UV/IR Cut Filters

[Newforestgimp]

Hi All,

Question on UV/IR cut filters,  I understand why filters are sometimes very expensive, however, where I get confused is when the same type of filter from different brands price varies so wildly ? 
can anyone shed some light on why a Baader uv/IR costs say £110 and an svbony £12 ? And every budget in between, They all purport to do the same job, are Baader pulling my pants down or are svbony making me throw money down the toilet ?

Any real world experience of high end vs budget filters ?

regards

Andy

[PeterCPC]

I use both. The Baader has a neodymium coating that makes it so expensive but that really helps on planetary imaging I find. I use a Svbony IR with my ASI533 and Samyang lens set up and cannot complain about the results although you have to deal with the green cast. I think that with Baader you are paying a premium for the name but they are high quality if you can afford it and do not give such a coloured cast to the images.

[Newforestgimp]

Is there a middle ground that you’re aware of ? There’s just so many out there and only want to buy once. I was thinking the ZWO or Optolong ?

[jacko61]

Most places (FLO , RVO etc) will sell you a 2 inch baader UV/IR cut for around 70 quid.  Not sure why some sellers go over £100. for them but £70 seems reasonable (I saw a filter advertised yesterday that cost over £1000!!!!  How do they justify that for a slice of glass? ).  I bought my Baader second hand on this very forum and I'm more than happy with it. Saying that, after my results this week I think I need something different to control the ambient light from the moon - maybe an l-enhance.

Graeme

 

[PeterCPC]

12 minutes ago, Newforestgimp said:

Is there a middle ground that you’re aware of ? There’s just so many out there and only want to buy once. I was thinking the ZWO or Optolong ?

I tried a ZWO one and was not impressed at all. Can't comment on Optolong. If you can afford it go with Baader.

Edited January 21, 2022 by PeterCPC

[The Admiral]

5 minutes ago, Newforestgimp said:

Is there a middle ground that you’re aware of ? There’s just so many out there and only want to buy once. I was thinking the ZWO or Optolong ?

I'm sure you've looked at FLOs UV/IR filters page. Take your pick 😉. I bought the Astronomik L2 for my ASI533 but haven't had the opportunity to try it out, sadly.

Ian

[Louis D]

3 hours ago, jacko61 said:

I saw a filter advertised yesterday that cost over £1000!!!!  How do they justify that for a slice of glass?

If it has 40, 50, or more dielectric coatings applied to create very specific bandpasses for one shot emission line imaging.  The Radian Triad Ultra Narrowband Filter 2" comes to mind.  If it was simple to duplicate, I'm sure Svbony would have come out with their version by now for $20.  I'm curious how well it would work visually.  The human eye is just not very responsive to far red.

[bosun21]

4 hours ago, PeterCPC said:

I tried a ZWO one and was not impressed at all. Can't comment on Optolong. If you can afford it go with Baader.

I read somewhere that the SVbony and the Optolong are actually the same filter only with different labels. This was somewhat confirmed.

[tomato]

I have a Baader UV/IR cut filter (£79) on one scope of my identical dual rig and an Astro Essentials (£39) on the other. Which produces the better images? 
I think the Baader just edges it but not enough to concern me when there are so many other variables to get right.

[Cosmic Geoff]

I use a ZWO IR cut filter, which cost about £20. It does its job, which is to eliminate the odd colour balance one would get if using an IR- sensitive camera without the filter.

[Planitair]

I have a ZWO IR/UV cut filter that I have no issue with

[AstroMuni]

On 21/01/2022 at 10:01, Newforestgimp said:

I understand why filters are sometimes very expensive, however, where I get confused is when the same type of filter from different brands price varies so wildly ? 

Its to do with the bandwidth of light they allow/not allow through. If you look at the graphs from each vendor you will see subtle differences and if you search on this forum you will find discussions which cover these. But at the end of the day (as others have said) its what you wish to spend vs how much noticeable difference you will get in your images given the fact that we have so many other factors which are at play besides UV/IR.

 

[900SL]

I use an astronomic L3 filter on a 533mc

[juno16]

I use an inexpensive Sybony uv/ir cut on broadband targets with my ASI533 in Bortle 7 skies. No complaints. Haven't noticed a green cast, however dynamic background extraction would probably have taken care of it.

 

Jim

[Vroobel]

Hi, 

I can confirm that the SvBONY UV/IR Cut filter brings the green cast. 

This is picture taken during poor seeing with Starwave 102ED F/11, Baader Barlow x2.25, ASI224MC and the filter. The scope gives rather pure images with no extra cast. 

Edited October 3, 2022 by Vroobel

[Louis D]

Did it filter out any unwanted artifacts to make up for the green cast?  I'm guessing it's cutting into the red as well as the IR to cause this color shift.

[Elp]

Name, quality control etc. You never know, the glass could be all made by one manufacturer then sub assemblers supply to different brands. With filters in general the higher the price the higher the quality and tighter the band pass/cut. Though if you look at Cuivs videos on YT even the manufacturer quoted graphs are inaccurate to actual measured samples.

[Vroobel]

3 hours ago, Louis D said:

Did it filter out any unwanted artifacts to make up for the green cast?  I'm guessing it's cutting into the red as well as the IR to cause this color shift.

The only unwanted artifact was the pinkish cast at the ASI224MC cam without the filter. 

Today I realised that I have also 2" Baader UV/IR Cut filter which already landed in my 2" barrel. I'll report a difference ASAP. The small one was bought just for a guiding purpose and I used it for planetary imaging unnecessarily. 

[BGazing]

On 21/01/2022 at 11:48, PeterCPC said:

I use both. The Baader has a neodymium coating that makes it so expensive but that really helps on planetary imaging I find. I use a Svbony IR with my ASI533 and Samyang lens set up and cannot complain about the results although you have to deal with the green cast. I think that with Baader you are paying a premium for the name but they are high quality if you can afford it and do not give such a coloured cast to the images.

Have you compared Neodymium vs normal UVIR, except that the former is somewhat dimmer and requires a tad longer exposition?

Visually I like Neodymium a lot on Jupiter and Mars.

[Adam J]

5 hours ago, Vroobel said:

Hi, 

I can confirm that the SvBONY UV/IR Cut filter brings the green cast. 

This is picture taken during poor seeing with Starwave 102ED F/11, Baader Barlow x2.25, ASI224MC and the filter. The scope gives rather pure images with no extra cast. 

I would not think that it is the cause as much as it is the camera being more sensitive to green that is the problem. Just adjust the green balance down and you will be fine. 

Adam 

[neil phillips]

14 hours ago, Vroobel said:

Hi, 

I can confirm that the SvBONY UV/IR Cut filter brings the green cast. 

This is picture taken during poor seeing with Starwave 102ED F/11, Baader Barlow x2.25, ASI224MC and the filter. The scope gives rather pure images with no extra cast. 

Or you could do RGB Balance on Registax Adam is correct. The colour was skewed

Edited October 4, 2022 by neil phillips

[bomberbaz]

I have one of the astro essentials ones on order, from the picture it looks to be a nuetral colour.

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/uv-ir-filters/astro-essentials-uvir-cut-filter-125-2.html

I have the ZWO version also, although I have nothing to compare to I will say it seems fine to me.