SW130P combined with xbox cam, focal problems

[paraletic mirror]

hello yall

So after last nights epic tour of new objects with m,y new 130p, i decided next chance ill stick the xbox cam in and start some lunar practice

Well........as the story goes i used to use the cam with my celestron mak90mm with medium results, so i lined up the moon in the eyepiece with my 20mm then changed to my cam (as i normally do lol) got moon on screen in sharpcap and began fiddling as you do to get gain, exposure, brightness and all that right, i then began to focus slowly........ getting there............then clunk end of my focusers inward travel, but the moon is not in focus it seems it needs a few more millimeters of travel to achieve focus, i can already see by the quality of the slightly out of ficus moon that it would be a million times better image than i got with my mak!!!!! I have no idea what i need do get or do to sort this, ive looked at focal extenders,reducers, ive tried taking the lens from my cheap barlow out so im left with an extension tube but nothing . tried putting the lens back in it and still cant get focus,, can some one who knows what they are doing help me please? i have no idea like i said what i need ,, advice wiould be a god send

[nephilim]

You could try moving the mirror further up the tube by using longer replacment colimation screws, I know this works with DSLR imaging with the 130p so it should with a webcam. I can get focus fine with my 130m Skywatcher but thats got a FL of 900mm were as I think the 130p has 650mm?

Steve

[stubbadub]

I didnt have a problem with my xbox cam and my 130. How are you attaching the camera to the focuser? I just glued an empty 35mm film canister to the camera after removing the lights and it worked fine.

[paraletic mirror]

webcam has a 1.25 adapter on it, so straight into focuser, its only just not got enough travel, and with my expeirence id rather not go modding the mirror in it, is there not an adapter for as i would not really like to get any more magnification by using a barlow if you know what i mean, i try it with barlow again next chance i get but not looking good for a while i just checked weather, snow, rain and lots of CLOUDS!!!!

[nephilim]

I know what you mean, but its just the same (more or less) as re-colimating your scope your just using slightly longer screws than the ones you have. Obviously if your unsure then maybe a different camera would be the answer. Although i'm sure someone will be along later with a less drastic answer..........Anyone?!

[paraletic mirror]

I know what you mean, but its just the same (more or less) as re-colimating your scope your just using slightly longer screws than the ones you have. Obviously if your unsure then maybe a different camera would be the answer. Although i'm sure someone will be along later with a less drastic answer..........Anyone?!

Cheers nephilim

Im pretty sure if i started playing with the main mirror my faincee would have summit to say lol i found these http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Compact-Barlow-lens-with-eyepiece-adapter-tube-2-5x-magnification-/121038383679?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item1c2e732a3f the problem is with my normal barlow it just extends it the same length as the barlow, meaning that its still just a tiny amount of inward travel still needed, im hoping a short barlow or one of these adapters should do the job, im a bit sceptical about getting one in case it does not work!!

[burger]

hello yall

So after last nights epic tour of new objects with m,y new 130p, i decided next chance ill stick the xbox cam in and start some lunar practice

Well........as the story goes i used to use the cam with my celestron mak90mm with medium results, so i lined up the moon in the eyepiece with my 20mm then changed to my cam (as i normally do lol) got moon on screen in sharpcap and began fiddling as you do to get gain, exposure, brightness and all that right, i then began to focus slowly........ getting there............then clunk end of my focusers inward travel, but the moon is not in focus it seems it needs a few more millimeters of travel to achieve focus, i can already see by the quality of the slightly out of ficus moon that it would be a million times better image than i got with my mak!!!!! I have no idea what i need do get or do to sort this, ive looked at focal extenders,reducers, ive tried taking the lens from my cheap barlow out so im left with an extension tube but nothing . tried putting the lens back in it and still cant get focus,, can some one who knows what they are doing help me please? i have no idea like i said what i need ,, advice wiould be a god send

I had the same problem with my SW130M , your just about to focus and run out or room for that extra turn.

I treid everal barlow's and the same problem as well as loss of light.

I was going to move the mirror up the tube a bit but as to scared to take it apart to be honest.

I took the drastic action of taking the focuser off and cutting the 10mm or so off with a saw(well me brother did at work).

Now that extra half turn makes all the difference, crisp focus and no effect on the scope except could do with a rub down to make the sawed off bit smooth again.

