Focal reducer for an Equinox 80

[allcart]

Can anyone suggest the best FR for the Equinox 80 APO. Does it benefit from a field flattener as well.

[Zuben Elgenubi]

I've just bought an Equinox 80 and am also wanting a reducer/flattener. I believe some people use the Televue TRF-2008, but I'd be interested to know what alternatives there are, if any.

[Bizibilder]

The skywatcher one is specially designed to match your scope.  It is a flattener by design but has the advantage of being an 0.8 reducer as well.

[Chris]

The skywatcher one is specially designed to match your scope.  It is a flattener by design but has the advantage of being an 0.8 reducer as well.

Does the Skywatcher RF work with the equinox f/6 as well as the standard ED80 f/7.5?

Cheers

Chris

[Zuben Elgenubi]

Bizibilder, is this what you are talking about?

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/reducersflatteners/skywatcher-focal-reducers.html

The description says that it can be used with the Equinox 100 and 120, but does not mention the 80. 

[Bizibilder]

Yes - Look in the product info and it states they are for the Evostar and equivalent Equinox telescopes.  Might be worth confirming with FLO but I'm pretty sure they match.

[allcart]

I take it that this is not the same effect as just using a small FR on the ccd.

[Zuben Elgenubi]

I just found this thread from January:

http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/172889-which-flattenerreducer/

Zakalwe, who owns an Equinox 80, says that the Skywatcher reducer/flattener is not suitable for this scope. I will double check with FLO and post back once they have confirmed one way or the other...

[Zuben Elgenubi]

FLO have confirmed that the reducer/flattener designed for the Evostar 80 is not suitable for use with the Equinox 80, although you can use the Evostar 100/120 reducer/flattener with the Equinox 100/120. The only alternative they were able to suggest was the Televue.

Time to raid the piggy bank again 

[Zakalwe]

The TRF works well, especially on a smaller chipped camera.

Astro-Tech also do a 0.8 FR/FF suitable for f5.5 to f7 scopes. Dunno if they have a UK distributor though?

https://www.astronomics.com/08x-reducerfield-flattener-for-f6-refractors_p20002.aspx

APM do a 0.75 FR/FF. They are a bit "spendy" though. £519

http://www.apm-telescopes.co.uk/apm-reducer.html

Altair Astro do a 0.6 FR. Cheap at £75. I don't know what they'd be like though. They say that they're designed for f6.5 and up. The Equinox is f6.25, so they might give poor results. At £75 though it might be worth a punt, especially if you're using a small sensor?

http://www.hampshireastronomy.co.uk/product/lightwave-06x-08x-reducer-flattener-dslr

They also do a 0.8 FR which looks identical to the Astro-Tech one. Again it's for f6.5 and above.

http://www.hampshireastronomy.co.uk/product/08x-flattener-reducer

[Chris]

I've used the Altair 0.8 on an ED80 and it perfromed very well for the money, not perfect as can be but it punched way above 75 pounds worth.

[lensman57]

I've just bought an Equinox 80 and am also wanting a reducer/flattener. I believe some people use the Televue TRF-2008, but I'd be interested to know what alternatives there are, if any.

Hi,

The Equinox is F6.25 so the standard SW FF/FR may not be suitable as it is optimiised for F7.5 of the ED 80. The Televue TRF 2008 is well matched as it is optimised for 400~600mm of focal length. I use one with my Ascension 80mm APO triplet and it is very good. I also use the WO 0.8 FF/FR V6 with the Ascension and it works well too, it is for my WO ZS71 but it seems to work well with the APO 80. I use an ATIK 428 and a Canon 1000d moded for imaging.

Regards,

A.G

[ollypenrice]

Asking doublets to go very fast is asking a lot. I think one should beware of asking the impossible. The Equinox is pushing at what's possible for the price and doing very well, but how much further can you reasonably ask it to go? Cameras, and espceially CCD cameras, are brilliantly sensitive into the the shortest of the blues, which isn't always an advantage!

Easy does it...

Olly

[Zuben Elgenubi]

lensman, olly, thank you for the advice. I have bought a secondhand TRF, so I'll see how I get on with it. Opinions on the Equinox 80/TRF combination seen to be generally positive. 

[lensman57]

lensman, olly, thank you for the advice. I have bought a secondhand TRF, so I'll see how I get on with it. Opinions on the Equinox 80/TRF combination seen to be generally positive. 

Well done, hope you make a lot of great captures. If you don't mind add an SW flatner to your arsenal as it only costs about £60.00 and if you find the TRF is not giving you what you want then you could still use the flatner and still have a fast F6.25 scope. 

Regards,

A.G

[bodtwo]

Has anyone had any success with the Altair Astro do a 0.6 FR?

[allcart]

The jury is still out on this one for me. I'm waiting on a new cam and then I may be able to test it with the 0.06.

[lensman57]

Has anyone had any success with the Altair Astro do a 0.6 FR?

Hi,

It is a fine reducer for the price but do not expect it to cover a DSLR sensor.  I took this on Christmas eve while testing it, WO ZS71, Atik 428EX osc, 0.6 FF/FR.  The WO ZS 71 @ F5.9 is .slightly outside of its operating range of F6.5 but still not too bad. Hope this helps.

Regards,

A.G