Binoviewer for TSA120?

[garymck]

Hi,

for the first time in a year I looked through my TSA120 visually and realized just how gorgeous the views are...

Wondering if anyone had tried using a binoviewer with one, and if so what recommendations does anyone have for models that are of good quality?

No-one local to me has one I can try, so I would have to rely on others experience.

cheers
Gary

[Kunama]

Hi Gary, the TSA120 should come to focus with nearly all the current binoviewers without using a glass path compensator if you use a short configuration visual back like the Baader 2" Ultra Short adapter.
With a standard visual back you might need a 1.25x GPC.

I think there are really two tiers of binoviewers, on the top rung are the Baader MkV, Denkmeier Denk II & Binotron as well as the TV Binovue.
The lower tier is pretty much all the rest.
(There are others from Tak, Zeiss and Siebert but good luck trying to find them)

I haven't seen a great deal of difference in the views they provide, the main differences with the top tier are their much better build quality, larger prisms and therefore larger clear apertures which allow use of wider AFOV eyepieces without vignetting.

Some eyepieces with safety undercuts may cause issues with centering in some binos that have thumb screws for holding eyepieces.

I have recently bought the Binovue by Televue and really like their design. They have, however, the longest light path by about 10mm. I think the Baader Maxbright are the shortest.

Hope this helps.

[garymck]

Thanks Kunama,

I've actually managed to borrow a Denkmier...

Will be interested to see how well it works.

cheers
Gary

[Kunama]

Forgot to mention in my reply that I am using a Baader T2 Zeiss Prism Diagonal which, with its short light path, is ideal for binoviewers.
Most Denkmeier Binoviewers come with an OCS cell that compensates for the back focus requirement of the binoviewers but magnifies the view.