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Rich V.
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 01/02/05
Posts: 982
Loc: Carson Valley, Nevada USA
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Good morning, all,
I talked with Harry Siebert this AM and had a good discussion of the situation; he is interested!
Wayne, I realize you have more important commitments for your time but when you can, Harry would like to see a Saturn w/ eyepieces. If he can make an adapter or fill some of the holes in the eyepiece lineup it would be great! I'd like to think that we can come up with a way to help compensate you for your personal efforts in this matter.
Best regards,
Rich V
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Binoculars:
33-150x100 Saturn III, 16x70FMT-SX, 10x50 PCF-V, 10x43 DCF-SP, 10x35 E2, 7x35 E, 8x30 E2, 7x26 Custom, 8x23AS Diplomat, 8x23 Travelite
Scopes:
C9.25, 6" f8 reflector, SV80S
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GlennLeDrew
professor emeritus
Reged: 06/18/08
Posts: 608
Loc: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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In the Chinese-made RA-88's and -70's, the focus is so close to the optical window immediately behind the last prism face that the eyepieces for these instruments must have their field stops right at the very bottom of the barrels. If *any* dust settles on the windows, it's almost surprisingly sharply visible, due to the small distance from the image plane.
If one wanted to use a 1.25" eyepiece (which would have to have its barrel "padded" so as to fit more snugly), the barrel might have to be cut shorter so that the field stop is at the very lip.
I wonder how the Miyauchi's fare in this area?
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Home-made 11X50 right angle bino, 8.1 deg. FOV
Modified 26X100 bino, 3.5 deg. FOV
Mediocre minds discuss people. Good minds discuss events. Great minds discuss ideas.
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Wayne Parrish
sage
Reged: 02/23/04
Posts: 442
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Rich V,you won't owe me anything for getting this done. I have just gotten another job dropped in our lap so i know it won't be this week.I do have a job next week to start and its in the general direction of Harry's ,so I'll try my VERY best to get it to him next week.You guys have a great and safe 4TH and don't eat too many hot dogs ! Wayne
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Rich V.
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 01/02/05
Posts: 982
Loc: Carson Valley, Nevada USA
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Wayne, I'm sure the new bins with two sets of eyepieces will keep me busy for a while. The 4th is my birthday so I quarantee there'll be a barbeque!
Mr. Siebert has some projects he's trying to finish now but he's pretty confident he can come up with a solution that will give us more options with the Saturns. He said it would only be a matter of months. I'm encouraged at that. I sent him a link to this thread so he could see there are a number of Saturn users here on CN who would like a better range of magnifications.(Not to mention all the other Saturn users worldwide!) Steuart made some very useful points in his last post that should help get things going in the right direction.
Try not to work too hard and have a nice holiday!
Rich V
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Binoculars:
33-150x100 Saturn III, 16x70FMT-SX, 10x50 PCF-V, 10x43 DCF-SP, 10x35 E2, 7x35 E, 8x30 E2, 7x26 Custom, 8x23AS Diplomat, 8x23 Travelite
Scopes:
C9.25, 6" f8 reflector, SV80S
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Vincent33
member
Reged: 09/18/07
Posts: 95
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Quote:
In the Chinese-made RA-88's and -70's, the focus is so close to the optical window immediately behind the last prism face that the eyepieces for these instruments must have their field stops right at the very bottom of the barrels.
[...]
If one wanted to use a 1.25" eyepiece (which would have to have its barrel "padded" so as to fit more snugly), the barrel might have to be cut shorter so that the field stop is at the very lip.
What surprises me is that on OEM page (I past the link again):
http://www.united-optics.com/products/Binoculars/Giant_Binoculars/BA6_Series/BA6.htm
among their "Common Features" is told "1.25" Helical focusers", this let me (and others maybe) think they can accept ALL common eyepeces ...
Quote:
I wonder how the Miyauchi's fare in this area?
I surely don't know ... cheers.
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pcad
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 01/17/05
Posts: 1500
Loc: Connecticut
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Vincent,
I can't be sure either, but the current 70mm models still use proprietary ep's just as the 88's have in the past. I believe there are eyepieces in all the RA models shown. They don't look standard to me.
The 45 degree models are another story. They seem to accept the 1.25" ep's as pictured.
Sometimes the copy misses something in translation. The page was likely updated when the new 45 degree models were added. All those models use 1.25 focuers.
