Filter drawer, electronic or manual filter wheel - what’s best?

Equipment Filters Filter Wheel Acquisition Monochrome Narrowband Buying Advice Deep Sky
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Karol Łoziński avatar
Karol Łoziński avatar

Hi, I’m in the middle of transitioning from DSLR to mono camera. I’ve chose ZWO ASI 585 MM Pro and set of Svbony HSO filters. But I cannot decide between electronic filter wheel, manual wheel or filter drawer. I was thinking about ZWO EFW 5× 2”, ZWO Filter drawer 2” or Svbony manual filter wheel 5×2”. Are there any advantages of using one over another? Is it just personal preference? I’m worried for example that with filter drawer it’s easier to scratch filters or introduce some dust motes. Is that really an issue or am I overthinking? I lean towards said filter drawer as I think it’s lighter for the whole setup and I think that during the night I'll change filter maybe once or twice.

What’s your expirience? Are you happy with what you got or if you knew what you know now, you’d choose differently earlier.

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andrea tasselli avatar
andrea tasselli avatar
Electronic, without a doubt (I have and used them all). You'll thank yourself later…
Sean van Drogen avatar
Sean van Drogen avatar

Electronic, once you start automating you will want electronic to make the most of any clear night you get.

Rainer Ehlert avatar
Rainer Ehlert avatar

Karol Łoziński · Jan 28, 2026, 02:26 PM

I’m worried for example that with filter drawer it’s easier to scratch filters or introduce some dust motes.

That is a reason not to take a drawer.

A manual filter wheel or a drawer bears the danger of moving the telescope out of aligment eg. your images will not be well aligned anymore and you will loose FOV.

Karol Łoziński · Jan 28, 2026, 02:26 PM

I think that during the night I'll change filter maybe once or twice.

Why only HSO filters and no LRGB?

I have all my 3 filter wheels with LRGB HSO and according to what I want to shoot I choose the filters. Two off them even with a Dark filter.

If I want a LRGB image I always shoot in the same night all filters sequentially, eg. LRGB, LRGB, LRGB, etc. and so I have nearly same conditions in all filters. I never shoot in one day just LRGB and then the next day L as the conditions in my place are not the same every night.

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Tony Gondola avatar
Tony Gondola avatar

An electronic wheel is the way to. Filters will stay cleaner and the dust that is there wont move around so your flays will be more accurate. Once you become more automated you’ll need to upgrade anyway so look at it as future proofing. Lastly, don’t short yourself on the number of filters, you will have a need in the future for more slots. I have 8 and they are all filled. 1.25” filters are fine on the 585 so why not?

Armin Lukas avatar
Armin Lukas avatar

Electronic filter wheel.

But 1,25” are enough. Bigger filters only make sense if you are using a fullframe or APS-C sensor.

SonnyE avatar
SonnyE avatar

Since you are going Mono, you need an EFW (or equivalent).

Because you need to collect XX or XXX images in each filter you choose to use. When I was shooting mono, I was using my ASI1600 MM Pro with the 8 position EFW it came with and the ASI filters it came with. In the 8th hole I put a blacked out old filter to automate my darks and Bias frames, using NINA.

Night 1 could usually shoot LRGB and Darks & Bias, Night 2 could usually shoot Ha, SII, and 0III and darks & Bias. But the EFW made the acquisition automatic. NINA let me choose the filters. Every image was under the same sensor temp. As were the Dark and Bias files, for the time I collected them.

I still have that setup in mono. And I went back to it for several nights, got it setup to just attach it to my rotator so it lands at the right backspacing. But the images can’t hold a candle to the ones from my ASI2600MC Pro camera.

So, for the present camera, I chose a simple filter drawer and use 2 different LP filters. So I just pick one or the other. BTW, you won’t scratch your filters with a filter drawer unless you are unnecessarily rough in handling them. Mine cannot risk until they are clear of the slot the drawer slides in. I use a Blue Fireball Brand And it is attached directly to the face of my ASI2600MC camera.

But for Mono, get the electronic filter wheel (EFW), then use it with NINA or similar where you can program in a target, and choose the filters for that run.

I do have all 3, but for Mono, the EFW makes the most sense.

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Craig Towell avatar
Craig Towell avatar

Do yourself a favour and get an electronic filter wheel - future you will thank yourself for it.

Well Written Respectful
Morian avatar
Morian avatar
I use a filter drawer and have no problems with this.
Less weight and fewer things that need power.
Imagine having to cancel a starry night because your electronic filter wheel doesn't work.
I'm just for simpler setups that provide fewer challenges and there are enough of those in this hobby.
morian
SonnyE avatar
SonnyE avatar

Morian · Jan 28, 2026, 07:20 PM

I use a filter drawer and have no problems with this.
Less weight and fewer things that need power.
Imagine having to cancel a starry night because your electronic filter wheel doesn't work.
I'm just for simpler setups that provide fewer challenges and there are enough of those in this hobby.
morian

Set your watch so you remember to change your drawers…. 💩 🤣

Simple is good, but not when you have to go out in the cold in your underwear to change filters.

Incidentally, I never did have my EFW ever not work. I suppose it’s possible but never happened to me.

Once I start a session with one of my LP filters I never did change it.