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christurner
super member


Reged: 06/24/08
Posts: 171
Loc: Nova Scotia, Canada
Would I need any other piece of equipment? new
      #3396111 - 10/18/09 12:16 PM

Hello everyone out there. I want to get a meade focal reducer3.3 for my lx200 12 acf because I want to image reasonably well with my DSI II Color camera. Do I need any other peices to maeke this configuration work. I would hate to order it and find out I'm lacking another part that would be required to put the package together. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Cheers for now... It's snowing! Yipppeeee....

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Chris and Family
Nova Scotia, Canada
Dark Sky Country
www.spatialenergistics.com
Platforms:
Meade LX200 ACF 12"
newstar 5.1" reflector
26mm plossl meade
13mm Ethos
Kendrick Digi10 Dew System
A wife that understands!


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brianb11213
Carpal Tunnel


Reged: 02/25/09
Posts: 2116
Loc: 55.215N 6.554W
Re: Would I need any other piece of equipment? new [Re: christurner]
      #3396346 - 10/18/09 02:42 PM

The 0.33x focal reducer needs to be the correct distance from the sensor to work properly ... IIRC it's about 85mm from the rear face of the reducer to get 0.33x. The sensor will be some distance behind the flange but this is variable. If you make the seperation too big, the compression will be more than 3x, with unfortunate effects (distortion & vignetting), in severe cases you may not even be able to get to focus. Less seperation, you get less compression, removing about 30mm of the seperation makes the device work at 0.5x, this is usually quite satisfactory.

You may want to equip yourself with a set of extension tubes so as to be able to vary the extension to suit your camera. T2 threaded is best if that's what your camera uses ... if it's a 1.25" push-in "eyepiece replacement" type fitting, then you will have to screw a visual back onto the focal reducer threads, this is less satisfactory in terms of rigidity & keeping the sensor perpendicular to the optical axis.


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Joe Lalumia
Post Laureate
*****

Reged: 01/24/07
Posts: 3616
Loc: Rockwall, Texas, USA
Re: Would I need any other piece of equipment? new [Re: brianb11213]
      #3396593 - 10/18/09 04:53 PM

My astro-buddy Terry Belia has pictures of his camera rig with instructions on his web site here:

http://www.astrotx.com/

http://www.astrotx.com/Focal%20Reducer%20Assembly%20Image.JPG
setup picture

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LX90 8" LNT, SV Nighthawk & TelePOD, SV 80/9D & M4 mount, ETX 90, Orion XT10i, 20x80 binoculars, SV-BV3s-- www.texasastro.org
"Great minds discuss ideas;Average minds discuss events;Small minds discuss people." Unknown



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christurner
super member


Reged: 06/24/08
Posts: 171
Loc: Nova Scotia, Canada
Re: Would I need any other piece of equipment? new [Re: Joe Lalumia]
      #3397627 - 10/19/09 09:11 AM

Thanks guys, lots to consider. Cool pics of his setup Joe!

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Chris and Family
Nova Scotia, Canada
Dark Sky Country
www.spatialenergistics.com
Platforms:
Meade LX200 ACF 12"
newstar 5.1" reflector
26mm plossl meade
13mm Ethos
Kendrick Digi10 Dew System
A wife that understands!


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Audiologist
member
*****

Reged: 07/03/07
Posts: 66
Re: Would I need any other piece of equipment? new [Re: christurner]
      #3402543 - 10/21/09 04:12 PM

The answer to your question is always YES.

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wrather1
AstroBear
*****

Reged: 10/25/05
Posts: 3880
Loc: Dallas, Texas
Re: Would I need any other piece of equipment? [Re: Audiologist]
      #3404305 - 10/22/09 02:22 PM

Ain't THAT the truth...

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"Don't worry about what telescope you own, or its quality. Just get out under the night sky, and enjoy God's wondrous universe." - T. M. Back

Meade RCX400-12 "Ursa Major"
TMB 130SS + EQ6-PRO "Ursus Polaris"
Orion ED80 "Ursa Minor", WO ZS66ED "grab-'n'-go"
EOS 30D (Hutech), ToUcam Pro, Star Shoot Autoguider, Meade DSI

North Texas Clear Sky Chart


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