antares vs celestron focal reducerantares vs celestron focal reducer
This focal reducer from Celestron reduces the effective focal length by 0.63X Enjoy the wider field of view & faster exposure times at f/6.3 with f/10 telescopes f/11 telescopes, such as the C14 will perform at f/7 The Celestron f/6.3 Reducer has four fully-multicoated elements Reduce your exposure times by a factor of 3! This focal reducer is made to attach to the rear cell of Schmidt-Cassegrain or Maksutov-Cassegrain telescopes. In practice, it's important to remember that you will rarely operate at the exact working distance and at the exact reduction factor that is specified. Refractors, or SCTs with external focusers, may not have sufficient in-travel to reach focus in some configurations. So, if you have a filter that is 3mm thick, you need to add 1mm of spacing to your imaging train to retain the correct back focus. However, the China 6.3 R/C has noticeable internal reflections that I haven't figured out yet. I was going to measure the difference in grams, but my lovely wife caught me trying to use her precious, high-tech kitchen scale for the cause, and put the kibosh on it. In the 1960s, Celestrons founder, Tom Johnson, created groundbreaking new telescopes never before seen on the consumer market. I read another thread in a different forum about F6.3 reducer correctors and one amateur posted an image about glue coming out of an astromania f6.3 reducer which he planned to return. Wow, that is a very detailed discussion! Telescope Optics, Rutten and van Venrooij, Chapter 15, Willman-Bell (1988). Regardless, the difference was miniscule and is more than adequate on both and exceeds a 8 or 6 SCTs baffle tube diameter. Torazz Have always disliked the crude, noisy SCT threads, but I get it. No difference. 2. When using the diagonal, keep the field stops of the eyepieces under 20mm. Yellow and orange members of open clusters stood out a bit more as the various stars displayed their individuality. I have had the Japan unit on the back of my C5 since 1994 or thereabouts. Its a good thing I have the super lube handy or my neighbors wont be happy with me.come to think of it, Im sure the small mammals here wouldnt be thrilled either! Today, our world-class team of optical and electronic engineers continues to push the boundaries of technology. Many focal reducers for refractors have a working distance (or back focus distance) of 55mm. This focal reducer and field flattener consists of a four-element multicoated 40mm lens in a metal cell. You cannot, for example, use a 0.63x focal reducer intended for a standard Celestron or Meade SCT and use it on a Celestron Edge HD or a Meade ACF. None of this was offensive, nor did it interfere with views in any significant way. We have corrected # (iii) after equations 6 & 7. It was used strictly for imaging, not visual observing. A wider field of view and a lower magnification is also useful, with some focal reducers and with some eyepieces, for visual observers with telescopes with long focal ratios. Reducer Lens .7x - EdgeHD 800 Learn More. Also read the reviews here, including those at 4 stars. The reducer features fully coated optics in an anodized aluminum filter ring with an ergonomic rubber grip. I don't know. Brightness, color, and contrast were subtly different, but could be as much the day they were coated as any real difference in the two brands. Many Ritchey-Chretien telescopes available today are made by GSO. Community Forum Software by IP.BoardLicensed to: Cloudy Nights, E of San Francisco Bay and W of the Awahnee, This is not recommended for shared computers, reviews here that suggest a coating problem, Back to Celestron Computerized Telescopes, Looking for advice on first refractor and camera. High power views will provide flatter fields all the way to the edge, both visually and photographically. Unique focal reducer and field corrector lens accessory, Reduces the focal length and f/ ratio of your Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope by 37%, Provides a dual focal ratio instrument, without sacrificing image quality, Compatible with all Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes (see compatible list in description). Meade and Celestron both sell such SCT-T adapters with the correct optical length. The reducer fits all Meade and Celestron . The threads were similar on the eyepiece end, but a bit smoother. Optically, it consists of a four-element lens that is fully multi-coated for high contrast and resolution. Product Details Antares' f/6.3 focal reducer provides a faster f/6.3 system for imaging or visual use when used with an f/10 SCT or other compatible telescopes. I would pay slightly more for the Japan produced version, just because Hirsch was not bad either but sold it since I had 2 already. The two samples I have PERFORM IDENTICALLY. He received his first telescope at the age of 5 and completed his first university course in astronomy at the age of 12, eventually receiving a master's degree in the subject. This standard distance is a consequence of the design of DSLR cameras for which the distance of the sensor to the outer edge of the flanges is about 45 mm, while the T-ring that attaches to the flange for astrophotography is about 10mm thick. They never really recovered from selling