Lumicon 2.5X CCD compressor - is this any good?

[Martin-Devon]

This 2.5X CCD compressor claims to increase the field of view with a CCD & is on the SCS Astro website:-

http://www.scsastro.co.uk/catalogue/lumicon-25x-ccd-compressor-lens.htm

Has anybody tried one of these (or similar) – and if so, what is your experience? In principle it sounds very attractive since many times with my refractor I only capture part of a nebula when imaging with my Atik 314 CCD. It would be nice to see much wider fields, without having to upgrade to a mega-expensive widefield CCD.

At the moment I already use a 0.8x reducer with my Ikharus 102mm refractor (focal length 714mm), so I’m also uncertain if I could additionally bolt this Lumicon 2.5x compressor lens on top of the current reducer. Would this mess things up, does anybody have any thoughts here?

[DrRobin]

Hi,

I have also been considering one of these 2.5 x compressors to use with an Atik16HRC and wondered if anyone has tried one. I have a 0.6x focal reducer but haven't had chance to try it yet and would like a little bit more FOV.

Regards

Robin

[DrRobin]

Hi,

I have just read another message from Lumicon which says this compressor requires around 3.5" in focus and I doubt that I will be able to get that on my SK10" so perhaps this is the reason that there aren't too many of these around?

Regards

Robin

[riklaunim]

It's a strong reducer for SCTs and other "dark" scopes and big backfocus. It's rather old stuff like now there are reducers/correctors for SCT (and reducing flatteners for refractors) that have long backfocus and allow using long imaging chains or diagonals for visual use. For C11 I use Optec NextGen 0.5x and that supports 17 mm diagonals (bit more than 2/3" diagonal in Atik 314L+ )