RayD

Quick, get some new flats done!!!

TS 80 Photoline is a nice little imaging scope. This is what I use on my travel set up and it works great.

Certainly looks like it is going to be very capable. Looking forward to using it with my SX mini and mono CCD also.

Perfect. Looking at the one marketed by WO which is basically the same thing, they note it as a focus tensioner, so basically adjust it to a tension that is comfortable for you to operate your focuser, but prevents any unwanted movement. Glad it seems to be working, it's a really lovely looking little instrument.

No problem, Pierre. If it is a lock, which I suspect it is, it is probably more accurately a drag creator. There may even be a nylon liner of some sorts between the end of the screw and the focus tube, but the nett result would be the same, and should work just fine with a camera etc. pointing at the Zenith.

No it probably won't lock it. All it needs to do in that position is to create sufficient drag on the focus tube for it to not slip. You will almost certainly still be able to turn the focuser, but the tube sliding and turning the focuser only needs a small drag due to the gearing effect. If you take it out and then operate the focuser, look through the hole to see if you can see the focus tube moving. This will confirm that it is just pushing against it.

Superb idea, Tim. Thanks for that. You know I need to check my Baader one as looking at this I have a feeling I may be able to do this with that one! Cheers

That's correct, Tim. An unfortunate down side. You can have some control with the positioning by adding delrins between the adaptor and the draw tube if you find the focuser fouling your mount. I use a long dovetail with a weight at the front, so my focuser is clear of the mount.

This is how I fit my OVL to mine with unscrewing the nose cone and using the M48 adaptor. This is with the camera in focus, so there is a bit of play.

I'd go with it being a focuser lock too. There isn't one on the focus shaft, so this is the most likely. As it is on the tube it doesn't need to do much to stop the focuser moving, so it will probably still be relatively easy to drive through it with the focus knobs as they are geared, but it will hold the tube.

I can't see why it wouldn't. I get enough inward travel with my EOS 450D and the OVL flattener screwed to the Lynx adaptor.

Yes, a filter would need to go elsewhere in the imaging train. I use mine with a SX mini wheel, so this wasn't an issue.

That's the one. I found using it instead of the compression fitting gave me another few mm over the SW one, which was enough, and is a nice solid connection.

It works well. The nose cone unscrews and you then use the M48 adaptor (I am at work so I will check this later as there are a few) which FLO supply, and screw it to the draw tube. For me it gave a little better performance than the SW one, but both seem to work. I did a short video here, and have more to upload with it in use.

You aren't missing anything. This telescope performs excellently, particularly given the price point. For me it seems pretty evident that it was never designed specifically for imaging, but as a decent quality portable item for visual use that would also perform perfectly adequately for imaging. I think, perhaps, some of the frustration I am seeing comes from people who are trying to sort out the spacing to the FF as none of them are specifically designed to work with this OTA, so it does need a little bit of fettling. Also most that I see are using it with a DSLR with pretty large sensors, so almost inevitably the field isn't absolutely perfect across it. I have not had issues with using either the SW one or the OVL one (with the nose cone removed and screwed to the draw tube) other than the well documented short inward travel of the draw tube, but that isn't insurmountable in most cases. TS do some very nice Photoline products, designed with imaging in mind, as do SW in the Esprit model of course, but these are not available at the cost that this one retails for.

Holy cow that was quick. I think a good test for this will be my Atik Horizon CMOS, Dave. It's a 4/3" sensor, same as the ASI1600 so you're welcome to have a little go with that as I'll be doing the CCD testing first.

That's great news, Steve. Thanks

? But how will you get on with just one QSI?

I'm hoping to, Dave. Unfortunately it may end up that Steve needs to fulfil orders with this one, so it may be delayed to another time.

I have a SX814 which has the same sensor and intending to try it with this.

Sharpest in the world according to WO, so I am expecting something pretty good (aperture noted of course).

You are my first choice mate, you know that ? I promise you my review will be honest, and wharts and all

Certainly can

Great story, made me smile. Have you considered night driving glasses like these if the glare affects you? I have a pair and, whilst skeptical at first, for me they do work.

That would be absolutely ideal if it does have it, Chris. It wasn't unduly stiff, or anything that I would be concerned with, but it was definitely firm to rotate. Certainly not as free as my Canon DSLR telephoto lenses, but not something that needed 2 hands. Mind you, I was there early Friday so it could well be as floppy as a floppy thing now with hundreds of people having now used it.