a few 15 years back with element reversed. For imaging, a T-adapter is threaded to the camera side of the focal reducer, which in turns connects to the camera with the appropriate hardware. We do not price match competitors if they are out of stock. You also wont be unhappy spending the few extra bucks on the Celestron for the pretty orange lettering, particularly if you can pick one up used, as I did. This would tell us exactly how well aberrations are corrected. Sky recognition technology that has revolutionized the manual telescope by eliminating the confusion common among beginners and enhancing the user experience for even seasoned telescope users. During check-out, you will be presented with several shipping choices and costs. Sign up for OPT news, exclusive offers, and updates on the latest gear! The designed reduction factor (0.5x in the case of the GSO reducer example above) should be considered a rule of thumb or approximate value in most cases, rather than a very precise number. I've never found my 0.63 reducer causing CA when used with my SCT. Some coma is visible in the corners, but the image is quite good for EAA applications. They usually have a 2" barrel that slides into the telescope focuser. One of the most important factors in a telescope is its transmissionthe percentage of light that reaches the focal plane. To test this, I used three set-ups: 1. On the trail, at the job site, in the classroom, or simply sitting at home relaxing the Celestron Elements ThermoTank 3 will keep your hands toasty. For Stephen Wilkerson: The ZWO ASI120MC-S does come with a wide angle lens, HOWEVER, it is NOT intended to used when you are using the ASI120 camera attached to your telescope. If used before or beyond the working distance, unwanted image distortion may result. Read our 101 article or get in touch. I even lost track of which reducer I was using. I must admit, as well, that I no longer place a lot of stock in the notion that Chinese optics are inferior to Japanese or Taiwanese any longer, as manufacturing technology has really leveled the playing field today, with most Chinese optics being excellent. This is a. The Buyer's Guide To Eyepieces at the top of the Eyepieces forum has a column for this spec. Completely stuck, completely frustrated. I use the Celestron version and it seems OK for both visual and imaging. If a stronger level of focal reduction is used, say 0.5x, then the image circle may be too small to fill the sensor of larger cameras. We only send interesting emails and will never sell your data. And when d1 = FR, that is, when the focal reducer is placed at a distance from the focal plane of the objective that's equal to the reducer's focal length, the focal length of the combined optical system is Fo, so it acts as a 0.5x reducer. * Not a Retail Store * 16313 Arthur StreetCerritos, CA 90703, USA, Availability: Item has been discontinued by Agena and we no longer carry this item. The equations and argument in the Appendix of this article shows the relationship between the working distance and the reduction factor. InternetSales@optcorp.com, 800-483-6287 I also used several eyepieces including the ES 24mm/68, 17.5mm and 12.5mm Morpheuses, and a 10.5mm Pentax XL. You attach the focal reducer to the rear port on a SCT and can keep it covered. Thanks for pointing this out. Orders placed after 12:00 PM Pacific Time will be shipped the next business day. SKU: CEL-94245. There may have been an almost imperceptible difference, but the Antares and Celestron were producing precisely the same reduction. Unscrew that wide angle lens and put it away, then attach the ASI120 to the nose-piece that came with the camera and fit that into the eyepiece holder. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. Newtonian reflectors will seldom be able to accommodate the in-focus travel demanded by focal reducers. Stock focusers in an SCT move the mirror of the scope to change the position of the focal plane, and they have sufficient travel to accommodate a focal reducer. . In terms of reduction and correction - which are what reducer/correctors are supposed to do - both are superb. I think there may be some confusion here, because Antares makes a variety of reducers for eyepieces and scopes in addition to this SCT R/C but this definitely is a reducer/corrector. Keep in mind that these differences were very subtle, and could be due to normal variations in coatings among different runs, and not necessarily unique to the brands. The internal surfaces are blackened and glare-threaded to provide the highest contrast. To calculate how much back focus spacing you need to add, take the thickness of the filter and divide it by 3. Celestron Reducer Lens .7x - EdgeHD 925 The EdgeHD .7x Focal Reducer Lens makes your EdgeHD 925 one full F-Stop faster than f/10, reducing your exposure time by half to capture the same brightness of object 5-element lens design Maintains similar. Several functions may not work. It features a standard male SCT thread (2" OD, 24 TPI) on one side and a standard SCT female thread on the other. As often noted in reviews and forum threads, Antares products tend to have threads that are a little less precise, and this specimen certainly demonstrated this. This "speeds up" the optical train by reducing the focal length and