Filters for Deep Sky Astrophotography 

I really like that your channel doesn't ignore the beginners with a DSLR. So many astrophotography channels focus on high end specialized astro cameras that are out of reach for many people.

I don't understand why would someone dislike this amazing video which is absolutely free , I watched both ads in starting of video till end , I subscribed your channel because you explain each and every part in so detail it helps so much , thank you for sharing Love from India :)

That was so thorough and organized you could be a librarian. Thanks for the input, much appreciated!

Nico really deserves more attention. He is always delivering top quality master class type content with glossaries etc... for absolutely free! Massive respect

I have to say....you are to astrophotography what Bob Ross was to painting. So many owe you thanks!

One of the best videos so far. The latter half was particularly very useful. A refreshing revisit to some basics.

Thankyou for taking the time to make videos like this to help others.

Super informative. This one video answered so many of the questions I have had about filters and astronomy cameras in general!

Wow!! Exactly what I've been waiting for!

I’ve mentioned some of this on other videos of yours, but I live in a small town with a Dark Skies organization that lobbies our local government, so there’s an outdoor lighting ordinance and the new traffic lights are Dark Skies compliant. We get tourism for agriculture, wine and cider, and our dark skies. A friend’s mom asked us if that blotchiness in the night sky was clouds, this woman in her 50s seeing the true vastness of our Milky Way for the first time! You can likely imagine her shock on hearing what it actually was

Finally! I've been looking for a video like this ♥

Excellent job on these videos! Very clear teaching and helpful to those of us trying to learn astrophotography. Thanks!!

Thanks for cover in depth filters for DSLRs for all of us newbies!

Great info, thanks Nico

Great video once again. Very instructive and clear for everyone I think. Keep it up

Thanks a lot! This was really helpful ♥️

Very useful - thanks Nico.

Excellent video! Really interesting and so well explained. A big thank you!

A LOT of info. Great video!!

Thanks for the great video. It really helped me understand the different filters and how they are used.

Very good approach to this topic and very informative video!

I've been looking for such a video about filters! Spot-on Nico, thanks!!

Vau. Full support. Nice and easy about most important questions about filters.

Thank you Nico for this amazing video !

Very concise video. Thank you

thank you so much for this !!

Excellent educational video. I enjoy your videos Nico. Please keep them coming.

Many thanks for this and your other videos. I'm a beginner with just enough experience to begin having filter questions. You answered those questions and saved me significant time and money by making those important explanations. I'm already subbed and appreciate you very much for sharing your experiences,

Thanks for making this video Nico it was super helpful!

Another great video Nico, I really appreciate the minimal use of music and that you just get straight into the information. So many channels seem to focus on glitzy productions, arty cut scenes and all sort of other un-necessary garnish, keep up the great work mate. You have another Patreon 👍

Wow, thanks. This helps a lot.

Thank you sir, being new to this you have alleviated some serious stress for me, not to mention cash.

Thanks man!!!

Great deal of useful information ! I am not anymore a beginner but not yet an advanced astrophotographer, and your explanations have clarified a lot of concepts to me !! Thanks 🙏

Good explanations, Nico!

Great work, thank you very much. Very helpful form me.

Wow, Nico!!! Yours is a monumental introductory exposition of astrophotography and visual filters. Well done. Thanks for the details. I found it useful that you spoke of DSLR and Astro-DSLRs .... (Digital cameras were at their infancies when I studied photography.) Nice job. Thanks for posting!

What a boss, i really like your videos ! The quality of your explanations !!!! You got one more sub :D Clear sky

Great video! Just like your image processing videos, it is very well explained!

Your content has been very helpful as a new astrophotographer beginning in untracked deep sky :) thank you and keep up the good work

Great video as always. Keep it up and stay safe.

Great intro to filters. Looking forward to the roundup. As a long time Pentax shooter just want to point out that Astronomik does make clip-ins for the full frame K-1. Unfortunately my two Astro conversions - full spectrum and H-alpha - are on APS-C bodies so will look into 2” filters.

I’m really glad I watched this before I bought a filter. I live in a Bortle-8 zone in South Korea and I’m much better served driving to the mountains than I would be spending a lot of money on filters that would ruin any galaxy photos I shot.

