4 replies to this topic

[bbasiaga]

My wife just wont this scope as a door prize at a recent star party.  Exceptional luck.  Has us thinking about astrophotography again.  I see it comes with two extension tubes as well as a diagonal.   I'm taking some rough measurements of the 480mm focal length, and trying to figure out if, even with the two extension tubes, this thing will focus.     Simple math would tell me that the focal plan will be 18.89" from the objective, but even with all the tubes in I'm not sure I can get there.  May be OK for visual when adding the diagonal as that adds a few inches of travel. 

 

Can anyone with one tell me how they set it up for visual and photographic use?

 

Wasn't sure if this should go here or in the AP forums, since it deals with both.  

 

-Brian

[RichA]

Mirrorless m4/3rds camera and a 1.75 inch extension work for me, but it depends on your camera (registration distance, from the sensor to the mount flange) and the adapter used to attach the camera.  Best thing to do is get the camera (consumer or astro-camera) and camera adapter, then just "wing" it by getting it to focus at infinity (hand hold looking at bright city lights in the distance) and noting the gap needed to be filled by an extension.  This will also depend on if you also use reducer, field flattener.

[Droro]

My wife just wont this scope as a door prize at a recent star party.  Exceptional luck.  Has us thinking about astrophotography again.  I see it comes with two extension tubes as well as a diagonal.   I'm taking some rough measurements of the 480mm focal length, and trying to figure out if, even with the two extension tubes, this thing will focus.     Simple math would tell me that the focal plan will be 18.89" from the objective, but even with all the tubes in I'm not sure I can get there.  May be OK for visual when adding the diagonal as that adds a few inches of travel. 

 

Can anyone with one tell me how they set it up for visual and photographic use?

 

Wasn't sure if this should go here or in the AP forums, since it deals with both.  

 

-Brian

its a great little scope. for visual it works fine with one extension tube,  plus i replaced the eyepiece holder with a twist lock which makes the whole setup much nicer. 

for ap i use a fullframe z6 , which has some vignette, but you can get a flatenner which may help. 

you need both extension tubes for AP , i replaced one with a baader clicklock , it works well. 

an AZ GTI in EQ mode with a 2 kg counterweight works well. 

[mjanzou]

I use one of these with my es ed80.... My asi533mc-p came with adapters required for 55mm back focus, no extension tubes required, just plug it in where the diagonal would sit. 

 

https://www.astronom...refractors.html

 

works most excellent and has a standard 55mm back focus from the camera side of device.

[bbasiaga]

Just got it out to night to look at the moon. I'm about a half inch away from getting focus with my canon dslr. I think I can make a spacer for my t-ring as the tube is quite long and would still have plenty I space to get a purchase. They also sell additional extension tubes.

I also can't balance it with a dslr on. I need to get mu guide scope to confirm, but the dovetail needs to extend about an inch rearward from where it is. The funny thing is, I Un-bolted it and urged it around and then it was too far off balance in the other direction! The balance point is just where only one of my mounts two screws will catch it. Not comfortable with that, so I'll have to go shopping for a longer rail. Anyone know where to look?

The adapter game kind of reminds me why I took a long break from AP to begin with. But the scope was free so I won't complain too much.

Brian

Edited by bbasiaga, 06 August 2022 - 08:50 PM.