Right angled finders - RA or RACI ?

[John]

I seem to have acquired two 8x50 right angled finders at the moment. There is a subtle difference between them though as one gives an image that is the right way up and correctly orientates left and right (RACI) as your eyes show things while the other presents the image the right way up but left and right are reversed (RA), as they are when viewing though a refractor / SCT / mak-cassegrain with a mirror diagonal.

The RACI one is branded Orion (USA) wheras the RA one is unbranded but looks similar to the Skywatcher type. Both are in an all black colour scheme. The optical quality seems to be the same.

I'm trying to get my head around whether it's better to have a finder that matches your eyes or the view though the scope (of the types listed above) ?

I think the RACI type is preferable to me but I'd be interested how others see it ?

[Odd Thomas]

I find it much easier to find objects if the view in the finder matches what I see with my unaided eyes. I love my Stallarvue RACI finder.

[RikM]

I use a RACI type, which gives me a 180° rotation of what I see in my Newts (I think) It means I can simply turn my map rather than having to think about transpositions.

[Dreamweaver]

The RACI matches what you see in your bins (if you look through your bins for a scout around or whatever before you use your scope). It's much easier to locate your target in the RACI as the pattern and bright stars would be the same way round and orientation as in your bins. I have used a right angle non corrected finder before I upgraded to RACI. It’s a bit of a head scratcher to mentally flip images left/right.

I use a red dot finder/telrad to get started otherwise I find it difficult to locate the starting point. I have enough trouble locating the moon relying on just a finderscope!

The combination of bins, telred/red dot & RACI in that order works for me every time.

[Moonshane]

what Rik said - completely agree

[John]

Well thats conclusive feedback folks - the RACI stays with me

[jason.p]

I think you should keep the RA and sell the RACI to me (at a very reasonable price)

[rory]

i was fortunate enough to have a antares raci finder already attached to my scope when i bought it (second hand) it certainly makes life easier when the view is as per the atlas/map and when theres not alot to hop to with telrad. my only real issue with the finder is apart from the central area ,the outer 30% or more shows seaguls instead of stars really badly. ive no idea if thats common or not as its the only one ive ever used ?

[John]

....my only real issue with the finder is apart from the central area ,the outer 30% or more shows seaguls instead of stars really badly. ive no idea if thats common or not as its the only one ive ever used ?......

I suppose they are only low cost, fast, refractors really with cheap eyepieces in them so astigmatism is to be expected perhaps.

[E621Keith]

It suppose it depends on the scope and mount. A RACI would make no sense for me because I use SCT and refractor which have left right reverse image. If I use a RACI then the control direction will be reversed as I switch from finder to the main scope and that would be more confusing than if both have left right reversed image.

It would be different on a Newtonian, as the image is flipped differently.

[Velvet]

as it is a finder I prefer it to match Mk1 eyeball, then go to the scope once i have the object in question

Velvet

[cantharis]

I find my Stellarvue RACI more intuitive as it matches star charts and moon charts.