Jacques and the Double Cluster

[Knight of Clear Skies]

Was out last night chasing little Jacques as it approached the Heart Nebula (sounds like the plot to a bad French pot-boiler). A few firsts for me:

- First time imaging a comet.

- First time using my 135mm lens.

- First time using my newly installed polar scope.

Here's the result:

There's Jacques at bottom left, can just make out the Heart Nebula above it. Pretty happy with it, I didn't get much data before the clouds rolled in, 13x120 seconds (26 min total), 20 dark bias, no flats. Taken with an old 135mm Super-Takumar M42 lens stopped down to f4.5, cost me about £15 off eBay.

Quite pleased with it given the short run. My polar alignment wasn't great, I need to adjust the alignment more carefully, but it was good enough for 2 minute subs. There is some coma at the corners, especially below Jacques. I'm not sure if that's a limitation of the lens - unfortunately for focus it's right on the infinity stop so I'm not sure if it's slightly out or not. I might need a thinner M42 adapter to get the lens closer to the sensor.

[JB80]

Very nice!

I'd be happy with that.

[Moonshane]

really great I do like the wide field images

[Alien 13]

Very good image I think you have scored 3 out of 3 for that, the focus looks good to me but you can get a fraction more focus travel sometimes with alternative adaptors or even screwing it on a bit more (my lenses each have a dedicated adaptor) if that fails then look online for guides on how to set the actual lens infinity end stop.

The coma doesnt look too bad either easily fixed with a slight crop or a little more stopping down.

Polar alignment cant be far off if you can get 2 min subs but it will get better with practice.

That lens look to be a great performer too.

Alan

[andrew63]

I was hoping someone would get an image of the comet and clusters.  Very nice !

andrew

[happy-kat]

Love it :-)

My so far my short tested vintage lens infinity focus is not at the end but slightly back.

Today I have had delivered a 135mm as well. 1978 one yet to test it but if it as good as your one I will be very happy.

[Pete Presland]

love it! thats a cracker, i was thinking about how good a widefield image would look when i was using the 20x80's to find the comet.

[Knight of Clear Skies]

Thanks all, I'm happy with my first comet capture, especially as I've never seen one by eye - I somehow managed to miss Hale-Bopp.

Very good image I think you have scored 3 out of 3 for that, the focus looks good to me but you can get a fraction more focus travel sometimes with alternative adaptors or even screwing it on a bit more (my lenses each have a dedicated adaptor) if that fails then look online for guides on how to set the actual lens infinity end stop.

The coma doesnt look too bad either easily fixed with a slight crop or a little more stopping down.

Good tips thanks. I also have a 200mm lens I'd like to use, but that one is definitely not reaching focus so an adjustment is in order. I found some example subs online which showed a Super-Takumar 135mm f3.5 giving good star shapes right to the corners even when wide open, so I'd like to get the best out it. (However, I'm not sure if my lens model is identical to that one, so it might not do as well.) As you say, I can always stop-&-crop a little to tame it. I'm pleased to get the 135mm up and running, as it opens up plenty of targets for me.

[happy-kat]

If the adaptor I chose gives me infinity on my 135mm I will let you know which one I chose.

[Knight of Clear Skies]

If the adaptor I chose gives me infinity on my 135mm I will let you know which one I chose.

Thanks, that would be handy.

I have one which was advertised as "infinity focus" but it seems to be a bit of a lottery. Of the M42 lenses I've used 2 go past, 2 don't quite reach and the Super-Takumar stops right at or nearly at infinity.

[wxsatuser]

Thanks, that would be handy.

I have one which was advertised as "infinity focus" but it seems to be a bit of a lottery. Of the M42 lenses I've used 2 go past, 2 don't quite reach and the Super-Takumar stops right at or nearly at infinity.

I got mine from Fotodiox in the States.

Nice one of Jacques, btw.

[Mr Spock]

Great result from such an inexpensive lens.

[happy-kat]

Mine cost £7.99 to the door and with two different M42 lens I can get infinity and slightly beyond.

[Alien 13]

You can get the chipped versions too if you want to use the lens for daytime pictures helps with focus and exposure in Manual or AV modes. The olympus OM range of lenses also can achieve infinity focus with an adapter this is the 135mm version.

Alan

[PeteC]

Excellent! +1 for Takumars! Mine all reach focus just short of the stop. Maybe I'm lucky :-)