Baader Sky Surfer III

[assasincz]

I have decided to buy a red-dot finder when I was finally fed up with not knowing which star the telescope is actually point at, due to my right-angled optical finder scope. Most of you probably know how confusing a view through a finder scope can be, especially when you are pointing at a rich star field with most bright stars being roughly the same brightness. This becomes an issue when you want to starhop to your destination and you choose fairly dim star as your starting point. This is no big issue with a simple straight-through optical finder, because you can align the star to a centre of a cross with both eyes open. However, this becomes a problem with right angled finder scope, due to the reasons I mentioned earlier. So, to get the initial star hopping alignment more easily, I decided to get myself something that would help me with that. Since using two optical finders seems idiotic, I thought that some kind of projection finder scope would be in order; two options came to mind – either getting a Telrad or Rigel finders, or getting a simple, though much cheaper, red-dot finder. Since I just wanted a simple solution, red-dot finder it was.

I have chosen the Baader Sky Surfer III finder, primarily due to its ability to regulate the brightness of the projected red spot, which seemed handy. When I finally got it, it has occurred to me that there might be a problem – I wanted to use the red-dot finder the same way I use my optical finder, and that is, removable with a simple turn of a screw (no literary pun intended). However, although the body of the finder could be mounted to a plastic mount with a typical Synta mounting end, there was no mounting shoe supplied with it, and since I wanted to use both red-dot and optical finder at the same time, I had to purchase a mounting shoe separately. Other mounting options were pretty much permanent ones, which is not really practical when you regularly transport your telescope.

When I got the red-dot finder finally set up on my telescope, I have noticed that the projected red-dot is not working perfectly when turning around the brightness adjusting on/off button. It was regularly working, and then not working. Even though I changed the battery, the problem persisted, so I was frustrated and ready to send the finder back to the supplier. And then I though, since it had cost me only the equivalent of some £9, I just thought „to hell with it“, and decided to try and fix the problem myself. As it eventually turned out, one of the cables inside the electronics was faulty, so after replacing it, the finder scope finally worked as it should have, although it did not give me any confidence in this finder’s build quality. Furthermore, there are no dustcovers for the finder, which means that you will occasionally have to remove the dust from the projection lens mechanically, or, as I did, make some dustcovers on your own.

After you finally get the red-dot set up and working, you should align it with your scope during the day, because, the adjusting screws for both axes work a bit awkwardly. You have to combine adjusting with your thumb with a screwdriver, which seems complicated enough, and now try to do that at night. Luckily, once you align it, it stays aligned quite well, and some occasional deviation from the alignment is no biggie, since the finder scope does not magnify, and is basically for rough alignment. So, setting it up, getting it to work and aligning are quite complicated processes, but once done, you are ready to go and basically no additional tweaks are needed.

I like the way the red-dot finder is easy to use – you just turn it on, align the projected dot with what you want, and turn it off again. Nice and easy. The combination of a red-dot finder and an optical finder is unstoppable, and using the two in tandem allowed me to find objects that were too complicated or confusing to find using the starhopping method.

Upsides

• Simple to use, intuitive
  
• Great in combination with an optical finder
  
• Adjustable brightness of the projection dot
  
• Battery life
  
• Range of mounting options
  
• Very cheap
  
• Better than those plastic 30mm optical finders
  

Downsides

• Poor build quality
  
• Difficult to align
  
• Difficult to set up
  
• The plastic mount flexes a bit
  
• No dust covers
  
• Projected dot poorly visible in daylight
  

Edited November 5, 2012 by assasincz

[Sunshine]

Nice review! I’m looking for a smaller than Telrad red dot finder to use with optical finder.

[jock1958]

17 minutes ago, Sunshine said:

Nice review! I’m looking for a smaller than Telrad red dot finder to use with optical finder.

Been looking for a smaller red dot finder for my Tak FS60 and came across this one from Lacerta. Haven’t bought it as I’m unsure whether it’s any good or not, doesn’t seem much feedback on it 🤔
 

https://www.365astronomy.com/365Astronomy-Deluxe-Multi-Reticle-Red-Dot-Finderscope-Metal-Body-RED-GREEN-LED-wide-base?search=Finder

[Highburymark]

Nice review. As you note, the Skysurfer III is only slightly better build quality than other cheap red dot finders. But it works ok. The SS V is a huge improvement - by far the best RDF on the market - but it’s the best part of £100 and heavier. 

