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Which scope to choose? (1 Viewer)

Sorry I forget how high prices are in Europe with VAT etc. I bought a used Pentax T-ring adapter with 2" very short adapter that would fit in the end of the 2" focuser and found that it wouldn't come to focus. That is when I bought the used 50mm in length 2" adapter that was not threaded at the end for the Pentax T-ring adapter only, it looks like this that I linked to before.
http://www.optcorp.com/product.aspx?pid=105-182-220-224-658
As you see this is really just a 2 " extender and the short adapter I have was made for the set screw type set up not the brass non-marring type, I use electrical tape just in case and it has worked.

You have to have a extender of about 40mm to 50mm to reach focus with a camera. Unless other cameras are different . My camera is the Pentax K100D Super.
I am not sure what you are saying about machining the end adapter but it would be short and would not come to focus with camera.
Steve
 
Musoman said:
Alphan, i was answering moreorless about the MAX dslr, as he stated he was going with T threaded adapters. Though i'm not sure which camera moreorless uses. If like you, its Sony, then yes, i can see the problem with prices, which is a shame
Click to expand...

Sometimes I really regret going for a Sony camera. I was tempted into Sony because of their cheaper bodies here when compare with Canon and Nikon, feature and spec wise. But now I realise that accessoories are hard to get, including lenses. Hopefully, with the increasing market share by Sony, more manufacturer will start producing for Sony as well.
 
mooreorless said:
Sorry I forget how high prices are in Europe with VAT etc. I bought a used Pentax T-ring adapter with 2" very short adapter that would fit in the end of the 2" focuser and found that it wouldn't come to focus. That is when I bought the used 50mm in length 2" adapter that was not threaded at the end for the Pentax T-ring adapter only, it looks like this that I linked to before.
http://www.optcorp.com/product.aspx?pid=105-182-220-224-658
As you see this is really just a 2 " extender and the short adapter I have was made for the set screw type set up not the brass non-marring type, I use electrical tape just in case and it has worked.

You have to have a extender of about 40mm to 50mm to reach focus with a camera. Unless other cameras are different . My camera is the Pentax K100D Super.
I am not sure what you are saying about machining the end adapter but it would be short and would not come to focus with camera.
Steve
Click to expand...

That 2" extender are quite expensive... I did found one from Germany costing 21 Euro (w/o VAT) but cost about 45 Euro more to post (w/o insurance), which is like killing me by dripping my blood drop by drop.....LOL. Are you saying, without the 50mm extension, but with Max DSLR Adapter, you cannot focus to camera? Even with further away object? Did you try moving the 2'-1.25" reducer out a bit to get focus?

My plan are: Remove the diagonal & eyepiece. I will utilise two set of extension tubes ( http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...154615&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT#ht_2194wt_702 ) which are such an universal thing. One of the extension tube will be joint to the 2"-1.25" reducer after the focuser. That two sets of extension can be adjusted to so many combination of length and within the extension tube I will house the DOI 2X TCs, if needed. I may just need one 2X TC and place it some distance from the camera (to increase the magnification) plus another 50-80mm extension between the TC and focuser.
 
On my Celestron 80ED scope I need at least 40mm between the scope 2" [without 2"-1/4" adapter] and the camera for the camera to be able to focus an image at infinity or close up.
 
Mooreorless, thanks for the focus distance. I only got one of the extension tube at the moment, so need to order in another one. Should only cost about US$7 per set delivered.

That adapter you linked are not very well described but I belief that one can fit in and become your extension tube. By the look, it seems like you have to fit in your reducer, then this adapter, a T-ring to your camera. The only problem you may expect will be the vignetting. 1.25" at the focuser will improve the contrast of picture as against a 2", but extending the 1.25" barrel to your camera may cause vignetting...plus additional stray lights reflection internally. Since you got everything there already, you might as well give it a try and let us know.

Cheers.
 
Hello,
I am new to this forum and was wondering if these scopes are useful for field use? I do a lot of birding and am looking for something for photography longer than my 500mm +1.4 telecoverter with a Canon 7D.
Thanks
Tom
 
Wilson Manders said:
Hello,
I am new to this forum and was wondering if these scopes are useful for field use? I do a lot of birding and am looking for something for photography longer than my 500mm +1.4 telecoverter with a Canon 7D.
Thanks
Tom
Click to expand...

Some of us use them in the field and some find them a bit heavy. Something like the Skywatcher 80ED or Orion 80ED weighs in at around 7lbs so it depends on the individuals age, strength, fitness etc plus how much equipment you carry along with the scope. I can carry mine non stop for around 3 hours before it starts to bother me where as some will just carry it a short distance and set up in a hide. So based on that there's no definite yes or no answer, it's really down to the individual.

Paul.
 
OK, so weight is not really an issue since my 500mm lens is already 8.5 lbs. Is it possible to use standard Arca Swiss camera mount systems on this scope?

