However, some focal reducers can be used on other models of telescopes, but this is not always possible. Reducer Lens .7x - EdgeHD 925 You attach the focal reducer to the rear port on a SCT and can keep it covered. All rights reserved. That was fun. Explore Scientific Keys to the Universe Sale. A little longer light path with a 2 Baader click-lock, low profile 1.25 adapter, and the 1.25 diagonal; During a twenty-year scientific career, he developed laser systems to detect molecules found in interstellar space and planetary atmospheres, and leveraged his expertise to create laser technology for optical communications networks. No negative issues to report. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. I've never found my 0.63 reducer causing CA when used with my SCT. ), but stars seemed a bit tighter and their colors were richer and more dramatic. It's usually specified in millimeters. and you will be fine. I have an 8SE, and am thinking about getting a focal reducer. We will match any online price that we confirm as valid. Reducer - Corrector Nebula Filters. There will be no shipments on 3/1/2023, 3/2/2023, or 3/3/2023 (March 1st - March 3rd, 2023). For example, a 0.8x reducer placed at the working distance provides a reduction of (1 0.8) x 100 = 20%. I really don't see any difference in the current crop except the "Meade" is usually the cheapest. Besides observing from his heavily light polluted backyard in Los Angeles, Manish enjoys conducting astronomy outreach programs in local schools. As I understand it, compared to the old Meade SCT's, the ACF is already "coma corrected", so the standard Meade, Celestron etc F6.3 focal reducers are not suitable and will only worsen the images. Your mileage may vary. More important, its clear that the Antares is a reducer/corrector, just like the Celestron and not merely a reducer. I have the Antares and am not unhappy with it, but for AP I would want more back focal distance if those numbers are accurate. So, if you have a filter that is 3mm thick, you need to add 1mm of spacing to your imaging train to retain the correct back focus. My experience is that CN sellers are way above those listing elsewhere. Whereas the Celestron threaded smoothly onto the scope, the Antares chattered and squeaked a bit more so when being removed. Will not focus with the stuff I have. Stock focusers in an SCT move the mirror of the scope to change the position of the focal plane, and they have sufficient travel to accommodate a focal reducer. It has only one cover, which surprised me. Photographically you also get a wider field and much shorter exposures. There are also third-party vendors such as Hotech. Fumbling around in the dark, fine threads might be a problem. Some refractors such the TeleVue Nagler-Petzval (NP), the Takahashi "FSQ", and the William Optics Redcat/WhiteCat 51 have inherently flat fields because of internal optical elements. Orders placed over the weekend will be shipped on the following Monday. Therefore, a 55mm back focus with a filter that is 3mm thick added to the imaging train would become 56mm. This is the distance at which the reducer must be placed in front of the eyepiece or camera focal plane in order to operate at the design reduction factor. Reducer Lens .7x - EdgeHD 1400 Learn More. It can also be used with any other small chip CCD camera having a 1.25" nosepiece, such as the Celestron NexImage, Meade DSI . For Stephen Wilkerson: The ZWO ASI120MC-S does come with a wide angle lens, HOWEVER, it is NOT intended to used when you are using the ASI120 camera attached to your telescope. If you place your camera at a different working distance, you will get a different reduction factor and perhaps unwanted distortion in the image. if the illuminated field is 27mm wide without the reducer, it will be 27 x 0.63 = 17mm with it in place. At a significantly lower price point, the Antares is a steal, and theres no need to upgrade to the Celestron if you already have one. Article Agena AstroProducts, 2019. The lens that the ZWO comes with give a perfect wide angle image of what is in front of it. Meade and Celestron both sell such SCT-T adapters with the correct optical length. SKU: CEL-94245. For this shoot-out, I used a standard Celestron C8 with Starbright coatings. Also read the reviews here, including those at 4 stars. For example, with a 0.8x focal reducer, a telescope with a focal length of 800mm will operate at 800 x 0.8 = 640mm when the reducer is placed at the working distance specified by the manufacturer. I've heard and read all kinds of things about the Antares being only a reducer and not a corrector, etc. If it's positioned further from the eyepiece or camera and closer to the telescope objective, the reduction factor increases. USD $80.00. As mentioned in Section 2.3, the reduction factor for these focal reducers can be varied by adding spacers to move the reducer further from the camera sensor or eyepiece. Sign up for OPT news, exclusive offers, and updates on the latest