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First light with Evolux 62ED - Short Review


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Admittingly I was apprehensive initially in buying this scope as the scope was close to my 72ED. But I wanted something smaller to manage and of course cosmetically better, as I want to go down the route of having more of a portable mount in the future.  I was keen in buying the 62 when they were announced, but lost interest as time went on thinking when if Skywatcher would release the scopes. 

One thing you will notice straightaway is the build quality of the Evolux models, they remind me of the quality of a particular brand with their powder coatings, the Evolux's are gloss finished. The OTA is very beefy in design and would be better if handled with two hands instead of one. The green anodised 2" threaded collar is no cheap fitting either.

The build quality is way superior then the Evostar range, included are two mounting shoes, which makes a nice difference. One I can mount my Mele PC running Ekos/Kstars and Two I can use my 30mm Guidescope with using shorter neat cables.

The focuser is a heavy bearing Dual Speed 2.4" Rack and Pinion with two locking thumbscrews one on top and underneath the focuser and there is zero shift, indexed on both sides of the drawtube.

The dew shield has two locking thumbscrews and easily slides back and forth. The lens has a serial number of the cell fitted on the scope (not 001,  😉

The clampshell is of high quality.  With two large thumbscrews fitted.

There is one modification which I would need to do is either 3D print off a riser so I can move the dovetail further down the tube for better balance of the scope as the underneath focuser lock intrudes into this path, or buy a Counterweight Kit.

Alongside the 62ED I also bought the matching reducer. According to FLO's website blurb, the corrector/reducer also has one ED element fitted 'An optional 0.9x two-element focal reducer/field flattener, which includes one ED lens element and adaptor/field rotator is available separately, which when combined makes the Evolux-62ED into a four-lens optical system comprising two ED elements!'.

I have not tried the field rotator as yet, as I am used to using a push fit adaptor with reducers. After having some little mishaps with power I finally got going and produced this image of NGC6811 in Cygnus, only 90 minutes of data, no calibration files, 600D Modified, it would have been nice for Ha imaging, but the targets are not high enough in the sky at the moment due to my obstructions for me to image them. The colour of the stars look very fine to me.

Constructive comments welcomed.

6811gx_3.jpg

Edited by Skyline
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An update on the scope, I have now added a lipped 10mm riser, which allows me to push the tube further up the dovetail for better balancing. This leaves around a 3mm clearance between the bottom locking bolt and the dovetail.

The bolts which are to be used are imperial : 1/4"-20 x 1-1/4" or 1" length 304 Stainless Steel Full Thread Hex Socket Head Cap Screw - M6 does not fit.

Also I have designed a bahtinov mask taken into account when used with the dedicated reducer.

 

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Edited by Skyline
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A short update on the scope, my handle arrived a couple of days ago, I was expecting it to be a little beefy, but the offset it is slotted to handle anything else you might want to add onto the scope and it is sturdy.

 

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The star colours look really good on the 62ED, does anyone have a 82ED? We can compare star colour please.

Also I manage to bag a couple of images last night. One of NGC 6819 and the other of the region of Sadr both objects in Cygnus. The star cluster has 2 hours data and the other has only 1 hour. The more I image with this scope the more I am looking forward as Autumn approaches.

6819v2.jpg

IC1318v3.jpg

Edited by Skyline
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  • 4 weeks later...
  • 1 month later...

Sorry to resurrect a slightly old thread, however I was curious about the specs for the flattener/reducer. Various websites all have the same blurb which states: "The flattener / reducer illuminates a full frame format and provides pinpoint star imaging over a 30mm image circle" - but a FF image circle must be at least 35mm. So is there an error in the specs? Or does it mean that although it'll illuminate a FF image, stars around the edge will be soft? Or something else? (my occasional imaging is done with both converted and unconverted Sony A7/A9 cameras hence the question)

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I am using the flattener and reducer with a Canon 600D which is a APS-C sensor. I am sorry but I can't comment if your using a sensor size of 35mm. The flattener/reducer yields pinpoint stars when using sensors up to 30mm.

Blurb from FLO:

"The flattener / reducer illuminates a full frame format and provides pinpoint star imaging over a 30mm image circle (sensor sizes up to APS-C)"

Sky-Watcher .9x Reducer/Flattener for Evolux 62ED | First Light Optics

Edited by Skyline
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  • 2 weeks later...

A couple of months ago I got this out with a 2" revelation dielectric diagonal. Just viewing half moon. Sometimes I do visual as I feel lazy getting my gear out. I was using the skywatcher 2" 28mm let Eyepiece. No noticeable colour or fringing of colour was noticed. Seeing was fair.

The views to tell the truth were very similar to the SW72ED I use to have, ever so slightly dimmer. I do remember the 72 having a slight better contrast maybe because you have another 10mm of aperture to play with.

Edited by Skyline
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25 minutes ago, Skyline said:

A couple of months ago I this out with a 2" revelation dielectric diagonal. Just viewing half moon. Sometimes I do visual as I feel lazy getting my gear out. I was using the skywatcher 2" 28mm let Eyepiece. No noticible colour or fringing of colour was noticed. Seeing was fair.

The views to tell the truth were very similar to the SW72ED I use to have, ever so slightly dimmer. I do remember the 72 having a slight better contrast maybe because you have another 10mm of aperture to play with.

Very interesting , especially the visual comparison between the 72ed . The aperture will definitely help . I took the plunge and , after off loading some gear, i bought a WO ZS73 , which i will mainly use for widefield viewing . Thi was primarily due to the increase in aperture . Of course it put me into Evolux 82's price bracket , but i stuck to  what i know.

 

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  • 3 weeks later...
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This is a small 45min+ final from my 62ED when i had a flattener for lend (1 week). I bought only the OTA that time, because i dont have much money.  Shot with Canon 60D (ML Modified).

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Where can i buy only that green Handle Skyline?

Edited by Oxize
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  • 3 weeks later...
On 21/09/2022 at 19:55, tico said:

Someone know if the SWED72 focus with one terrestrial Amici Prism? 

Thanks. 

Tico

If it's a 90 degree 1.25 inch then no,not without an extension. 45 degree probably yes. 

2 inch amici I think yes it will reach focus

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Still waiting on my Handle, from Customs. Had to pay 10 euro extra since England break off from the EU, where we need to pay import costs. Hope to get it before christmas or before the end of the year. 

@Skyline, do you know something about the field rotator?

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On 22/12/2022 at 18:54, Oxize said:

 

@Skyline, do you know something about the field rotator?

That comes supplied with the reducer. Can introduce tilt if not secured central to the imaging train. Otherwise you'll have to use a 2" nosepiece at the end of your equipment - telescope side.

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