This sort of thing happened to Orion's copy not too long ago when they introduced their 102ED f/7 scope. There were all sorts of copy errors with the new products. Took awhile to straighten out all the boo-boo's
Peter
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Peter
Telescopes 25 - 318 mm
Binoculars 15 - 88 mm
Microscope 50x - 1000x
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Rich V.
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 01/02/05
Posts: 982
Loc: Carson Valley, Nevada USA
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The Saturn IIIs arrived yesterday; I put them on the 3036 tripod and 501HDV head. My next chore was to fabricate a plate to mount my Stellarvue MRF to the shoe on the binoculars. Some 1/4"x1" alum. plate stock with some drilling and tapping and polishing and it came out just fine.
The skies have been smoky and the jet stream was overhead last night but I HAD to give them a look. At 33x the Cygnus area was very nice; lots of stars! I looked at the Ring and the Dumbell and some of the dark nebula action near Deneb; these bins really pull in the stars! The haze made the LM pretty low but still got a pretty good view of M51 but M101 was pretty faint. I can see that 33x and 2° is a sweet spot for these 100mm binoculars.
At 150x with the terrible seeing, Vega had a blue halo around it and the Double Double showed as elongated but not split. The Ring looked pretty good, though. Jupiter showed some mild fringing but the NEB and SEB were obvious as well as signs of the fainter belts/ zones. I can see already that the seeing has to be MUCH better to make good use of 150x. I can't wait for a steady night with the Moon.
The 501HDV is a bit wimpy for these 13# bins but it will do until I come up with a mount decision. For standing viewing, the extra height of the 3036 vs. the 475 is useful as these binoculars are pretty long and viewing at a high angle calls for a very tall tripod. Using the Saturns seated at a lower height looks like the best way to observe with these. An extended tripod is always an invitation for disappointment.
Here are a few quick pictures of the Saturns I shot this AM:
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Binoculars:
33-150x100 Saturn III, 16x70FMT-SX, 10x50 PCF-V, 10x43 DCF-SP, 10x35 E2, 7x35 E, 8x30 E2, 7x26 Custom, 8x23AS Diplomat, 8x23 Travelite
Scopes:
C9.25, 6" f8 reflector, SV80S
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Rich V.
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 01/02/05
Posts: 982
Loc: Carson Valley, Nevada USA
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Another
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Binoculars:
33-150x100 Saturn III, 16x70FMT-SX, 10x50 PCF-V, 10x43 DCF-SP, 10x35 E2, 7x35 E, 8x30 E2, 7x26 Custom, 8x23AS Diplomat, 8x23 Travelite
Scopes:
C9.25, 6" f8 reflector, SV80S
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Rich V.
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 01/02/05
Posts: 982
Loc: Carson Valley, Nevada USA
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And another
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Binoculars:
33-150x100 Saturn III, 16x70FMT-SX, 10x50 PCF-V, 10x43 DCF-SP, 10x35 E2, 7x35 E, 8x30 E2, 7x26 Custom, 8x23AS Diplomat, 8x23 Travelite
Scopes:
C9.25, 6" f8 reflector, SV80S
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KennyJ
Reged: 04/27/03
Posts: 10137
Loc: Lancashire UK
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VERY nice , Rich !
I get the feeling you are going to have a lot of memorable moments with these binoculars !
Wishing you clear skies under which to do so :-)
Kenny
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Two eyes and a preference to use both
Zeiss 7 x 42 BGAT
Captain's Helmsman 7 x 50
Nikon 10 x 42 Superior E
Swift Audubon Kestrel 10 x 50
Helios 15 x 70 Observation
Strathspey 20 x 90
Televue 76 APO
Zeiss 85 Diascope
Helios 102 f5 refractor
Various eyepieces barlows tripods mounts etc.
Panasonic Lumix DMC - TZ5 digital camera
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Wayne Parrish
sage
Reged: 02/23/04
Posts: 442
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Rich V,You may want to entertain the purchase of Miyauchi's finder scope for the Sat III's,if Kevin has any left. I screwed a Rigel illuminator in the receptacle for it and I really like it.
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Rich V.
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 01/02/05
Posts: 982
Loc: Carson Valley, Nevada USA
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Thanks, Kenny! I'm thinking these will get a lot of good use over the long haul. Unfortunately, it looks like it's going to be a bad fire season this year if this last month is any indicator. Things have been OK so far in Nevada but just over the mountain from here is the Zone of Conflagration otherwise known as California! I could use a dose of the cool, green countryside you call home. The British Isles this isn't!!