gear! Is there likely to be any differences in performance between using these on an 8 or something smaller like my 6SE? I've seen some older threads saying that the Celestron, Meade and Antares FRs are all the same and manufactured in the same factory. They both are great and I doubt my eyes could detect a difference in any one of them including the Japan version. In many cases, the answer is yes, especially for electronically-assisted astronomy (EAA). Reducer Lens .7x - EdgeHD 1100 Learn More. I was going to measure the difference in grams, but my lovely wife caught me trying to use her precious, high-tech kitchen scale for the cause, and put the kibosh on it. I found both to be very good. Who cares? Most different was that the sky background was a little darker and more uniform, providing a tiny contrast boost for fainter objects. Or, when the distance of the focal reducer to the focal plane of the objective d1 equals the focal length of the focal reducer FR, the reduction factor MR = 0.5x. The Reduction Factor and the Amount of Reduction are inversely related. We only send interesting emails and will never sell your data. Optically, it consists of a four-element lens that is fully multi-coated for high contrast and resolution. The price for an item/offer must be listed and valid at the time of match. This focal reducer from Celestron reduces the effective focal length by 0.63X Enjoy the wider field of view & faster exposure times at f/6.3 with f/10 telescopes f/11 telescopes, such as the C14 will perform at f/7 The Celestron f/6.3 Reducer has four fully-multicoated elements Reduce your exposure times by a factor of 3! For visual use, this means you get lower power with the same eyepiece and a wider field of view. He also holds a Ph.D. in engineering physics from McMaster University. Focal Reducer, 2", 0.7X. Many focal reducers for refractors have a working distance (or back focus distance) of 55mm. I am a purely visual observer, so will evaluate for visual use only. Even though they may have been slightly dimmer, galaxies were a bit easier to tease out of the urban light soup I deal with. It works fine but you should stick with 1.25 EPs; or can use 2" EPs without corrector. looks virtually identical, except for the lettering. The focal length and design working distance for this focal reducer were not available from the manufacturer. I've only used it a few times but it looks good to me. . Here, there was a subtle difference . Copyright 2021 Stargazers Lounge More details are found in the Appendix of this article. In terms of reduction and correction which are what reducer/correctors are supposed to do both are superb. The Antares FR2-0.7X is the same 4-element f/6.3 lens system used for f/10 Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes but in a 2" barrel threaded for standard filters. In practice, it's important to remember that you will rarely operate at the exact working distance and at the exact reduction factor that is specified. Unique focal reducer and field corrector lens accessory, Reduces the focal length and f/ ratio of your Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope by 37%, Provides a dual focal ratio instrument, without sacrificing image quality, Compatible with all Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes (see compatible list in description). Perfect for the serious student, professional scientist and discriminating hobbyist. Start Chat Blue Fireball M42 T/T2 Thread Camera Adapter for Prime Focus Photography - 2" # P-06, Celestron T-Ring for Canon EOS Camera # 93419, GSO 2" Crayford Focuser for SCTs - Dual Speed, Length of male SCT thread = 5mm (0.2") but this is preceded by an unthreaded part on the eyepiece side making the total length = 8.8mm (0.35"), Length of female SCT thread = 7.5mm (0.3"). Some faster refractors with a focal ratio of f/6, for example, only require field flatteners and not focal reducers. OPT Product Number: AE-SCTFR specifications Warranty 2 Year Warranty Works as advertised! The focus barely shifts between filters and I suspect any shifts I do get are down to the filters and changes in temp. Sign up to get exclusive deals, observing tips, and new product announcements. Celestron makes a series of focal reducers for the Edge HD line that are matched to the 8", 9.25", 11", and 14" apertures of these scopes. . Sign up for a new account in our community. Planetarium software package which provides easy-to-understand explanations and impressive visuals of all kinds. External Focusers for Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescopes 3.1 The Basics of SCT Threads For these items, please contact us to obtain a shipping quote before you check out using the online shopping cart.International Customers:Free shipping does not apply to international orders. At least these two units I tested make the answer - whatever. Unique focal reducer and field corrector lens accessory Reduces the focal length and f/ ratio of your Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope