Astroscope + DSLR = Gallery! (1 Viewer)

[Oskar Moilanen]

Thanks all for the kind words! It feels good when effort shows improvement.

Roy, I disagree on the background being bland as I think it acts as great contrast to the colours. The second shot is a beauty.

 

[cango]

I am really enjoying the extra focal length as it means a lot more birds come into range than from just 400mm.

That scope is really singing in your hands as well Lovely goldfinches!

 

[Tord]

I managed a few Goldfinch snaps yesterday. Both shot at 1/320 sec, ISO 800 and 840mm. A very bland background but some reasonable detail. I am really enjoying the extra focal length as it means a lot more birds come into range than from just 400mm.

Super captures, Roy. From a technical as well as artistic point of view.
/Tord

 

[JvdM]

Roy: I have been looking to do that myself, but have found little info. This is a site I've found that sells flocking paper for scientific purposes: http://www.thorlabs.de/newgrouppage9.cfm?objectgroup_id=190

Hi Guys

Instead of the flocking paper, go to the nearest Asian market or a shop that sells dress materials and get some black (matte) velvet. If the assistant is knowledgeable they will be able to help you with the correct stuff-the astro guys use it as well. I have used it in my DIY lens hood for the scope and it works well.

Jaco

 

[Tord]

Hi Guys

Instead of the flocking paper, go to the nearest Asian market or a shop that sells dress materials and get some black (matte) velvet. If the assistant is knowledgeable they will be able to help you with the correct stuff-the astro guys use it as well. I have used it in my DIY lens hood for the scope and it works well.

Jaco

Hi,
What would it a suitable method to flock the inside of extension tubes as well? Given the space constraints, I was thinking about first gluing the velvet it on a semi-rigid sheet of paper with correct dimensions, then try to form a cylindrical roll and lastly try to glue the roll inside the tube?

 

[Roy C]

Hi,
What would it a suitable method to flock the inside of extension tubes as well? Given the space constraints, I was thinking about first gluing the velvet it on a semi-rigid sheet of paper with correct dimensions, then try to form a cylindrical roll and lastly try to glue the roll inside the tube?

Like you I still cannot figure out how you can apply it easily in an extension tube Tord given that it is only 2 inches in diameter. BTW HERE is some relatively cheap flocking paper with an adhesive backing - just £7 GBP.
With the adhesive backed stuff I guess the best way to try would be to cut to the right size, peel back a bit of the backing paper and then try to gradually stick it inside the tube.

 

[Oskar Moilanen]

Like you I still cannot figure out how you can apply it easily in an extension tube Tord given that it is only 2 inches in diameter. BTW HERE is some relatively cheap flocking paper with an adhesive backing - just £7 GBP.
With the adhesive backed stuff I guess the best way to try would be to cut to the right size, peel back a bit of the backing paper and then try to gradually stick it inside the tube.

Well that is certainly a much better price, will have to order a few rolls soon. With it being self adhesive I figure there won't be much problem if you cut it to the right size.

 

[Tord]

Like you I still cannot figure out how you can apply it easily in an extension tube Tord given that it is only 2 inches in diameter. BTW HERE is some relatively cheap flocking paper with an adhesive backing - just £7 GBP.
With the adhesive backed stuff I guess the best way to try would be to cut to the right size, peel back a bit of the backing paper and then try to gradually stick it inside the tube.

Thanks Roy,
I guess I will give it a try, even though some dexterity will be required. 1m x 45cm large sheets should allows for quite a few trial-and-error and learn by doing it.


/Tord

 

[JvdM]

Hi Tord/Roy

Wherever you buy the material from, they should have some stuff (forgotten what it is called) that you can iron on as a backing for the velvet (it is normally used to stiffen things like shirt collars and lapels).

For tubes I normally calculate the inside area of the tube and cut the material and backing to size (leaving about 5mm for an overlap. Then coat the inside of the tube with glue, roll the "flocking" onto a pen or pencil and get the loose end glued down firmly. Then just slowly unroll the "flocking" from the pencil and press it down as you go.

Patience and deft fingers are a big help.

Jaco

 

[Tord]

Well that is certainly a much better price, will have to order a few rolls soon. With it being self adhesive I figure there won't be much problem if you cut it to the right size.

I browsed further and found some useful information in the Customer Reviews that serves a a guide how to apply the material. (You need to open the Customer Review tab).

 

[DanC.Licks]

That is the easiest to use and if you bugger it up, just rip it out and try again. Very easy to use. No glue. Nothing permanent you might want to renew sometime.

 

[Roy C]

Hi Tord/Roy

Wherever you buy the material from, they should have some stuff (forgotten what it is called) that you can iron on as a backing for the velvet (it is normally used to stiffen things like shirt collars and lapels).

For tubes I normally calculate the inside area of the tube and cut the material and backing to size (leaving about 5mm for an overlap. Then coat the inside of the tube with glue, roll the "flocking" onto a pen or pencil and get the loose end glued down firmly. Then just slowly unroll the "flocking" from the pencil and press it down as you go.

Patience and deft fingers are a big help.

Jaco

Thanks for that tip Jaco :t:

 

[Paul Corfield]

I got my flocking paper on ebay and it came in packs of 5 X A4 sized sticky back sheets. Doesn't seem to be any on ebay at the moment though. The brand was MIC which retails at £1.99 for 5 sheets at other sites on the web.

Paul.

 

[cango]

Dipper

and so they have arrived from up north.

One cropped square, other two uncropped. iso 1600 (1/160s and 1/250s) Oly em-5 + celestron 80ed.

 

[Roy C]

and so they have arrived from up north.

One cropped square, other two uncropped. iso 1600 (1/160s and 1/250s) Oly em-5 + celestron 80ed.

Cracking good set - some lovely detail :t::t::t:

 

[DanC.Licks]

Very nice, esp the middle one! Lighten it up juuuuuust a tad, crop a little off the top and left, and enter it into the monthly photo contest, (unless you have something still better). This month's theme is digiscoping. Subtle colors, crystal clear....bang on!

 

[cango]

thanks guys! Wish I was a contest guy, but I'm not

 

[DanC.Licks]

The contest is meaningless. It is just a way to let others see your pictures. Not everybody peeks in here.

 

[DanC.Licks]

Finally!

We have been waiting for this guy to show up for longer than it takes me to set up my camera for a long time!



Usually he has just grabbed a seed and ran, as it were. But today he decided he didn't want to push my patience any further and kept coming back. Lousy light, but just doable. E-30+80/600. No TN. Like most of the pictures of birds at our feeder, this is through two panes of glass.

 

[Roy C]

We have been waiting for this guy to show up for longer than it takes me to set up my camera for a long time!

View attachment 412756

Usually he has just grabbed a seed and run, as it were. But today he decided he didn't want to push my patience any further and kept coming back. Lousy light, but just doable. E-30+80/600. No TN.

Very nicely done Dan - lovely crested tit :t::t::t: