Final equipment addings

[ApophisAstros]

On 12/5/2021 at 10:07 AM, TareqPhoto said:

 

I like APT too and have a licence but I only use N.I.N.A. now. It handles plate solving, slewing and centring to the target very well.

APT does all that and more very well  , i like the "AIM" button on Platecraft that enables fine framing of targets.

Roger

[Nightspore]

10 hours ago, TareqPhoto said:

 

It is ok, i can understand, only to my situation or case i have no problem with weight, sure it is an issue, but not a big deal or decision changer anyway, i saw a dobsonian that is a bit lightweight even with that big size, and with something wheels beneath it i can move/transport it around, i only and always do imaging and visual from my house year, so it is a short distance, and maybe one day i can buy something like a small shed i can place it somewhere in m yard then i can just store my gear i use mostly or say either my EQ mount or my future dob there and then i can just take it out in no time and start using it.

 

I think there are ways to move large Dob's around on trolleys with small castor wheels. I've often thought about wasting my greenhouse and replacing it with a shed. That way I could just drag something out of the shed. Although, knowing me, I'd go for a big refractor. 

 

You could get a roll-off roof shed observatory. That way you wouldn't have to keep polar aligning an EQ mount.

 

Or how about this? lol

Edited December 22, 2021 by Nightspore

[TareqPhoto]

7 hours ago, Nightspore said:

 

I think there are ways to move large Dob's around on trolleys with small castor wheels. I've often thought about wasting my greenhouse and replacing it with a shed. That way I could just drag something out of the shed. Although, knowing me, I'd go for a big refractor. 

 

You could get a roll-off roof shed observatory. That way you wouldn't have to keep polar aligning an EQ mount.

 

Or how about this? lol

 

Ok, i really like that you reply back to me which is what i always want and wait, this is making me to keep going and feeling happy that there are people who are interested to talk with me or help or guide or even ask me if they need help as well.

 

Let's take your points one by one.

 

1. I will buy a dobsonian regardless i will buy a trolley or not, i just don't try to step back or stop only because i don't know how to move and transport the scope around, so i better buy and then it will force me to get a solution, if i don't have a scope yet then i will never bother about transportation at all because i don't know how heavy it is or whatever.

 

2. I wish to buy a big refractor, but this is very very expensive mainly if it is a triplet for example.

 

3. Having an observatory of any kind is a dream to all astrophotographers, it is just not all can afford to have it if they don't have enough budget or no place, i don't have any good place i want to sacrifice in my land or property for either a shed or an observatory, a shed at least is easier to remove, but the only place i can think about that observatory in my property is on the top of my house, there are enough space, but the only big problem is that i never go up there using the only staircase available, spiral type, i hate it and i have a phobia from this, so it will never help me to go up and build the observatory if i am unable to go up regularly, and for now i still don't have very big/large scopes or very heavy mount with heavier scope for that observatory, i will keep it in mind anyway.

 

4. About that RC, this is in my list to buy next year or after next, i want to get a CDK instead, but a CDK will require me to save like 4-6 years even for cheapest one, RC is more affordable for me sooner than later, but almost 95% of people are avoiding RC because of collimation, many said it is more complicated than collimating SCT, even those who said it is not that hard to collimate i feel like they also not into RC, but the results i saw from RC is jaw dropping or mind blowing for sure, that is why i want to buy it, but i can't decide according to budget and weight and which model and also if i better wait much longer to get CDK or forget about it and stay with RC decision, next year i am moving from affordable gear into more expensive one, that is why i was buying too much last year and this year to finish the affordable good gear i can, and then only remaining is the high end or expensive or difficult to get gear.