Wayne, the finders have gone the way of the 55x eyepieces; luckily my skies here at home reach mag 6 so I usually have enough stars to triangulate with a RDF. I've become used to the multi-reticle finder I use on the 80mm apo so another one on the binoculars isn't much of a stretch. I'm down to one optical finder now, a 10x50 Vixen which I use on the C9.25. I still use a Telrad with it more!
It's time to take a break and enjoy my current binocular inventory as it is more than adequate for now (I didn't say eyepieces!). My wife already considers me deranged. ;^)
Best regards,
Rich V
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Binoculars:
33-150x100 Saturn III, 16x70FMT-SX, 10x50 PCF-V, 10x43 DCF-SP, 10x35 E2, 7x35 E, 8x30 E2, 7x26 Custom, 8x23AS Diplomat, 8x23 Travelite
Scopes:
C9.25, 6" f8 reflector, SV80S
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Wes James
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 04/12/06
Posts: 2454
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Congrats, Rich- a lifetime investment- a lifetime of pleasure.
Wes
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Morpheus
newbie
Reged: 03/15/08
Posts: 3
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I picked up the S3's in February and they arrived the afternoon of the lunar eclipse. At that time I had a Gitzo 1227 tripod and a Arca Swiss Monoball. The setup could easily handle the weight but was awkward for tracking and had excessive vibration. I had my father-in-law refurbish an old wooden tripod, and I subsequently purchased the Miyauchi fork mount from Kevin B. The fork mount is nice but I experienced a few problems with the 'installation'.
The bolt component of the fork mount axles were longer than the matching female component on the binos. In order to properly seat the axles I was required to grind about 3-4mm off the bolts then re-tap the bolts (actually just ensure the threads would still align properly) That part was easy.
For some reason I removed the mount off one side of the binos only to find a hole beneath which enters the tube! There was an amount of silicon under the mount but it only partially encircled the hole. Thus, if there was a nitrogen purge at the factory then it would have lost its integrity long ago! I used gasket maker and reattached the mount. Kevin B assures me there should be no problem and I hope he is correct.
I like the fork mount, and I will soon get the Manfrotto 475B tripod. I wish I acted sooner and picked up the Finderscope!!
The 33x and 55x eyepieces give an excellent view, but the 150x are disappointing. I assume there is a collimation issue as my eyes have to strain heavily to get the images to line up. Yup, I'm a knoob.
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Rich V.
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 01/02/05
Posts: 982
Loc: Carson Valley, Nevada USA
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Thanks, Wes
Rich V
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Binoculars:
33-150x100 Saturn III, 16x70FMT-SX, 10x50 PCF-V, 10x43 DCF-SP, 10x35 E2, 7x35 E, 8x30 E2, 7x26 Custom, 8x23AS Diplomat, 8x23 Travelite
Scopes:
C9.25, 6" f8 reflector, SV80S
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Morpheus
newbie
Reged: 03/15/08
Posts: 3
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Quote:
Anyway, if just one EP was going to be made, I would opt for around 8mm and 94x (S3) or 71x (S2) as being a good compromise. The 5mm EP is useful when the binoculars are well aligned, but it's really a bit too much magnification for this scope.
I don't think Harry would have any difficulty selling at least a dozen+ pairs of eyepieces in this range. Regular Miyuchi EP pairs for the S2/S3 sell for around $300-$330 and while I would not pay a large premium for EP's in this range, I would probably go up to $400 if they worked well and maybe others would too?
I'd be in for 94x for up to $400 for the S3's
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Rich V.
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 01/02/05
Posts: 982
Loc: Carson Valley, Nevada USA
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Hi, Morpheus, I think you'll like the 475. I suppose for maximum stability the 3058 would be better but I got the Saturns for their light weight and an overkill tripod takes away from that. It's nice to just pick up the whole shebang and move it for a better alignment on the next target.
At 150x I noticed a bit of misalignment but my eyes easily merged the images. Certainly not perfect. Kevin said that aligning them is a bit tricky as there is some disassembly involved but I may ask for more detailed instructions. I've been messing with the technical side of things all my life and would be willing to give it a try. If you have to strain hard to merge, it sounds like yours are out quite a bit.
These long 45° bins don't just slip onto a collimator like smaller ones do. I'd be curious how someone like Bill Cook would approach such a thing. (hint, Bill!)
