Starizona Apex 0.65 X ED Short or Altair 0.6x focal reducer flattener

[Elp]

Anyone used one of the above with a 60mm refractor? (Specifically WO Z61)? Want to see how the reduction affects speed of capture (Primarily narrowband mono), I know the aperture of the scope isn't brilliant, the wider field also helps with certain targets and reduces amount of mosaic tiles to do.

[Elp]

Hmm, no feedback so I decided to test it myself.

Not the best target to try NGC7023 the Iris Nebula especially whilst the moon is out nearly full but on the opposite side of the sky and in a light polluted bortle 7, camera settings were different but for this purpose I don't think there'd be much difference anyway for 96 minutes of exposure, stacked with all calibration files and levels stretched 3 times for each image but here goes:

WO Z61, WO field flattener, ZWO 183mm pro 120s subs - Luminence only:

 

WO Z61, Starizona Apex 0.65x reducer, ZWO 183mm pro 60s subs - Luminence only:

 

To me they kind of look the same, I know there's massive coma distortion on the edges of the Apex one but it doesn't bother me as it can be cropped out, I need to fine tune the backspacing too.

[Elp]

Got more of a result to show here:

https://stargazerslounge.com/topic/398527-flying-high-m16-eagle-nebula/

[Adam J]

On 21/04/2022 at 18:38, Elp said:

Hmm, no feedback so I decided to test it myself.

Not the best target to try NGC7023 the Iris Nebula especially whilst the moon is out nearly full but on the opposite side of the sky and in a light polluted bortle 7, camera settings were different but for this purpose I don't think there'd be much difference anyway for 96 minutes of exposure, stacked with all calibration files and levels stretched 3 times for each image but here goes:

WO Z61, WO field flattener, ZWO 183mm pro 120s subs - Luminence only:

 

WO Z61, Starizona Apex 0.65x reducer, ZWO 183mm pro 60s subs - Luminence only:

 

To me they kind of look the same, I know there's massive coma distortion on the edges of the Apex one but it doesn't bother me as it can be cropped out, I need to fine tune the backspacing too.

Looks like you could add some more spacing to gain better correction. 

Adam 

[Elp]

I know it's on my to do list, at 0.65x though I really doubt the edge will ever be corrected, but at least I can work on improving the centre region.