Buckling up to watch these awesome tutorials. Your video the other week on the Great Conjunction was so helpful that I managed to catch a decent image! I then attempted some deep sky photos for the first time untracked- failed miserably but during my stretching noticed deep yellow casts which totally ruined the photo - so looking forward to clueing up in these whilst I wait for my star tracker 🙌

I found the information very good even though I don't do much photography. I use the Neodymium Baader Moon and Skyglow for visual in different scopes as it's one of those filters that works and works well for visual and photography. Daytime Moon is awesome with it when the Moon is out. It just makes things stand out more as well as working for DSOs with a camera.

Came for 5:57 stayed for the thorough information! THANK YOU IMMENSELY

Very informative, Nico. I learned so much. I have started this week with my Canon 6D modded, Rokinon 135mm and Star Adventure 2i tracker. I live in bortle 8 so it’s difficult for sky imaging. I ordered an Svbony 70ED and considering of getting L-enhance filter. I am not sure if long exposure might cause trailing since I won’t be using auto guiding. I just want to keep things simple for now but still want the filter to enhance the contrast.

I replaced my ir cutting filter in my canon with a quartz glass lens because it allows a wider range of the light spectrum (from the beginning where ultraviolet begins to where infrared ends) there for the camera can capture more light in less exposure time. On my guiding camera, I was able to see twice as many stars using less exposure than I started with. This is great for polar alignment guiding cameras. My mod is made for infrared photography as well as ultraviolet photography, but I am using it now for astrophotography. Quartz silica glass lenses are made in China for 5 to 10 dollars at that size.

Years ago I made the step to go for a BCF mod on my canon 1100D, I was totally blown away by the difference it made and still use it today. (I remember how my jaw dropped when I saw the first images of the Orion nebula.) I can even use it for daylight photography, I only have to adjust the white balance since everything is more red. Good video Nico!

Thanks for this video Nico. What I have now realized is that I HAVE TO GET my Nikon D810 or Sony A7RIII modified to use the clip in filters from Astronomik. Since there is a problem in modifying the Sony cameras I have, that only leaves my Nikon D810. Heavy and rear screen focusing sucks on the D810. I've tried shooting the Horsehead Nebula and Rosette Nebula with very little success using my stock cameras. On the Sony side I'm using a 100-400mm lens and on the Nikon side I would be using the 150-600mm Sigma lens. Haven't tried the 4-5 minute exposure thing yet either. Keep the videos coming though.

IF YOU ARE NEW TO ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY .. SKIP TO 5:57 for Nico's clear advice about filters.. then you can watch rest of the video for information/entertainment purposes... Thanks Nico!!

Again, another informative and entertaining video. I hope you could address, in a future video, the question of what to do in cities where the change to LED is rapid (should we throw away our light pollution filters?) Thank you so much!

Thanks

This was a lengthy but very informative and useful video Nico. Thank you!

Yes you made the filter video. I’ve been waiting . I’ve only used an astronomic cls in a none modded t6i and not sure if it helps. Now I no why not much difference if any . I think the mix of led sodium vapor and mercury is the reason But not to worry just a half hour drive to bortle 2 or 4 and will be getting a dedicated Astro camera like an asi for nebula galaxy and Jupiter moon or Saturn, just not sure which one but a cooled one for sure as summer days are often over 100

Have a stock dslr and new to astrophotography?, no filter needed, thanks Nico, I'll come back to this video when I'm more experienced.

The Don! 🙏👌👍

Hi Nico. I'd love to see you test out the Kase light pollution filter at some point to see how it stacks up. It's super cheap but they don't seem to have published any performance data. :)

Great video, as always, but please show us that furry beast crying behind the closed doors in the next video! :)

The "informed decision" is very important. I tell my kids to always question everything and everyone, no matter their status, until they clearly understand what they are being told. "You cannot make an informed decision if you don't have the information."

This was great!!!! so much great information! but I wasn't clear is there an adapter for a 2" filter that would go between a crop sensor camera (Nikon) and a dslr lense or would I have to get something like a redact. I'd really rather use my Nikon lenses if I could for the time being. I live in NYC.

BTW could you do a dedicated video on making Bias frames, darks and flats so that we can refer to a single video for the info? I haven't got the process committed to muscle memory and can never remember whether flats are at the same focus and settings as the lights, and which ones have to be done at the same temperature etc... Thanks 😁

Another very well explained video, you make it all so understandably thank you !So if I get this right, I am now using a mirrorless canon and so I am better of buying 2 inch filters if later I want to use a filterwheel with dedicated astrocamera like a ZWO 2600 or a B&W camera ?

