Besides I'd need some clear skies to give it a go.
well that settles it then doesn't it? I have played with these things before - get a big big hammer and drop it on your foot Paul - take your mind of the shiny bits
Ok, I just had a bit more of a look at the specs and did some calculations. There was an error in my assumptions. The dimensions are 3"x3.5" (Diam x length). ie 75mm wide to outside of lens. That would make the lens aperture only 62.5mm (500/8). But is it really f8 (is an f10 sct really f10 if it doesn't have 200mm clear aperture for a 2000mm scope )
it seems alittle light for a decent mirror lens . must be alot of plastic in it.I bought a russian 1000mm f10 maksutov mirror lens earlier in the year and am pleased with the pics it produces.This lens was given a good review in sky and space in 1996. mind you it does weigh sustantially mor than the lens in ebay. have attached an eclipse picture taken through it.
regards philip
Personally, I'd go for the WO 66mm F6.1 Petzval at $399 with a 10:1 fine focuser. In fact, I did and it is great as a guide scope and a grab and go 'scope too!
Don't do that Dennis!!! I've been trying not to look at them. How can I afford a FS60-C Tak if I by every little 66 that comes along
What's it like for photography?
Hi Paul
I’ve not tried it yet as I lent my SCT to T-mount adapters to Tony (Firstlight) for the Lunar Eclipse, so I haven’t had the opportunity to test it out. I purchased the unit mainly for auto guiding as I had the rings to fit it and it looked a solid ‘scope with the Crayford 10:1 fine focuser, and the best bit - Ron at Sirius Optics had them on special for $359.
I’m a bit wary of Tak ‘scopes these days – they seem to require very expensive, non-standard, custom made adapters in order to do anything with them. It’s okay if you can plot out in advance what you require, but my experience has been that getting the right information is like getting blood out of a stone and then there is a 6 month wait for the adapters.
Yeah that is my concern re the Tak as well. I know this is a bit off topic but I've been humming and hawing over the Petzval since astrofest. I understand that the focuser isn't a "real" 2" focuser and there are some issues getting it to come to focus for photography? Any comments?
Just checked, they've certainly gone up in price now. I knew I should have gotten it at AF.
Hi Paul
Ron had a special purchase offer in the shop at Underwood on a limited number of units he had in stock, before Astrofest. I think the price went up once he sold those particular units and the next order came in?
They do require a 2" SCT diagonal to reach focus though.
They have an SCT thread on the end and not a T thread
Would they reach focus using a standard SCT to T adapter? (You know the straight one used to attach a SCT FR to a DSLR T ring adapter)
I've yet to try that, when Tony returns my SCT to T adapters (long & short – hint for Tony).
The SCT ring is shown in the photo below. The Orion Star Shoot Deep Space CCD camera comes to focus using a 1 ¼ diagonal with the focuser racked out around 3cms of the 6cm travel.
It would be interesting to try with a FR. They normally shorten the distance required to reach focus. Using the Mogg 1.25" reducer requires just over an inch of extra in focus compared to without the adapter and using the extension tube needs something like an extra 2.5 to 3" of infocus. Wonder what that WO 0.8 FR would do
How does it go with the SBIG and filter wheel Dennis? Reacon it will reach focus without the diagonal?
i was looking into these cheap 500mm f8 lenses too... theres a kenko one thats f6.3 (i think) which is a bit faster and might be more woth the money than a no-name one. not going down that road now tho.