Focal Reducer For Skymax 127

[Star-Gazer]

Can someone in the know please explain why a focal reducer is not recommended for my Skymax 127?

thanks

[JamesF]

AIUI you need a lot of extension after the reducer to achieve focus, and the baffle inside the scope will cause vignetting.

James

[philj]

Where did that piece of advice come from? (sorry James this wasnt meant for your post, you posted a few seconds before me)

I have a 127 Mak and with an adaptor fit an SCT .63 reducer plus 2" visual back then a 2" 30mm vixen lanthanum wide angle ep to it, works a treat little to no vignetting and nice wideish field.

If I want to be silly I drop in a 2" 50mm fl ep in it with the reducer, it does however struggle then

Philj

[JamesF]

I shall reply regardless, even though it's not a helpful response

I can't remember where I read this and if someone points out that I've misunderstood that's fine. I just feel sure I came across the information when I was looking for something entirely different relating to the Mak.

James

[Star-Gazer]

So what would be my best solution to get a wider view for DSO imaging or viewing or single moon shots at prime focus with this scope?

Are the cheap FRs useless and the expensive ones?

Lots of people have advised against a FR and I am not clear as to why. For me I am looking for experience rather than perfect images or viewing as I will be buying better kit once I know more and using my SM127 as a grab and go or letting children use it to get started.

I have enough budget to buy an expensive FR if it will be beneficial or I am prepared to use a cheap(£30) one if none will work well.

Thanks for the responses so far.

[RikM]

No idea about focal reducers, sorry.

I use a 1.25" 40mm Kelner EP with my skymax and quite like that for DSO viewing. I put my DSLR directly on the back of the scope via a T-ring and I think I got the whole moon in. I may be mistaken though, I normally use a different scope for imaging.

[rowan46]

I think they are talking about the fact they don't fit unless you get an adaptor here is an adaptor

Astro Engineering AC789 adaptor ring to convert Sky Watcher rear cell thread to SCT visual back thread

there are plenty of threads that say that focal reducers work fine on maks, personally I have no idea as I've never looked through a mak with a focal reducer on.

[rowan46]

So what would be my best solution to get a wider view for DSO imaging or viewing or single moon shots at prime focus with this scope?

Are the cheap FRs useless and the expensive ones?

Lots of people have advised against a FR and I am not clear as to why. For me I am looking for experience rather than perfect images or viewing as I will be buying better kit once I know more and using my SM127 as a grab and go or letting children use it to get started.

I have enough budget to buy an expensive FR if it will be beneficial or I am prepared to use a cheap(£30) one if none will work well.

Thanks for the responses so far.

As far as I know those who have had success with fr's are talking about the 6.3 reducers that fit in the back eg they start at about £90 for the antares to £160 for the celestron

[philj]

I think your right Rowan. The maks have an 1 1/4 visual back which limits things as far as 1 1/4 reducers go.

Fortunately the VB on mine has a thread on the outside and adaptors can be had to change it to sct.

Then the world of the sct accessories becomes available to you with that little gismo.

Worth the 20 somat quid I paid a few years ago.

Philj

[philj]

Oh and for those folks that say 2" stuff wont work on a 127 take a look here Telescopes - Ken Dauzat

Theres several mods with 2" VBs and crayfords

Philj

[Bazzaar]

I bought a cheap .5 reducer off fleabay and was quite surprised how good it was. Must admit my expectations weren't very high but it didnt destroy the image in anyway at all. I bought one mainly for imaging, to change the field of view in my Skymax 150 and CCTV type camera.

For visual use and with higher focal length ep's it will introduce distortion around the egdes and vignetting. The central part is still good. DSLR's will use all the field of view and you will capture those defects, webcams and CCTV cams wont. I say go for it, see for yourself.

Regards

Barry