[Sunshine]

2 hours ago, Highburymark said:

Nice review. As you note, the Skysurfer III is only slightly better build quality than other cheap red dot finders. But it works ok. The SS V is a huge improvement - by far the best RDF on the market - but it’s the best part of £100 and heavier. 

Do you have the SSV? how heavy is it compared to a Telrad? I have a 50mm optical finder on my TSA102 but I’m having issues getting used to optical finders having used a Telrad my whole 25 plus years in the hobby.

[Highburymark]

2 hours ago, Sunshine said:

Do you have the SSV? how heavy is it compared to a Telrad? I have a 50mm optical finder on my TSA102 but I’m having issues getting used to optical finders having used a Telrad my whole 25 plus years in the hobby.

I prefer RDFs too. Just weighed the SS V at 380g with the base, though you can remove the two ends of the finder and save a little weight - it’s certainly a lot lighter than a 9x50 RACI. I’ve never used a Telrad or Rigel, so can’t compare. 

[Sunshine]

1 hour ago, Highburymark said:

I prefer RDFs too. Just weighed the SS V at 380g with the base, though you can remove the two ends of the finder and save a little weight - it’s certainly a lot lighter than a 9x50 RACI. I’ve never used a Telrad or Rigel, so can’t compare. 

Great! thanks for including the image as it gives me a good idea of it’s size when mounted on my 102, I looked online for images of it mounted on 4” refractors to see how big it is. This would be a great red dot finder, I love Telrads but unfortunately they are ugly as all heck and look like a monstrous appendage on my 102 lol. Would it be possible to mount the SSV on my tube rings? I like having finders centered and directly on top of my scope, not off on a 45 degree angle as they usually mount on scopes, I would like to mount it on my ring as there are several  1/4 20 threaded holes and a flat spot on my rings.

 

UPDATE: just called my local astro shop, by some miracle they had one in stock so I jumped on it, will be delivered in a few days, thanks for the info!

Edited July 24, 2021 by Sunshine

[Highburymark]

Excellent. Shouldn’t be a problem mounting it on rings - just need a simple base that accepts a standard finder stalk. Much easier on the eye than a Telrad, I agree!

[jock1958]

Unfortunately I’m a bit late to the party on this one, at one time or another I’ve mounted my SSV on both my Tak FC-100DL & FS60Q.
Recently I’ve gone back to a straight through finder on my FS60Q and Telrad & RACI finder combo on my FC-100DL, but as already mentioned would still like a small lightweight RDF for my FS60Q. 

No doubting the excellent quality and build of the SSV as alluded to by @Highburymark for me though I found the lowest setting of the red dot not quite dim enough and tended to obliterate faint targets in comparison with the Telrad, YMMV though! 
Couple of pics below of the SSV mounted on my FS60Q & FC-100DL.

 

[Highburymark]

3 hours ago, jock1958 said:

Unfortunately I’m a bit late to the party on this one, at one time or another I’ve mounted my SSV on both my Tak FC-100DL & FS60Q.
Recently I’ve gone back to a straight through finder on my FS60Q and Telrad & RACI finder combo on my FC-100DL, but as already mentioned would still like a small lightweight RDF for my FS60Q. 

No doubting the excellent quality and build of the SSV as alluded to by @Highburymark for me though I found the lowest setting of the red dot not quite dim enough and tended to obliterate faint targets in comparison with the Telrad, YMMV though! 
Couple of pics below of the SSV mounted on my FS60Q & FC-100DL.

 

Hmm, interesting - the lowest setting is ok on mine, in fact I turn it up to setting ‘2’ - but I haven’t as yet used it on any targets where dark adaption is critical. I have an SS III so I’ll see how it compares.

[jock1958]

11 minutes ago, Highburymark said:

Hmm, interesting - the lowest setting is ok on mine, in fact I turn it up to setting ‘2’ - but I haven’t as yet used it on any targets where dark adaption is critical. I have an SS III so I’ll see how it compares.

Maybe it’s just me and being a bit fussy but did read somewhere that it’s possible to  swap the battery for a lower voltage one that makes it dimmer 🤔 must admit though you can adjust the telrad brightness down to being just able to see the target rings which is great for fainter objects 

Edited July 25, 2021 by jock1958

[Highburymark]

Just tested the two Baader finders and I have to up to brightness level 5 on the SS V to reach the brightness of the III on its lowest setting. Both have fairly new batteries. 

[jock1958]

1 hour ago, Highburymark said:

Just tested the two Baader finders and I have to up to brightness level 5 on the SS V to reach the brightness of the III on its lowest setting. Both have fairly new batteries. 

That’s good to hear and it seems the SSV is a better bet than the III.