Focal Reducer

[ollypenrice]

If I can just throw in here, I have a 9.25 and the reducer, and I consider it one of the best upgrades I have for my scope for imaging AND visual.

Vignetting notwithstanding (I am certain it happens) the main advantages to me have been image clarity and ease of focus, both of which took a big jump for me when using the reducer lens, and it is likely the two are related. I didn't notice any drop in brightness on-target, and only marginal field softness at the edge of a wide-field EP.

Focusing though.... wow! The one thing I hate about my SCT is the difficult faced in getting the damn thing focused, it just isn't easy and can absorb way too much time under the stars fiddling trying to get the hazy softness off Jupiter's disc. With the reducer it snaps, similar to an ST80 refractor just not as pronounced, and there is a definite increase in sharpness as a result. The effect on TFoV isn't anything to write home about, for me it's just an image quality boost particularly with lower-power EPs.

I feel a bit nervous saying it as nobody else ever seems to feel that way about the part

I don't dsipute your findings but focus is less tolerant at reduced F ratios because the light cone is steeper so the focal plane shallower. But this effect is probably what makes the focus 'pop' for you. It comes in and out less ambiguously.

On my SCT I find that a long FL Nagler cleans up the edge of field better than a focal reducer. It may depend on the particular EP, of course.

The only way to have a wider FOV and the same light grasp is to have a shorter FL at the same aperture. Even MORE new scopes!!

Olly

[Pig]

Thank you guys all are excellent viewpoints and comments

I have just got home and found I have missed the postman ,meaning I will go and have to go and collect it tomorrow grrrrrrrrr

There are no stars out tonight in Northants anyhow so another days wait will not matter, I will let you all know how the reducer works, or doesn't work, including any effects on magnification / FOV

[Stratis]

I don't dsipute your findings but focus is less tolerant at reduced F ratios because the light cone is steeper so the focal plane shallower. But this effect is probably what makes the focus 'pop' for you. It comes in and out less ambiguously.

Yeah I'd come to a similar understanding. Particularly on dim background stars though, the sharper focus is quite apparent.

Just taken delivery of my 2" Revelation diagonal and free 2" Meade QX 30mm EP... I'll be doing some testing on field vignetting with the wider barrel and the focal reducer so I'll post back if I have anything special to report.

[alan potts]

Good luck with the 30mm, I found I got some vignette with 32mm when I had a 32mm Meade 5000 Plossl, but never saw it with the 28mm SWA Meade. There is a very good reprt on Cloudy Nights about the reducer and it's use which was what I based my findings on. On this they say 27mm is the limit with 2 inch but I found this not to be the case, I think he was using a Televue 27mm Panoptic, which is a very nice place to stop.

Alan.

[Pig]

All,

I have not been able to get a decent view when using the 0.5 x reducer, in fairness I have not attached it straight on to the back of the SCT as I simply do not trust all the weight of my expensive kit being held on by just a few measly threads.

I have attached it directly to a 2" eyepiece, the far end of the diagonal and the 2" to 1.25 reducer, all have yielded a total of zilch, nada, nothing, zero and nowt.

I am sure I am doing something wrong but in my humble opinion it isn't worth the hassle.

So if anyone wants one let me know