Astroscope + DSLR = Gallery! (7 Viewers)

[cango]

So now after have hunted for old lenses to get telenegatives, we also have to hunt for old photocopier/fax machines on ebay as well...? When will it stop...? ;-)

(love the out of the box-tits )

 

[Paul Corfield]

So now after have hunted for old lenses to get telenegatives, we also have to hunt for old photocopier/fax machines on ebay as well...? When will it stop...? ;-)

(love the out of the box-tits )

Well not quite yet. They are ok for close range but I can't get it to focus beyond around 8m with the one I have. It has to be really close to the scope and with the focuser in as far as it will go that's as far away as mine will focus. I have just ordered another one which is around 44mm in diameter and will try putting it up inside the focuser tube. The one I currently have has too big a diameter to fit inside the focuser so there's not much else I can do to experiment at present.

A lot of astronomers use copy lenses to make good quality finder scopes to mount onto their larger scopes, or they just make small spotting scopes out of them using and erector prism and eyepiece. Google copyscope for some examples.

Paul.

Paul.

 

[Paul Corfield]

Did a quick test with the focal reducer made from a photocopier lens. Gives a 55% reduction so the 600mm SW80ED goes down to 270mm. As I said in the last post, the one I have will focus up to around 8 to 10m and no further, haven't measured exactly. Good for doing anything up close where you don't want the full 600mm.

I have a smaller one on order that I will be able to fit into the nose piece of the 2" scope adapter.

Not sure how the overall f number will be affected. On the front of the copy lens it says f4.5 / 137mm

Example of my bird table from around 5m range with and without focal reducer.

Paul.

 

[Paul Corfield]

This is my best one so far. Nice and sunny this morning so with the focal reducer taking the 600mm scope down to 270mm I could use ISO800 and 1/4000sec shutter. Taken from around 5m range.

Paul.

 

[JGobeil]

This is my best one so far. Nice and sunny this morning so with the focal reducer taking the 600mm scope down to 270mm I could use ISO800 and 1/4000sec shutter. Taken from around 5m range.

Paul.

Well done !

 

[cango]

a beauty, Paul! quite long out from the hole, yet you nailed the focus.

 

[Paul Corfield]

a beauty, Paul! quite long out from the hole, yet you nailed the focus.

Thanks Jules/Cango. Takes a few goes to find the best place to focus and then it's sheer luck that the continuous shutter goes off at the right moment. Did a gaussian blur in Photoshop on a duplicate layer and erased the blur where the bird is. That makes the box look a little further back than it was.

Paul

 

[mbobo]

Here some shots with my new APO 90/600 + 2x Barlow + GX8 ...

regards,
Mario

 

[cango]

Here some shots with my new APO 90/600 + 2x Barlow + GX8 ...

regards,
Mario

Really nice! keep'em coming

 

[Paul Corfield]

Nice photos Mario although the editing is very obvious where you have blurred out the background/foreground on the last three photos. What methods are you using? I'm sure the people here can give you some useful tips.

Paul.

 

[DanC.Licks]

Good shot, Paul, and well processed. The added blur was a good idea.

 

[mbobo]

Thanks Paul. Ist was a bit to aggressive. I used the "normal" blur function in photoshop. I changed it, now with define 2.0 .

regards,
Mario

 

[Paul Corfield]

Robin with a beak full of spiders and covered in cobwebs just before feeding the chicks.

SW80ED and 2" GSO ED barlow.

Paul.

 

[cango]

Robin with a beak full of spiders and covered in cobwebs just before feeding the chicks.

SW80ED and 2" GSO ED barlow.

Paul.

I like the "sneaky" aspect of the shot, and the cobwebs

 

[Tord]

Robin with a beak full of spiders and covered in cobwebs just before feeding the chicks.

SW80ED and 2" GSO ED barlow.

Paul.

Nice, you can almost feel how wary it is.

 

[Musoman]

Thats a beauty - sharp too, and nice PP work

 

[Paul Corfield]

Dunnock photographed yesterday with SW80ED and Sunagor 100-200mm TN. Wood Mouse on the bird table, I always seem to get them this time of year when it warms up. When a bird comes to the table the mouse just leaps off the side which is quite comical too see it plummet 1.5m to the ground. It then goes straight back up some bamboo and jumps back on.

Paul.

 

[Musoman]

Great work - so sharp too

 

[JGobeil]

Dunnock photographed yesterday with SW80ED and Sunagor 100-200mm TN. Wood Mouse on the bird table, I always seem to get them this time of year when it warms up. When a bird comes to the table the mouse just leaps off the side which is quite comical too see it plummet 1.5m to the ground. It then goes straight back up some bamboo and jumps back on.

Paul.

Nice ! Well done.

 

[Musoman]

The weather has been abysmal here and havent gone outside with the ES 80 yet, but captured a Blue Tit on my feeder.

Slightly better IQ than the sparrow

The trees in the backgound are around 200ft away, so i get a fairly decent backround when birds are on the feeder