antares vs celestron focal reducer antares vs celestron focal reducer

Thks for that and its not for visual it for astrophotography. The internal surfaces are blackened and glare-threaded to provide the highest contrast. As another example,GSO makes focal reducers for their line of Ritchey-Chretien imaging telescopes. In some cases, focal reducers also act as field flatteners by correcting for field curvature and coma of the objective lens. I had a Celestron, Antares and Hirsch for awhile and compared them over about a year. There are also third-party vendors such as Hotech. All Rights Reserved. Reducer Lens .7x - EdgeHD 1100 Learn More. Thanks Peter! If you want to save a few buck watch the classifieds on CN. So, this past week I challenged the Antares and Celestron models to a head-to-hear on my C8 on some decent nights of good seeing and transparency in my Bortle 5-6 urban skies. The nominal design reduction factor of these reducers is typically 0.5x. I happily cycle through LRGB filters to build the image rather than do a whole run of one filter at a time. The reducer features fully coated optics in an anodized aluminum filter ring with an ergonomic rubber grip. A slight nod to the Antares for heft and higher transmission, but points to the Celestron for nice threads and better contrast. 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. 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. It's usually specified in millimeters. In most cases, the easiest option is to choose the focal reducer made specifically for your telescope. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. The Antares focal reducer comes in small box. Newtonian reflectors will seldom be able to accommodate the in-focus travel demanded by focal reducers. I use it on my C8 SCT with a 1000d, and it seems to do everything written on the tin. Meade and Celestron both sell such SCT-T adapters with the correct optical length. Figure 6 shows a 1.25" focal reducer from GSO configured with a ZWO ASI224MC camera. On the camera side, the focal reducer has male M42x0.75 or M48x0.75 threads that attach directly to the T-ring (with an M42-M48 adapter if necessary). The EdgeHD .7x Focal Reducer Lens makes your EdgeHD 1100 one full F-Stop faster than f/10, reducing your exposure time by half to capture the same brightness of object . I doubt there is any difference between the Antares and the Celestron except price. No negative issues to report. 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. Sign up to get exclusive deals, observing tips, and new product announcements. ED glass is specially formulated and contains rare-earth compounds that greatly reduce a visual defect called chromatic aberration. Most Feather Touch focusers cost between $300-$350. The author finds differences in throughput and color balance, but then says he thinks the lenses are identical and he reaches his conclusions based on very long observing session. You don't need to follow these equations to use a focal reducer, but they do show how the reduction factor changes with the placement of the reducer. However I've also read that the back focal distance on the Celestron is 105mm while the Antares is 81mm so they couldn't be identical. Your price: $579.00. Nowadays I tend to use the Celestron more with my refractors for imaging and viewing. Blue Fireball M42 T/T2 Thread Camera Adapter for Prime Focus Photography - 2" # P-06, Celestron T-Ring for Canon EOS Camera # 93419, GSO 2" Crayford Focuser for SCTs - Dual Speed, Length of male SCT thread = 5mm (0.2") but this is preceded by an unthreaded part on the eyepiece side making the total length = 8.8mm (0.35"), Length of female SCT thread = 7.5mm (0.3"). First, let's have a look at some key optical parameters are needed to understand focal reducers. During checkout, you may also be shown other optional faster shipping choices.US Customers in Hawaii and Alaska: Free shipping applies to almost all products. These 0.63x focal reducers were originally designed to optimize for an image circle to match 36mm x 24mm film or its digital equivalent for astrophotography. The working distance of the GSO 0.5x focal reducer with 1.25" barrel and the GSO 0.5x focal reducer with 2" barrel is about 51mm to 53mm, approximately, from the middle of the metal cell that holds the lens. 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. To test this, I used three set-ups: 1. I have both the Antares and the Celestron reducers. This is the simplest way to attach your ASI121 to your telescope. Whereas the Celestron threaded smoothly onto the scope, the Antares chattered and squeaked a bit more so when being removed. I use the same back spacing for both on a small 6" Celestron SCT. It features a standard male SCT thread (2" OD, 24 TPI) on one side and a standard SCT female thread on the other. Focal reducers for many SCTs and their flat-field equivalents usually have a back-focus distance of 105mm. However, this also came at a cost, as the sky background in the Antares was slightly brighter. Because I have not heard any complaints about the made in China R/C. Powered by Invision Community. 3. Rather than a direct side-by-side, I swapped the reducers so that I was using them on the exact same, well-collimated instrument. A few large telescopes and mounts are excluded from this free shipping offer. This is very impressive performance given how hard this problem is to mitigate in general. It's an either/or proposition: reducer and 1.25", or 2", but not 2" and reducer. If used before or beyond the working distance, unwanted image distortion may result, especially when using cameras with larger sensors. The easiest way to use a focal reducer is to make sure you place it at the specified working distance in front of your camera or eyepiece. Images made with my ZWO 533 camera testing both show them to be essentially the same. As mentioned in Section 2 of this guide, the reduction factor of a focal reducer depends on its position in the optical path relative to the eyepiece or camera. Years ago, I bought the Antares version, and moved over to the Celestron. The click-lock with a 2 dielectric diagonal with a somewhat shorter light path, using both a 2 ES 28mm/68 and the same low-profile adapter with a 1.25 ES 24mm/68. In terms of reduction and correction - which are what reducer/correctors are supposed to do - both are superb. Celestron Solar Safe