First Light - M33 with cheap M42 Prinzgalaxy 200m f4.5 Prime Lens

[DorsetBlue]

After getting a bit annoyed with the focus rings on the kit lenses that came with my Canon 100D, I thought I would buy some cheap old M42 lenses from eBay.  I have bought a 55mm F/2 prime and the 200mm prime that I have used for this shot of M33.  The 55mm (a Super-Takumar) is stunning for widefield but I have not done any serious work with that yet.  However I thought I would have my first go at M33, noting that it is not very bright.  The following is the result of 40x120s Lights, 30x darks and 30x Flats taken whilst mounted on my Star Adventurer.  Stacked in DSS and then processed in StarTools:

[D Wright]

Nice image Lovely colours in the stars and nice and sharp. Good to see someone else doing AP with just camera and lens. I have just bought a Chinon 55mm f1.7 manual lens and already have a Sigma 70 - 300mm lens. I haven't tried the Chinon yet but looking forward to it. Did tou have any trouble focusing or did you just set the lens to infinity?

[Knighty2112]

Nice shot. Well done!  

[Thalestris24]

Hi

I have a super multi-coated Takumar 200mm f4 which I've been using a lot. It's an excellent lens, and they often come up on Ebay, though it needed some fiddling to get infinite focus.

Louise

[hobsey]

Classic lenses are great, I have a couple myself. 

There is a couple of 300mm f/4 on eBay at the moment which I'm tempted with as I really don't like using my canon 300mm L lens in the dark as I may drop it.

[SilverAstro]

3 hours ago, Thalestris24 said:

though it needed some fiddling to get infinite focus.

Is that the one that sort-of 'fell apart', you got it back together then ? good

 

[Thalestris24]

1 hour ago, SilverAstro said:

Is that the one that sort-of 'fell apart', you got it back together then ? good

 

Um, no - that was a 400mm lens and I haven't got it back together boo hoo :'( The 200mm f4 Takumar is fine and I've been using it with a mono 550d and various filters though it's good for colour also.

Louise

[alacant]

11 hours ago, Thalestris24 said:

The 200mm f4 Takumar is fine

+1. Infinity. With the lens at its infinity setting, loosen the three grub screws around the focus grip and looking from above, twist 1/4 turn anticlockwise. Re-tighten. That's it. I found that going either side of focus like a telescope was easy: it'll take you hours of trial and error to get perfect infinity against the stop. HTH.

Edited October 2, 2016 by alacant
can't spell

[SilverAstro]

20 hours ago, DorsetBlue said:

cheap old M42 lenses from eBay.

Nice one DB,  you got a bargain there and very nice "first light", looking forward to seeing more  ( clear skies etc&etc ).

Interesting stuff at that vendor - and was anyone else moved by the choice of either a 1oz gold bar or a ZWO ASI !    I must get roundtuit on my legacy Soligors.

12 hours ago, Thalestris24 said:

 boo hoo :'(

Oh dear, sorry, thrice boo hoo :'-( , , , we need an "InSympathy" button alongside the Like one

[Davey-T]

Very nice Star Adventurer image, I think we need a Star Adventurer gallery

I see iOptron are doing something similar now with a wedge.

Dave

[happy-kat]

I feel the itch for another vintage lens to be longer than my 135mm.

[Alien 13]

48 minutes ago, Davey-T said:

Very nice Star Adventurer image, I think we need a Star Adventurer gallery

I see iOptron are doing something similar now with a wedge.

Dave

+1 for a "imaging with a Star Adventurer" thread would be good to see what people are loading them with.

Alan

[Alien 13]

17 minutes ago, happy-kat said:

I feel the itch for another vintage lens to be longer than my 135mm.

Me too, I recently saw this though might be interesting to try http://www.wexphotographic.com/buy-samyang-500mm-f8-preset-t-mount-lens/p1572925?awc=2298_1474558851_77a31b89ba2bb721c4825c6edbab0e2a&utm_source=aw.

Alan

[happy-kat]

That looks heavy I think, 4 lenses in 4 groups. I'm thinking between 135mm and the ST80 at 400mm but not too heavy so 200mm like with this nice OP image looks tempting.

[Thalestris24]

3 minutes ago, Alien 13 said:

Me too, I recently saw this though might be interesting to try http://www.wexphotographic.com/buy-samyang-500mm-f8-preset-t-mount-lens/p1572925?awc=2298_1474558851_77a31b89ba2bb721c4825c6edbab0e2a&utm_source=aw.

Alan

Apart from it being f8 and 500mm, that looks a similar design to the vintage Takumar 400mm f5.6 that I broke! F8 is a bit slow though...

Louise

[Thalestris24]

1 hour ago, SilverAstro said:

Oh dear, sorry, thrice boo hoo :'-( , , , we need an "InSympathy" button alongside the Like one

Thanks for the sympathies but it was my own fault! Mind you, I've not completely given up on it yet. If it screwed together before it should screw together again! There must be some trick to it. I might try putting one half into the freezer or something, though I've put it to one side for the moment. Mind you, even if I can get it back together I don't know how to fix it for infinity focus...

Louise

[Alien 13]

3 minutes ago, Thalestris24 said:

Apart from it being f8 and 500mm, that looks a similar design to the vintage Takumar 400mm f5.6 that I broke! F8 is a bit slow though...

Louise

I agree about the speed but it does look like it has an iris so could work for Lunar and daytime images. It is a shame about your 400 mm takumar though looks like a nice lens.

Alan

[hobsey]

3 hours ago, Davey-T said:

Very nice Star Adventurer image, I think we need a Star Adventurer gallery

Another one for this idea.