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Celestron Focus Motor vs Manual


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I've fallen deep into the world of "learning my stuff", which is now numerous and overwhelming.  I've been using my focus motor (operated via my HC) for a while now and I'm beginning to wonder if manual focusing is easier in the end.  It always seems to be pain to have to look through my EP, then turn away to go to the menu on the HC, find the focusing option in some sub-menu, make sure my fingers are on the right buttons to go back and forth, look back through my EP and bring it all together.  Similar pattern for AP, but at least looking at my PC monitor is slightly easier.

I know there are other ways to operate this piece such as via the PC, but it's the same idea in the end where I have to keep checking and checking back and forth through the EP.  Is there some kind of nice and easy way I can operate this thing without maneuvering in this fashion or is this the standard 'everyone does this' and I'm just overblowing some emotional response to a minor inconvenience?

Similarly, I've heard there's a way through something called a helical focuser to keep an object in focus no matter the magnification.  Would this come in handy with flip mirror usage?  Not sure how that would work or where in the image train I would connect that to.

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I should think that the more solid the mount (and a CGEM II should be pretty solid) the less useful an electric focuser becomes compared with manual focusing.

My flip mirror has a limited range focus on the eyepiece port. I suggest you look up helical focusers to see what they look like. I have two, from Svbony - with T2 or other threads one end of a barrel about 40cm long, and a 1.25" fitting for an eyepiece (etc) at the other.  By rotating a sleeve they give a focus range of 10cm which does not rotate the eyepiece, camera or other device attached to the oiter end.  These can be very useful but do remember that it inserts an extra 40 cm or so into the optical path.

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