DaveL59

day of the triffids here after the post dropped in

A couple vintage Velbon tripods (VS-3 and lightweight HE-3), tho I have swapped the head off the lightweight one for a Manfrotto ball since it was missing the pan handle so not usable as was. Added the 323 plate also so it'll be quick and easy to clip the camera/big telephoto etc onto it.

On 27/12/2020 at 21:24, Moonshed said:

That is precisely the sort of thing that gets the attention of the whole class, plus as a bonus it employs the use of magic!

funnily enough, the physics master at my school was a member of the magic circle and he taught us some magic as off-curricular studies 🙂 

does this help at all?
THE FIRMAMENT - Solar System and Deep Sky webcam images

There's a number of posts on here on the motorised mounts tho how much they'd help I can't say, likewise on cloudynights forum. 

1 hour ago, johninderby said:

How long until Ikea brings out a flat pack version? 🤔.    😁😁😁

I'd wonder what the effect of any adhesives they use burning off in the upper atmosphere, having had recent close up experience of these particulate boards burning and the awful smell. Nothing like injecting chemical agents directly into the ionosphere and affecting the ozone layer etc.

44 minutes ago, Neil H said:

True but would instructions be chinglish 

it's quite a different language, not a great comment really 😞 

An interesting new career possibility could be coming up, building wood satellites 🙂 

Japan developing wooden satellites to cut space junk - BBC News

I wonder if it is indeed a mirror diagonal or perhaps a prism one?

Does the diagonal give good views in daylight and right way up?

maybe fit a couple lens hoods, tho perhaps not like the one on that big old Zeiss I've recently got...

very nicely done Adam! 🙂

thanks Andy, a nicely written review, tho I wouldn't say Nikon got lucky with the glass, they're oft regarded as an Alpha brand on the optical side 😉 

not sure if it's the same scope but I have a SW130EQ2, no idea if it is a parabolic or spherical mirror or if that'd affect the dimensions. Happy to measure up the tube tho if it'd be useful. I would say there's probably no harm in extending the OTA out beyond the secondary a bit further than the SW tube is to prevent stray light and maybe help with dewing, tho others more experienced in building will likely know better than me.

Measured from the mirror end of the tube (mirror fitted so the end of the cell block) up to the centre of the focuser is 74.5cm and to the top of the tube 83cm.

one of mine is in mostly when it's wet or cold out, the black kitty tho, he's out regardless but comes in frequently to warm up and demand treats and food. Should I dare to go to bed he'll wander in and complain that I'm not serving him.

I have a Giottos with the foot, well it can have if you undo the end and extract them to fit in the base. I do find it can be useful esp with a camera, tho also with binos depending on how much flexibility you need in terms of tilting the angle relative to ground. Sadly these aren't made any more I think (MM5580)

good luck with the investigations. Depending on how mechanically minded you are it may be possible to replace with alternatives. @markse68 on here rebuilt his with a different motor and gearing so may be able to offer some advice on that front. I think he detailed it on a thread on here too.

East of England are well regarded but with C19 they're not doing much at the moment from what others have said, worth a try tho
East of England Binoculars, Binoculars, Spotting Scopes, Monoculars, Tripods (eebc.co.uk)

I don't think they'd be too hard to take apart, just watch out for the little grub screw in the large brass end screw on the centre pivot, under the trim plate with the IPD marker. Just a case of working slowly and methodically, upside being you're only really working on the mechanicals not taking the glass out.

In essence:

1. remove the IPD trim plate
2. undo the little grub screw (no need to remove fully) and unscrew the large brass clamp screw
3. slip the eyepiece carriers off the focuser shaft
4. probably need to do similar at the other end of the focuser (remove clamp screw)
5. separate the two sides to get access to the focus wheel and mechanism, note any shims and position of
6. service the focuser (slip the rubber grip off, dismantle, clean out old grease, reassemble with new grease)
7. refit in reverse.

Thing is without a nice pictorial guide it can be a bit of a voyage of discovery in how some bits come out, sometimes easier to let someone else do the work 🙂 

heh yeah I recall copydex back in the 70-80's, stank like long dead fish even tho it worked. If I recall we used it along the cut edges of carpet to seal so things wouldn't unravel since it dries clear unlike evostik. Sadly lots of the stuff that was good back then have changed, various regs since the EU and of course awareness of carcinogens etc. Same for lens glass since they can no longer use lead and other exotics.

13 minutes ago, old_eyes said:

Thanks for all the help everyone. I am getting the message, mount low and use a separate IR illuminator. Are low power IR illuminators available? Most of the ones I pick up with an internet search are powerful floodlights that are intended to extend the range of security cameras. Some of them out to 100m. I only have to illuminate an 8x8 foot space, and hurling large amounts of IR around seems unnecessary.

yeah I think that's the issue really, most are pretty powerful, tho you could always blank out part of the front to reduce the amount of light thrown or perhaps open it up and remove some of the LEDs...

