Baader SteelTrack, Starlight Feather Touch or Moonlite?

[astroimpulse]

Having had a nightmare with a recent scope purchase I'm looking to treat myself and my Equinox 120 with a lovely new focuser.

I'm erring towards the moonlite as it's beautiful as well as brilliant. But I know the Starlight is something else too (much more though).

Then there's the Steeltrack with it's canny...err...steel track

Would love to know what users of these instruments think?

Edit: It's for imaging so precision and sturdiness is the order of the day

Edited June 20, 2011 by astroimpulse

[swag72]

I bought a Moonlite for my SW 120ED after having a nightmare with the original focuser. I suffered from elongated stars as the focuser was sagging. I only had a 1000D hanging off the end. So, along came the Moonlite, it is beautiful!! I had to buy an adaptor from FLO to screw in the reducer as the thread size was different. This was really worthwhile doing and I would recommend a focuser upgrade every time, especially for imaging. The camera doesn't move and the stars are round!!

Edited June 20, 2011 by swag72

[astroimpulse]

Yeh, they are lovely. Glad to see it's improved your experience.

The 120ED has a different focuser to the Equinox so the jump isn't as big. But still big enough

[shaunster]

I think the feather touch focusers are the best but they arent cheap!

[astroimpulse]

No..£450 I think

[step_hen]

feathertouch>moonlite>baader steeltrack

but all three are a big step up in quality from the equinox (which in itself isnt too bad on my 66ED)

[astroimpulse]

That's how I perceived it too

Which have you used?

[Earl]

I have had a Moonlite, it was good but as I currently use scopes with there standard focuser's and have no issues (at present... touch wood etc), if its not broken i wont be fixing it.

I did repalce the R&P focuser on my newt for the Revelations ones on offer at Telescope house, that was a big improvement.

[MjrTom]

The stock focuser on my Equinox 80 is not much to write home about to be honest and it is in dire need of replacing. It struggles with the weight of my canon 7D and even occasionally gives me problems with the diagonal and 2 inch EP when used near the zenith.

http://stargazerslounge.com/equipment-help/142836-sw-equinox-80-focuser-problem.html

My money is going to be spent on the Moonlite focuser. Seems to be a good balance of price vs performance.

A starlight Instruments featherlight focuser would be nice but to spend as much on the focuser as I spent on the scope in the first place is a little hard to swallow

[Takahashi]

It struggles with the weight of my canon 7D

I'm not surprised! That's not a camera I would attach to my scope... nearly a Kilo is a lot of strain to put on an optical train, even if the Moonlight would handle it. ...but then I'm spoiled with having the wee ultra-lightweight 500D to plug in there instead.

[swag72]

I'm not surprised! That's not a camera I would attach to my scope... nearly a Kilo is a lot of strain to put on an optical train, even if the Moonlight would handle it. ...but then I'm spoiled with having the wee ultra-lightweight 500D to plug in there instead.

Moonlite info says that it will take up to 6lb, so even 50% of that allows for a 7D and some!

[Deneb]

Buy the Moonlite...

[Takahashi]

Moonlite info says that it will take up to 6lb, so even 50% of that allows for a 7D and some!

...but he was referring to the effect on the Equinox 80's focuser. I agree that the ML would handle it, I just wouldn't like the idea of that body tumbling to earth through slippage.

Edited June 21, 2011 by Takahashi

[ollypenrice]

A good R and P beats a good Crayford. The Crayford relies on friction which will change over time. In the case of a good one like the Moonlite that should be a long time! But the Feathertouch is the best available. Mine came as standard on the TEC and is bang on the money.

Olly

[Dave Smith]

I guess it depends on what money you have available but I am very happy with the Moonlite I have on my FL102S refractor and have on order another to fit my C80ED. It takes the weight of my 40D with no problems.

Dave

[johninderby]

Another vote for the Feather Touch R&P. You can put 15 to 18 pounds on it (depending on the exact model) and it'll work as if there's no load on it at all.

The Baader Steeltrack is pretty good though and will handle about the same load as a Moonlite.

John

[Demon Barber]

Hi Sy feathertouch everytime,the customer support is superb.

I think with your attention to detail you would be satisfied with

nothing less, lol.

Hope your keeping okay?

Regards

Mike

[astroimpulse]

Hey fella, keeping good. How's you? Got any pics yet?

Cheers guys for the input. If the feather touch can be adapted for different scope it would be a keeper for years to come. The moonlites are beautiful too and I've never seen a bad review.

Not going to be as hard to choose as I first though

Edited June 21, 2011 by astroimpulse
Spelling errors! First go typed with fists! lol