Need help with how to utilize eyepieces with my svbony 205 using a celestron 130 SLT

[Jonris30]

I'm brand new to this and I'm wondering how do I connect different size eyepieces to get different magnifications with my SV Bony 205 camera? I tried every search I could think of and I can't find any adaptors for it or any mention of anything like an adaptor that goes between the camera and the lens into the scope. I tried every combination of searches I could think of. This all started after I received the camera and looked at it and then tried to fit a 9 mm lens in it somehow and for the life of me I cannot figure it out. Am I missing something? Do I unscrew the bottom of the lens or take off the rubber over the top of the eyepiece? Can someone show me pics of how they have theirs setup with barlows and lenses or just a lense. Thank you for any advice you might have.

[EntropyTango]

The camera is 1.25" and goes straight into a 1.25" focuser, so remove the EP, barlow etc

You can't use an eyepiece with this setup. (eyepiece projection is another thing)

So remove your eyepiece and replace it with the camera, don't unscrew any of your EP's

Below is an image of the camera attached to a newtonian

What telescope are you using?

Edited May 19, 2021 by EntropyTango
Image added

[Alan64]

I'm thinking that the only way to increase the magnification would be to insert the camera into a barlow: a 2x, 3x, or a 5x.

The only way I'm able to integrate an eyepiece is simply by holding a small point-and-shoot camera(or a "smartphone" camera) up to the eyepiece and snapping the shot; for examples...

That's known as afocal-photography.  The method is limited to the brighter objects however.  There are jigs sold that hold a "smartphone" over an eyepiece.

What you're attempting is EAA(Electronically-Assisted Astronomy).  It is a shame that an eyepiece cannot be readily integrated within that type of set-up.  I've day-dreamed of being able to do that myself.

Although, there's always DIY, and in making adaptors to join the SVBONY camera to eyepieces of differing focal-lengths.  Eyepieces come with standard barrel sizes, but the upper portions differ from eyepiece to eyepiece, and at the whim of the manufacturers.  

Edited May 22, 2021 by Alan64

[Cornelius Varley]

On 19/05/2021 at 11:19, Alan64 said:

That's known as afocal-photography(or eyepiece-projection).  

Afocal photography and eyepiece projection are two separate things. Afocal uses a camera with a lens to image through an eyepiece ie smartphone or compact camera whereas eyepiece projection images directly onto the sensor from the eyepiece.

[Alan64]

29 minutes ago, Cornelius Varley said:

Afocal photography and eyepiece projection are two separate things. Afocal uses a camera with a lens to image through an eyepiece ie smartphone or compact camera whereas eyepiece projection images directly onto the sensor from the eyepiece.

Thank you for the clarification.  I have edited my post accordingly.

Edited May 22, 2021 by Alan64

[Jonris30]

On 18/05/2021 at 21:43, EntropyTango said:

The camera is 1.25" and goes straight into a 1.25" focuser, so remove the EP, barlow etc

You can't use an eyepiece with this setup. (eyepiece projection is another thing)

So remove your eyepiece and replace it with the camera, don't unscrew any of your EP's

Below is an image of the camera attached to a newtonian

What telescope are you using?

 

[Jonris30]

Yes the scope I'm using was listed in my message it's a 130 slt Newtonian same as what you pictured. I did use a 2x barlow lens which the camera fit into perfectly and the height was perfect for it. It came in perfect. So I figured out on my own most of what everyone had responded back to me. If the 2x barlow worked then I'm going to get the 3x and 5x for some extra magnification. That should be enough I hope. I'm new to this forum but maybe I'll share with everyone the pics I got my first night out with the camera. I think they came out great!

Edited June 2, 2021 by Jonris30

[Alan64]

Great shots.

3x... http://www.scopestuff.com/ss_eba3.htm

5x... http://www.scopestuff.com/ss_eba6.htm

Barlows over 2x are becoming increasingly scarce.  Get them whilst you can.  I would like to get a 5x myself.

In theory, so don't hold me to it, you can try and combine a 2x with a 3x, for a 5x.  Then, a 2x with a 5x for a 10x, and dare I suggest, a 3x with a 5x for a 15x.  I've never done that myself, as I've used eyepieces to magnify.