Hi Nico! Can’t wait for your next video comparing filters, meantime I am not clear on dedicated cameras, do they have the I/R filters built in as the dslr? I was thinking about modifying my dslr but at the same time eventually I want to buy a dedicated cooled camera but I’m a bit confused! If dedicated camera has same issue maybe I just modify my dslr and don’t switch😩 be well, clear skies!!🤝

I would think the obvious filter size for a lot of setups (mine, anyway) would be T-mount dimensions (42 mm thread, 0.75 mm pitch). (For those who don't know, normal 42 mm photographic filters have 1 mm thread pitch. Don't ask how I know.) Let me know if I am wrong, good people.

Hi Nico!! first of all thanks for your patience to explain everything in great detail. if i didnt get wrong i can use a clip in filter both with telescope and lenses right??

Start with a cheap red #25 filter. The atmosphere is more transparent to red light and tends to reflect blue and green light back into your telescope.

As far as trackers go, check out the Omegon MiniTrack LX2 or LX3. I think they cost less than the MSM, and no batteries or power required.

Thank you for your help. I have a cheap telescope with a lot of CA. I'm using a Canon crop sensor DSLR and a Panasonic Micro 4/3 camera for astrophotography. I'm not sure I'll get a full frame camera, so is there a need for me to get a 2 inch filter? I think a Baader Contrast / Fringe filter will eliminate a lot of the CA. Am I limited to using clip in filters? I prefer to use threaded filters because of wanting to use both my cameras to see which one I prefer for the hobby. I've been looking for, but I haven't found tubes threaded for filters other than eyepieces and Barolws. I do have a set of macro photography extension tubes, but I don't think they're threaded for filters. I also have an adapter for eyepiece projection, but I can't tell if that will hold a filter. Can you point me in the right direction for locations of and the names of the products I need? Thank you very much.

nice and informative video, guess for now I'm best off w/o a filter :-) reading some of the other comments and you're looking for topics for new videos, here's an idea to think about: why does stacking actually work? So if I take 400 shots at 2 secs why is it the same as a tracked 800sec shot and how big is the difference between let's say 100 stacked, 300 stacked, 1000 stacked (I tried 100 shots at 2 secs with my crappy gear and only got something that looked like the classic windows starfield screensaver [even with stretching] but with loads of noise , but in contrast a non-tracked 20-30sec exposure looks somehow better)

Just saw your video on the Orion Nebula and I was going to comment "long hair gang💯" but i decided to come to your newest video so that you will most likely see it, just to see that you cut your hair 😭😂 Do you like it more? I just started wearing man buns all the time. also i am just 16 and cant afford a proper astrophotography setup yet but i still have been enjoying your videos!

This is a nice video. Of course I will buy first a star tracker but I must say I have some entry-level filters for "normal" photography (HD, CPL). should I take those off when photographing the night sky?

this is so intrasting i'm soooooooo happy that you went out with so much info as i am unable to find anything worth while online ,thank you !! quick question, ive removed the IR cut filter on my own and didnt replace it with a clear glass how much will that effect the focus and where can i get the Ha filter that you talked about ?? ( Canon 70D )

I use filters to help reduce light pollution because I have sooo much light pollution from where I live. In order to get something barley visible like star clusters,galaxies and nebulae I have to use a filter or the pictures get way to bright and are unuseable or poor quality. Just looking at Saturn and Jupiter I can't see much detail unless I got far away from the city which I can't go out much.

"Filter Finder Tool" ... Did you ever get around to that ? That would be awesome. I just bought a ASI533 MM MONO and I want to use it on a Ritchey with FL of 1625 mm. Anyone have any suggestions, for DSO's, without breaking the bank ? Also, since you put out so many great videos, can you suggest a video or more, from your library, that i should watch

Thanks for the video! Are you planning to make a similar series of videos about software for astrophotography?

I will mix the infrared data by only focusingon it and combine it with visible light

Nico, do UHC clip in filters really help? I have a Canon EOS M10 Camera that I use with my 8 inch Reflector. Thanks

AliExpress seems to have clip in filters for Fuji and Sony

Thanks for your nice and informative videos. I was thinking that using narrowband filters on the IR side of the spectrum will be a completely waste of money if your camera sensor is not astro-modified (either full-spectrum or without IR-cut filter). Am I right?

Hey bro, really like your content and how you approach explaining multiple aspects of astrophotography. I have a question for you if you don’t mind: I just got my first CCD camera (ASI 183MC Pro) and I was interested in knowing if I need a UV/IR cut filter? I was looking at a 2” filter with a, filter drawer. Not entirely sure how it fits in the image train, but I was thinking a 2” field flattener, the filter drawer and whatever m42 extenders I need for back focus. So in a nutshell wanted to know do I need a the filter /drawer and if so how would you place it?