I have several webcams and it now focuses on them all inc the xbox webcam

good luck

[brucen]

I always use a barlow with mine, even though it does increase the image size, as it also improves the image quality. I don't claim to fully understand the technical parts but the attached link does explain why it is recommended. I only use a 2x with the moon but have had much better results with Jupiter when using the 3x.

http://www.project-nightflight.net/webcam_imaging.pdf

[madatter]

I changed the bolts and replaced the rubber washers with springs on my skywatcher 130p but that was for a dslr, if your nearly in focus ajust the bolts you already have too their limit, there might just be enough to pull it in.

[paraletic mirror]

I changed the bolts and replaced the rubber washers with springs on my skywatcher 130p but that was for a dslr, if your nearly in focus ajust the bolts you already have too their limit, there might just be enough to pull it in.

Im not sure which screws you mean? the ones holding the main mirror? i just took the focuser off which was quite straight forward, i took the 3 screws outta the bottom of the tube, i presume this is a cover? under which will be collimation screws? im not sure as after i took them off i struggled(didnt get it off) to get the cover off!!

the removing 10mm sounds best idea at the moment, my question is, it didnt effect anything else other than the amount it would travel? i dont want to ruin it for visual as im in love with it, i take it you removed the plastic up until the actual housing for the focus gear?

[edjrgibbs]

I had the same problem with my 114PM a couple of years back. The solution was 2 x 1" extenders and a screw in barlow. This brought me to focus every time with an SPC880/900.

[paraletic mirror]

I had the same problem with my 114PM a couple of years back. The solution was 2 x 1" extenders and a screw in barlow. This brought me to focus every time with an SPC880/900.

I dont see how thats gonna help me as its not enough inward travel, the problem is with a barlow it just extends the focal point the same length of the barlow so you still get the same problem, by putting an extra 2" on it i would be making the cam get further away from the focal point still

[madatter]

This what i followed, i took the bolts down to the local b&q to find the correct size, i found 25mm was the right length. I ordered the springs from the net.

[madatter]

Forgot to say i didnt have to cut and glue the bolts in place, after removihg the mirror the bolt holes were countersunk, so i used bolts with a countersunk head. I got the springs from the same place as yhe tutorial, i think it cost about £15 to do.

[paraletic mirror]

is there anywhere to buy just the same focuser for the 130p? if it goes wrong id like to be able to replace it

[paraletic mirror]

http://stargazerslou...kywatcher-130p/

This what i followed, i took the bolts down to the local b&q to find the correct size, i found 25mm was the right length. I ordered the springs from the net.

Forgot to say i didnt have to cut and glue the bolts in place, after removihg the mirror the bolt holes were countersunk, so i used bolts with a countersunk head. I got the springs from the same place as yhe tutorial, i think it cost about £15 to do.

cool man, what size where the bolts?

[burger]

hello yall

So after last nights epic tour of new objects with m,y new 130p, i decided next chance ill stick the xbox cam in and start some lunar practice

Well........as the story goes i used to use the cam with my celestron mak90mm with medium results, so i lined up the moon in the eyepiece with my 20mm then changed to my cam (as i normally do lol) got moon on screen in sharpcap and began fiddling as you do to get gain, exposure, brightness and all that right, i then began to focus slowly........ getting there............then clunk end of my focusers inward travel, but the moon is not in focus it seems it needs a few more millimeters of travel to achieve focus, i can already see by the quality of the slightly out of ficus moon that it would be a million times better image than i got with my mak!!!!! I have no idea what i need do get or do to sort this, ive looked at focal extenders,reducers, ive tried taking the lens from my cheap barlow out so im left with an extension tube but nothing . tried putting the lens back in it and still cant get focus,, can some one who knows what they are doing help me please? i have no idea like i said what i need ,, advice wiould be a god send

My brother has got the same scope and had the same problem as me, I chopped my focus column down he just got a thinner eyepiece for his webcam and it slid inside the EP holder and went in about 2-3cm further and focuses perfect.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/271166757089?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649

there is no edge to it so just slides inside the focus ring until the edge of the camera touches the EP ring, effectively giving that extra turn needed.

mine was much bigger with a separate screw off part to attach directly to the silver part but was always too far away to get focus.

Of course he never mentioned this till after I sawed mine off.

[burger]

They do one for the xbox camera as well

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Xbox-Live-Cam-Web-Cam-Adaptor-1-25inch-Low-Profile-/230945650197?pt=UK_Photography_Telescopes&hash=item35c56ef615