Steve's To-Do list!

[FLO]

We are busy finding imaging circles and spacings for the new Skywatcher Esprit-80 & 100 telescopes but I am sure there must be other product listings at our website that don't include all the details and specifications people might want.

Sometimes this will be because we (usually me!) have forgotten to include something but it might also be this is a relatively small niche industry so the manufacturers aren't as advanced as the likes of Sony, Panasonic, etc at producing detailed instruction manuals. 

We can find pretty-much any dimension or specification so if there is something you feel is missing from our product descriptions, something you feel would help yourself and others to choose and use our products, please post it here. 

I will then use this thread as a To-Do list (please be gentle) for updating our website and product listings. 

HTH, 

Steve

[TwoPi]

Great idea Steve & fab approach to customer service as usual

Would it be possible to include transmission curves for your filters (particularly OIII, UHC, LP etc.) in the specs? With a bit of hunting on the web you can usually find them (e.g. OVL have them for the SkyWatcher filters), but would be great if they were there with each filter on your page.

Just a thought!

[FLO]

We will try  

The curves provided on release with Skywatcher filters were too approximate for our liking (they were colourful but lacked detail) so we didn't include them but things might be different today. 

[FLO]

Imaging circles have now been added to Skywatcher Esprit 80, 100 and 150 telescopes. The Esprit-120 doesn't currently have an optically matched flattener (we recommend the Hotech flattener) but when one is released we'll update that too. 

[Gina]

Great stuff Steve   One minor thing - an indication of North on the EQ8 pier adapter diagram.  I know this can be worked out from looking at the mount but I mention it because the position of the AZ peg has changed from being to the north for the NEQ6 to south for the EQ8.  This caught me out (getting dafter and dafter in my old age) and I think it could catch others out, expecting it to be the same.

[Earl]

might be worth adding recommended dew tape size as like the ed80 the ota is much larger.

[FLO]

Great stuff Steve   One minor thing - an indication of North on the EQ8 pier adapter diagram.  I know this can be worked out from looking at the mount but I mention it because the position of the AZ peg has changed from being to the north for the NEQ6 to south for the EQ8.  This caught me out (getting dafter and dafter in my old age) and I think it could catch others out, expecting it to be the same.

Currently you know more about setting up an EQ8 than I do Gina because demand is so high they sell out before they even arrive! Normally with a new product release we reserve one for our own use but I doubt we'll be able to do that until around Spring 2014. Indeed if people thought we were sitting on an EQ8 we'd probably receive complaints! But your request is on the todo list. I won't forget

might be worth adding recommended dew tape size as like the ed80 the ota is much larger.

Nice one Earl

We will go one step further and list the Astrozap dew heater tapes individually so we can assign them to their relevant telescopes. I guess the same will be true of tube-rings and some of the Bahtinov focus masks. 

Thank-you

[Helen]

Great idea Steve   

For imaging: front of camera to chip distance for CCD cameras, optimal spacing for focal reducers (and any tolerance)

Update links for software: eg firmware upgrades for handsets/mounts/cameras  and links to manufacturers' fora eg the IS forum has some very useful tutorials for using a DBK for colour planetary work

General: screw and thread sizes for mounts, rings, etc and hole spacing on dovetails

And just thinking sideways.... as well as a Review tab for an item could you include a hints/tips/gottchas page, that way other users could upload experiences (like Gina with the EQ8) and perhaps links for everyone's benefit (might ease your workload!).  

Helen

[FLO]

Thank-you Helen  

I am sure all that is doable. 

[ollypenrice]

Excellent information.

Nothing to do with SW, but the other bit of vital info frequently not provided is camera chip size in mm, long side, short side and diagonal. That this is not routinely offered by the camera makers is utterly bizarre since you need to compare the diagonal with the flat field size. (I'm not even sure that you can work it out from the pixel size in microns because of the gaps between the pixels?)

I'd be confident that making this info available on your website would make it a bit of a mecca as people refine their final camera choices prior to purchase.

Olly

[Gina]

Thank you Steve - you're a star

[happy-kat]

In general I always want to know the weight of items and have to go off site to find what an OTA weighs, and I don't like reading 'same spec as xyz' as that means I have find the other item to read stuff.

[Naemeth]

Weight for all eyepieces on the specific product pages would be good, for instance the Baader Hyperion eyepieces don't have a listed weight, but the Vixen LVWs do. I personally prefer the way you've set it out on the Vixen LVW page.

The Baader Q Turret page perhaps should contain weight and perhaps whether or not any extra in or out-focus is needed for newts.

HTH Steve

[jabeoo1]

Weights !   I am with the other 2 previous posts Steve. 

[Crebles]

if you could set those little numbers after the £ signs to zero that'd be really helpful.

[Raga]

Another +1 for the weight of items please.

Great approach for site improvements btw.

[ismangil]

Length and diameter of Newtonian scopes particularly.

[Gina]

Could you find out the imaging and visual payloads for the EQ8 (as for the NEQ6) please Steve?  Currently we have just max payload of 50Kg without saying whether that's for imaging or visual.

[ollypenrice]

Could you find out the imaging and visual payloads for the EQ8 (as for the NEQ6) please Steve?  Currently we have just max payload of 50Kg without saying whether that's for imaging or visual.

I think this is difficult. Tube length and focal length play a huge role here. I'm very sceptical about the usefulness of weight as a guide. I'd say the best feeback for FLO to put on the site would be the concensus from users after a year or so.

Olly

[FLO]

Could you find out the imaging and visual payloads for the EQ8 (as for the NEQ6) please Steve?  Currently we have just max payload of 50Kg without saying whether that's for imaging or visual.

I think this is difficult. Tube length and focal length play a huge role here. I'm very sceptical about the usefulness of weight as a guide. I'd say the best feeback for FLO to put on the site would be the concensus from users after a year or so.

Olly is right Gina and that is precisely what we have done for the other Skywatcher mounts

We quote our own payload guidelines for both visual and imaging use based on real-world experience and customer feedback. We will do the same for the EQ8. 

[FLO]

We clearly need to add more weights and dimensions. It will be done  

Thank-you for the suggestions. 

[FLO]

if you could set those little numbers after the £ signs to zero that'd be really helpful.

I think we'll struggle with that one  

[Gina]

Olly is right Gina and that is precisely what we have done for the other Skywatcher mounts

We quote our own payload guidelines for both visual and imaging use based on real-world experience and customer feedback. We will do the same for the EQ8. 

Fair enough Steve   That's a better system anyway - thanky you

[Gina]

I have a rather cheeky request   A couple of us are interested in buying the SW EQ6 pillar mount and I have found another retailer selling this at a fiver less than FLO with free delivery.  We would both prefer to buy from you/FLO and were just wondering if you would be prepared to match their price   Please?

[FLO]

That isn't really what this thread is about, but seeing as you ask so nicely...  

Skywatcher Pillar Mount