Red Dot Finders

[simon84]

Hi all,

Just a quick question regarding red dot finders. I'm trying not to use my goto so much until I have learned the Sky better and am having a mare of a time trying to use the finder scope that came with my 300P.

I'd like to swap it out for a red dot finder and just wanted some opinions on the Baader 40mm Super Sky Surfer V or the Telrad Red Dot Finder

I am right in saying that the Baader has a solid red dot in the centre whereas the Telrad has the 3 rings?

If this is the case are there any problems with the dot of the Baader obscuring your view? Also does anyone have any preference out of the two and why?

Cheers in advance,

Simon.

[BlueAstra]

I don't know much about the two finders you have mentioned, but I believe this one has a good reputation. Rings and a flashing dot!

I have a SW red dot finder that came with the scope, and I find the constant red dot obscures the target.

Finders - Rigel QuikFinder Compact Reflex Sight

[Astro_Baby]

I have a Sky Surfer V. Its solidly made and I like it. Its does have a red dot in its centre but it can be dimmed down to very faint. The glass on it is perfectly clear so it doesnt obscure objects like some cheaper red dots.

I considered a Telrad but - oh I dont know - they just look ugly

If you want a full write up on it have a look here Baader Sky Surfer V red dot finder

Thats my own views on it and its not teribly scientific

[simon84]

Thanks Mel, another fantastically written review, it was your review of your SW 200 that help steer me to my own 300P.

I totally agree with you though, the Telrad is rather ugly looking and as a regular on COD4 on my XBox the Baader looks superb.

I have a horrible horrible time using the SW 9x50, and with what you've said about it helping massivley with alignment I think I know where I'm going.

Cheers again,

Simon.

[Doc]

A Telrad is the best finder you can buy for a large dob. I love mine and it's fantastic to use. If you use Stellarium or CduC you can overlay a telrad cirle on the screen to ease star hopping.

[Astro_Baby]

I was going to say - the Telrad is very highly rated and I dont doubt they work well. I'm just a fashionista victim I think

[arad85]

Yup, telrad all the way. Dead easy to guess how far you have to jump to get to an interesting object. Combine with a wide angle eyepiece in a dob and you're sorted!!

[m.tweedy]

if you get the telrad I have attached a messier list with the telrad circles on them to help you on your way

http://www.astro-tom.com/messier/messier_finder_charts/messier_maps.htm

[John]

The Telrad or Rigel Quikfinder are the best RDF's I've used. I actually prefer the latter because of it's small footprint and it's slightly less prone to dewing.

I've not tried a Baader Sky Surfer V frankly because of it's price !.

I don't enjoy optical finders either - even the right angled ones - I've just sold both mine to get more RDF's for my other scopes.

John

[DavidB]

It doesn't take long to learn the technique of keeping both eyes open using the red dot finder. Then the dot does not cover the image in the other eye. It is also much less effort for the eye and cheek muscles.

This is a technique used very often in microscopy where you need to look down the eyepiece for hours on end. It would be extremely tiring to keep one eye closed.

It also comes in handy when you want to look as though you are listening to a bore but are in fact reading a newspaper with the other eye. No, I lie.

[crepitis]

I have to say that I would be lost without my Telrad

[Mike_F]

if you get the telrad I have attached a messier list with the telrad circles on them to help you on your way

http://www.astro-tom.com/messier/messier_finder_charts/messier_maps.htm

You sir, have made my day.

Those charts are fantastic! Thank you so much for sharing your hard work.

[ollypenrice]

My Telrads look wonderful in the dark! It is the business, the Telrad. The 4 degree circle tells you what 4 degrees looks like on the sky for judging distances etc. It is a very useful bit of information to have in front of you. A dot tells you nothing of scale. Telrads are reliable and have a sensible switch and use proper batteries that last about a year. I have two and have had them in use for six years, which comapres with about six minutes for a Skywatcher one I picked up at Astrofest. Also the SkyMap 2000 atlas has a Telrad circle on the transparent sheet that comes with it. Very useful for finding things. And lastly you can use them at a distance - which is to say from ground level when steering a very large Dob.

