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Old 01-03-2010, 02:40 AM
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telemarker (Keith)
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Focus motors

Can someone give me a run down of options for automated focusing setups for refractors. Currently have a FCUSB, so I think I'm just looking for motor options.
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Old 01-03-2010, 04:40 AM
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Bassnut (Fred)
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Robofocus is an industry standard retrofit kit that can be fitted to lots of focusers. Can be used with (free and the best) focusmax, and there are ASCOM drivers for it.
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Old 01-03-2010, 11:25 AM
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Octane (Humayun)
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Fred,

Whilst we're on the topic (sorry to deviate off your intended topic, Keith), but, I'm a little confused about what the difference is between MaxIm DL's autofocusing routine and FocusMax's. They both utilise V-curves and are both temperature compensating (I've got a Feathertouch on the way).

Is there a simple answer (other than the fact that FocusMax is feature-rich)?

Thanks for any assistance.

H
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Old 01-03-2010, 11:27 AM
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rogerg (Roger)
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I second RoboFocus, it's been very successful on my JMI NGF-C. Used with FocusMax for autofocusing. I can't comment on others sorry.
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Old 01-03-2010, 11:41 AM
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Bassnut (Fred)
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H

Speed is the short answer, focus is much faster with Focusmax.

From memory when I last tried it, DL does a V curve every time it focuses. With FM, you do a (or many passes, more accurate) detailed V curve just once which characterises your image train and it is stored. Focus after that takes a few exposures at largish steps and uses the stored V curve to calculate exact focus.
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Old 01-03-2010, 09:24 PM
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telemarker (Keith)
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The robofocus units are out of my price league. I'm wondering about the Accufocus, Swelfocus or something similar.
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Old 01-03-2010, 09:39 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by telemarker View Post
The robofocus units are out of my price league. I'm wondering about the Accufocus, Swelfocus or something similar.
I use a swelfocus on my VC200L
http://www.myastroshop.com.au/produc...sp?id=MAS-051A
It works perfectly.
I use it with a Bahtinov mask and get perfect focus in seconds every time. It holds the weight of my ST10XME but I do use the lock.
The downside is that it doesn't have a clutch so isn't as good for visual.This doesn't matter if you have a camera attached.
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Old 01-03-2010, 09:53 PM
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telemarker (Keith)
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Thanks Terry , just wondering have you used a focus controller for software control?
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Old 01-03-2010, 10:12 PM
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Terry B
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Quote:
Originally Posted by telemarker View Post
Thanks Terry , just wondering have you used a focus controller for software control?
No.
I just use the hand controller and download a 1 sec image of a bright star with the mask in place. I then push the buttons to achieve best focus and lock the focusser.
I have had it for about 2 years and am yet to change the battery.
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Old 01-03-2010, 11:17 PM
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mldee (Mike)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by telemarker View Post
Can someone give me a run down of options for automated focusing setups for refractors. Currently have a FCUSB, so I think I'm just looking for motor options.
I've got a FCUSB too, and am planning on using it with the swelfocus on my SW f5 Newt crayford if the rain ever stops here.

FYI, The FCUSB is just a simple USB-PWM motor controller and will drive any small geared DC motor, such as the ones available at Jaycar.

If you have any mechanical skills, you could make up a simple mounting bracket on your focusser for one of those. Would drop the cost quite bit.

For simplicity at extra cost, the FCUSB plus the Swelfocus is a good solution, as I believe there are various Ascom and other drivers to use with the FCUSB for automated focussing. I recall Alexn mentioning them in IIS post recently.
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