eBay - illuminated finder - anyone seen or used this?

[Omaroo]

I haven't seen these before, and after having both a Telrad and Orion (prefer the Telrad by miles) I'd like to see one of these in action. Has anyone seen one working at all?
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MULTI- RETICLE PANORAMIC RED DOT FINDER

US $49.95

The finder is CNC-machined
A Multi-Reticle Panoramic Red Dot Sight Finder. Features 4 different reticle patterns, a 7 postion rheostat illumination and powered with a lithium battery. With a screen size of 22 x 33mm, this sight finder provides unlimited eye relief and unlimited field of view.
Hex head screw adjustments allow you to align the finder in azimuth and altitude with your telescope optics. Every click stop movement in azimuth and altitude is equal to 1 arc minute of position change for the dot finder. Hex head wrenches are supplied for both clamping the finder in its base and making the altitude and azimuth adjustments.

**Switch 4 reticle patterns, including red dot, larger red dot, circle with crosshair or crosshair
**Brightness adjustment
**Full metal structure
**Dove Tail Mount base.

[Dennis]

It looks like the William Optics one, and the one I was looking at this morning on the MyAstroShop website at:

http://www.myastroshop.com.au/products/details.asp?id=MAS-263

for $95.00

Cheers

Dennis

[xstream]

It looks to be the same as the one on the Lightbridge, if it is they are far to bright even when the illumination is set to the lowest.

[janoskiss]

AOE also sell a finder that looks the same.

[Omaroo]

That's the problem on the little Orion EZ Finder - and it's only a single dot! What doesn't help either is the dark blue coating they put on the target plane - you can't see your star through it it's so dark.... :screwy:

What attracts me to this one is the metal construction - it doesn't flex.

[xstream]

I can only speak from using the Lightbridge finder and I would say they are one in the same.

Having used Petra's numerous times and she has even tried to flatten the battery. The brightness on the lowest setting is still far to bright, I really struggle to pinpoint an object with it because of it's tendency to obscure fainter stars.

Hence one of the reasons she bought a finder scope.

[Harb]

I have the Lightbridge one and the williams optics one....on different scopes of course!!!.......and they are both just great, and I would buy them again tomorrow..

[Dennis]

Hello,

How do these "open" finders cope in dewy conditions? I have never purchased/used one as the prospect of dewing up just puts me off and I've never got beyond this (wrongly perceived?) stumbling block.

Thanks!

Dennis

[rogerg]

I don't understand how these kind of things don't get dewed up in 5 minutes? I haven't ever used one but just recently acquired a Telrad so I'm sure I'll find out soon, but I just don't get it - glass fully exposed to the sky? I'm surprised none of them seem to have addressed that problem.:shrug:

Roger.

[Omaroo]

Roger - did you get the dew shield? I must say, however, that it doesn't do much. On a really dewey night the Telrad still fogs up quickly.

[astronut]

Chris, I have that finder, you're welcome to try it before you spend the money.
Word of warning though, it does fog up on a dewy night.
If you want to eliminate dew on the telrad there is a fix.
There is a thread here somewhere that has two resistors around the viewing area, they gently heat the air around the e/p, so stopping dew. This is then wired to your power supply.
I'll bring the finder to The Forest. John.:)

[Omaroo]

Thanks John! :)

I'll have a look for that info, and I'd love to see what this little unit is like. :thumbsup:

[astronut]

Chris, here's the thread shortcut for the Telrad Heater.:D
http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=11504&highlight=telrad+heater

[rogerg]

no - the telrad I have acquired was given to me by a friend because it was broken (broken glass and dodgy cabling. I've replaced the broken glass with a piece of CD cover and re-soldered the wires so it now works fine.

I'm thinking I'll put a canopy over it made from plastic or cardboard. The dew shield sold for the telrad (that you included a picture of) looks quite small, I'd think there's no harm in putting a canopy of plastic/cardboard 5 inches long over it, giving it lots of protection?

Roger.

[JimmyH155]

That red dot finder, Omaroo, is the one that comes with the Lightbridge deluxe. I agree with Xstream, it is far too bright,, too wobbly and easy to knock a bit and get it off course. Having to use allen keys is a pain at night in the dark. The Telrad is far and away the best. To get the Telrad to point off course, you would probably have to hit it with a hammer:D

[Geoff45]

It looks like the William Optics finder. If it is, it is well worth getting. As far as adjustment goes, I've never done it, because (probably through luck) it came perfectly adjusted from the factory; I take it on and off my 110mm refractor and is so stable that each time I can centre an object in a sixty power eyepiece. I don't find the brightness a problem--I usually only use it in initially finding alignment stars and then using the GOTO. Also it may dim with time as the battery fades
Geoff

[Dennis]

Have a look at this review on Cloudy Nights (http://www.cloudynights.com/item.php?item_id=1251).

It appears that this style of red dot finder commenced life 10 years ago, in China, as a rifle 'scope.

Cheers

Dennis

[mill]

Hi all.
I have the single red dot finder and it looks the same.
It works very good because you have both eyes open and you can see the fainter stars because of this.
Mine was $17.- in total .
The coating doesn't bother me , but that could be just me.
When you look through it with your right eye then your left eye still sees the star and vice versa.