The reducer fits all Meade and Celestron . The two samples I have PERFORM IDENTICALLY. The visual back must be removed first. 1.2" in that scope is a field stop of 43mm at f/10 and 27mm at f/6.3. Also read the reviews here, including those at 4 stars. The previous post shows the reducer on what appear to be two different refractors. 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. We do not price match competitors if they are out of stock. But when not in the box or on the telescope, there is no cover for the other end. SKU: CEL-94245. Celestron Solar Safe filter technology is GUARANTEED SAFE for direct solar observation and has been independently tested by SAI Global Assurance Services. A f/10 focal ratio now achieves a f/6.3, while an f/11 focal ratio now achieves a f/7. My experience is that CN sellers are way above those listing elsewhere. Most refractor manufacturers such as William Optics, Tele Vue Optics, Explore Scientific, Sky-Watcher, William Optics, and Stellarvue make their own focal reducers optimized for use with their telescopes. Most Feather Touch focusers cost between $300-$350. Equation 6 & 7 item two & three does not make sense, both say increase its reduction (one should say reduce its reduction?). Very helpful, thanks a lot for this article! Specially-designed focal reducers are available for use with these telescopes. First, I wanted to compare the actual reduction provided by these competitors, as many threads here cite different ideal spacing from the reducer to eyepiece focal plane to achieve the correct f/6.3 result. Sign up to get exclusive deals, observing tips, and new product announcements. 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). 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. JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. Figure 2 shows the effective of a focal reducer on the light from a telescope objective. Fumbling around in the dark, fine threads might be a problem. CPWI has an extensive object database, employs PointXP mount modeling, and more. With the Celestron Reducer/Corrector Lens, thats precisely what you get. So, this past week I challenged the Antares and Celestron models to a head-to-hear on my C8 on some decent nights of good seeing and transparency in my Bortle 5-6 urban skies. When the camera sensor is placed at this distance, the reduction factor of these reducers is 0.75x. Focal reducers (and focal reducer/field flatteners combos) are usually used with two types of telescopes, refractors and compound telescopes such as Schmidt-Cassegrain or Ritchey-Chretien. The Celestron f/6.3 is ~150 compared to the Antares at ~70. The female end attaches to the rear cell of the telescope. USD $80.00. Orders placed over the weekend will be shipped on the following Monday. Meade once made an f/3.3 focal reducer for SCT scopes. Our proprietary StarBright XLT optical coatings dramatically increase transmission, up to 97.4% on our Schmidt corrector lenses. This part is no longer in production, but it is sometimes available used and may be used with cameras with smaller sensors. One problem with getting opinions is that most of use do not have both reducers or have never done a side by side comparison. Figure 6 shows a 1.25" focal reducer from GSO configured with a ZWO ASI224MC camera. Michael 1 ronin Members I've only used it a few times but it looks good to me. This is a. These RC reducers cannot be used with other types of telescopes. Focus misses by about 1 turnof the focus knob.Here is my solution:Buy a shorter 1.25 visual back for my scope. Hmmm . Celestron or Antares f/6.3 focal reducer for SCT? Sign up to receive sale alerts, news about upcoming celestial events, and telescope tips from our experts! 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. Using these numbers in equation 4 in the Appendix, below, we can easily calculate that the focal length of this unit is approximately103mm (it will be 103mm plus the small amount by which the rear lens surface of the reducer is recessed beneath the reducer housing). In these equations: The combined focal length of the objective and focal reducer is given by Equation 1: For example, when d1=0, that is, the focal reducer is at the focal plane of the objective, Fcomb=Fo, so the focal reducer has no effect. There is a way to make subjective data more useful and that way is proper blind, or better still. 