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04-03-2010, 09:40 PM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 2,461
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Filter Choices
Finally received my ST-8300M today and on first impressions it's a neat little unit.
I decided to take a bit of time to research and carefully choose filters for this camera. Which raises the question...how do you select the optimum filters for a CCD camera. I note that Astrodon has seperate sets of RGB filters for the Kodak KAI & KAF sensors but the likes of Baader, Custom Scientific, Astronomik do not. Are the Astrodons better choice because of this?
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04-03-2010, 10:43 PM
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Widefield wuss
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Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Caboolture, Australia
Posts: 6,828
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I chose astrodons purely for their low reflection properties and their parfocal VERY narrow narrowband filters.. Baaders from what I've seen give fairly large blue reflections around bright stars...
Are you planning on the 2" filters or are you using the 36mm CFW? Custom Scientific only make 1.25" and the new 36mm filters.. Astronomiks give very low reflections, Astronomiks and Astrodon's would be the best options in my opinion.. Custom Scientific are good too, I had a Custom Scientific 3nm Ha filter that I used with my ST10 for quite some time.. It was pretty amazing.
Congrats on finally receiving your camera Hans... Hope you get to use it soon!
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04-03-2010, 11:36 PM
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Widefield wuss
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Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Caboolture, Australia
Posts: 6,828
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Indeed it does, the Gen 2 astrodons are reflection free..
As for the FW8 STL, SBIG might take their time making the adapter required, however Ashley at Precise Parts in the US will make the adapter quick snap... For the FLI CFW-2-7, I bought the adapter from FLI. Its the "AD-2" which is for FLI CFW's attaching to T-Threaded cameras.. It was $100USD..
I couldnt wait for the 36mm filters and CFW to be released myself.. So I went for what I believe to be the best 2" CFW on the open market that would carry 7 filters (L R G B Ha SII OIII).
The big reason to go for the SBIG FW8-STL is the lack of cable clutter... you have the one cable that goes from the FW8 to the ST8300's I2C port. No extra power lead, no extra USB lead... Just the one little lead to do it all... Had I thought about that at the time I got my ST8300 I may well have got the FW8-STL.
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05-03-2010, 01:03 PM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Sydney
Posts: 1,250
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I have 2 updates on this issue:
1. Word from SBIG is that they have completed the engineering of the adapter and have started production. It will be available for purchase this month - price is US$79 according to SBIG.
2. I tried the Precise Parties option a few weeks ago. Sadly, as SBIG have not released technical specs for the FW8-STL, he couldn't make the adapter for me. He offered to do it if I sent him the FW but that made little sense as I would need to ship from US to Aust to Us to Aust.
I can't wait for my FW - its a little ripper of a camera.
Pete
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07-03-2010, 09:51 AM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Sydney
Posts: 1,250
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I picked up a set of Baader LRGB filters - they are unmounted so I haven't been able to use them yet.
I already have Ha and OIII mounted 2 inch filters so these can go into the filter wheel.
I'm also working through the SAO course - for a project I'm due to start (very soon!) I'm looking at a set of BVR filters - Custom Scientific do a set thats sensibly pricing - to the extent anything in astr is sensibly priced.
My FW is due in a fortnight - I suspect the adapter will be a few weeks after that.
I was sorely tempted to go the FLI route - Alex has had great results with it. The knot of cables turned me off. At this stage I have a 4 port USB hub which manages the mount, camera, focuser and guide camera and a separate cable for the wireless controller. So I'd have needed another hub (which would need to be powered) to accomodate the filter wheel - so the SBIG model that plugs into the camera made good sense.
Pete
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07-03-2010, 06:51 PM
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PI rules
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Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Sydney
Posts: 2,631
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Don't buy Astronomik. They give BIG refelections.
Geoff
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07-03-2010, 06:57 PM
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Widefield wuss
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Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Caboolture, Australia
Posts: 6,828
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Apparently not so with the new generation 2 Astronomiks Geoff? They are reportedly very very good, on par with the Astrodon Gen2 filters... The 1st Gen Astronomiks were known for big flares..