by 37% Provides a dual focal ratio instrument, without sacrificing image quality Compatible with all Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes (see compatible list in description) Share Customers Also Purchased Description I also used several eyepieces including the ES 24mm/68, 17.5mm and 12.5mm Morpheuses, and a 10.5mm Pentax XL. This telescope control software replaces the hand control and allows the user to remotely control their Celestron computerized telescope from their personal PC or laptop. Thks for that and its not for visual it for astrophotography. Can these economical focal reducers from GSO and other vendors result in good images? A longer effective focal length leads to higher magnification with a given eyepiece for visual observers. Add a 0.63x reducer, and the brightness of extended objects increases by (1/0.63)2 = 2.5. Since then, Agena has become one of the leading online retailers of telescopes and astronomical accessories worldwide. This would tell us exactly how well aberrations are corrected. Looking forward to the day when I can do a shoot-out between a Japan and China Celestron, just for kicks. Right off the bat, I was struck by how similar the two R/Cs were. In your opinion, is the Celestron is worth the added cost ($150 vs. $90)? For me the Antares was a little brighter and had the least scatter by a bit so the better coatings won. I read another thread in a different forum about F6.3 reducer correctors and one amateur posted an image about glue coming out of an astromania f6.3 reducer which he planned to return. I own both and concur heartily. If you want to use them for visual - try maybe long focal length eyepieces rather than the reducer. In such cases, we will be happy to take the item back as per our standard return terms. I have a Raspberry HQ camera, a Sony TV Zoom 12.5-75mm f1.8 and a Astromania 1,25" 0.5x focal reducer. And when d1 = FR, that is, when the focal reducer is placed at a distance from the focal plane of the objective that's equal to the reducer's focal length, the focal length of the combined optical system is Fo, so it acts as a 0.5x reducer. However, it will not thread into William Optics accessories, and with GSO it is a hit or miss. He received his first telescope at the age of 5 and completed his first university course in astronomy at the age of 12, eventually receiving a master's degree in the subject. Shipping will be via the cheapest shipping method which will vary depending on the items in your order. As a real-world example plot showing the above relationships, let's look at the 1.25" GSO focal reducer that provides a design reduction factor of 0.5x. While most Barlow lenses and focal extenders work with most kinds of telescopes available to amateur astronomers, focal reducers are designed to work in a narrow range of focal ratios of a telescope objective. Download the Celestron PWI Telescope Control Software. Antares' f/6.3 focal reducer provides a faster f/6.3 system for imaging or visual use when used with an f/10 SCT or other compatible telescopes. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue. In the 1960s, Celestrons founder, Tom Johnson, created groundbreaking new telescopes never before seen on the consumer market. Great report and verifies what I had thought all along, Fortunately, my neighbors are not out in their backyards at 11 pm, or they may have thought I was torturing a small mammal. It must be in stock at the time of Price Match for us to make a guarantee. No idea what the issue is. The lens is housed in machined aluminum for are machined aluminum black anodized. Celestrons patented StarSense Technology makes it easier than ever to locate objects in the night sky, even if youve never used a telescope before. Years ago, I bought the Antares version, and moved over to the Celestron. All Rights Reserved. . I wonder whether, for example, Antares focal reducer for SCT belongs to the latter category. Reducer - Corrector Learn More. Celestron is considered better in terms of QA, less likely to come with free dust, hair or fingerprint. Unlike . The reducer is we might presume designed to correct to some as yet un-measured extent, the image of a standard SCT. If you are using a camera that has a back focus of less than 55mm, additional spacer rings will be required between the reducer and the camera. Any comments gratefully received. With spring galaxy season here, I decided to pick up a couple more to compare in a head-to-head shoot out. Great for home, classroom, or home-school use, this kit includes all the essential items youll need to begin exploring the wonders of the microscopic world. As a Barlow's magnification increases with increasing distance from the Barlow, a focal reducer's reduction increases with increasing distance from the reducer. Theres a long-running debate in these forums and even statements from some reputable dealers that the Antares is just a reducer (even though it is labeled Reducer/Corrector), whereas