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. This article explained the basics of how focal reducers work with various kinds of telescopes and how their working distance affects their reduction factor, and it provided sufficient detail to help amateur astronomer choose and use the right focal reducer for a particular application. In terms of reduction and correction - which are what reducer/correctors are supposed to do - both are superb. M44 was a perfect target for this, as its large size maxes out the FOV on a C8 with a corrector, and its bright stars make great targets for measuring the very edge of the visible field. - thanks. if the illuminated field is 27mm wide without the reducer, it will be 27 x 0.63 = 17mm with it in place. ), ASI Air Plus - Connected items are 'greyed out', Cost of ordering used equipment U.S. - Can can more than double figure, Tuthill Isostatic Mount and Star Trap Power Module. This innovative software solves the time-consuming problem of trying to pinpoint the North Celestial Pole. Because of their distinct optical design, slower Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes (SCT) with focal ratios of f/10 require a different design of focal reducer compared to refractors. I've heard and read all kinds of things about the Antares being only a reducer and not a corrector, etc. Since the Celestron and Antares are supposed to have different focal lengths and spacing specs, I expected different results. Celestrons aplanatic EdgeHD optics revolutionized astroimaging. . InternetSales@optcorp.com, 800-483-6287 All Rights Reserved. Like you, I am primarily visually observing but I have everything together now that so I am going to start experimenting with photography so we'll see how it does there. I even lost track of which reducer I was using. CEL-94245. Can you help me? 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. Maybe I got a lemon. Focal reducers for these relatively fast ED refractors are generally for imaging only, not for visual observation. Does anyone know if the Antares 4000 focal reducer is as good as the Celestron focal reducer. However I've also read that the back focal distance on the Celestron is 105mm while the Antares is 81mm so they couldn't be identical. The designed reduction factor (0.5x in the case of the GSO reducer example above) should be considered a rule of thumb or approximate value in most cases, rather than a very precise number. It also leads to larger (although fainter) images of extended objects like the Moon or planets for astrophotographers or visual observers. In every configuration, there were essentially parfocal, requiring only a tiny fine focus adjustment when changing correctors. 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. Celestron Nexstar+ 127 SLT, several budget plossl eyepieces, Celestron 8-24mm zoom EP and a 12.5mm illuminated double reticle EP, Svbony SV205 camera w/.5 focal reducer, Celestron SkyMaster 20x80 binos on a 40 yr old QuickSet PanHead tripod, Stellarium, Sharpcap and ManyCam on my laptop, SkyView and Nightshift on my phone and a dandy little $9 . Reproduction without permission prohibited. The Buyer's Guide To Eyepieces at the top of the Eyepieces forum has a column for this spec. Reducer - Corrector Learn More. 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. Easy solution found a very tiny dab of super lube on the threads and all was well and quiet.. * Not a Retail Store * 16313 Arthur StreetCerritos, CA 90703, USA. 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. The focal length and design working distance for this focal reducer were not available from the manufacturer. 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. That was fun. He tested this on an 8 Celestron , I have a Celestron 6SE. To test this, I used three set-ups: 1. I use the Celestron version and it seems OK for both visual and imaging. Reducer Lens .7x - EdgeHD 1400 Learn More. Try & buy if you like - usual mates rates. For me, I was looking for, and planning to keep, the one that yielded the greatest reduction. Start Chat Some coma is visible in the corners, but the image is quite good for EAA applications. There will be no shipments on 3/1/2023, 3/2/2023, or 3/3/2023 (March 1st - March 3rd, 2023). Several functions may not work. October 11, 2010 in Discussions - Scopes / Whole setups. Start here to find the perfect telescope for you! 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. For imagers, the main purpose of a focal reducer is to increase the brightness of the image at the focal plane. Our patented SkyAlign alignment technology makes setting up a computerized telescope simple, fast, and accurate. The Antares is supposed to be pretty comparable. They are commonly available in 1.25" and 2" threaded cells that conveniently thread into the nosepiece of a compatible camera or the barrel of an eyepiece. I have a Raspberry HQ camera, a Sony TV Zoom 12.5-75mm f1.8 and a Astromania 1,25" 0.5x focal reducer. Copyright 2003-2022 Agena AstroProducts. The Reducer/Corrector can also be used for terrestrial digiscoping. The distance d2, which measures the position of the new focal plane of the objective from the back of the focal reducer is given by Equation 5: In these equations, d1, d2, and MR are all variables that depend on each other through Equations 2 and 4. However, these will not impact optical performance. This appendix summarizes how this works based on simple equations from the book Telescope Optics by Rutten and van Venrooij. Most manufacturers provide this specification. However, even though the imprint on the item states "Reducer / Corrector" please note that his is a reducer only. Never noticed any anomalies with this unit. EclipSmart solar products feature Solar Safe filter technology providing the ultimate protection from harmful solar radiation, including both IR and UV light, and filters 99.999% of visible light.