Baader filters are apparently rather good with regard to the reflections too.. Rather good on the old hip pocket too..
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24-03-2010, 08:17 PM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 2,461
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Filter Choices
Well thanks Alex for your contact to FLI..the Filter Wheel is on it's way and I am pleased that part of the equation is sorted. The people at FLI were courteous and prompt to answer my e-mails. Not the ideal solution as I wanted to stick with the same brand as my camera but then I might be a total convert to FLI in the future. Now all I have to do is contact Astrodon for a set of Filters...lets hope for clear skies over the Easter break
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24-03-2010, 08:29 PM
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Widefield wuss
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Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Caboolture, Australia
Posts: 6,828
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Awesome news Hans, Greg is a great bloke....
Your thoughts here are the same as mine... Whilst I would have liked to keep it all the same brand, when money permits it, I'll be heading over to the FLI ML8300 or ML11002M..
Best place to get the Astrodon's is from Optcorp... Thats where I got my NB filters...
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25-03-2010, 11:01 AM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Western Australia
Posts: 7,866
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Has anyone tried one of these
Astronomik H-Alpha 12nm CCD Filter - T Threads
- The Astronomik H-Alpha 12nm Filter has T-threads on both sides, allowing you to attach it to a T-adapter, etc. and still present a T-thread on the other side.
- The Astronomik H-Alpha 12nm Filter has a transmission of up to 99%.
- The full width at half-maximum (FWHM) of 12nm is optimized for the use with common CCD cameras and allows the use of very fast optics.
- The Astronomik H-Alpha Filter may NOT be used for solar observation.
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25-03-2010, 06:59 PM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 2,461
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Filter Choices
If you are inquiring about the quality of Astronomik filters then I would think that Mike Sidonio would be one of the best people to ask. If it's about the T-Thread connections on both ends... well that is an interesting idea. Probably ideal for SLR camera users.
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25-03-2010, 07:17 PM
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Widefield wuss
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Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Caboolture, Australia
Posts: 6,828
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Yeah, I would avoid the T-thread ones, as they are very limited.. the most usable type would be the 2" mounted filter... they can be used on any 2" nose piece, or on the end of a flattener or MPCC, and in most CFWs...
The Astronomik 12nm filters do a good job.. though they are fairly wide bandpass... The Baader 7nm filter is fantastic, depending on where you buy it, its usually a lot cheaper too..
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25-03-2010, 08:06 PM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Wynnum West, Brisbane.
Posts: 4,161
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Trevor, did you find any t-threaded filters in oz?
I'd like an IR one, but postage from the states is as much as the filter
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26-03-2010, 10:54 AM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Western Australia
Posts: 7,866
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Actually Robin it's not when I buy through OPT I ask for a cheaper freight option and they send UPS at a lot less.
Just ordered a Baader Ha filter works out $80 cheaper buying direct from the US
Last edited by TrevorW; 26-03-2010 at 11:59 AM.
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27-03-2010, 12:35 PM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 2,461
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Filter Choices
Quote:
Originally Posted by AlexN
Best place to get the Astrodon's is from Optcorp... Thats where I got my NB filters...
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I see from the Astrodon website that I can buy direct from them...but I will have to try and keep this purchase below $1000. I just received the customs bill for the FLI Filter Wheel purchase......Ooooouuuucccchhhh.... $200 worth.
Last edited by Hans Tucker; 27-03-2010 at 12:54 PM.
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27-03-2010, 06:22 PM
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Widefield wuss
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Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Caboolture, Australia
Posts: 6,828
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Yeah that $200 customs charge bit me in the behind too... I timed my purchase to coinside with a good exchange rate, meaning that the CFW cost me just on $1000 AUD... Then I remembered I needed the Adapter to connect it to the ST8300... So that $100USD adapter became about $330AUD due to customs Not happy Jan! lol
Yeah I ordered all the filters at once and got stung by customs again as it came to roughly $2300...
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