magnification of the scope, requiring less time to integrate the same signal. There is a way to make subjective data more useful and that way is proper blind, or better still. I use it on my C8 SCT with a 1000d, and it seems to do everything written on the tin. More details are found in the Appendix of this article. I have a made in Japan 6.3 R/C and a made in China 6.3 R/C. For these items, please contact us to obtain a shipping quote before you check out using the online shopping cart.International Customers:Free shipping does not apply to international orders. Perfect for the serious student, professional scientist and discriminating hobbyist. Have a promo code? I have the Antares and am not unhappy with it, but for AP I would want more back focal distance if those numbers are accurate. Thks for that and its not for visual it for astrophotography. This means that there must be sufficient travel on the telescope focuser to make up for this. Focal Reducer, 2", 0.7X. The Reducer/Corrector can also be used for terrestrial digiscoping. More about this below. Despite never removing it no matter what I was looking at. The reducer is we might presume designed to correct to some as yet un-measured extent, the image of a standard SCT. You can probably eke out 1.2 without noticing serious vignetting, which is a field stop of 31.5mm. As I understand it, compared to the old Meade SCT's, the ACF is already "coma corrected", so the standard Meade, Celestron etc F6.3 focal reducers are not suitable and will only worsen the images. It's an either/or proposition: reducer and 1.25", or 2", but not 2" and reducer. The stock Celestron visualback is just under 2 long. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue. There are many different types of focal reducers and they all effect. Benefits limited to hardware and conditions? You currently have javascript disabled. That was fun. This also resulted in the clear aperture of the Antares being about 39-39.5mm, versus the Celestrons 41mm. Wonder how they would stack up with a Japanese 6.3. Manish Panjwani has been an active amateur astronomer since before Halley's Comet last flew by our neighborhood. WiFi technology encircles the globe in a web of connectivity, knowledge, and information. They are designed (assuming you are referring to the f/6.3 version) for the f/10 light cone. Due to the design, the Reducer/Corrector lens does diminish a small amount of field curvature common to all Schmidt Cassegrain telescopes but does not eliminate it. Add a 0.63x reducer, and the brightness of extended objects increases by (1/0.63)2 = 2.5. In this case, d2 = FR/2, which means the back of the focal reducer is located at a distance FR/2 from the camera or eyepiece. I use the same back spacing for both on a small 6" Celestron SCT. A longer effective focal length leads to higher magnification with a given eyepiece for visual observers. Based on Test 1 and Test 2, I think there is perhaps more validity to opposing statements here in these forums that the Antares and current China-made Celestron do, indeed, have exactly the same optics just with different housings and branding. The distance d2, which measures the position of the new focal plane of the objective from the back of the focal reducer is given by Equation 5: In these equations, d1, d2, and MR are all variables that depend on each other through Equations 2 and 4. With the barrel 1.25 reducer won't focus, all I get is fuzzy snowballs. No experience with the Antares reducers, but I haven't personally seen a difference between Celestron and my current pair of made in Japan Meade reducers. Possibly the design of the Antares was changed .. I have/had both the Celestron (Japan) and Antares units. I've heard and read all kinds of things about the Antares being only a reducer and not a corrector, etc. Imagine having two telescopes in one a long focal length instrument for lunar and planetary work and a short focal length scope for deep sky observing and astrophotography. However, in principle, the reduction factor of a focal reducer can be varied by changing the distance from the back of the focal reducer to the camera or eyepiece. We reserve the right to verify a competitor's advertised price and the availability of the item. The Celestron is both a corrector and focal reducer and the Antares is just a focal reducer. The faster f/ratio allows you to use slower film or shoot in lower light level situations and still properly expose your subject. My application is mostly visual now, but I'm looking to do more astrophotography over time. Celestron Solar Safe filter technology is GUARANTEED SAFE for direct solar observation and has been independently tested by SAI Global Assurance Services. Thanks guys, I'm trying to get my ZWO ASI120MC-S to work with my 90mm Meade. Thanks. How does it look thats what matters. Also, the focusers of most Newtonians do not have enough in-travel to accommodate a focal reducer. I focus using a moonlight electronic focuser and focusmax. Celestron's EdgeHD reducers feature a custom 5 element optical design engineered to maintain the flat-field performance of our award-winning EdgeHD optical system. The female end attaches to the rear cell of the telescope. This article explains the basics of how focal reducers work with an astronomy telescope. Celestrons