Edited June 2, 2021 by Alan64

[Louis D]

On 22/05/2021 at 02:21, Cornelius Varley said:

Afocal photography and eyepiece projection are two separate things. Afocal uses a camera with a lens to image through an eyepiece ie smartphone or compact camera whereas eyepiece projection images directly onto the sensor from the eyepiece.

Eyepiece projection might be possible with that camera, an eyepiece, and an eyepiece projection adapter of the proper type now that think about it.

[jacko61]

Some eyepieces such as the celestron zoom have a 42mm T2 thread hidden under the rubber eye cup. You may be able to find a 1 1/4 inch to T2 adaptor somewhere if any of your eyepieces have the T2 thread. 

Graeme

[Alan64]

Indeed, my Meade 8-24 zoom-ocular, same as the Celestron, has a T-thread connection...

The 1.25"/T-2 adaptor...

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1405310-REG/alpine_astronomical_eyehold_1_1_25_t_2_budget.html/?ap=y&ap=y&smp=y&smp=y&lsft=BI%3A514&gclid=Cj0KCQjw--GFBhDeARIsACH_kdabCnVDQkq06YXRJgGJKchG-oUHMXMMtYPs6YK7lbr9VS7W99pLDz4aAuVuEALw_wcB

You would screw the adaptor onto the eyepiece, then insert the SVBONY camera into the adaptor's 1.25" visual-back.

However, it is known that the higher-power settings of these entry-level zooms are not as sharp as a dedicated eyepiece; for example, the 8mm setting of the zoom versus an 8mm eyepiece. 

Then, there is always the Baader Mark IV zoom to consider, and sharper, but at a price...

https://agenaastro.com/baader-8-24mm-mark-iv-hyperion-zoom-eyepiece-2454826.html

https://agenaastro.com/baader-hyperion-universal-mark-iv-8-24mm-zoom-eyepiece-with-2-25x-hyperion-barlow-2454827.html

[Jonris30]

Thank you so much for that great idea Alan64 I will try that when I receive my 3x and 5x barlow lenses and I'll let you know my results. I found a few on Amazon and EBay. I ordered the scope from EBay which is a celestron 130 SLT computerized model which I got a great deal on it($275) it came with a hard carry case and a collimation eyepiece, plus a couple of extra lenses but I was surprised there were no barlow lenses. I think even my first telescope that was a cheap WalMart refracting 90mm Meade came with a 2x barlow which I still have floating around in some random junk drawer I think. It's Cheap plastic but still did the job. This SVBONY brand seems really great. I ordered two lenses from them and they were incredible in quality for being priced so affordably well. That was a surprise! The 2x barlow was from them as well. Their 25mm was much better than the 25mm celestron that came with the scope both in clarity and composition. Again than you and everyone who helped me with this question.

[Alan64]

The 25mm and 9mm that came with your kit are most likely modified-achromats(MA), or Kellners; so-so performance.  However, I got this 4mm, and of the same "series" as the aforementioned, with my Celestron 127mm "Bird Jones" kit...

Folks either hate it, or love it.  I love it, yea, adore it e'en.  It produces a power of 250x with the "Bird".  Jupiter and Saturn through both...

Now, I saw far more detail, sharpness, during the live view.  When attempting to photograph them, they were moving at a pretty fast clip through the field-of-view, hence those sub-standard shots.   But then, I took a snapshot of the Moon, through the the 4mm and the "Bird".  I set my camera's shutter to 1/45th of a second.  As a result, the image was almost black, but then I brightened it, and was floored...

Even at that sub-second shutter-speed, the Moon was nonetheless galloping across the field.  What I saw during the live view, again, was tack-sharpness.

But a reflector has to be collimated spot-on to get results like that, as precisely as the mechanical assemblies of the telescope will allow.  But as my "Bird" arrived, that was not possible.  I had to take the telescope completely apart to enable it to be collimated precisely, also to improve the contrast. 

My "Bird"...

It is an economical alternative to a Celestron C5.  Indeed, I call it my "C5".

