DRT

2 minutes ago, happy-kat said:

Did you think the cheap diagonal that did work spoilt your view from a practical point of view?

 

I didn't spend any time with it to be honest. I had already decided I didn't want my TV eyepieces held and scratched with a screw so just tested it and have since been focused (sorry  ) on the getting the Baader Prism to work.

28 minutes ago, happy-kat said:

Thank you for continuing, I have tried everything I have here. The bit I don't get is that in theory the distance should be about the same as the adaptor plus that 15mm extension when used straight through so what is it with diagonals giving an increased distance greater than the physical distance we already know works when viewing is straight through. Do diagonals bend the light path like say a barlow does?

Did you try any other eyepiece makes?

I didn't, I have 3 TV Plossls and just bought a set of Lunt/APM 100 degree monsters which are the same size as the EvoGuide so haven't tried those yet  

We have to keep reminding ourselves that the Meade Prism that I bought second hand for £20 worked just fine and it looks very similar to the one produced by Celestron for all of their SCTs so there are loads of diagonals around that will work with this thing. Perhaps my mistake is trying to achieve a balance of quality at both ends of the light path  

Further update:

1. I could not quite reach focus on infinity using the Baader T2 Prism with the focus ring removed and my TV 32mm Plossl. Sigh.

2. I purchased one of these...

3. Replacing the Baader ClickLock clamp with the TS 15mm Extension Tube has moved the Plossl 5.5mm closer to the objective. If this doesn't work nothing will.

4. This has been a very expensive experiment

A Pentax XW 5mm arrived today from 365Astronomy  

5 minutes ago, Stu said:

That’s a shame Derek. I rarely, if ever use 2” eyepieces for solar, I tend to favour 1.25” simple designs like orthos or Plossls over even the 24mm Panoptic.

Will be interesting to see how it performs for astro.

I’ve just found that the TV 32mm Plossl does what I need it to do, Stu. It’s normally stuck in the Quark so I didn’t really consider it for this until now. Maybe I should just buy another one of these?

15 hours ago, John said:

I'll be interested to hear what you think as well Derek

I used to own one of the Japanese Widescan III's  that these are based on:

 

First impression is a bit of a thumbs down for use with the wedge and Evo150. The massive eye lens causes lots of reflection and eye placement is difficult. The eye relief is also tighter than I expected. Will try it at night before writing it off but I’ll be needing something else for white light solar. 

2 minutes ago, John said:

I'll be interested to hear what you think as well Derek

I used to own one of the Japanese Widescan III's  that these are based on:

 

Will let you know, John. I bought it partly as a finder and partly for white light solar in my Baader wedge. At £45 from eBay I thought it looked like good value  

19 minutes ago, AdeKing said:

I hope so Stu, I've heard so many positive reports about the 100ED variants that I thought I ought to try one.

Hoping for first light tonight fingers crossed and all that malarky.

I am sure you will be pleased, Ade. I had a SW 100ED a couple of years ago which presumably had the same objective as your scope and it was fantastic.

Just prepare yourself and your "Finance Director" for the onset of aperture fever and the insatiable desire to buy a 120ED  

Here is my new collection of EPs...

The space below the XW 7mm awaits its 5mm sibling  

I paid £45 including delivery fro Germany ?

This arrived today from eBay - an APM UW 80º 2" 30mm to provide low power as part of the set I posted about yesterday...

14 minutes ago, 25585 said:

You can barlow the 7 to get 3.5. ?

I don’t like Barlows and I’m more likely to need the 5mm. If I decide I need one I’ll likely be buying the XW5. 

21 minutes ago, John said:

If it is of any interest Derek, I had the Ethos SX 3.7mm and 4.7mm for nearly a year and frequently compared them with the views that my 5mm and 3.5mm Pentax XW's gave. Despite my love of the Ethos range, I eventually concluded that the XW's were just a touch sharper and showed less light scatter. As 110 degrees was not essential for me at such high powers, I let the Ethos SX's go to new homes. It was a tough decision because the Ethos SX 4.7 is a hard one to get on the used market (it almost never comes up) but in the end I found I was reaching for the XW's before the Ethos SX's each time for challenging targets so that swung the decision for me.