Great info .. Subscribed...! And dude what happened to longs hairs..i liked them better 😂

I'm still trying to find the answer to my question from 12 hours ago so I kept scouring the Internet. Here's what I think is at least part of the answer. Please correct me if I'm wrong and please confirm if I'm headed in the right directon. To insert a filter I must remove the t adapter from the t ring, screw in the filter as far as it will go, and then reinsert the threaded t adapter. My scope is the Orion ST-80. I don't think the focuser is made for 2" accessories. If I use 2" filters do I need to upgrade to a focuser manufactured for 2" accessories? Is there an adapter that goes from 1.25" up to 2"? If so would using such an adapter still contribute to the famed vignetting I want to avoid? Thank you.

Hey Nico, great explanation on the filters. As a side note I’d like to ask you where can I get my T3i rebel converted to a full spectrum camera here in the states? I know you’re based in MA and I’m okay with sending my camera to the east coast but would be great if knew of a service on the west coast too, thanks.

Sooo, when are you planning to release your light pollution filter shootout video? I've been reading about these things for a while now and I'd really love to get my first one but still can't decide.

Hi Nico! Thank you so much for your great review! May I ask you, what do you think of Universal Astro light-pollution filter? Looks like the new player in the market with a very reasonable price! Have you had a chance to try this one out yet? thank you!

Hey how am I supposed to know how should the histogram on an image look like for untracked astrophotography.

Higher end Fuji cameras have their own matrix patterns.

Hi which brand is that cheapest tracker in your video?

Clip-in filters for Nikon????? Where can I find for apsc?

Hi. Im in Bortle 5. I can not see the milkyway, will a filter help me with that? I have a canon 600D Stock. I just want to see the milky way, so i was thinking that there must me a filter for me to get away from the light in my bortle 5? No led lights here where i Live. Old lights on the country :)

One needs a tracker for DSO, right? But for solasystem photography one might need a lightpollution-filter if photographing from city/aglo (independent of tracker)?

great video! ALOHA!

👍

Honestly, I can't find many for Nikon. I only found 1. Ohayo makes LPS filter but for the front of the lens. Just put it on like any other normal filter (I.e. UV). I have a Nikon D5600 and been a pain... feel like astrophotography is really mainly for Canon

Thanks for your share, I have got canon 6D stock camera, im about to buy h-alpha 12nm filter to be able to take better milky way pictures to reduce light pollutions, any suggestion? please

How do I know how aggressive the IR cut filter is on my camera?

To be honest.. there’s not on star in the sky where i live.. but one big question here.. If you just look through the filter.. no camera.. Will you see a difference? Using any filter?

I came here from another video of yours, suggesting that for live sky viewing, a filter is not needed. ...I haven't gotten to that point yet, but will touch on your first explanation, which is that adding a filter isn't going to add to light bands already removed (filtered out) by another filter (in your example, a DSLR). Another newbie in a forum I belong to asked if it's possible to stack filters. ...being a rational thinking mind (IMO), I suggested that blocking more and more of a very dim deep space object might not improve imaging. As for this presentation, I never did get to what I was looking for. ...perhaps I came to the wrong video, since the "Do I need a filter" segment didn't cover live viewing (I'll back browse to verify the reference). Perhaps the human eye isn't sensitive enough to appreciate what a filter does for night viewing. I get that human eye aperture is very small for space exploration. My consideration is based on partial explanations via other videos, without any reply other than "Start with tracking". I don't want astrophotography at this point. I'm new at astronomy. I want the best views I can get with the 8" dobsonian I have. More than one vid showed initial one second photo made by a digital focuser camera being better than human eye viewing. All went on to take many other pix to stack for amazing photographs. One suggested the obvious: that even a short exposure snapshot from medium aperture telescope mirror is more sensitive than the small human eye. My question is: would a few short exposure snapshots taken with a focuser cam then stacked with one of the computer apps bring detail and color to things like Nebula or galaxies for a live viewing session if a laptop was brought into the fold? Any input will be appreciated. ....While a lot of what you discuss in this video is above my head, it's well presented. Thank you.

triad filters are scary expensive but thank god that opt finances. And by focus do you mean auto focus because if so, I don't use auto focus, I only do astrophotography and not day time.