Feathertouch Micro for SCT's

[Striker]

HI Guys,

Just received my Fethertouch micro direct from the states.
I will be trialing the lumicon Giant OAG with STL when it arrives and wanted to improve the focusing mechanism well known to us SCT's owners...The focus Knob (primary Mirror)

It took me 10 minutes all up to take off the original and fit the new Feathertouch micro focuser...it's really easy.

No need to mention the quality of this product as I dont think there is anything commercialy available that is better quality...even the Tak's advertise them as un upgrade for their focusers.

Anyone thinking of fitting one of these I highly recomend them.

http://www.optcorp.com/product.aspx?pid=7679&kw=feathertouch&st=2
http://www.starlightinstruments.com/

[Omaroo]

That's the ticket! I'm a tad tired of the Meade zero-shift electric focus and don't even plug it in any more. This'd be fantastic. Nice and pricey too though....

[rogerg]

Interesting... what don't you like about the Meade zero-shift electronic focuser? I have never seen or used one in person, so just interested.

Roger.

[Striker]

Roger,

I am going to be using the Lumicon OAG which means I have no way of focusing other then by the primary mirror.
And any motor focus will be via robofocus or the Electronic feathertouch system as it has stepper motors not like the toy focuser Meade have created...no offence....lol

[matt]

Yep. Am pretty close to ordering one for my 9.25 :)

[Omaroo]

It's just that you have to go to "Focus" mode on the Autostar handbox to focus, and then select your speed. To slew or whatever else you want to do after that point, you have to remember to get back out of that focus mode first otherwise you just start focussing again by accident ....

[rogerg]

Ahhh.. I assumed the focuser had it's own hand controller, I can see what you are describing would be extremely anoying.

Roger.

[Omaroo]

The other thing is that it physically ties the OTA to the base unit where it's plugged in - so twisting and stretching of cables as the forks rotate in reference to the base is another major PITA...

[[1ponders]]

The main issue I found with the Meade microfocuser (and you can get it with a seperate hand controller as an aftersales add on) was the amount of backlash present in the system. I found it extremely annoying to just shoot past focus and not be able to tap the reverse key to get back to the previous position. This also makes it awkward to use with focusing programs like DSLR Focus, though you can make allowances for backlash with that program. That is of course if you backlash is regular and repeatable in both directions:rolleyes: This problem with the meade comes about mainly because it is gear driven (plastic gears to boot).

Similarly the JMI is gear driven but I haven't had anywhere near the backlash problems with it that I had with the Meade microfocuser.

Mind you any zero image shift motorized focuser is better than none when working with an SCT :)

[Striker]

Talking about image shift I have noticed that the meade range have much less images shift then Celestron.

Both My 10" LX200 and 10" LX200R have much less image shift then the Celestron C11.
I hardly see the image move at all with the Meades but the Celestron moved all over the place.

Wonder why....??????

[Merlin66]

I'm using both the #1206 focusser on the Meade knob and the Meade #1209 ( NGF-S?) crayford on the back of the cell and found the answer was to wire up a separate focusser control WITH dynamic breaking ( as per the MAPUG site info) on both focussers. There's absolutely ZERO over run and it's a joy to use, well worth the couple of hours it took to rig up. Works 100% for me.

[gbeal]

See Striker, told you they were good, and a pleasure to deal with as well.

[acropolite]

Good to have a Guinea Pig to test the Microfocusser Tony, I have had one on the wish list for a while; now I just have to work out how to get it past the Minister for Household affairs....

[Robert_T]

By a country mile, I can vouch!!!!!