Sky watcher 9x50 right angled corrector target finder

[Craig F]

After a lengthy wait for my first scope to arrive (skywatcher 200P Dobsonian), I’ve had a few successful viewing sessions, mostly of the moon, but I’m finding the standard straight through target finder a pain in the neck (literally). I’ve discovered that skywatcher make a  9x50 right angled corrector finder. They are a bit pricey at £75, but I wondered if anyone has had experience with these items, and if it would be a good buy?

Thanks in advance.

Edited May 23, 2021 by Craig F
Photo added.

[Stu1smartcookie]

Hi Craig i picked up a RACI (right angle corrected image) finder from FLO ( Astro Essential ) for £45 + del . I prefer finder scopes to red dot finders , but having a right angle one is even better . But it is a question of taste , so to speak . You will see a corrected image in the finder but the image will be reversed in the scope . For some this is disorientating . On a Dob these finders whether they are corrected image or not are very good ... but you will soon get the telrad fanboys pointing out how wonderful they are ( they produce a non magnified view of the sky and "project " a red target where you are pointing . To be fair these are very good . I just prefer the magnified finders .

[Tiny Clanger]

You could save £15 and go for one of these :https://www.firstlightoptics.com/finders/astro-essentials-9x50-right-angled-erecting-finderscope.html

I have one on my heritage dob, it is good, I have the skywatcher in the smaller 6x30 size on my mak too,

[Stu1smartcookie]

Just now, Tiny Clanger said:

You could save £15 and go for one of these :https://www.firstlightoptics.com/finders/astro-essentials-9x50-right-angled-erecting-finderscope.html

I have one on my heritage dob, it is good, I have the skywatcher in the smaller 6x30 size on my mak too,

lol we must have been writing at the same time 

[Gfamily]

I bought one  as an alternative to a Red Dot Finder, and I use it on both my SCT and my Mak, where it supplants the standard 6x30 straight through finder. 

 

[Tiny Clanger]

As above 🙂 , having a RACI (right angle corrected image) finder is handy, it avoids the whole dobsonian 'scope weird yoga position thing which you can get when attempting to use straight through finders . There are two types , right angle finders , which reverse the view left/right and match the view in a refractor , but I suspect would be annoying with a dob ! Then the RACI which shows the sky as it is, just like the view in binoculars.

RACIs are usually more expensive than right angle finders , you can tell them apart visually because the right angled corner of the black truncated triangle plate will be truncated too , that corner 'cut off' , So the one in your illustration is a right angled finder not a RACI ! You can see the difference in the photo of the RACI on the page I linked to .

On a dob, a 9x50 RACI , which is a substantial lump of stuff, is in scale. I use mine in combination with the cheap red dot finder that ca,e with the 'scope to roughly line up on bright objects. On my mak I use the smaller RACI with a very nice Rigel Quickfinder, a slightly more sophisticated non- magnifying illuminated finder which stands up from the ;scope tube and is therefore easy to use.

In theory I could shift the finders between 'scopes, but they were never on the right one, and always needed to be re-aligned after being transferred, so each tube got its own .

Heather

[John]

I use a number of RACI finders in both the 50mm and 30mm aperture. I find them indespensable.

By the way, the one you link to in your original post is a right angled one but left and right are still reversed (so it is RA but not RACI). Personally I find the RACI ones (which give the same orientation that our eyes give) easier to use.

 

[Craig F]

49 minutes ago, Tiny Clanger said:

As above 🙂 , having a RACI (right angle corrected image) finder is handy, it avoids the whole dobsonian 'scope weird yoga position thing which you can get when attempting to use straight through finders . There are two types , right angle finders , which reverse the view left/right and match the view in a refractor , but I suspect would be annoying with a dob ! Then the RACI which shows the sky as it is, just like the view in binoculars.

RACIs are usually more expensive than right angle finders , you can tell them apart visually because the right angled corner of the black truncated triangle plate will be truncated too , that corner 'cut off' , So the one in your illustration is a right angled finder not a RACI ! You can see the difference in the photo of the RACI on the page I linked to .

On a dob, a 9x50 RACI , which is a substantial lump of stuff, is in scale. I use mine in combination with the cheap red dot finder that ca,e with the 'scope to roughly line up on bright objects. On my mak I use the smaller RACI with a very nice Rigel Quickfinder, a slightly more sophisticated non- magnifying illuminated finder which stands up from the ;scope tube and is therefore easy to use.

In theory I could shift the finders between 'scopes, but they were never on the right one, and always needed to be re-aligned after being transferred, so each tube got its own .

Heather

Thanks for the info.

 

[Craig F]

1 hour ago, Tiny Clanger said:

You could save £15 and go for one of these :https://www.firstlightoptics.com/finders/astro-essentials-9x50-right-angled-erecting-finderscope.html

I have one on my heritage dob, it is good, I have the skywatcher in the smaller 6x30 size on my mak too,

This is great, I did wonder if there were alternatives, this fits the bill, many thanks.

[Tiny Clanger]

Just recalled , there's a second hand one for sale for a bit less

 

[Spile]

I have the Astro Essentials RACI and it certainly saves my back compared to the otherwise fine straight through finder. My "first" finder of choice however is the Telrad but a combination of tools works for me.

[Craig F]

On 23/05/2021 at 20:14, Tiny Clanger said:

You could save £15 and go for one of these :https://www.firstlightoptics.com/finders/astro-essentials-9x50-right-angled-erecting-finderscope.html

I have one on my heritage dob, it is good, I have the skywatcher in the smaller 6x30 size on my mak too,

This is great, I did wonder if there were alternatives, this fits the bill, many thanks.

thanks for the recommendation, I ordered from FLO and it arrived a couple of days later, just need a clear sky now……..