Rich V
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Binoculars:
33-150x100 Saturn III, 16x70FMT-SX, 10x50 PCF-V, 10x43 DCF-SP, 10x35 E2, 7x35 E, 8x30 E2, 7x26 Custom, 8x23AS Diplomat, 8x23 Travelite
Scopes:
C9.25, 6" f8 reflector, SV80S
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CESDewar
GorillAstronomer
Reged: 01/16/05
Posts: 1811
Loc: Morganton, GA, USA
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Collimation is a big issue at 150x. I had to send my Saturn III's back to Kevin for alignment before the 150x EP's would work. I know that Kevin probably regrets selling the 150x EP's as it really does require super-good optical alignment for them to provide images that merge reasonably.
But Kevin did a stellar job on my S3's. I have the 5mm EP's marked as I do have to worry about which goes in the left barrel and which in the right (it really does make a difference)! Both BigBinoculars.com and GarrettOptical are splending sites to deal with, both have outstanding support and you cannot go wrong in purchasing from either of them.
150x is a bit too high for binoculars, 90x would be just about right as a top-end. But the 150x EP's DO work - I've seen the CD in Saturn's rings, split the double-double, seen m57 as an obvious "smoke-ring", and caught crater Armstrong on the moon - not the kind of thing you ever expect to do with binoculars.
I'm glad I bought my S3's when I did, and also got the finder (thanks Wayne for prodding me on this!). It's sad they may no longer be offered - they are a wonderful viewing instrument and so lightweight that they get used frequently. I have the 39x EP's with mine and think from time to time about getting the 31x EP's except it's not much of a difference, and since I have the Miyauchi Exceeds(77mm) with the 30x EP's, it's a bit hard to justify the small difference, although I do agree that the wider 2° field is a plus. It's only the thought that these EP's may disappear forever that prods me to reconsider!
BTW - what is the FL of the EP listed on the EP for the 31x EP's? Just curious as I have not seen a pair.... figure it has to be around 23.5mm????
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Rich V.
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 01/02/05
Posts: 982
Loc: Carson Valley, Nevada USA
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Hi, Steuart,
Having only had two nights out so far, under poor seeing to boot, I'm not making any judgements about collimation at 150x. I haven't experimented L vs. R orientation yet but any leeway toward alignment will be welcome.
Since there is no manual, I need to find out from Kevin where the adjustments are made; as these may likely become orphans, I'd like to know the ins and outs. I wonder what the two allen head bolts behind each prism housing are connected to.
I got to scan MW starfields last night and though the stars weren't pinpoint as I hope they can/will be, the contrast looks really good and DSOs really jump out. M27 was really quite delightful to look at. My first view of the Sagittarius area has made me a believer in 100mm bins!
The 33x eyepieces (22.8mm) are ideal for me with 2° FOV and 3mm exit pupil. The view through them has similar characteristics to the 16x70s but with much more eye relief (and a lot more stars!) The eye relief is almost too much, similar to Nikon SEs. These will see a lot of use; they're just what I was looking for.
The 55x sure would have been nice; I still would like eyepieces in the 50-60x and 75-90x range. I really hope Mr. Siebert can come up with something.
My MRF and "custom" bracket work like a champ; I don't really mind that I missed the optical finder.
Thanks for giving me the information I needed to motivate my decision.
Rich V
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Binoculars:
33-150x100 Saturn III, 16x70FMT-SX, 10x50 PCF-V, 10x43 DCF-SP, 10x35 E2, 7x35 E, 8x30 E2, 7x26 Custom, 8x23AS Diplomat, 8x23 Travelite
Scopes:
C9.25, 6" f8 reflector, SV80S
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CESDewar
GorillAstronomer
Reged: 01/16/05
Posts: 1811
Loc: Morganton, GA, USA
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Quote:
Since there is no manual, I need to find out from Kevin where the adjustments are made; as these may likely become orphans, I'd like to know the ins and outs.
I do know that Kevin said the 100mm Miyauchis are difficult to collimate - I would certainly be very cautious before fiddling with the collimation - I suspect Kevin has quite a bit of experience doing this. The good news is that my Miyauchi's have shown no indication of the collimation changing and in fact when Kevin returned them, they took such a whack in shipping that the accessory separator in the box got knocked off the side of the box.
But I agree it would be good to get the collimation process documented - I wonder if at some point we could get a video of him exposing the adjustment screws and talking about the process - that would indeed be very helpful!
My MRF and "custom" bracket work like a champ; I don't really mind that I missed the optical finder.
Yes, I use a GLP almost exclusively with my S3's - I only use the finder when I'm at a Star Party or other place where I can't use the GLP. I find the GLP works especially well near the Zenith - a straight-through finder is not that convenient at that point!
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