 

5. There are also lenses, i have plenty, i want to use them, but most likely the lenses have that kind of mixed reviews, some use lenses just fine, and others hate lenses results much, and i want to use my lenses only wide open, or at least the one that i can't use any step down ring for it as my Canon 300mm, smaller lenses i can use step down rings because i hate very much the spikes from lenses by stopping down the lens, but then at wide open it comes the issue of light shifting for narrowbanding filters, so it mean i might use it for RGB/OSC, and that is also an issue if the lens is not good enough color corrected, and to use a narrowbanding there are special designed ones for high speed options, so i don't know if i really should include DSLR lenses into imaging or ignore it.

 

I like if you have anything to add or tell or recommend, i will have a budget very soon and i am buying some accessories to help in my setup, but i still think about a cheap small scope to add somewhere but not sure if it is a good choice or it is just a waste, i don't mind any scope, but i prefer if i buy it and it fits somewhere in my setup perfectly forever rather than temporarily. 

[Nightspore]

11 minutes ago, TareqPhoto said:

 

Ok, i really like that you reply back to me which is what i always want and wait, this is making me to keep going and feeling happy that there are people who are interested to talk with me or help or guide or even ask me if they need help as well.

 

Let's take your points one by one.

 

1. I will buy a dobsonian regardless i will buy a trolley or not, i just don't try to step back or stop only because i don't know how to move and transport the scope around, so i better buy and then it will force me to get a solution, if i don't have a scope yet then i will never bother about transportation at all because i don't know how heavy it is or whatever.

 

2. I wish to buy a big refractor, but this is very very expensive mainly if it is a triplet for example.

 

3. Having an observatory of any kind is a dream to all astrophotographers, it is just not all can afford to have it if they don't have enough budget or no place, i don't have any good place i want to sacrifice in my land or property for either a shed or an observatory, a shed at least is easier to remove, but the only place i can think about that observatory in my property is on the top of my house, there are enough space, but the only big problem is that i never go up there using the only staircase available, spiral type, i hate it and i have a phobia from this, so it will never help me to go up and build the observatory if i am unable to go up regularly, and for now i still don't have very big/large scopes or very heavy mount with heavier scope for that observatory, i will keep it in mind anyway.

 

4. About that RC, this is in my list to buy next year or after next, i want to get a CDK instead, but a CDK will require me to save like 4-6 years even for cheapest one, RC is more affordable for me sooner than later, but almost 95% of people are avoiding RC because of collimation, many said it is more complicated than collimating SCT, even those who said it is not that hard to collimate i feel like they also not into RC, but the results i saw from RC is jaw dropping or mind blowing for sure, that is why i want to buy it, but i can't decide according to budget and weight and which model and also if i better wait much longer to get CDK or forget about it and stay with RC decision, next year i am moving from affordable gear into more expensive one, that is why i was buying too much last year and this year to finish the affordable good gear i can, and then only remaining is the high end or expensive or difficult to get gear.

 

5. There are also lenses, i have plenty, i want to use them, but most likely the lenses have that kind of mixed reviews, some use lenses just fine, and others hate lenses results much, and i want to use my lenses only wide open, or at least the one that i can't use any step down ring for it as my Canon 300mm, smaller lenses i can use step down rings because i hate very much the spikes from lenses by stopping down the lens, but then at wide open it comes the issue of light shifting for narrowbanding filters, so it mean i might use it for RGB/OSC, and that is also an issue if the lens is not good enough color corrected, and to use a narrowbanding there are special designed ones for high speed options, so i don't know if i really should include DSLR lenses into imaging or ignore it.

 

I like if you have anything to add or tell or recommend, i will have a budget very soon and i am buying some accessories to help in my setup, but i still think about a cheap small scope to add somewhere but not sure if it is a good choice or it is just a waste, i don't mind any scope, but i prefer if i buy it and it fits somewhere in my setup perfectly forever rather than temporarily. 

 

 

There are good and bad aspects of Dob' mounts. I'm too undecided about them to decide lol. Plus I can see that there will be issues for me. ScopeBuggy looks interesting however. Unfortunately my back garden has a steep inclined path from the house until it becomes level. I can see one of these getting away from me.

