Telrad vs alternatives

[bojan]

I just wanted to share this with you guys...
It seems astronomy equipment dealers are charging arm an leg for red dot finders with brand names (telrad, orion etc).
However, on ebay, there are plenty of (copies?) for a fraction of price. And the quality is the same if not better, only difference is, there is no brand name.
Just try search for red dot sight and you will see what I mean..
I just received my "45mm Red Dot Metal Sight Scope For Rifle Pistol Airsoft", it is very well made (aluminium construction, very sturdy) for less than $40! (including postage).
Bintel is charging $79 for Orion Finder - EZ II Reflex Sight, and this is exactly the same thing (without brand) I bought from ebay couple of months ago for $35.

[Omaroo]

I'm with you on this Bojan. Although the one you've mentioned is new to me, at 218 grams is it too heavy?

I've been getting the William Optics-style red-dot off eBay for around the $45US mark and they've been great.

I guess that you are either a red-dot type of person or aren't. I personally don't like my Telrad as even in the feintest setting I find that the concentric circles obliterate dim targets. The single red dot is by far the easiest to see for me. The other thing I dislike about the Telrad is its size. Why the hell are they so HUGE? There's absolutely no reason other than it's probably easier to line up a long device against your OTA's barrel.

[janoskiss]

I've tried quite a few, and nothing's been as good as the Telrad. The Rigel quickfinder is the only one that provides similar functionality. IMO if you have a 10" or larger scope, Telrad is the way to go. For 6" or smaller, the Rigel is the clear winner because of its smaller size. For an 8", a Telrad is doable, but if you want to have a refracting finder as well (which IMO you should) then it's much easier to fit the Rigel.

The only reason you might go for a different 1x finder is if you want something smaller still than the Rigel.

[bojan]

On my 10" I am using what bintel is selling as orion finder, the diameter of the reflective lens is ~20mm and it is quite sufficient, however the new one will be better, being 40mm in diameter. I haven't used the finder very often since, and only for the precise pointing of the camera.
The only slight problem with all those sights is tinting, it is a bit too dark and blue coloured to enhance the reflectivity of the red dot (so is Orion..) but they are designed as rifle sights, not for astronomy use anyway. I guess Telrad is not tinted ?
I was playing with the idea recently to replace the reflective lens on one of those sights with the lens made from plastic safety goggles, they are clear and reflective enough for night work, and the curvature of the surface seem to be adequate....

[bojan]

I am looking into this one or similar also, for my small maksutov.
I have noticed a number of similar designs on ebay, and the price is dropping.
I only hope those purchases of gun sights would not make ASIO suspicious :-)

[stephenmcnelley]

Telrad is tops if you know EXACTLY where your target is, if not, or you are a bit unsure then red dot finders win HANDS DOWN is the general concensus amoungst friends here. They both partially obscure your view is the bottom line.
Telrad does look silly on anything less than an 8" OTA, it was designed for big toys i reckon.

[janoskiss]

There must be some variation between Telrads. Mine goes from invisibly dim under dark skies to visible-in-daylight bright. If you know a little electronics it's easy to fix yours so it's not so bright (if you don't give it to someone who does). I agree with you on the size, it's ridiculous.

The red dot does not quite do it for me. I much prefer the circles around the object rather than a single dot on top of it. The circles are also easy to relate to chart, 8x50 finder, and low-power EP views.

[Omaroo]

Steve - I find that my Telrad winds right down to almost invisible - but there's still too much "image" in the circles which I find mess up my FOV. A dot is just as dot and is less obtrusive for me.



This is why I use both on my 12" SCT. Charts seem to use a Telrad circle as a constant field of reference, and that's good for understanding distances in reference to these concentric circles.

I find that as a single dot progresses across an object that you're trying to center, it doesn't get in the way of the object, while a bunch of three circles do. Once you're there the circle around the object is probably better though.

So.... who's going to produce a device that has a remote momentary switch that can go from sharp red dot to Telrad-compatible circles at the press of a button and give us the best of both worlds without being the size of a shoe? :D

[Astroman]

I am with Steve H on this, I love the Telrad and use it 99% of the time even with GOTO's. The rings are perfect for aligning with maps etc.. If you know how to do it it's easy :) Sure putting a "dot" on the target it good, what about those rare occasions where you see an object in your telrad or other reflex sight and want to know how far the object is from what you are looking at? With the telrad at least it gives you some idea whether it's 4 degrees, 2 degrees or whatever.

Each design was specifically designed for a particular purpose in mind, the red dot finder was designed for BB guns (or real guns) where you dont need rings just a dot. It was put on telescopes as people wanted a cheaper alternative to the telrad. The Telrad was made for Astronomy in mind.

In any case its upto the individual which type they prefer in the long run.

Oh to add to this, they can put info onto a HUD so why cannot something be made with Astronomy in mind, something like a HUD which tells you where you are pointing, and the object you are looking at, also with variable sights...... Wish I had the engineering experience, could make a small fortune...

[bojan]

Stupid question :P
What is HUD ?

[Astroman]

Head Up Display - used on aircraft

[bojan]

Oh of course, OK..
well, telrad and similar devices are using the same principle of operation :-)

[Astroman]

Yes same principal but with updated information...

[bojan]

Something like that new gadget from Celestron (SkyScout) ? :-)
It even talks to you....