Paul, I did look at your set up and I would also like to use my Canon either 40D or 7D with it. What are the connections that would be necessary. I would like to be approximately 2x the 1120mm I currently get with my 500 and teleconverter?

Does someone have a suggestion for contacts for this type of scope in the US?

Thanks
Tom

Tom
 
Before you go down this rabbit hole I suggest you shoot your current system for a few weeks in full MANUAL EXPOSURE and MANUAL FOCUS. You may find that this may not be the method to achieve longer focal lengths you want.

If you are OK with this then you might want to check out the lightweight/modular BORG ED refractors.
 
Wilson, welcome to the forums. The weight of your 500 (1:4 IS L, I assume) is feather weight compared to the sweat inducing grunt of equivalent astronomical scopes. I'm not sure where you are willing to settle. But if I already owned a 500 4 IS L, I'd demand a high quality and close to the same aperture...especially if you plan on pushing focal length out to ~1400mm (twice the 700mm of your 500+TC). The good thing you have going for you with astro scopes is that surface tolerances are much higher with astronomy glass because scopes this size are designed to achieve magnifications into the 300x arena, or more. Two caveats: First, larger objective lenses mean greater difficulty controlling CA with so few elements. you can usually counter this with triplet objectives that use three elements, or doublets that use fluorite and other exotic glasses. Second, refractors do not provide flat fields. You can either fix this with Petzval style refractors with elements near the rear of the tube, or add a field flattener between the scope and camera.

The 500 is so sharp, even with a 2x TC, I'd settle on nothing less than a Televue NP-127 or a Takahashi FSQ-106. Either of these will easily take a 2x, 3x, or even 4x barlow with zero image degradation. And they are about the lightest scopes in this class I know of, weighing 16 lbs and 15 lbs respectively.

The mass of newer "inexpensive" ED refractors in the 66mm to 130mm range are quite amazing, but might not give you more quality or distance than your 500mm plus TC's already can. The TeleVues and Takahashis are about as high quality as you can get without sitting on a 5 year waiting list.

Again, I'm throwing out all i can think of without knowing all of your exact intentions.
 
My 80 ED finally arrived. Took it out the back door and got this. First with DOI 2X TC and 2nd just the 80ED. Much better than my Tamron 200-500 Zoom.
 

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Henry,
Thank you for the information. I have always used it in the autofocus mode but could give it a try with my sigma 2x and canon 1.4 stacked with manual focus and that would give me approximately 2240mm. I had not even considered that as an option, so I will give that a try this weekend and let you know the results.

I use my 500 without an extender for some hand held flight shots and it works pretty well but a bit heavy after a while. I am not certain I want something that starts out at 15lbs, probably out of my carry range but might find it interesting for car shooting if the walk was not to far.

I might also look at one of the spotting scopes but the pictures I have seen with the astroscopes are really good and if I go this route I really want the quality. What are you using for a camera?

Tom
 
alphan said:
My 80 ED finally arrived. Took it out the back door and got this. First with DOI 2X TC and 2nd just the 80ED. Much better than my Tamron 200-500 Zoom.
Click to expand...

Wonderful - if thats your starting point, you are going to end up with some stunning shots, once you get used to using this equipment.
 
A few things I found out with my newer model 80 ED. The tube clamp weigh a good 1/2 kg and the hood (dew shield) 1/4 kg. Those have to go soon for lighter materials. I can use the hood as a bell (solid metal of at least 3 mm thick). The Rack and Pinion works fine and responsive. The tube clamp came with felt pads to prevent damage to the tube paint work. The packaged diagonal, eyepiece (25mm) and finder scope are not luxurious but useable. The 2" - 1.25" reducer came with T2 thread. The whole lot I paid 302 Euro plus 95 Euro Courier charge. And being stated as can be mounted to camera thus a photographic equipment, I do not have to pay the 10% sales Tax.
 
I let my tube clamps go because of the weight. though the dew shield has to stay for obvious reasons. Looking forward to more pics as well.
 
Cango, that tube clamp and dew shield are rock solid but before the end of the day, my body aren't solid anymore LOL. I am looking for lightweight material for the Tripod mounting which I figured would be mounted right under the focuser. That dew shield though less heavy than the tube clamps but do make it bulky.

mooreorless, it's much better than my zoom lens and also did point it upwards and saw the moon like a gas lamp glowing. What would be a good EP for better viewing? I am thinking something like 10 or 5 mm UWA or a Zoom?

Tom, I shot more often under tree canopy upwards against bright backdrop thus making AF very difficult. I find this in MF much better and best of all, hardly got any CA.

Musoman, all your EP sold?

Manage to bring it out yesterday afternoon after the rain for a few more shots. The Common Iora (Aegithina tiphia) full shot and crop taken from 12m and Colared Kingfisher (Todiramphus chloris) full shot and crop taken from around 20m. All taken with 80ED only.
 

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