 

A 150mm refractor would need a pretty big mount. Bigger than 150mm seems difficult in a back yard. McKim Obervatory 9.53" Clark refractor.

 

 

These Tak's are nice for a tad over 8 grand. I'd be pushed to justify 8K for a scope OTA though. I still don't rate the focusers.

 

 

These Celestron VX seem like a more realistic option. I'd probably splash for a better focuser though. 24.49 kg all-up weight. I'm pretty sure these are achromats, but at f/8 I reckon they'd be fine for visual. The GOTO would help a lot.

 

 

If I do replace the greenhouse with a shed I'd probably keep my 9.25" Evolution in it on a scope buggy of some sort.

 

 

It doesn't get out much. Hardly ever.

 

 

The RC's are quite popular for astrophotography. I've spoken to a couple of people who have them. Placing an obsy is not easy though. If I got one it would no doubt be in the way for when I wanted to use a different scope. So I'm not sure I'm that interested in one.

[TareqPhoto]

1 hour ago, Nightspore said:

 

 

There are good and bad aspects of Dob' mounts. I'm too undecided about them to decide lol. Plus I can see that there will be issues for me. ScopeBuggy looks interesting however. Unfortunately my back garden has a steep inclined path from the house until it becomes level. I can see one of these getting away from me.

 

A 150mm refractor would need a pretty big mount. Bigger than 150mm seems difficult in a back yard. McKim Obervatory 9.53" Clark refractor.

 

 

These Tak's are nice for a tad over 8 grand. I'd be pushed to justify 8K for a scope OTA though. I still don't rate the focusers.

 

 

These Celestron VX seem like a more realistic option. I'd probably splash for a better focuser though. 24.49 kg all-up weight. I'm pretty sure these are achromats, but at f/8 I reckon they'd be fine for visual. The GOTO would help a lot.

 

 

If I do replace the greenhouse with a shed I'd probably keep my 9.25" Evolution in it on a scope buggy of some sort.

 

 

It doesn't get out much. Hardly ever.

 

 

The RC's are quite popular for astrophotography. I've spoken to a couple of people who have them. Placing an obsy is not easy though. If I got one it would no doubt be in the way for when I wanted to use a different scope. So I'm not sure I'm that interested in one.

 

Thank you very much!

 

I still have to decide between something of 60mm aperture scope different than what i have because the camera is different, or a 70mm triplet i saw that is cheap and i can use it with a reducer and APS-C sensor to match my 60mm with reducer and 4/3" sensor, but then 70mm triplet will be like alone next to my 72mm quintuplet scope which i connected a new 4/3" sensor to it and i don't have another 4/3" new sensor to have two same setup like the twin 60s.

 

Next year will be another busy year for me, more with imaging this time and less shopping but the big heavy and expensive list this time, so i hope i can get things on time or get what i want and being a correct wise choices so i don't regret.

[Nightspore]

On 12/22/2021 at 7:48 PM, TareqPhoto said:

 

Thank you very much!

 

I still have to decide between something of 60mm aperture scope different than what i have because the camera is different, or a 70mm triplet i saw that is cheap and i can use it with a reducer and APS-C sensor to match my 60mm with reducer and 4/3" sensor, but then 70mm triplet will be like alone next to my 72mm quintuplet scope which i connected a new 4/3" sensor to it and i don't have another 4/3" new sensor to have two same setup like the twin 60s.

 

Next year will be another busy year for me, more with imaging this time and less shopping but the big heavy and expensive list this time, so i hope i can get things on time or get what i want and being a correct wise choices so i don't regret.

 

In my experience cheap triplets can show some CA. I'd rather have a good doublet than an inexpensive triplet.

 

I'm at a loss about what to buy next. Maybe a more compact power source for dew control. For a long time I considered a 76mm Tak' doublet.