[Alan64]

Oh, if you'd like to give that 4mm a whirl round the sky...

https://www.aliexpress.com/i/32788749863.html

I've ordered two eyepieces from that site.  It took a while for each to arrive, but they did.

They carry a lot of nice eyepieces, and on the cheap.  The only thing is that it takes a while to get it, a month or more.

[Spacecake2]

On 11/06/2021 at 14:14, Alan64 said:

Oh, if you'd like to give that 4mm a whirl round the sky...

https://www.aliexpress.com/i/32788749863.html

I've ordered two eyepieces from that site.  It took a while for each to arrive, but they did.

They carry a lot of nice eyepieces, and on the cheap.  The only thing is that it takes a while to get it, a month or more.

I’ve never actually tried an eyepiece with 3mm eye relief but is it actually worth it?

[Spacecake2]

And I wo

On 11/06/2021 at 14:09, Alan64 said:

The 25mm and 9mm that came with your kit are most likely modified-achromats(MA), or Kellners; so-so performance.  However, I got this 4mm, and of the same "series" as the aforementioned, with my Celestron 127mm "Bird Jones" kit...

Folks either hate it, or love it.  I love it, yea, adore it e'en.  It produces a power of 250x with the "Bird".  Jupiter and Saturn through both...

Now, I saw far more detail, sharpness, during the live view.  When attempting to photograph them, they were moving at a pretty fast clip through the field-of-view, hence those sub-standard shots.   But then, I took a snapshot of the Moon, through the the 4mm and the "Bird".  I set my camera's shutter to 1/45th of a second.  As a result, the image was almost black, but then I brightened it, and was floored...

Even at that sub-second shutter-speed, the Moon was nonetheless galloping across the field.  What I saw during the live view, again, was tack-sharpness.

But a reflector has to be collimated spot-on to get results like that, as precisely as the mechanical assemblies of the telescope will allow.  But as my "Bird" arrived, that was not possible.  I had to take the telescope completely apart to enable it to be collimated precisely, also to improve the contrast. 

My "Bird"...

It is an economical alternative to a Celestron C5.  Indeed, I call it my "C5".

I also owned a Celestron 127 SLT and I think I got the maximum use out of it before upgrading to a 10 inch dobsonian but I actually preferred Barlow lenses instead of a 4mm.

[Alan64]

6 hours ago, Spacecake2 said:

I’ve never actually tried an eyepiece with 3mm eye relief but is it actually worth it?

I have no trouble with tight eye-relief myself.  These 4mm and 6mm eyepieces are awfully tight...

I don't care for the 4mm orthoscopic, but I do like that 6mm Plossl.  

6 hours ago, Spacecake2 said:

I also owned a Celestron 127 SLT and I think I got the maximum use out of it before upgrading to a 10 inch dobsonian but I actually preferred Barlow lenses instead of a 4mm.

I, too, use barlows, and will continue to use them.  I love, yea, adore my barlows.  Here's my 12mm 60° inserted into my 3x-barlow, and for an effective 4mm...

I've seen pretty things in the sky with that combination; glory, at that.

But then I got this 4mm 58°...

It has a barlow, built in.  Why, it is the 12mm/3x's doppelgänger...

 

Both of those have ample eye-relief.

Incidentally, those planetary eyepieces are also available from AliExpress...

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32889506872.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.1e4d4c4doTHAxI

I also got the 6mm, and I think I'll stop there, although I wouldn't mind having the 7mm.  There's even a 3.2mm, not to mention a 2.5mm. 

Both of our 127mm reflectors are/were catadioptrics, however my own is a bit more barbaric in design, but I've tamed it.

Congratulations on getting a 10" Newtonian-Dobson, instead of an 8".  A 10" is the sweet-spot; just a little fatter than an 8", but no longer really.  It is a bit pickier as to the eyepieces introduced to it, but the extra light-gathering area will make it worth the while.  Plossls will play well with it.  I don't know if the planetary eyepieces will, but you can give one a whirl.  I've only observed through the 4mm, and it was quite lovely...

That was taken through my 80mm f/6 fast-achromat...

Of course, the live view was even lovelier; sharper.

Edited June 14, 2021 by Alan64