A beginner's question - Which focal reducer??

[peterpixel]

Last night was my maiden voyage photographing the moon with my Skymax 127 and my Olympus M4/3 camera.

The results were "OK" and I now need to fiddle about with the camera settings a bit more. However I never thought that I would want to have less of a view as I could not get all of the moon in!

So I have been looking at focal length reducers. I cannot afford the big ticket Celestron 6.3 reducer but I have seen the SVbony 0.5 reducer for less than £10 which just screws on the end of the nosepiece.

Now I guess you get what you pay for but can someone advise whether the svbony is any use or recommend another make/model to consider please???

Many thanks

[peterpixel]

Here is my image, 40 shots processed in PIPP then autostakkert and phtoshop elements........😬

[Neil H]

Wow looks good wish I could get mine that good 

[SpaceWatcher]

I was looking at the cheap focal reducers too, was about to post asking if anyone had used them when Info when I found this thread (below), don’t think I’ll bother with one now, hope it helps you to decide too

 

[WestCoastCannuck]

The Svbony and all the other GSO clones have their place and work well enough if your FOV is small.   No, not recommended with a bigger sensor like a 4/3.   Where they can be used well is when you are only using the small middle area - and for that they work fine.  (like my ASI290MM, or other small sized planetary type cams).   I use my Antares .5X  (also a cheap one) with my 180MAK  and 290MM to reduce the focal ratio, but I don't bother usually with my 1 inch ASI183MM - near the edges of frame suffer.

 

Clear skies

 

Mike

Edited May 22, 2021 by WestCoastCannuck