to Toyko to perform a Vulcan Mind Meld are now on hold now that you are back in business on YouTube.

[KevinRudd-ws]

Thanks for this very useful information. I have just bought my first OSC astronomy camera (533 size sensor) for deep sky imaging. This will be used mostly with either a Samyang 135 f2 lens or a William Optics GT81 refractor (I have my mono camera more or less permanently set up with a cat51). I will probably go for the L-Extreme but have also looked at the Altair Astro dual band filter as I already use their 7nm Ha and OIII filters with my mono camera. I also have a Sky Tech dual band clip filter for my unmodified SSLR. this seemed to be OK on targets such as M42 at Bortle 5 or 6, but at light polution levels above this it doesn't work that well ( to be fair it probably works a lot better with a modified or dedicated astronomy DSLR )

[brandonporter]

I have an IDAS NBZ and use it with my Redcat or my 8" RC with a QHY247C. It's a fantastic filter and I have to say that IDAS/HuTech is a stand-up company. I purchased an NBX as soon as it came out. There were some issues with halos around brighter stars. They went back to the drawing board and the NBZ was born. If you bought an NBX and have proof of purchase, you can request a replacement NBZ filter and they'll send it to you for FREE. Not many companies would do that.

[johnadastra]

Have taken some nice shots with the L-eNhance and my ZWO ASI071MC. I live in Bortle 7 but tend to use this combo only during the short summer nights when there is not enough dark hours to shoot full Ha-OIII-SII with a mono camera. OSC with any multi-band filter usually results in red and blue nebula. Mono cams and true NB filters always capture more signal, plus you can do Hubble Palette. But wish I did have the L-eXtreme, which came out just shortly after the L-eNhance.

Oh, and wishing you a speedy and complete recovery from your recent health challenges. God bless!

[ridearocket]

I just caught the Chernobyl reference. lol Love it. I really enjoy going back on these videos and compiling more and more info into my brain. I just got a Raspi with astroberry and got my rig built up. Canon dslr with a redcat 51. Still so much to learn. Your content and knowledge is appreciated by many!

[flogus]

L-Enhance : 24nm width for OIII/Hb, 10nm width for Ha.
Advantage over other filters : it exists as clip for DSLR.

[Rotceh-rg]

Nice video, especially your explanstion at 8:00 on the light loss with high aperture lenses ....
Also the Hbeta ... for visual.
Thanks for posting!

[adamsastrojourney]

Great video as always Cuiv! 👍 And good to see you without the brace, hope you’re feeling better!

I recently bought the IDAS NBZ filter myself, and find it very good from a Bortle 6/7 back garden. Using it on my F/5 Newt and was blown away. Only had one night with it though so far due to the damn UK weather! 😡

One thing you forgot to mention with the NBZ is it was re-designed from the ashes of the NBX, which suffered greatly with star halos. Not with the NBZ! I’ve tried the L-eXtreme before and found that star halos were a problem on certain bright stars. Not with the NBZ, even in 10 minute exposures!!!

[rudyamaya]

Great to see you back! This by far the best review of narrowband filters. I will go with the L-extreme. You made it all sound so simple. Maybe it has always been. THANKS

[Ohmy]

I was thinking about the ZWO dual band filter and am glad I saw this review. Now thinking about just an O3 filter

[praahas]

Brilliant explanations Cuiv! Landed up on your channel for explanation on N.I.N.A. and now I get some of the best informative content on astrophotography here!

[dmglakewood]

I currently own the L-Enhance, L-eXtreme and the Triad Ultra Quad, and the Triad wins hands down (in my opinion). Even at the price point I would say it's a no brainer. I've owned a ton of gear while in this hobby and most of it offers slight improvements over other gear, but nothing jaw dropping. The Triad was one of the few items I've bought where I was truly blown away by it, even over the L-eXtreme. At the end of the day though I think it matters less about the numbers and specs and more about what the person is looking for in their images, and how well does that filter align with that. To me the Triad Ultra produced an image that was better than I even imagined in my head. I can't tell you exactly what it is about the images it produces that I like so much more than the L-eXtreme. For all I know the added cost of the filter has a placebo effect on me and makes me see the images as better than they are. Whatever it is, it made me fall in love with this hobby all over again. I'm in a Bortle 8 for what it's worth.