We love our toys

[rwillits]

   Not so massive. This Samyang 135mm took me a bit of time and some filing, bracket making, and head scratching. We have had nothing but clouds, but I have been able to get the imaging camera and off access guiding (OAG) camera to focus on some trees across the lake (about one mile). It has a Feather Touch focus motor, Orion TOAG, and a TS filter drawer. The vixen shoe is for a guide scope, in case I couldn't get the off access guide camera to focus, which it did with some modifying  . The whole kit weighs 2.2KG (a bit less than 5 pounds). I suspect that I will be using the Carole System of cable management.

   I've been locked up for a year, this is how we keep our sanity, I think that I am going to get a William Optics Red Cat and see how much damage I can do to that. 🙂

 

Isn't this fun

Edited May 3, 2021 by rwillits

[Nightspore]

Very nice. I was never sane to begin with, so nothing's changed for me lol.

[pixelsaurus]

Very cool Richard. I bought the same lens a while back and ordered a 3D printed bracket from France last year. I ordered the first week of lockdown here but it took 4 months to ship. I'm currently awaiting an iOptron CEM26 Goto EQ Mount. No idea when it will land. 👍

[MarkAR]

Looks like a good widefield set up. 👍

[Jkulin]

That looks tidy Richard, I have got all the kit to automate my Samyang 135 and 14mm just need some time to get the backfocus right and put it all together.

 

I went down the rout of a Hitec V2 focuser as that works with Ascom, SW Motor drive, I have the belts etc, sitting on my desk for the best part of 6 months

[rwillits]

John, this is what made it possible to get focus with the OAG and filter drawer system.

 

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/adapters/astro-essentials-samyang-lens-to-m48-adapter.html

 

An adapter that replaced the Canon bayonet on the back of the Samyang with a 48mm thread. I did have to file away about half the thread to shorten the length (lots of thread left). The adapter did take a few months to get all the way from the UK. 🙂

[mechanoid]

John, I too succumbed to the lure of his lens, which has opened up a whole new class of deep sky objects. I have been delighted with the results, and the sharpness of the stars right to the edges of the field.

 

I machined the mounting brackets and threaded adapter from aluminium alloy, and 3D printed the fine focus mechanism.  I also 3D printed a Bahtinov mask, which makes focussing really quick.  As its rather sensitive some form of fine adjustment seems essential.  I have found that the focus almost never drifts over periods of months.

 

Machining the lens to camera adapter at least meant I could get the spacing exact. Of course, I had to buy a set of thread insert tools to cut an accurate thread, so it wasn't a cheap alternative. I just couldn't hand grind a thread tool to make an accurate thread this fine.

 

It appears from your photo as though you have a 3D printer. If you or anyone else would like the mask .stl file let me know.  It is designed to fit over the lens hood.

 

Dave.

[Carastro]

Quote

I've been locked up for a year, this is how we keep our sanity,

Samyang 135mm Lens saved my life last year too.  

 

Quote

 I suspect that I will be using the Carole System of cable management.

Cheeky.

 

Carole 

[rwillits]

I finally got first light with my Samyang. It is of the Virgo Galaxy Cluster. The photo is not very exciting, but it is ok, The sky had some high thin clouds and the moon was low. I finally got the OAG working good. The focus motor is great because the focusing is touchy. I am going to like this telescope. 🙂

[Marmot]

Glad you finally had the chance to use it as I see from the start date of this thread that you have been waiting for a while. Must have been frustrating for you, but not only have you finally had the pleasure of using it, but you have also produced a nice image.

[rwillits]

Thank you, Martin

[MarkAR]

That's a great first light image, so many galaxies.

[rwillits]

6 hours ago, MarkAR said:

That's a great first light image, so many galaxies.

 

Thanks, Mark

I sent the photo to Astronomy.net They counted and tagged over 190 items (galaxies). So many tags, they covered the whole image. 

Edited June 11, 2021 by rwillits

[Carastro]

Have you bought the same lens as me the Samyang 135mm F2 lens?  If so you will find it awesome on nebulae.   

 

It can be difficult to get focus and the right back focus.  I am sitting right on the end of the focuser ring on this lens and I know it is only 99% perfectly in focus but the ring won't turn any more.  I didn't really want to take the bayonet off the back as I might want to use it with my Canon camera at some point.    Some-one has made me a 3D printed adapter which I daren't use previously as it wasn't 100% secure and I didn;t wnat the camera and EFW falling off the back, but I now have a 3 mounting ring system, so next time I dismantle the rig I am going to give the 3D adapter a try and hopefully I can get it to work with some flexibility to the focus.

 

Carole 

 

 

 

 

 

[rwillits]

I got my adapter at First Light Optics (FLO). I believe they are in the UK. Three fairly small screws to remove the existing bayonet mount and use the existing three screws to install the adapter. The adapter is aluminum so it is fairly sturdy.