I had both of those Ethos EP's too, John, and found they were seldom used. That's why I haven't plunged in at this point as I want to see what the 7mm XW gives me in the scopes I currently have. My skies don't often allow high mag so if I buy anything below the 7mm it will be for something with a relatively short FL that just needs a bit more oomph. The Pentax are winning in my head at the moment as the reviews are so consistent.

4 minutes ago, Littleguy80 said:

Wow! What  a great line up! I recently got the 9mm and 20mm and am very pleased with them. The 13mm is on my wish list. Just need to save some pennies up!

Thanks, Neil. I'm in two minds where to go on the high mag end of this lot as both Lunt and Pentax have 5mm and 3.5mm in those ranges. I think I need to use all of my legendary willpower to avoid jumping in before testing the ones I've just bought  

With thanks to @Alan White, these lovely little things also arrived yesterday, destined to be used with my SW EvoGuide ED50...

This evening I came home from a very long day at work and found a large box from APM and a bubble-wrapped bag from 365Astronomy containing this lovely lot...

The Pentax speaks for itself and I must say I am very impressed with the build quality of the APM/Lunt XWAs - beautiful design and engineering and I can only hope they have the optical quality to match  

33 minutes ago, Stu said:

Sorry, not quite sure what you are asking Derek, probably just being a bit slow!

I just measured the outer diameter of the objective cell on the Tak and picked the Lenscoat which covered that range. In this case it was 114mm or 4.48” and the Large Lenscoat covers 4.25 to 4.75”. They are elasticated and very easy to fit and use. Wish I had discovered them years ago!

Let me know if that is not what you meant!  

That’s exactly what I was asking, Stu, thanks. I just phrased it very badly ?

1 hour ago, Stu said:

I have just received a Large Lenscoat for a slightly different Tak related requirement.

When I disassemble mine for transport, I normally have to bodge some kind of protection for the objective and rear opening when it sits in its Pelicase. Thanks to @johninderby I think for originally pointing this out on another thread. This one works fine for the front, a medium is on order for the back  

 

I could do with one of those for my Evo150, Stu. Are the diameters mentioned on the site directly related to the outer diameter of the OTA around the lens cell?

On 04/06/2018 at 12:25, Peter Drew said:

Any indication as to whether the objective is airspaced or cemented?

Here is the reply I received from OVL...

Quote

 

From: "Info@opticalvision.co.uk" <info@opticalvision.co.uk>
Date: Wednesday, 6 June 2018 at 10:10
To: "DRT" 
Subject: FW: RE: Derek Turnbull sent a message from Skywatcher website

They are air-spaced, not cemented
 
Kind regards,
OVL
 ************************************
From: auto@skywatchertelescope.net [mailto:auto@skywatchertelescope.net] 
Sent: 04 June 2018 14:35
To: Info@opticalvision.co.uk
Subject: Derek Turnbull sent a message from Skywatcher website
 
Hi,
 
I have recently purchased a Sky-Watcher EvoGuide ED50.
 
Could you please tell me if the doublet lens is air-spaced or cemented?
 
Thanks
Derek
************************************

 

15 minutes ago, iPeace said:

Nice one! My own 5mm is back-ordered, 7mm and 3.5mm should arrive tomorrow.

I've just ordered the Pentax XW 7mm to compliment my 9mm, 13mm, 20mm and 30mm Lunt/APM set that are incoming from Germany  

I had my (now sold) AZ GTi on a (now sold) EQ5 tripod and pillar with my (now sold) adapter with a Tele Vue Pronto and it was rock solid. I think the Pronto is heavier than your 100ED so you should be good to go ?

11 minutes ago, AdeKing said:

What might that be Derek?

 

Something involving a SW AZGTi? ?

15 minutes ago, AdeKing said:

It certainly is Steve, looking forward to getting my hands on it. ?

Hmmm? An ED100 and a Berlebach 3/8" Photo Adapter for HEQ5 / AZ5 tripod?

I sense a plan coming together! 

42 minutes ago, Saganite said:

Just the slightest tinge of sadness when I saw your scope Derek, but it was all in a good cause, to buy the Tak.

I think that's a justifiable sacrifice, Steve  

And fear not - you know me - the Moonlite will end up back on the for sale boards one day   

21 minutes ago, iPeace said:

arrived in perfect condition, something that simply could not and would not have happened without the most considerate and selfless support of @Saganite

A true gent if there ever was one.

Hear, hear!

This immaculate Moonlite specimen arrived very recently from exactly the same source...