iPhone adaptors for astro eyepieces?

[FLO]

One of our suppliers is manufacturing a small range of iPhone 5/5S adaptors for afocal photography (photos taken through an eyepiece).

They have asked us which eyepieces are preferred for this style of photography. We know the Baader Hyperion series are a popular choice, also 32mm & 40mm Plossls, but which other eyepieces work well?

If you practice afocal photography using a camera-phone please let us know your thoughts? In particular which features would you most like to see and which eyepieces do you use? We won't mind if you recommend eyepieces we don't sell, we would still like to know. 

Hopefully we can point them in the right direction

Thank-you, 

Steve

[szymon]

One for the BST Starguiders would be popular I think :-)

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[esxste]

I went with a Magnifi iPhone adaptor, and found I had problems getting proper focus with the BST Starguiders. In the end I wrote off the adaptor as an expensive mistake. I paid about £70 for the Magnifi adaptor, after currency conversion and import duty. It seems like your manufacturer is aware that different eye pieces may present different challenges, so thats good!.

I would advise caution about how you describe what results people can get expect from this type of solution, and consider the price point carefully, as I know you guys are a pretty conscientious retailer. The iPhone is somewhat fundamentally flawed for astrophotography, with no way to extend the exposure beyond 1 second, limited ability to set ISO and lock focus. Apps I used to do this would often crash, lose settings when closed etc. 

There is the potential to take some OK photos of the moon, and if you work hard, get something of the planets using a video and some brighter DSO's. In the end though, I became far to frustrated with spending all night trying to beat the limitations of the equipment to get even a bad image. Honestly, if I'd paid about £30 for the adaptor, I'd be far less annoyed about it. 

For context, if it helps;  I was using a SW 130 on an EQ2 mount. I haven't tried it on my SW200p yet, preferring to practise with my DSLR. I will if you feel this might be of use?  I suppose this depends on who you're expecting will buy the adaptor, and the level of equipment you think they will have. 

I hope this helps with your considerations

[m37]

BST, BST, BST!!!!

[m37]

What about a standard body/phone holder part and a separate screw on eyepiece mount for different eyepieces? Might reduce manufacturing costs and has some after sales potential for them too.

cheers

Chris

[Carbon Brush]

I won't be buying one. Having other kit.

However, Mr Apple has a habit of regularly changing case styles, just a little, but fairly often.

Anyone who has ever tried coping with docking stations will know what I mean.

As a supplier, you could be left with stock for last weeks model.

Maybe a lot of hassle from buyers returning the 'wrong' adapter you supplied.

I think that you would be targetting the first time astrophotographer, who won't have expensive (Hyperion cost and more)  eyepieces.

You need a good focus tube and mount to carry a 'jam jar' Hyperion.

So you need to hanging on the back of a 'basic' 1.25" eyepiece.

Anyone further on in astro photos will be looking at other imaging devices that don't have to be taken off the scope when a text comes in!

In the past I have played around with various 'universal digiscoping' and other adapters. In the end settling for a 'proper' adapter to my DSLR.

But I'm not a retailer. In fact I don't own an iphone and don't envisage buying one.

Maybe my views are irrelevant?

[EBXL5]

I use my iphone with a hyperion zoom for social media snaps, it's a bit cheesy but I love being able to share what I see through the EP with friends. Observing is a somewhat solitary past time and occasionally it's nice to share.

[garethmob]

i agree with david above,  apple do have a horrid habit of changing phone designes....... althrough most phone companies do but as apple release so few types of phones it is more noticeable.

one thing to bare in mind..... apple are rumoured to be creating the iphone 6 on te 9th of september....... so it might be worth waiting to see what it looks like before making anything as majority of iphone 5 users will be out of their contracts now and will upgrade when its out.

[esxste]

While Apple do have a habit of changing their phone designs they have been up til now fairly predictable in their timing of doing so: significant changes in design usually happen once every 2 years, generally with the change in version number, rather than the addition of the 'S' 

All in all, not that horrid really. 

Other phone manufacturers release multiple different types of phones to address different market segments (e.g. high-end, budget) and they release different versions of those phones on sometimes erratic schedules.

[Stu]

I recently bought an Orion Steady Pix universal adaptor. It works very well and has the benefit of taking just about any sort of smartphone. Might be worth considering something flexible or with different options to avoid it becoming redundant as phone styles change.

I tend to use my 12.5 or 9mm BGO when taking images with the iPhone, this is partly because they are very good, and partly because the smooth, cylindrical shape is very easy to fit the SteadyPix to without damaging the eyepiece. It gets trickier with eps with rubber eye guards or conical shapes to them. That said, a system which worked well with other eyepieces would be useful.

Weight can be an issue so it needs to be strong/rigid but as light as possible.

I also use mine for solar 'imaging' (quotes for obvious reasons!), an adaptor which blocked light from getting in between camera and eyepiece would help this.

Stu

[Stu]

I recently bought an Orion Steady Pix universal adaptor. It works very well and has the benefit of taking just about any sort of smartphone. Might be worth considering something flexible or with different options to avoid it becoming redundant as phone styles change.

I tend to use my 12.5 or 9mm BGO when taking images with the iPhone, this is partly because they are very good, and partly because the smooth, cylindrical shape is very easy to fit the SteadyPix to without damaging the eyepiece. It gets trickier with eps with rubber eye guards or conical shapes to them. That said, a system which worked well with other eyepieces would be useful.

Weight can be an issue so it needs to be strong/rigid but as light as possible.

I also use mine for solar 'imaging' (quotes for obvious reasons!), an adaptor which blocked light from getting in between camera and eyepiece would help this.

Stu

[palatine]

I use my iphone with a hyperion zoom for social media snaps, it's a bit cheesy but I love being able to share what I see through the EP with friends. Observing is a somewhat solitary past time and occasionally it's nice to share.

what do you use adaptor wise or are you just "hovering" over the EP  i'm going to DIY an Adaptor for my iphone 6 to my Hyperion zoom EP and wondered if its been done before?...

[nightfisher]

A-focal Luna is a field i enjoy, but not wanting to sound negative but for this type of imaging a proper camera is always going to beat a mobile phone, however for eyepieces the 18mm BGO type ortho is one of the best for A-focal