SW Mak 127 with binoviewer?

[tico]

Hello,

I currently use a SW Mak 127 and I would like a binoviewer for the Moon, Planets and something else... Has anyone used one with this Maksutov, what type of binoviewer?

Thank you

Tico

[Zermelo]

I've used a TS binoviewer with my 127.  I took the bottom off a Baader Q Turret Barlow to use as a glass path corrector, as I didn't want to buy one. Maks have quite a decent range of focus, though, so you may get away without one. My own Mak was a bit unwieldy with the BV, couple of EPs, and the Telrad, RACI and dew shield that I've added, so it was over the limit for the mount I was using at the time. I must give it another go with my AZ-GTiX.

[Geoff Lister]

This annotated photo shows the 127mm Mak OTA's dovetail plate balance points with a diagonal + eyepiece, diagonal + Revelation binoviewer + 2 eyepieces, and T-adaptor + DSLR.

Geoff

Edited Saturday at 17:30 by Geoff Lister

[Louis D]

It works great with my Arcturus BV and no GPC/OCS/Barlow element.  However, my Synta 127 Mak's focal length jumps up from 1500mm to at least 1800mm.  Still, it's a much wider view than putting a 3x Barlow element in the path.

[Kimboman]

Hi I have the same scope and I have users binoviewer with it and I find it amazing viewing the moon

[PeterC65]

I use my Skymax 127 with a William Optics Binoviewer. I can easily reach focus with the Binoviewer as is, with its x1.6 Barlow, and with a x2.25 Baader Hyperion Zoom Barlow (which actually give me x4.0 when used with the Binoviewer). The Binoviewer adds 100mm to the optical path length of the Skymax 127 which adds 375mm to its focal length.

The Skymax 127 is the only scope I own with which I can achieve focus with the Binoviewer without a Barlow, and partly because of this, and partly because the Skymax is so good for observing the Moon, I only use the Binoviewer with the Skymax.

The Binoviewer is great for observing the Moon and I would say that the best views I have had of the Moon have been using it, BUT, I find it hard to merge the images from both eyes unless there is plenty of detail in the field of view, so I generally only use the Binoviewer to observe the Moon (with the Skymax 127).