The effects on image formation through a tilted interference filter in a converging beam are investigated and an adequate compensation procedure is established. A method that compensates for small-scale seeing distortions is also developed with the aim of co-aligning non-simultaneous solar images from different passbands. These techniques are applied to data acquired with a narrow tiltable filter at the Swedish 1-meter Solar Telescope. Tilting provides a way to scan the wing of the Ca II H line. The resulting images are used to map the temperature stratification and vertical temperature gradients in a solar active region containing a sunspot at a resolution approaching 0''10. The data are compared with hydro-dynamical quiet sun models and magneto-hydrodynamic models of plage. The comparison gives credence to the observational techniques, the analysis methods, and the simulations. Vertical temperature gradients are lower in magnetic structures than in non-magnetic.

Line-of-sight velocities and magnetic field properties in the penumbra of the same sunspot are estimated using the CRISP imaging spectropolarimeter and straylight compensation adequate for the data. These reveal a pattern of upflows and downflows throughout the entire penumbra including the interior penumbra. A correlation with intensity positively identifies these flows as convective in origin. The vertical convective signatures are observed everywhere, but the horizontal Evershed flow is observed to be confined to areas of nearly horizontal magnetic field. 

The relation between temperature gradient and total circular polarization in magnetically sensitive lines is investigated in different structures of the penumbra. Penumbral dark cores are prominent in total circular polarization and temperature gradient maps. These become longer and more contiguous with increasing height. Dark fibril structures over bright regions are observed in the Ca II H line core, above both the umbra and penumbra.