 

 

It might be lighter and more manageable than my 80ED DS Pro but I'm still not convinced about the finder, focuser and visual back. So they'd be replaced.

 

 

I'm struggling to think what advantage the Tak' would have over my modified 80ED which now has a Long Perng rotating focuser.  The Tak' OTA has a smaller diameter but the 100mm OTA of the 80ED is beautifully balanced. It also has a Schott crown and FPL-53. 

 

The past couple of years I've had a session on Xmas Eve or Xmas Day. I doubt I'll get that this year with the weather, but I did get my 72ED out for three and a half hours last night!

[TareqPhoto]

16 hours ago, Nightspore said:

 

In my experience cheap triplets can show some CA. I'd rather have a good doublet than an inexpensive triplet.

 

I'm at a loss about what to buy next. Maybe a more compact power source for dew control. For a long time I considered a 76mm Tak' doublet.

 

 

It might be lighter and more manageable than my 80ED DS Pro but I'm still not convinced about the finder, focuser and visual back. So they'd be replaced.

 

 

I'm struggling to think what advantage the Tak' would have over my modified 80ED which now has a Long Perng rotating focuser.  The Tak' OTA has a smaller diameter but the 100mm OTA of the 80ED is beautifully balanced. It also has a Schott crown and FPL-53. 

 

The past couple of years I've had a session on Xmas Eve or Xmas Day. I doubt I'll get that this year with the weather, but I did get my 72ED out for three and a half hours last night!

 

That cheap 70mm triplet i am looking for it mentioned that it uses FPL-53, so is it still bad then?

 

And with Tak FS60-CB it uses Fluorite which in general it is even better than FPL-53, actually they called FPL-53 as Synthetic Fluorite, and yet it shows degree of CA from what i read or see in another forum.

 

For now all what i am trying to do is matching like two of three scopes in FOV and if possible in quality too, i did already with two 60mm ED that are identical regardless of different names, with same sensors also regardless different names, so is done, but i was thinking like if those two small scopes are lightweight enough then i can add a third one, so i can use different filters in each and point them all at same target and collect data of each filter at same time all together to save time of doing it as each filter per night or per like 1-2 hours in night, i don't trust the sky condition and also my life situations to be able to image each filter every night for each target always, i wasted like 3 years without getting good results which means i will never have nice results for many many targets in time then, and i don't want to go with very fast options such as F2 scopes, i always prefer to use like 2-4 scopes at once than using F1-F2 scope only one, because even with that i still have to use one filter at time, and i don't know if i have only 1-2 hours to image at night that i can finish like 3-5 filters with F2 in those 1-2 hours or even 3, sometimes clouds interfere and sometimes i don't go next night or even soon to finish, i saw someone who used like 3 scopes at once to finish one target with narrowbanding in one night and not good conditions, i never saw someone finished one target of narrowbanding using F2 under Bortle 7/8/9.

[Nightspore]

54 minutes ago, TareqPhoto said:

 

That cheap 70mm triplet i am looking for it mentioned that it uses FPL-53, so is it still bad then?

 

And with Tak FS60-CB it uses Fluorite which in general it is even better than FPL-53, actually they called FPL-53 as Synthetic Fluorite, and yet it shows degree of CA from what i read or see in another forum.

 

For now all what i am trying to do is matching like two of three scopes in FOV and if possible in quality too, i did already with two 60mm ED that are identical regardless of different names, with same sensors also regardless different names, so is done, but i was thinking like if those two small scopes are lightweight enough then i can add a third one, so i can use different filters in each and point them all at same target and collect data of each filter at same time all together to save time of doing it as each filter per night or per like 1-2 hours in night, i don't trust the sky condition and also my life situations to be able to image each filter every night for each target always, i wasted like 3 years without getting good results which means i will never have nice results for many many targets in time then, and i don't want to go with very fast options such as F2 scopes, i always prefer to use like 2-4 scopes at once than using F1-F2 scope only one, because even with that i still have to use one filter at time, and i don't know if i have only 1-2 hours to image at night that i can finish like 3-5 filters with F2 in those 1-2 hours or even 3, sometimes clouds interfere and sometimes i don't go next night or even soon to finish, i saw someone who used like 3 scopes at once to finish one target with narrowbanding in one night and not good conditions, i never saw someone finished one target of narrowbanding using F2 under Bortle 7/8/9.

