I've been looking for reviews for the 2" GSO 0.5X focal reducer with a refractor, and I can't find any.
Has anyone use one of these with a refractor? More specifically an f/5 achromate? Where is the focal reducer placed, in the nose of the diagonal or immediately infront of the eyepiece?
I know that this will be pushing the image quality along the edge of the FOV. This is not so much a concern for me. I may well be stopping down my 100mm f/5 refractor to an 80mm f/6.25. Still pushing things I know. But the set up I will be using is with a Daystar Quark which has a built-in 4.2X barlow lens. It will be primarily a visual application.
I asked a question on this FR on CN a couple of years ago. Not for the same application or scope. Mine was for a 100 ED f9 and using it to get wider views than I could with a 40mm 68º.
Wouldn't work for what I wanted due to the limiting CA of the FR. From memory it's 38mm? Might work for yours though. What is the field stop size of the Quark?
You wouldn't have been able to go wider in the FOV with 40mm 68deg eyepiece as that is the widest TFOV and AFOV you can get in that focal length eyepiece in a 2" format. You won't find a 40mm 82deg in 2". Can't happen. Took me a while to figure that one out too.
i cant find the thread but im sure i read on CN the 0.5 reducer is only of use for quite small ccd chips -like the meade dsi etc -they are not for visual use -the 0.7x is more for visual i thin k the thread stated.
found this thread
Thanks Daniel. A reducer might not be the right tool for me. Would like to try one, but shelling out for a tyre kick does not appeal to me. I'll see what things are like without a reducer first.