Olly

[simon84]

Wow, thanks all for the tips. Seems I might have been a bit quick to dismiss the Telrad, it sounds fantastic, and those maps look like they will be a massive help so thanks for that m.tweedy.

I have the Synscan handset for my mount but I really want to learn and find my own way around the Sky for now and I really cannot get on with the supplied finder I got with my scope.

I'll probably sell mine to help fund a Telrad, does anyone know what a like new Sky Watcher 9x50 optical finder can sell for?

Cheers again.

[Astro_Baby]

Ah well the Baader SSV has had no batteries changes in a year, its switchgear is tough and durable its in a completely different league to the Skywatcher/Celestron red dots which are plastic. My Nexstar 4 has the standard cheapie red dot found on a lot of Celestron / Sky-Watcher gear and theres no comparison bewteen them and the Sky Surfer V.

[John]

....does anyone know what a like new Sky Watcher 9x50 optical finder can sell for? ....

I just sold a right angled one for £38 delivered. The straight through types go for less - £25 or so ?

[Starjumper]

Telrad is superb.

John

[ollypenrice]

Whoa, I use both a Telrad and a finderscope when doing visual. I would have both in place to be honest.

Olly

PS Nothing against Baader. Their stuff is great.

[Astro_Baby]

olly - I never took that as having a pop at Baader - just thought I should mentions the Sky Surfer V is pretty different to most red dots. I was going to buy the Sky Surfer 3 but Stsve at FLO knowing what a demanding cow I am suggested an upgrade to the SSV on the basis of its better engineering.

He wasnt wrong ( is he ever ) and in my case I am very demanding about stuff thats why my SW200 now bears very little resemblance to an off the shelf model. The only thing thats the same is the mirrors everything esle has been modified, changed, tuned, replaced etc.

[John]

One issue that I do have with the multi-reticule type RDF's (I don't know if this includes the Baader Sky Surfer V) is that, in all the ones I've tried, the reticules are too bright - even on the lowest setting.

It may be a personal thing but I much prefer a subtle dot or bullseye rings against the sky - visable but not drowning out the stars I'm trying to "hop" amongst.

This is one area where the Telrad and the Rigel Quikfinder really score - the brightness range is smoothly controllable right down to nothing. The Quickfinder also has a variable "flashing reticule" feature which is nice when you get used to it.

[Astro_Baby]

John the SSV goes down to almost invisible even with dark adapted vision. It has 11 positions on a clock stop ranging from laser bright to just about visible againts a dark sky. Obviously though its a personal thing and what suits me might be too bright for others.

A lot of this kit though is too bright - the HEQ5 is famous for its overbright polar scopes and I found with a reticule illuminator I had in my mitts recently the illuminator, even at its lowest setting, was waaaaaayyyy too bright. It was the standard EP reticule illuminator you see on lots of kit. No idea who makes it but it seems very generic. Mine was supplied with an Antares 7x50 finder.

[MG1]

I have to say I'm a huge fan of the Baader SSV. I have had to replace the batteries in mine though. But that was only because I left in on for four day/nights straight (ie 96hrs) at Kielder and about three weeks later was setting up for a session when I noticed it was still on from the last session the week before!

I only replaced the battery just before Christmas though, so it's probably given more than a year's worth of normal use.

It's a lovely solid piece of work too and IMHO this justifies the price, and even though I'm just getting to grips with EQMod it gets used every session so £/use is tiny.

Mike

[delsix]

if you get the telrad I have attached a messier list with the telrad circles on them to help you on your way

http://www.astro-tom.com/messier/messier_finder_charts/messier_maps.htm

Just found this thread and thought that it should be bumped so that everyone can checkout these wonderful messier charts