Why is there still a market for magnified finderscopes?

[25585]

Craning your neck because there is no diagonal at all, is masochism. Finders should be mini-fracs offering a removable diagonal 1.25 fit, so either option, or an independent diagonal (and eye pieces) can be fitted.

 

 

[25585]

I have one of these https://www.telescopehouse.com/altair-80mm-maxi-finder-finder-scope-package-for-autoguiding.html

Just missed buying an 80mm Lumicon @Stusold. The Altair is probably lighter.

 

[Stub Mandrel]

13 hours ago, 25585 said:

Craning your neck because there is no diagonal at all, is masochism. Finders should be mini-fracs offering a removable diagonal 1.25 fit, so either option, or an independent diagonal (and eye pieces) can be fitted.

 

 

I have no need of craning, with a straight through finder at the high end of my newts. Also makes it easy to get the target in the finder!

Yes, it would be nice if all finders could have draw tubes etc., but not very affordable for many.

Cheap alternative is to do what I did to make a pair of guide scopes  - fit short focal length 50mm achromat objectives to cheap 'toy' 300mm scopes and cut down the body length. I 3D printed new draw tube holders to get the required stiffness for guiding, but would be fine for a finder as supplied.

 

 

[Louis D]

5 hours ago, 25585 said:

I have one of these https://www.telescopehouse.com/altair-80mm-maxi-finder-finder-scope-package-for-autoguiding.html

Just missed buying an 80mm Lumicon @Stusold. The Altair is probably lighter.

 

Wow, £238.99.  I only paid $200 used for my 72ED 4 years back.  However, it would be very funny looking perching an 80mm finder on a 72mm scope.

[25585]

On 15 May 2018 at 14:25, Louis D said:

Wow, £238.99.  I only paid $200 used for my 72ED 4 years back.  However, it would be very funny looking perching an 80mm finder on a 72mm scope.

Not much price difference to the new SW 72ED, albeit that has no mount, rings as a finder/guider. 

 

[westmarch]

 

On 13/05/2018 at 00:40, John said:

I use a combination of an optical finder and an illuminated reticule finder. Combined with a good star atlas and occasionally a wide field, low power eyepiece in the scope (to cover the final stages of the hunt for a particularly challenging object) I find these tools complement each other.

When I have to make do with just one form of finder I can manage with either optical or illuminated reticule but having both on the scope seems ideal to me.

I think that John nailed it.  It’s horses for courses but if you are star hopping the telrad/red dot finder gets you in the general locale, the RACI finder gets you lined up for the eyepiece FOV and, if needed, you can then star hop in your eyepiece FOV to find really faint DSOs.

For me, star hopping is like stalking the prey - the best part.  Sometimes anticipation is better than the realisation! 

[nicoscy]

I enjoy star hopping equally to observing my target. While star hopping, I greet old friends and find new ones in the finderscope, plus I enjoy a large FOV. I use a Borg 55FL with a field flattener, Baader astronomical Amici Prism and Pan 24 for 6.2° of corrected FOV. Sure, I could just point with the Red Dot Finder, but why miss on all the action by just moving the scope to my target?

My name is Nicos and I am a starhopping addict...

 

 

[johninderby]

And it can get even worse.  

Now which is the finderscope???

And before you ask it was just done to see if I could fit three scopes on one mount. Never actually used that way. 

 

[25585]

1 hour ago, johninderby said:

And it can get even worse.  

Now which is the finderscope???

And before you ask it was just done to see if I could fit three scopes on one mount. Never actually used that way. 

 

Interesting rig! Who sells those scope handles please?

[johninderby]

Not available any more and replaced by this one which I don’t really like.

https://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/language/en/info/p10280_TS-Optics-Tube-Handle-and-Carrying-Handle-for-your-Telescope.html

 

I buy my carry handles from WDS LTD now.

http://www.wdsltd.co.uk/product/3844/tubed-handle-front-mounted-black-wds-8517/

But be warned they have thousands of useful little bits for people that like to tinker with their scopes.They are a big industrial supply company but very hobbyist friendly and give FLO type service even if you’re ordering just one little part.

Just by coincidence one of the handles just arrived. I like this design because the end can be removed and the rubber covered aluminium centre bar shortened to get the perfect handle length. Nice and easy on the hand when carrying a heavy scope.

          John

 

 

[Louis D]

6 hours ago, nicoscy said:

I enjoy star hopping equally to observing my target. While star hopping, I greet old friends and find new ones in the finderscope, plus I enjoy a large FOV. I use a Borg 55FL with a field flattener, Baader astronomical Amici Prism and Pan 24 for 6.2° of corrected FOV. Sure, I could just point with the Red Dot Finder, but why miss on all the action by just moving the scope to my target?

My name is Nicos and I am a starhopping addict...

 

 

That has to be just about the most tricked out 55mm finder scope I've ever seen. Nicely done!