Surprised you don't get some IR flare but then you're using a reflector with a long dew shield which may make a difference. On a frac if the IR hits the objective them you may well get false "stars", I do notice that on my sky cams where the IR hits the dome/lens even with the IRcut filter.

I do have Hik gear in the main, well the NVR at least, the cameras are Hik compatibles (Annke and anon brands) but yeah in the current arena choose another but who isn't doing some sort of tracking etc with cameras in the new big-brother surveillance world we now live in.

For the connections, I use a dielectric grease in the network and power ports, helps prevent moisture issues and other than leaving you with greasy fingers when handling the connectors during maintenance is quick, easy and effective. Amalgamating tape can work but you don't want to be pressing the locking tab in and the slightest gap that lets moisture in will lead to issues when it can't easily escape.

Totally agree on the separate IR illuminator with regard spiders, also the swarms of tiny insects that rush toward it that can look like a rain storm heading into the lens. Downside is you lose the Smart-IR that some cameras so you have a trade off: better exposure under IR or insect action and regular web clearing

The issue you'll get with IR from the illuminator will be where it scope/camera is positioned relative to the IR source. If it can hit the front of the scope/lens then you may well see flare in the image as you would with back lit scenes in daytime. Should the IR source come into the FoV of the scope/camera then it'll be like shining a torch, you'll get a big bright lamp in the image. An IR filter won't cut either effect at all as its just too bright. I see this with my cameras that do have IRcut filters.

If you are placing a camera in the obsy then it'll be very close to the scope so IR reflection and illumination of the surfaces may well cause some effects. Best to place the camera low, possibly blank off the majority of IR LEDs so there's just enough IR to pick out the detail you need, and mount it below the region where the scope may need to navigate to.

here you go, not swift in this article but I expect they are a similar arrangement and it explains how the focuser is put together.

Help repairing focuser - Binoculars - Cloudy Nights

Looks quite fiddly to do and the rubber grip would need to be slid off to access. Probably why I didn't worry to do it at the time as mine were working. I just ran a couple drops of oil into the end which eased things up and figured I'll get round to doing a full strip down later.

Hi John

I've yet to pull the pair of those I have completely apart, the focus movement is a little scratchy so must get round to doing that one day. One thing worth checking is are the two eyepieces straight and level and securely held by their centre clamp bolt at the pivot. If they are free to tilt/rock then they can bind on the tube they ride over and can give the impression of the focuser mechanism binding.

I've only taken these apart as far as removing the eyepieces and top plates, then the prisms & carriers so I could do a full clean of the glass surfaces at this time. Given the big improvement and that the focuser was working ok I've not gone any further yet, I believe there is a pin in helix type arrangement under the large focuser wheel so its possible that pin has come loose. I recall some information on that somewhere on the web, will post if I do find it in case it helps.

Yours do look in pretty good shape otherwise, they are a very nice bino and very solid build quality so hopefully you can get them sorted to enjoy them properly 🙂 

under win-10 you can use the editor built into the photos viewer app I believe, which would let you crop a section out by moving the start/end points to where you want them to be. Doesn't sound right to open video with the "Photos" app but it is there already and may do what you need. Just click on the "Edit & Create" button top right and select what you want to do.

Also there's VirtualDub and then perhaps use Castrator (http://www.astrokraai.nl/castrator.php) to crop things more centered.

Yep the weather of late has been a bit of a let down for sure. I did have a fiddle with phone control of my Sony A77ii but its so limited its of little real use. Till I get an intervalometer sorted I just use the old remote shutter release from my M9000 film camera as luckily its the same connector 🙂 

Might have been easier tho to have just set the self-timer to 3 or 10 sec to allow the vibration to dampen down till you have the controller, but now you have the phone working you've both options...

3 minutes ago, Mary1976 said:

Oh it does, thank you! I will definitely try that next time (sadly I've had to come back inside as apparently its not acceptable to completely ignore ones children on christmas eve)  

ahhh seems it can be lucky being single and living alone once more 😉

Tho sadly all fast moving cloud here so am indoors in the warm instead, such is life.

2 minutes ago, Marvin Jenkins said:

That’s interesting as I have been interested in photography since the film era. I still look at older lenses and think ‘I know it is old but it is not a multi lense zoom’.

I had a great 200mm Prinz prime lense on an old SLR and only wish I could get something for my modern Nikon. Slightly off the EP thread but that old school stuff seems very high quality.

Marv

The CZJ Sonnar 180mm f2.8 is pretty nice, tho huge and heavy being a medium format lens, there's a thread in the photography section for it. Works nicely on my Sony A77ii tho 🙂