Kolari Astrophotography Filters

The newest drop of our Summer of Innovation is our collaboration with IDAS! Our collaborative filters include the Nebula Booster NBZ-II, Dusk to Dawn (DTD), HEUIB-II, and NGS1 (LPS-D3). These filters are meticulously engineered to meet the needs of astrophotographers, offering exceptional performance and image clarity when taking images of deep sky objects.

In addition to our collaborative filters, we offer a variety of standalone filters tailored for specific astrophotography needs which includes our Light Pollution filter, UV/IR Cut Hot Mirror, UV/IR Cut H-Alpha Pass, and H Alpha Narrowband (7nm) filter.

For more information and technical graphs, please see the description of each filter below.

The Nebula Booster NBZ-II is a specialized filter designed to enhance deep-sky imaging. With a 10nm H-alpha narrowband and an 8nm OIII narrowband, this filter provides superior contrast and detail for capturing nebulae and galaxies.

Unlike competitive 7nm or narrower filters that lose significant transmittance in fast optical systems (around F2), the NBZ-II maintains 80% or more transmittance under the same conditions.

The IDAS GNB filter is designed to transmit Hα and OIII wavelengths while effectively suppressing light pollution in the visible spectrum, similar to the IDAS NBZ. However, what sets the GNB apart from other filters on the market is its unique ability to also pass near-infrared light. This feature makes it ideal for capturing galaxies that are otherwise inaccessible with conventional nebula filters.

Note: We recommend using this filter with a full-spectrum converted camera, as normal stock cameras will not be able to transmit near-infrared light.

[caption id="attachment_160217" align="aligncenter" width="1051"] GNB Galaxy Nebula Booster Transmission Curve[/caption]

The NGS1 (LPS-D3) is an advanced light pollution suppression filter that performs exceptionally well in both urban and rural settings. It effectively reduces interference from both artificial lights and natural night glow, enhancing the clarity and contrast of deep-sky objects.

As the world’s first filter to suppress both man-made light and night glow interference in the green, orange, and red ranges—including OI (557.7nm, 630.0nm, 636.4nm) and NaI (589.0nm, 589.6nm)—the NGS1 significantly improves image quality. It is also a successor to the IDAS light pollution cut filters, making it effective against white LED lights, as well as low- and high-pressure sodium lamp pollution.

Designed to maximize the transmission of light from emission nebulae, comet comae, and ionized comet tails, the NGS1 is optimized for longer wavelengths. This shift in transmittance range allows for better performance when dealing with oblique incidences, which are common with thin-film interference filters.

When used with lenses that have an aperture of f/2 or faster, the NGS1 effectively captures nebular emission lines, improving deep-sky and cometary imaging under challenging conditions.

The Dusk to Dawn (DTD) filter is a cutting-edge light pollution filter, uniquely designed with an integrated IR transmission area. Ideal for full-spectrum cameras, the DTD filter excels in passing key wavelengths, including those in the Ha and OIII regions, as well as the bands associated with comet ion tails. This makes it a standout choice for both deep-sky and comet photography.

Not only does the DTD filter deliver the same exceptional Ha and OIII transmission as the IDAS NBZ filter, but it also provides a distinct pass band for comet ion tails within the visible spectrum (400nm to 700nm).

By enhancing contrast in the NIR region, which is minimally affected by light pollution, the DTD filter boosts the visibility of continuous spectrum light from comet dust tails, galaxies, and the Milky Way. This allows for high-contrast imaging of a wider array of celestial objects in both the visible and near-infrared spectrum.

The HEUIB-II filter is engineered to block unwanted wavelengths while allowing the transmission of crucial H-alpha, H-beta, and O-III lines, making it ideal for capturing emission and reflection nebulae.

Similar to our UV/IR Cut H-Alpha Pass filter used in astro modifications, the HEUIB-II features reduced excess red signal, resulting in clearer and more vibrant nebula images.

Optimized for capturing H-alpha nebulae at a wavelength of 656.3nm, the HEUIB-II filter minimizes interference from the red end of the spectrum, commonly seen in traditional astronomical IR-cut filters like the UIBAR-III.

This enhanced suppression of the red spectrum allows for improved contrast and detail in H-alpha nebulae images. Compared to the original HEUIB filter, the HEUIB-II offers superior red spectrum control, delivering sharper and more defined nebulae in the H-alpha region.