 

I don't know about the triplet. But just because it's triplet doesn't mean it won't have any CA. Mak's have CA, although it's not noticeable for visual mostly. Yeah, I think FPL is synthetic fluorite. Tak' fluorite might make a difference in imaging. I doubt I could see a difference. It's justifying 1300 quid on a Takahashi FC-76DCU that's intriguing me. I may not be able to resist it lol.

[TareqPhoto]

27 minutes ago, Nightspore said:

 

I don't know about the triplet. But just because it's triplet doesn't mean it won't have any CA. Mak's have CA, although it's not noticeable for visual mostly. Yeah, I think FPL is synthetic fluorite. Tak' fluorite might make a difference in imaging. I doubt I could see a difference. It's justifying 1300 quid on a Takahashi FC-76DCU that's intriguing me. I may not be able to resist it lol.

 

I understand, i did ask before about having something like FPL-51 triplet vs. FPL-53 doublet to see which one is doing the effect, the optic type or the scope design type, and someone replied me in this way that it made it even more confusing:

 

"A triplet is better than a doublet, and FPL-53 is better than FPL-51".

 

Kind of a true answer to some degree but can't have a final decision, if i have to choose one thing over another and not both, so that when i saw this triplet with FPL-53 i was thinking, what should be wrong about it if it has both good things then, and if the design is flawed then i can't justify to save more to have a better quality scope anyway, i already bought two doublets 60mm with FPL-53 and it is good scope, then a triplet with FPL-53 should be even better and it is 70mm and i found it cheap affordable, but the thing that it is cheap is what making me worry if it is really god or not, and only one person i saw on YouTube made a review, wasn't impressed of his results because he was using a DSLR from Bortle 4 actually, while i am using a cooled cameras under Bortle 8.

 

Other thing is that i just not buy this scope and waiting until February or April/May and buy a better scope like one i have [90 triplet or FRA400] and never look back, but that means i will do imaging less as i keep waiting missing gear to fit so i try not do all my work seriously with like 1 or two scopes yet, and with the waiting i could change my mind thousands times and i might see more options coming available or released and that will make me going under long questions and decisions for longer time, i was thinking about a pair to my 90mm triplet or FRA400 but that is more expensive plan, i was thinking about a cheap option to buy now to keep me busy with all my current scopes, but most likely i will use more of that 60mm scopes with a third scope if i buy that over my better bigger heavier scopes until i am done buying expensive scopes as well, it is kind of that i don't let myself in a waiting queue long enough that will ruin all my plans over and over again.

 

I will get a budget today i hope, and i am planning to buy several accessories and stuff to help my equipment, and was thinking to include that scope, and i still don't know if it is a right decision or wrong depending on what i want to do really and what i already have, i feel like i want to make more options available to me or buy more to be much more flexible so i do things in like fast mode, so why using 1 combo if i can go with 2 combos or 3 if giving same results almost, so will see what i will end up once i collect the budget.

[Nightspore]

8 hours ago, TareqPhoto said:

 

I understand, i did ask before about having something like FPL-51 triplet vs. FPL-53 doublet to see which one is doing the effect, the optic type or the scope design type, and someone replied me in this way that it made it even more confusing:

 

"A triplet is better than a doublet, and FPL-53 is better than FPL-51".

