Mono Imaging

[Simon Pepper]

Hi all 

I have been using a OSC for 18 months now and decided it’s now time to go down the mono route, but I do have a few questions which I am sure the community here can help me with. 
 

let’s start with luminance I believe this is the “detail” filter am I right in saying that? If so what kind of ratios should be used for lum? Let’s say I have 2 hours on each RGB channel how much should be used for lum?

if I want to shoot just HA i assume I just shoot HA nothing special is required here? If I want to had HA to an RGB image do I just use the HA as the lum layer? So I wouldnt use HALRGB I would just use HARGB? Basically is there any point in collecting lum and HA?

processing: we need to take flats for each filter (I use Pixinsight) can PI somehow process all the channels together or do you need to process each channel separately using the weighted pre batch processing? I assume you need to complete all Red, red flats, red dark flats, darks then repeat the process for blue, green and lum? 
 

thanks 

[Adreneline]

31 minutes ago, Simon Pepper said:

if I want to shoot just HA i assume I just shoot HA nothing special is required here? If I want to had HA to an RGB image do I just use the HA as the lum layer? So I wouldnt use HALRGB I would just use HARGB? Basically is there any point in collecting lum and HA?

I think it is unwise to use Ha as L in an RGB image; it will tend to give the image a pink'ish hue which in my opinion is not that appealing. A better approach is to blend Ha with the R channel using a Lighten (max(R,Ha))or Screen (1 - (1-R) * (1-Ha)) in PixelMath. You can vary the amount of Ha you blend with the R to give the effect you want to achieve.

My own experience with collecting L has been disappointing but that may be due to previously high levels of light pollution or my own processing limitations   I gave up with LRGB in favour of HaRGB but now I tend to only image in broadband.

Apologies for not answering your other questions but I am sure there are others with more relevant experience who will give you a more informed answer.

Adrian