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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

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  1. G

    New Sub Forum needed - Astro scopes for Visual

    tradeoffs Firstly, I must say that I appreciate your comments. It has made me refine some of my ideas. Secondly, I believe that there is a place for what I will call CAT scopes (catidiotropic - aka, mirrors) under use by actual birders in the field. So, I was re-reading some things and...
  2. G

    New Sub Forum needed - Astro scopes for Visual

    view for the $$$ Supposedly, a 6 inch SCT will have contrast somewhere equivalent to a 4 inch ED refractor with superior resolution of detail, at one third the price, half the length, and about the same weight. The view looked pretty good for $369. o:D
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    New Sub Forum needed - Astro scopes for Visual

    Meade LX80 test Test of new Meade 6 inch Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescope. Eastern Bluebird was 30 feet from me and very accomodating. Standard post-processing applied. Eastern Bluebird with Meade LX80, 6 inch Views are brighter than the 89mm Questar, shutter speed with same type of connection...
  4. G

    New Sub Forum needed - Astro scopes for Visual

    CAT quirks Thank you for your experience! I appreciate your input!! I already experience some small amount of central obstruction dimming with the Questar (a Maksutov) and the 32mm Brandon eyepiece that came with it. I expect some also with the larger SCT. Not sure how small my iris gets on...
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    New Sub Forum needed - Astro scopes for Visual

    6 inch SCT More craziness. Sold off a couple of unused photo items and just put an order in for this 6 inch Meade SCT. http://www.highpointscientific.com/meade-6-quot-sct-ota-with-uhtc-coatings-sctota06 Should get more magnification with brighter view of the bird. And a faster shutter...
  6. G

    New Sub Forum needed - Astro scopes for Visual

    natural colors and other discoveries 89mm Maksutov photo of Northern Pintail Duck An example of prime focus photography (no eyepiece) with the 89mm maksutov. I think it is around 32x power (1600/50) at about 540 feet according to Google Earth. I like it. Took many blurry shots and a few...
  7. G

    New Sub Forum needed - Astro scopes for Visual

    good comparison photos Ahh yes! I had seen your web site one or two years ago and that is what gave me some ideas about using a mirror scope at that time. You have some great field equipment, especially for reading tags on legs of birds. Always good to repost the links so more people will...
  8. G

    New Sub Forum needed - Astro scopes for Visual

    web cam for birding More silly possibilities! Would have to glue a 42mm step adapter ring to the outside housing, so not pursuing this yet. http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/893197-REG/Microsoft_q2f_00013_Lifecam_Studio_PL2.html 3:-)
  9. G

    New Sub Forum needed - Astro scopes for Visual

    camera live view update Update: Live View when zoomed is not as sharp as the eyepiece by itself. Could see the ducks and gulls today better with the 32mm eyepiece (about 47x power) compared to the camera by itself (about 30x power digitally zoomed 2x to 60x power). I hope to get a...
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    New Sub Forum needed - Astro scopes for Visual

    camera Live View experiment As far as using the camera Live View, it seems to work just fine. In fact, as I panned the gear head, the scene brightness changed and the camera's Live View adjusted the brightness level for me (it also adjusted automatically for the darker view with the polarizer...
  11. G

    New Sub Forum needed - Astro scopes for Visual

    "zoom" with a barlow lens?? I have a Nikon Fieldscope zoom (MC model). Nice and sharp but the FOV is too narrow. I prefer to use the Brandon 32mm that came with the telescope. I will experiment soon with a camera Live View screen as my "eyepiece". Might be very useful on Bird Walks in a...
  12. G

    New Sub Forum needed - Astro scopes for Visual

    APO's have a nice view but I find them a bit heavy. Had a 80mm Celestron ED and even at 6 lbs., seemed too heavy for me to carry around to go birding. My current experiments with the 89mm Maksutov (4 lbs. and shorter) are promising but I have to see if that polarizer helps enough with...
  13. G

    New Sub Forum needed - Astro scopes for Visual

    handling ability Interesting, the biggest magicball can handle 10 kg, the smaller one 5 kg (same as my 410 geared head). I wonder how fine adjustments can be made with any ball head, including the magicball. Geared heads as well as astro heads with slow-motion controls are automatically...
  14. G

    New Sub Forum needed - Astro scopes for Visual

    Thanks much about the irising for reflectors. Will look into it! B (:
  15. G

    New Sub Forum needed - Astro scopes for Visual

    polarizer The only reason for a circular polarizer is because digital sensors get messed up focusing , otherwise a linear should be fine for visual. I will have to report back when I get the chance. Flocking everything black is a good idea. My scope is well flocked and also has a built in...
  16. G

    New Sub Forum needed - Astro scopes for Visual

    polarizer? Anyone ever try using a linear polarizer on the end of a 2 inch eyepiece holder? Would that improve contrast for visual use??? :h?:
  17. G

    New Sub Forum needed - Astro scopes for Visual

    achros Never tried an achro, I like not having to see false color. But yeah, the mirrored type scopes do lack contrast. Anyway, the detail is still there and the portability cannot be beat. I am getting too old to carry large refractors. Someone needs to invent a refractor telescope that...
  18. G

    New Sub Forum needed - Astro scopes for Visual

    portable scopes I think portable telescopes are still underrated since most are about the same size and weight of an expensive spotting scope. No weather proofing yet though. I like the power of the Maksutov, differentiates it from the other usual spotters. Someone mentioned a hawk on a...
  19. G

    New Sub Forum needed - Astro scopes for Visual

    subforum Thanks, it is a used Benro gotten from KEH for $139 in "EX" condition. Joke, it had pebbles and wet sand inside all three legs. Almost sent it back but decided to take the whole thing apart and disinfect it. River pebbles and sand all over the place but got it cleaned and it only...
  20. G

    New Sub Forum needed - Astro scopes for Visual

    setup pics For anyone who needs to see what a telescope could look like as a spotting scope: 1. 89mm Maksutov-Cassegrain on Manfrotto 410 geared head. ~8 lbs. 2. Everything on top of a carbon fiber tripod. ~11 lbs total. 3. Optical train: axial port -- chinese step rings -- PreciseParts SCT...
  21. G

    A Few Beginner's Questions

    How about a 12 inch dobsonian mounted to a tank turret. Make your own trails! :)
  22. G

    New Sub Forum needed - Astro scopes for Visual

    good title I like the title. I might prefer "Visual Astro scopes and equipment". I get into so many problems with choosing accessories and measuring for adapters and like, how to figure how much extension tubing to buy. Like, I just ordered a custom made adapter to convert the port in the...
  23. G

    A Few Beginner's Questions

    Some Mak's and SCT's come with a sliding hood. The Questar does, not sure of others.
  24. G

    New Sub Forum needed - Astro scopes for Visual

    And don't forget the small Takahashi and Borg refractors being used for birding. The aim would be to see what considerations make it different for visual usage. I like the idea of comparing eyepieces with different telescopes since the characteristics are slightly different with different...
  25. G

    New Sub Forum needed - Astro scopes for Visual

    How about using carbon fiber legs and a medium duty ball head - tilt the head sideways and use it as a poor man's alt-az ?? The only thing I don't like is that the quick release plate is always getting loose!!! A dealbreaker unless I actually used gorilla glue to attach it to the bottom of the...
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