 

Kind of a true answer to some degree but can't have a final decision, if i have to choose one thing over another and not both, so that when i saw this triplet with FPL-53 i was thinking, what should be wrong about it if it has both good things then, and if the design is flawed then i can't justify to save more to have a better quality scope anyway, i already bought two doublets 60mm with FPL-53 and it is good scope, then a triplet with FPL-53 should be even better and it is 70mm and i found it cheap affordable, but the thing that it is cheap is what making me worry if it is really god or not, and only one person i saw on YouTube made a review, wasn't impressed of his results because he was using a DSLR from Bortle 4 actually, while i am using a cooled cameras under Bortle 8.

 

Other thing is that i just not buy this scope and waiting until February or April/May and buy a better scope like one i have [90 triplet or FRA400] and never look back, but that means i will do imaging less as i keep waiting missing gear to fit so i try not do all my work seriously with like 1 or two scopes yet, and with the waiting i could change my mind thousands times and i might see more options coming available or released and that will make me going under long questions and decisions for longer time, i was thinking about a pair to my 90mm triplet or FRA400 but that is more expensive plan, i was thinking about a cheap option to buy now to keep me busy with all my current scopes, but most likely i will use more of that 60mm scopes with a third scope if i buy that over my better bigger heavier scopes until i am done buying expensive scopes as well, it is kind of that i don't let myself in a waiting queue long enough that will ruin all my plans over and over again.

 

I will get a budget today i hope, and i am planning to buy several accessories and stuff to help my equipment, and was thinking to include that scope, and i still don't know if it is a right decision or wrong depending on what i want to do really and what i already have, i feel like i want to make more options available to me or buy more to be much more flexible so i do things in like fast mode, so why using 1 combo if i can go with 2 combos or 3 if giving same results almost, so will see what i will end up once i collect the budget.

 

 

"A triplet is better than a doublet, and FPL-53 is better than FPL-51".

 

I'm not totally buying this. Dollond made triplets and experimented with other designs. CA could vary between individual scopes regardless of how many lens groups. From what I can gather there are a lot more factors to consider. Would a triplet with 51 necessarily be better than a doublet with 53 glass? Matching the elements themselves is also an important consideration.

 

Mind you, I'm strictly visual.

[TareqPhoto]

8 hours ago, Nightspore said:

 

 

"A triplet is better than a doublet, and FPL-53 is better than FPL-51".

 

I'm not totally buying this. Dollond made triplets and experimented with other designs. CA could vary between individual scopes regardless of how many lens groups. From what I can gather there are a lot more factors to consider. Would a triplet with 51 necessarily be better than a doublet with 53 glass? Matching the elements themselves is also an important consideration.

 

Mind you, I'm strictly visual.

 

Ok, i got you, i am not strictly visual, but thanks for helping me.

 

I think maybe i will wait and buy a second 90mm triplet later, i think this will be the best plan.

[Nightspore]

25 minutes ago, TareqPhoto said:

 

Ok, i got you, i am not strictly visual, but thanks for helping me.

 

I think maybe i will wait and buy a second 90mm triplet later, i think this will be the best plan.

 

Sounds like a good plan. I honestly don't have any plans to buy any more astro gear at the moment. No doubt I'll think of something lol.

[TareqPhoto]

17 hours ago, Nightspore said:

 

Sounds like a good plan. I honestly don't have any plans to buy any more astro gear at the moment. No doubt I'll think of something lol.

 

I got the budget, and i am still thinking 😁

 

Well, in all cases, even if i buy that cheap triplet scope it won't be any worse than my ST80 achromatic scope i have been using for years or even my new scopes of doublet 60mm FPL-53, the triplet is 70 and FPL-53, it could be from inside is not designed perfectly, i will never know without testing one, and i saw one who has this scope made a review on YouTube, sounds not bad, only issue with him is that he was using a DSLR maybe modified, i don't use that.

 

As i mentioned, i can wait, but waiting never helped me in anything really, something telling me that i will end up buying so so many scopes anyway, and buying this one now won't change or stop me from buying in future, it is just i try to convince my mind now that i should not buy now while my heart is in very opposite situation. 