the Celestron is a true R/C, which flattens the SCTs naturally curved field and provides some edge correction. Scope size might influence choice as well, as a C6 might benefit from the Antares' transparency, while larger scopes might benefit from the Celestron's higher contrast. The key points are as follows: So just remember that a smaller distance (from the camera or eyepiece) means a lower amount of reduction (and vice versa). The EdgeHD .7x Focal Reducer Lens makes your EdgeHD 1100 one full F-Stop faster than f/10, reducing your exposure time by half to capture the same brightness of object . The brightness, shape, and distortion of specific stars in the exact same position at the edge of the field was precisely identical in both reducers. I focus using a moonlight electronic focuser and focusmax. Today, our world-class team of optical and electronic engineers continues to push the boundaries of technology. Have always disliked the crude, noisy SCT threads, but I get it. An f/6.3 reducer is designed to reduce the focal ratio of an f/10 SCT to f/6.3. I think that the FRs made in Japan in the day may have been better. The Buyer's Guide To Eyepieces at the top of the Eyepieces forum has a column for this spec. Request stock alerts and we'll let you know when the item is back in stock. Normal shipments will resume on Monday, March 6, 2023. nleash the full pointing accuracy of your Celestron computerized telescope with a specialized telescope control software suite. Take control of your telescope! What I do know is that the Antares and the Celestron samples that I have perform exactly the same from the center right out to the edges. The review is a subjective visual impression, which is interesting but not best evidence. Our patented SkyAlign alignment technology makes setting up a computerized telescope simple, fast, and accurate. 3. And, the reality is that every F/6.3 RC out there Celestron, Hirsch, Astromania, etc., etc. This award-winning optical system reduces visual defects like field curvature and coma, creating an ultra-flat field for pinpoint stars all the way to the edge of todays largest imaging sensors. Focal reducers for many SCTs and their flat-field equivalents usually have a back-focus distance of 105mm. Easy solution found a very tiny dab of super lube on the threads and all was well and quiet.. The stars at the edge could be worse or better. By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use. I've seen some older threads saying that the Celestron, Meade and Antares FRs are all the same and manufactured in the same factory. The new Lithium Phosphate (LiFePO4) battery chemistry has significant advantages over other battery chemistries, great for for those Astronomers on the go. The working distance or required back focus, explained above, is usually specified and is far more important in practice. If the reducer is placed elsewhere, at a position called the operating distance, the focal reduction factor will not be as advertised. This is a. I have both the Antares and the Celestron reducers. But I am rusty, can you condense a bit for me please? It's usually specified from the base of the mounting threads on the reducer's housing, and this is the most practical way of providing this specification. Advanced designs for Schmidt-Cassegrain scopes such as the Meade ACF or Celestron Edge HD have optical elements in the tube to correct for coma and field flatness. They only publish the value of D, the working distance (sometimes called the back focus distance) and the design reduction factor MRD. Style: You currently have javascript disabled. Generally, views through the Antares seemed a little more transparent and brighter. Equation 6 & 7 item two & three does not make sense, both say increase its reduction (one should say reduce its reduction?). On the trail, at the job site, in the classroom, or simply sitting at home relaxing the Celestron Elements ThermoTank 3 will keep your hands toasty. Thanks for pointing this out. I doubt there is any difference between the Antares and the Celestron except price. As a result, the smaller tube may cut into the light cone and effectively reduce the working aperture of the telescope. But the diameter of the image circle decreases by a factor of 0.63 to about 24mm. Michael 1 ronin Members By Imagine having two telescopes in one a long focal length instrument for lunar and planetary work and a short focal length scope for deep sky observing and astrophotography. I don't know. Brightness, color, and contrast were subtly different, but could be as much the day they were coated as any real difference in the two brands. WiFi technology encircles the globe in a web of connectivity, knowledge, and information. CEL-94245. Reducer Lens .7x - EdgeHD 800 Learn More. Edited by bluewater, 05 September 2020 - 11:27 AM. With the Celestron Reducer/Corrector Lens, thats precisely what you get. With both, using the same diagonal set-up, the exact same stars were visible at the very