William Optic binoviewer and short tube Skywatcher

[glass]

Hello, I've just bought a William Optic binoviewer but cannot get it to focus with or without Barlow. It focuses without a diagonal but eveything is upside down and back to front. Do binoviewers not go with short tube telescopes, do I need extra accessories.

Thanks.

[Fish]

To get focus with my Short refractors I have to use the 1.6 Barlow and a 2.5 power mate .

[Sirius Starwatcher]

Hello Glass just read somewhere that you may need the barlow or an extension tube to get correct focus with bino viewers

There is a posting somewhere here on the forum about them. Have a search for it best of luck

[glass]

Thanks for your advice

[glass]

Fish you mention power mate but having just looked around the web and sao far as I can see Tele Vue are the only ones which are made and they're too expensive. Do you have another make?

[Fish]

The normal problem is not enough in-focus that is why you need to Barlow to get focus. Some shorten the length of the scope tube but then you need extension tubes to reach focus with an eyepiece. I mention the power mate because that is what I have, if you can get hold of another Barlow of any type you could try that, I have used my baader Barlow and the supplied Barlow at times but can't remember if that was enough to gain focus in the ST120 . I'm afraid that binoviewing involves some messing about but the effort is well worth it.

[glass]

Yes I'm sure it is, I'll keep the binoviewer until something comes along.............................Thanks.

[cathalferris]

It's worth using a 1.25" diagonal instead of a 2" diagonal, and another option is to put the barlow between the objective and the diagonal - a lot of diagonals have threads on the tube the same as the eyepieces - which is the same as the thread on the end of the binoviewer.

[glass]

Well that's done it, having put the Barlow behind the diagonal as you look down the telescope. So it focuses now. The image is not very sharp or clear though, I suppose that's because I'm using a Barlow which could be of better quality. I'm thinking of one of Sieberts fixtures .

Thanks for that though, very pleased.

[Sirius Starwatcher]

Well done glass glad you managed sort out your problem. Happy viewing.

[glass]

Thanks a lot Sirius, it was Cathalferris who sorted it out in the end but lots of advice from others. I was rather worried that was it so far as binoviewers would work with my telescope and I did want a binoviewer.

[cathalferris]

The extra distance between the Barlow and the eyepiece makes the Barlow act as a bigger multiplier. The 1.6 may end up acting as a 2.x or 3.x.

Youll get a good idea when you see the difference in FOV between using one of the eyepieces on its own outside of the binoviewer, and using it in the configuration that allows you to reach focus with the binoviewer.

Sent from my GT-I9295 using Tapatalk

[Mark at Beaufort]

I use binoviewers on my 4" Astro Tech but need a 1.6x barlow to gain focus. When I had the William Optics SD66 there was not enough inward focus so I could not gain focus. However, I was able to try out this barlow from Baader - http://www.firstlightoptics.com/baader-planetarium/baader-classic-q-225x-barlow.html which seems to bring out the focuser much more than most. In fact I was able to gain focus with the WO66 quite easily. See if you can try it out somewhere before you purchase the barlow.

[Del6600]

Hi

I have just purchased a William Optic Bino, fitted to my C8 SCT AVX and no problems, I can use the barlow or not, focus ok. Are you adjusting the focus on each of the EP holders? This took a little getting used to but once found all the focus problems went away. I can use the supplied 20mm x 2 EP's I also have 2 x 32mm EP's no problem. It seems once the Bino focus is set it is just a matter of fine focus on the tube.  Hope this helps. 

[glass]

Mark of Beaufort, I have sorted it out now thanks, (see above)

[glass]

Del 6600, I have sorted it out now with members help (see above),Mine is a short tube which have focus problems with binoviewers.  As for focusing the eyepiece holders I thought there was something wrong with them...........seemed to make no difference.I realised later you don't twist them as with binoculars but they pull in and out. Thanks for your reply.