This target was used to experiment with the potential differences between the Optolong L-Pro and the Antlia Quadband Anti-Light Pollution Filter. I have adored my L-Pro since I got it in 2019 but I wanted to see if the technology in filters has made the L-Pro second rate.

Bottom Line: The Antlia Quadband resolved M81 slightly better than the L-Pro but it does slightly sacrifice color from my near Bortle 8 skies. As I show below, the Quadband filter allows some very faint galaxies to show up that the L-Pro is unable to resolve. The differences in M81 require pixel peeping to notice differences, but they are apparent.

PixInsight Processing Details

1. WBPP used for calibrating and stacking (R,G,B in separate channels)

2. GraXpert used to neutral gradients on each channel

3. BlurXterminator (correct only) on each channel

4. Channel Combination to create RGB image

5. Used SpectrophotometricCC in RGB mode to color correct 

6. BlurXterminator (33% Star Reduction)

7. Histogram Stretch to get to Linear State

8. Removed Stars using StarXTerminator

9. NoiseXterminator @ 90

10. HDRMultiscaleTransform to tone down the Core of the galaxy and enhance details

11. Slight S-Curves Adjustment

12. LocalHistogramEqualization @ 25

13. LocalHistogramEqualization @ 75

14. MultiscaleLinearTransform with small values to Sharpen

15. Curves on the blue channel to bring out the slightly more blue in the outer arms

16. NoiseXterminator @ 90

17. Added back stars using PixelMath

18. ICCProfileTransformation (Ready image for the Web)