Optolong L-eXtreme FULL Review | Narrowband Filter
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- Опубліковано 15 лип 2024
- The Optolong L-eXtreme narrowband filter has become a very popular choice among astrophotographers who are trying to squeeze that extra bit of detail out of emission nebulae. My own experience of this filter has been fantastic, but it does present a couple of challenges that I think are worth knowing before you buy it.
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-- Contents of this video --
0:00 - Intro
00:10 - Specification
02:04 - Challenges of the L-eXtreme
06:39 - Example Images
08:25 - L-eXtreme or L-eNhance?
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Disclosures: All opinions are my own. Some links in the description are affiliate links that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a commission at no additional cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases. - Наука та технологія
Sorry for the changing light throughout the video, the UK was being hit with Storm Eunice and I was trying to record during quiet parts of the wind!
Very good work, thank you.
Another great video Nick! Like you, I have both of these very capable filters. I upgraded to the L-eXtreme mostly due to the nicer job it does with light pollution as you pointed out in the video (I live under Bortle 5 skies). Totally agree that the L-eXtreme is slightly worse when it comes to star halos but feel like it more than compensates for helping me fight light pollution. Best to you!
Great video Nick, really covered all the key points
Thanks Rob!
Good review Nick. I started with an L-Pro because of its broadband characteristics for galaxies. When I got my first dedicated OSC astro camera I also got the L-eXtreme because of the types of objects available from my Bortle 7ish backyard. The different characteristics of those two filters allow for a wide variety of objects from a light polluted location. The cost of the two 2” filters gives some future proofing value for sensor upgrades later on. After using the L-eXtreme for about 6 months now I am very satisfied with the results. The main difference I’ve seen in using these filters is that the L-Pro has a gradient if there’s any significant amount of moonlight, whereas the L-eXtreme blocks all of the moonlight and so isn’t affected the same way. Easy enough to get rid of it in post but it’s better if you don’t carry it there in the first place.
Looking forward to galaxy season this year so the L-Pro can be put to use. Cheers .. & clear skies.
I use L-extreme filter with zwo 533mc & SW 6"/Sharpstar 76. Good job.
Great video Nick, i have a 2"L-extreme coupled with a zwo 533 camera and use it with my William Optics Megrez 80sd, skywatcher ed80 and skywatcher 10" newtonian and it blows me away every time.
I live in a bortle 7 Perth suburb, Western Australia and wouldn't change it for the world.
Thanks Nick! Im in Bottle 6 and always thought that the Extreme is the way to go - thinking the enhance for the future. 👍
Either one will be great!
Nice review. Thinking of trading in my l-extreme and going for one of the newer 5nm Antlia duo or l-ultimate coming from Optolong. I did a comparison video of my stc duo vs l-extreme and you can clearly see the halo issue, but captured more data.
If it didn’t have the halo problem it would be the perfect filter
Awesome review Nick. I've been using the LeX filter for awhile now, and I can relate to some of the problems. I got the filter when I was still using my DSLR. Framing and focusing was challenging for sure. I also have the halo issue as well. It's mostly on the really bright stars. They have a new filter coming out, the L-uLtimate. 3nm OSC filter. They said they will be fixing the halo issue! I hope! Clear Skies!
Thanks Caleb. I hope they do sort the halo issue out. 3nm though…how will you focus 😂
@@AstroExploring auto focus! hehe
Hi Nick, thanks for the video, very interesting. I have the ZWO Duo band filter which appears to work fine with emission nebula until they contain bright stars, such as the Horsehead, under these conditions I also get halos around the stars. You mentioned in the video that you remove these in post, any chance of a video explaining this process please? Thanks and greetings from New Zealand.
I am also deciding between those filters for my bortle-4 area. Looking at the lines of both, I think it should be possible to extract the H-alpha channel from the L-enhance and blend it into a normal image with just a standard light-pollution filter (I use the STC Astro Multispectra). What do you think about that idea?
Hey! I'm getting the zwo 533mc pro to use with my skywatcher 150pds and trying to decide between the L-eXtreme and L-eNhance. Where I live, I'm somewhere between bortle 3 & bortle 4. I was thinking of L-eXtreme but the haloes puts me off abit. So I'm now thinking about getting the L-eNhance. Do you think this is a good choice? 😃
Good question... I currently image with a modified dslr and l-eNhance (clip in) in bortle 5, using a f4.5 scope. I plan to invest in the ZWO 533mc pro and are considering the l-xtreme. Most of my imaging will be from bortle 5, but I will from next fall have access to a bortle 3 location. I had originally decided on the xterme, but the star halos for fast scopes have me reconsider... 🤔
I would say give the L-eXtreme a chance because it is a great filter but if you do get halos and you don’t like it then sent it back. The IDAS NBZ is worth a look
Always appreciate the videos! Learned a lot from the astroberry vids.
Just got my l-extreme. I'm working with manual focusing and a bahtinov mask. Ended up blowing a session trying to figure out how to focus/align.
I was working with ISO 200, barely saw any diffraction spikes on polaris. I think Sirius was out of sight by the time I set up. Didn't occur to me to increase the ISO.
I guess it's time to get an EAF, if increasing the ISO doesn't work.
Quick question, I screw my filter directly unto the skywatcher adapter, which is in front of my reducer. I'm using an sw 80 ed w/ .85 reducer and nikon dslr. I was thinking it would be safer to use a filter drawer. I'm assuming you are using a filter drawer, which one do you use? is it the ZWO Filter Drawer with M42 & M48 Threads? But then again, this will probably affect back focus for my nikon.
ISO200 is too low to focus with when using the L-eXtreme. Try bumping it it up at least 1600 and see how you get in with that.
Yes I use the ZWO filter drawer and the camera comes with all the adapters needed to thread it into the imaging train. ZWO have a page on their website about it
A comparison would be very useful please.
Does L-extreme changes focus point?
Like can I focus by removing the filter and after perfect focus with a bahtinov mask I insert it back?
Dont do 10min subs. Your overall integration time is much more important. I would say do 2/3 min or maybe 1 min at higher gain and lots of them, the increased noise will average out the more subs you take. Good luck.