award-winning Nature DX binocular gets a major upgrade with the addition of ED objective lenses. The reduction factor MR can also be written in terms of d2 as: When the focal reducer is placed at the working distance, D, that is when d2=D, then the reduction factor MR is equal to the design reduction factor MRD: Equations (6) and (7) imply these important considerations: Most manufacturers do not publish the focal length of their focal reducers, so it is not usually possible to calculate the working distance and design reduction factor. Well done. Much to my surprise, swapping back and forth between the two correctors using all three diagonal configurations, I also could detect absolutely no change in reduction between the two reducers. EclipSmart solar products feature Solar Safe filter technology providing the ultimate protection from harmful solar radiation, including both IR and UV light, and filters 99.999% of visible light. For both imaging and visual observing, these reducers also improve image sharpness at the edge of the field by correcting for coma and field curvature. As a real-world example plot showing the above relationships, let's look at the 1.25" GSO focal reducer that provides a design reduction factor of 0.5x. Is there likely to be any differences in performance between using these on an 8 or something smaller like my 6SE? Figure 7 shows an example of an image of the Dumbbell Nebula taken with a 1.25" GSO focal reducer at a reduction factor of 0.63x with an 85mm f/7 refractor and a QHY5III-290M camera with a sensor with a 6.4mm diagonal. Read our guide! Just point the telescope at any three bright objectsstars, bright planets, or even the Moonand your telescope can orient itself with the night sky. When the camera sensor is placed at this distance, the reduction factor of these reducers is 0.75x. Once focused it's pretty good. Never used one, but read the reviews here that suggest a coating problem. The most popular accessories for your new telescope! Details: The item must be the identical item, brand name, size, weight, color, quantity and model number. The distances d1 andd2 can also be expressed in terms of the focal length of the focal reducer FR with the lens equation: Using Equation 2, Equation 1 can also be expressed in terms of d2: The focal reduction factor of the focal reducer depends on its focal length and its distance from the focal plane of the objective as shown by Equation 4: Again, for example, when the focal reducer is placed at the original focal plane of the objective, d1=0 and MR=1, which means there is no focal reduction. Turn it on and push Align. In about three minutes, youre ready to observe! control and Sky Viewer display makes selecting your target easy. Ive owned Celestron, Meade, and Antares models over the years at least a couple of each. This is the distance at which the reducer must be placed in front of the eyepiece or camera focal plane in order to operate at the design reduction factor. Explicitly designed for Celestron Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes, this unique lens reduces your telescopes focal length and f/ ratio by 37%, turning your long focal length telescope into a fast, short focal length instrument. For both imaging and visual observing, these reducers also improve image sharpness at the edge of the field by correcting for coma and field curvature. Now, Celestron is using that same technology to allow star gazers to connect to the night sky and enhance their experience of the cosmos in fun and unique ways. If used with other f/ratios, the field flattening characteristic may be unpredictable. They only publish the value of D, the working distance (sometimes called the back focus distance) and the design reduction factor MRD. The working distance or required back focus, explained above, is usually specified and is far more important in practice. However, even though the imprint on the item states "Reducer / Corrector" please note that his is a reducer only. When you said, "in some cases" a focal reducer also works as a flattener/corrector, are you saying that not all focal reducers are flatteners/corrector? 2023 OPT Telescopes. Over the course of a several nights of general observing, I swapped back and forth between the Antares and Celestron R/Cs on a wide variety of objects open clusters, brighter galaxies, a couple of nebulae, and globular clusters as well. The review is a subjective visual impression, which is interesting but not best evidence. In this configuration, the 29.5mm camera nosepiece and a 6mm extension ring positions the reducer at a working distance of 53.5mm from the camera sensor, which is located 12.5mm inside the front edge of the camera. The Best Dedicated Astronomy Cameras for Beginners, Astronomik OIII 12nm CCD Filter - T-Threads, Pegasus Astro Dual Motor Focus Controller, 10 Micron 12kg (26.45lbs) Stainless Steel Counterweight- GM 2000, I would like more information regarding stock availability dates. For visual use, this means you get lower power with the same eyepiece and a wider field of view. I have the Japanese version and although I haven't used it in quite awhile, the views through it were superb with no internal reflections at all.
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antares vs celestron focal reducer