filter technology is GUARANTEED SAFE for direct solar observation and has been independently tested by SAI Global Assurance Services. Reducer - Corrector Learn More. For me the Antares was a little brighter and had the least scatter by a bit so the better coatings won. Many focal reducers are meant to be used within a few millimeters of the specified working distance to achieve the best possible image results. I have/had both the Celestron (Japan) and Antares units. They never really recovered from selling a few 15 years back with element reversed. control and Sky Viewer display makes selecting your target easy. I wont bother with differences in packaging, caps, etc. I wish there was. I've never found my 0.63 reducer causing CA when used with my SCT. 160K views 9 years ago This video is a complete overview of focal reducers and how they function applying to telescopes. Try & buy if you like - usual mates rates. No difference. Torazz ), ASI Air Plus - Connected items are 'greyed out', Cost of ordering used equipment U.S. - Can can more than double figure, Tuthill Isostatic Mount and Star Trap Power Module. Any comments gratefully received. Please re-enable javascript to access full functionality. A useful thing to know is how far from the objective lens (for a refractor) is the focal reducer located. The previous post shows the reducer on what appear to be two different refractors. This fully multi-coated lens provides maximum light transmission with near full-field illumination. There may have been an almost imperceptible difference, but the Antares and Celestron were producing precisely the same reduction. A focal reducer does just the opposite of a Barlow lens or focal extender. 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. They are reported as identical. The most popular accessories for your new telescope! The C8 has no noticeable vignetting with a 32mm Plssl in the f/6.3 reducer. This means that there must be sufficient travel on the telescope focuser to make up for this. Copyright 2003-2022 Agena AstroProducts. Get ready for a night of astroimaging with your mount faster than previously thought possible with All-Star Polar Alignment. Oceanside Photo & Telescope wants our customers to shop with confidence knowing that you will always get the best deal available. 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. Celestron is considered better in terms of QA, less likely to come with free dust, hair or fingerprint. Focal Reducer, 2", 0.7X. We process your personal data as stated in our. Wow, that is a very detailed discussion! This superb fully multi-coated multi-element focal reducer takes advantage of the latest computer aided design techniques to achieve the highest standards of performance set by the brand leaders at a fraction of the cost. 2023 Celestron, LLC. The Reducer/Corrector can also be used for terrestrial digiscoping. Edited by bluewater, 05 September 2020 - 11:27 AM. . It is recommended for . Antares or Celestron? . If I had to guess, the difference is maybe 10-15 grams. Thanks. Overall, this reducer does a phenomenal job at preventing gradients due to internal reflections from the camera sensor back to the glass in the reducer, as I suffered with the Antares reducer. Celestron or Antares? 2023 OPT Telescopes. Things change but when I rebought I got an Antares and it seems about the same to me. Perhaps not exactly- there will be some uncertainty because of manufacturing tolerances and so forth, but it will be close. 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) Share Customers Also Purchased Description Your mileage may vary. More about this below. 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. It's important to match the back focus to within a millimeter or two to get an optimal image, especially with cameras with larger sensors. 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. That said any comparison reviews are helpful. 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. The Antares FR2-0.7X is the same 4-element f/6.3 lens system used for f/10 Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes but in a 2" barrel threaded for standard filters. The new Lithium Phosphate (LiFePO4) battery chemistry has significant advantages over other battery chemistries, great for for those Astronomers on the go. Most refractor manufacturers such as William Optics, Tele Vue Optics, Explore Scientific, Sky-Watcher, William Optics, and Stellarvue make their own focal reducers optimized for use with their telescopes. How about for visual observers? In these equations: The combined focal length of the objective and focal reducer is given by Equation 1: For example, when d1=0, that is, the focal reducer is at the focal plane of the objective, Fcomb=Fo, so the focal reducer has no effect. Since the focal plane of an eyepiece is rarely precisely known(except for some brands such as Baader Planetarium and Tele Vue), and because the nosepiece of an eyepiece is of a fixed length, the actual reduction factor will be close to, but not exactly at, its designed reduction factor. 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. Hi. DUE TO EXTREMELY HIGH DEMAND, WE WILL NOT BE TAKING NEW ORDERS UNTIL MONDAY, DECEMBER 14. Request stock alerts and we'll let you know when the item is back in stock. Some coma is visible in the corners, but the image is quite good for EAA applications. Given past experience with them, I decided not to include the Meade version in my little experiment, as I have never met one I liked from getting one of the too-short focal length models, to one with some overflow cement in the doublet, to focus difficulties with some eyepieces. The f/6.3 reducer is operating at f/5-f/5.5 with a 2" diagonal, depending on the back focus length of the diagonal. * Not a Retail Store * 16313 Arthur StreetCerritos, CA 90703, USA, Availability: Item has been discontinued by Agena and we no longer carry this item. Thanks guys, I'm trying to get my ZWO ASI120MC-S to work with my 90mm Meade. Thanks guys, appreciate the feedback. M44 was a perfect target for this, as its large size maxes out the FOV on a C8 with a corrector, and its bright stars make great targets for measuring the very edge of the visible field. Will not focus with the stuff I have. Right off the bat, I was struck by how similar the two R/Cs were. 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