edge of the FOV. Celestron or Antares? If I had to go out on a very thick limb, I would have to say that these two reducers/correctors are, indeed, identical the exact same glass in slightly different housings with different lettering. Explicitly designed for Celestron Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes, this unique lens reduces your telescopes focal length and f/ ratio by 37%, turning your long focal length telescope into a fast, short focal length instrument. A few large telescopes and mounts are excluded from this free shipping offer. However, because the field curvatures in refractors and SCTs vary a lot, I would predict unpredictable effects inre: field curvature. This filter threads on to the rear cell of your Celestron or Meade SCT telescope. For both imaging and visual observing, these reducers also improve image sharpness at the edge of the field by correcting for coma and field curvature. They provide 0.75x focal reducers for these telescopes that takes an f/8 instrument down to f/6. The distances d1 andd2 can also be expressed in terms of the focal length of the focal reducer FR with the lens equation: Using Equation 2, Equation 1 can also be expressed in terms of d2: The focal reduction factor of the focal reducer depends on its focal length and its distance from the focal plane of the objective as shown by Equation 4: Again, for example, when the focal reducer is placed at the original focal plane of the objective, d1=0 and MR=1, which means there is no focal reduction. To further factor out my natural astigmatism (I normally wear glasses while observing), I did the tests with my regular progressive lenses, single vision glasses I use when observing, and naked eye. The Celestron is both a corrector and focal reducer and the Antares is just a focal reducer. He tested this on an 8 Celestron , I have a Celestron 6SE. It's easy! Since 2008, Brian has taught astronomy to tens of thousands of stargazers through his websites OneMinuteAstronomer.com and CosmicPursuits.com. Turn it on and push Align. In about three minutes, youre ready to observe! However, manufacturers virtually never provide this specification. This focal reducer is made to attach to the rear cell of Schmidt-Cassegrain or Maksutov-Cassegrain telescopes. A reducer is a set of converging (or positive) lenses that cause the light from a telescope objective to converge at a steeper angle to the focal plane as if it were coming from an objective with a faster (lower) focal ratio and a shorter focal length. Based on Test 1 and Test 2, I think there is perhaps more validity to opposing statements here in these forums that the Antares and current China-made Celestron do, indeed, have exactly the same optics just with different housings and branding. You cannot, for example, use a 0.63x focal reducer intended for a standard Celestron or Meade SCT and use it on a Celestron Edge HD or a Meade ACF. Images made with my ZWO 533 camera testing both show them to be essentially the same. This factor is designated by a power that is less than 1, and it usually lies between 0.5x or 0.8x. Your wishlist has been temporarily saved. Figure 7 shows an example of an image of the Dumbbell Nebula taken with a 1.25" GSO focal reducer at a reduction factor of 0.63x with an 85mm f/7 refractor and a QHY5III-290M camera with a sensor with a 6.4mm diagonal. Both exhibited consistent reduction, identical field flattening, and edge correction properties, and both were high quality optically and mechanically. It's important to match the back focus to within a millimeter or two to get an optimal image, especially with cameras with larger sensors. It seems right to put some distance between the camera and the focal reducer, right? InternetSales@optcorp.com. Rather than a direct side-by-side, I swapped the reducers so that I was using them on the exact same, well-collimated instrument. Figure 1 shows the relationship between the focal reduction factor MR and the position of the reducer in the optical path. Copyright 2003-2022 Agena AstroProducts. Getting the proper back-focus for your imaging camera is a vital step in getting the best data possible out of your telescope imaging/research rig. These reducers can also be used for visual observing with SCT scopes with eyepieces with a field stop as large as 24-27mm. Get ready for a night of astroimaging with your mount faster than previously thought possible with All-Star Polar Alignment. I am new to these optic topics, and I want to ask you what happens with Masutov like SW or Celestron 4 or 7 inches. They are also less expensive than many external focusers of similar build quality. Powered by Invision Community. Unlike SCT telescopes, Ritchey-Chretien telescopes and Celestron Edge HD or Meade ACF scopes have internal optics that provide an inherently flat field, so these telescopes require a special focal reducer than does not provide additional correction for field curvature. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser.