Super8

[Visionary (David)]

Can you use the Zoom lens of an old Super8 camera as an eye piece?

[ZeroID (Brent)]

As the old saying goes 'suck it and see' ...
I've tried all sorts of non astro bits and pieces for their suitabilty as part of my astro armoury. Looks like you are the guinea pig for this one.

Mind you, I've got a small CCTV camera lens with an extra wide angle adapter that keeps haunting me to put it to good use. ..... one day ...

We expect a report of course ...

[julianh72 (Julian)]

I can't imagine how you would use a movie camera lens as an eyepiece (that sort of adaptation goes way beyond my tinkering skills!), but I do use a ZWO ASI120MC astro-camera for prime focus photography, and it also takes a standard CS-mount CCTV lens for stand-alone shooting. I have a 6mm-15mm zoom lens which I can use for wide-sky shots - maybe you could re-purpose your Super8 lens in a similar way?

[Visionary (David)]

It's food for thought as excellent lens can be purchase between $10 and $20! These lens have excellent glass as they were at their time the "best of show". I will side step the project for the moment as I have three unfinished project that demand completion.

[ZeroID (Brent)]

Originally Posted by julianh72

I can't imagine how you would use a movie camera lens as an eyepiece (that sort of adaptation goes way beyond my tinkering skills!), but I do use a ZWO ASI120MC astro-camera for prime focus photography, and it also takes a standard CS-mount CCTV lens for stand-alone shooting. I have a 6mm-15mm zoom lens which I can use for wide-sky shots - maybe you could re-purpose your Super8 lens in a similar way?

Hah ! that's useful to know, must investigate with my ASI120. The small CCTV lens I have is an excellent piece of glass. And it has a wide angle front lens extra.

[Pinwheel (Doug)]

You can't use a Zebra to make a Camel, as an old mate once said.

[mental4astro (Alexander)]

David, please try it. No harm in having a fang.

My suspicion is that you may get the on-axis to focus (central area) but the image quickly degrades towards the edge. How significant the aberrations are also depends on what scope is being used, reflector, refractor, SCT, etc.

But if it works, BRILLIANT!