ED80 Cant get into focus

[flyingbaby]

Hey there,

I need some help here,

Is it normal for my Skywatcher ED80 Pro Series (Skywatcher 1:1 focuser) to not get into focus with a GSO 2" (Or the small GSo Plossl) Eyepieces directly place into the back of the focuser??

I try to back off my Eyepieces and I can get the image into focus but the focuser wont be holding the eyepiece at all...

Thanks for your reply

[jjjnettie]

Hi Allan,
You need to use a diagonal or an extension tube to get it to focus.

[flyingbaby]

Thanks for your reply... Do u mean they design it so that it wont get into focus??? and will 80mm extension works well for it??

[jjjnettie]

The design works fine for those of us who image through them. But not so good for visual.
If you have an 80mm ext tube, give it a go, there's only one way to find out eh. ;) I use a 50mm one for mine.

[ballaratdragons]

When I use to use my ED80 visually (which was rarely) fortunately I had a 2" Barlow that I didn't use so I just unscrewed the lens from it and used the rest as a 2" extension tube. :thumbsup:

Then I discovered that the ED100 focuser is a perfect fit and is waaayyyyy longer so it is great for visual work in the ED80 :)

That gives you 2 options: Extension tube or ED100 focuser.

[jjjnettie]

That's what my 1.25 ext tube is, an old barlow with the rattly old lens removed.

[andrew2008]

For not much more money than an extension tube IMHO you would be better off with a diagonal. It will make your observing position generally much more comfortable.

[erick]

Allan, given refractors are normally pointed upwards, it makes sense that they are designed to include a diagonal in the light path - for ease of viewing. That's what I think, anyway. :)

[bloodhound31]

Yep! I have one too and I had the same problem when I first bought it. Get the diagonal and extension tube.

Baz.

[mithrandir]

My take:

Diagonals for visual - save twisting yourself in knots..

Extensions for photography - minimise the number of surfaces to distort the image. Or a flip mirror with the camera on the straight through path.

Andrew

[bloodhound31]

Agreed.

[flyingbaby]

Thanks very much for the reply, I remove the lens off my newly brought 2X Barlow and brought a diagonals. They both works really well. Thanks