[Nightspore]

4 minutes ago, TareqPhoto said:

 

I got the budget, and i am still thinking 😁

 

Well, in all cases, even if i buy that cheap triplet scope it won't be any worse than my ST80 achromatic scope i have been using for years or even my new scopes of doublet 60mm FPL-53, the triplet is 70 and FPL-53, it could be from inside is not designed perfectly, i will never know without testing one, and i saw one who has this scope made a review on YouTube, sounds not bad, only issue with him is that he was using a DSLR maybe modified, i don't use that.

 

As i mentioned, i can wait, but waiting never helped me in anything really, something telling me that i will end up buying so so many scopes anyway, and buying this one now won't change or stop me from buying in future, it is just i try to convince my mind now that i should not buy now while my heart is in very opposite situation. 

 

I'm guessing the triplet will probably be better than the ST80. Although for tough little grab and go scopes the StarTravel series are pretty good.

 

 

I keep looking at something like this lol.

[TareqPhoto]

1 hour ago, Nightspore said:

 

I'm guessing the triplet will probably be better than the ST80. Although for tough little grab and go scopes the StarTravel series are pretty good.

 

 

I keep looking at something like this lol.

 

That is a wonderful piece, but i didn't see many have it, instead they buy very expensive scope something else, means this one isn't getting much of attention anyway.

 

Actually, that 70m triplet should be a grab and go over my ST80, because my ST80 is 80mm not 70mm aperture, and i replaced the stock focuser to a dual speed focuser and it is no longer a grab and go now.

[Nightspore]

27 minutes ago, TareqPhoto said:

 

That is a wonderful piece, but i didn't see many have it, instead they buy very expensive scope something else, means this one isn't getting much of attention anyway.

 

Actually, that 70m triplet should be a grab and go over my ST80, because my ST80 is 80mm not 70mm aperture, and i replaced the stock focuser to a dual speed focuser and it is no longer a grab and go now.

 

I just like its 'diesel punk' appearance lol. Yeah, I can still use my ST80 as a grab and go but I know what you mean by the weight. It's definitely shifted to the rear.

 

 

Triplets can be heavy though. You'll have to buy it and see!

[TareqPhoto]

1 hour ago, Nightspore said:

 

I just like its 'diesel punk' appearance lol. Yeah, I can still use my ST80 as a grab and go but I know what you mean by the weight. It's definitely shifted to the rear.

 

 

Triplets can be heavy though. You'll have to buy it and see!

 

Yes, the look or color of this scope is something else, i would love to have something similar or same as well for now i am still happy with my Skywatcher ST80 and Mak 180 as both have that "Space" black color, very interesting.

 

I will keep ST80 for solar imaging in future, or even as a guide scope if necessary, i mean i don't have any reason to sell it anyway, it was my first ever scope i bought to learn with and it served me for a while before, i still can remove that dual speed focuser and return back to the old stock focuser for weight, but i don't have to, i am sure if i bought something like 2.5" size of focuser for it it will be heavy, almost the same weight of a third extra lens/optic in the triplet [Achromatic is a doublet after all].

[Nightspore]

1 hour ago, TareqPhoto said:

 

Yes, the look or color of this scope is something else, i would love to have something similar or same as well for now i am still happy with my Skywatcher ST80 and Mak 180 as both have that "Space" black color, very interesting.

 

I will keep ST80 for solar imaging in future, or even as a guide scope if necessary, i mean i don't have any reason to sell it anyway, it was my first ever scope i bought to learn with and it served me for a while before, i still can remove that dual speed focuser and return back to the old stock focuser for weight, but i don't have to, i am sure if i bought something like 2.5" size of focuser for it it will be heavy, almost the same weight of a third extra lens/optic in the triplet [Achromatic is a doublet after all].

 

I think Sky-Watcher refer to it as the 'Black Diamond' finish. There have been issues with some of the small white flecks popping out and leaving tiny pits as the paint is being heated/baked during manufacturing apparently.

