Which present to ask for?

[RikM]

Given the choice, which one of these would you choose?

Pixinsight software licence

Baader OIII & SII 1.25" NB-CCD filters

IDAS LPS D1 2" filter

I already have the matching Ha filter and the IDAS would be replacing a SkyWatcher LPR filter to sit in front of my coma corrector for LRGB imaging. I currently use Registar, Maxim DL and Photoshop CS3 for processing.

Basically, I like Ha enhanced LRGB imaging but LP is a real pain and means I need more data than I can comfortably get in this lifetime to get the image quality I would really like. Would the IDAS filter help enough to be noticable over the skywatcher? Would PI be a huge help to the processing? Should I give up on LRGB and switch to NB? 

Please help, going mad!

[Helen]

How about the OIII and the IDAS?  You can get a lot from a Oiii/Ha narrowband combination (I went to a session with Nik Szymanek where he said he's given up on sii as the time it takes isn't worth it for the marginal change in results!) and the IDAS I find works brilliantly for OSC so I assume it'll be great for RGB too

Helen

[jonathan]

I'd say go for the Baader filters first and enjoy using them, but then I am not an imager.

[RikM]

I quite like the idea of Ha / OIII. How about adding an Hb instead of SII and do Ha-red, OIII-green and Hb-blue ?

[steppenwolf]

I think Helen has it right and I too am a great fan of Ha/OIII only - SII contributes very little but is required for just the Hubble palette. I have an Hb filter (actually, I have two, 12nm and 7nm) but again this wavelength is pretty weak and comes from the same regions as the Ha component although it works well on a limited set of objects like the Rosette Nebula and M27.

I'd go for the OIII and IDAS LP filter as this will give you an excellent set of imaging choices.

[StuartJPP]

If you didn't already have Maxim DL then I'd say PixInsight...otherwise the NB filters...