 

 

There's a tiny pit on my 72ED OTA, but you'd be hard pressed to actually see it without using a magnifying glass. It doesn't affect performance obviously.

 

 

I'm pretty sure the 'diesel punk' scope has a Long Perng focuser.

 

 

They have longer draw tubes than the GSO focusers.

[TareqPhoto]

2 hours ago, Nightspore said:

 

I think Sky-Watcher refer to it as the 'Black Diamond' finish. There have been issues with some of the small white flecks popping out and leaving tiny pits as the paint is being heated/baked during manufacturing apparently.

 

 

There's a tiny pit on my 72ED OTA, but you'd be hard pressed to actually see it without using a magnifying glass. It doesn't affect performance obviously.

 

 

I'm pretty sure the 'diesel punk' scope has a Long Perng focuser.

 

 

They have longer draw tubes than the GSO focusers.

 

I can see that, i bought GSO-like [TPO] focuser for my Mak, solid one, and bought a while one for my Meade Newt, but i changed the tube itself of that focuser to something else with shorter draw tube and also shorter tube as well, i just kept the base [i bought the white focuser to match the white color of the Newt tube], but i never gave it a try since i made the replacement as i keep busy with refractors and cameras.

[Nightspore]

1 hour ago, TareqPhoto said:

 

I can see that, i bought GSO-like [TPO] focuser for my Mak, solid one, and bought a while one for my Meade Newt, but i changed the tube itself of that focuser to something else with shorter draw tube and also shorter tube as well, i just kept the base [i bought the white focuser to match the white color of the Newt tube], but i never gave it a try since i made the replacement as i keep busy with refractors and cameras.

 

The MoonLite now on my ST102 has the longest drawtube I've seen.

 

 

You can see how long it is from this picture. On the f/4.9 ST102 there are now no in-focus or back-focus problems.

 

 

Basically because the drawtube is long and the focuser itself is short.

 

 

At f/7.5 with the 80ED I can get away with a longer focuser which has a shorter drawtube.

Edited December 26, 2021 by Nightspore

[TareqPhoto]

5 minutes ago, Nightspore said:

 

The MoonLite now on my ST102 has the longest drawtube I've seen.

 

 

You can see how long it is from this picture. On the f/4.9 ST102 there are now no in-focus or back-focus problems.

 

 

Basically because the drawtube is long and the focuser itself is short.

 

 

At f/7.5 with the 80ED I can get away with a longer focuser which has a shorter drawtube.

 

That is nice, i might think about ML focusers in future again, just i can't afford to buy everything at higher prices mainly if i buy cheap scopes only to connect it to expensive cameras and focusers.

[Nightspore]

8 minutes ago, TareqPhoto said:

 

That is nice, i might think about ML focusers in future again, just i can't afford to buy everything at higher prices mainly if i buy cheap scopes only to connect it to expensive cameras and focusers.

 

MoonLite aren't selling many visual focusers at the moment, they're concentrating on motorised.

[TareqPhoto]

10 minutes ago, Nightspore said:

 

MoonLite aren't selling many visual focusers at the moment, they're concentrating on motorised.

 

I can see that, i can contact the person there who can help something, so we will see if that can be an option later, but before i must finish my collection and give them more tests to see if i really need to pay extra for focusers or not, as i am sure at some points i need motors for all or most focusers anyway.

[Nightspore]

4 minutes ago, TareqPhoto said:

 

I can see that, i can contact the person there who can help something, so we will see if that can be an option later, but before i must finish my collection and give them more tests to see if i really need to pay extra for focusers or not, as i am sure at some points i need motors for all or most focusers anyway.

 

https://www.focuser.com/

 

They're easy to email.

[TareqPhoto]

5 minutes ago, Nightspore said:

 

https://www.focuser.com/

 

They're easy to email.

 

Cool, thank you very much