Finders - errect image v traditional

[mdstuart]

I can find nothing to say whether there is an advantage to have a finder that shows a right way up image.

I understand one with a mirror saves bending the neck etc but what about the image.

Has anyone tried both? Is it odd that the finder and view through the eyepiece move in a different direction?

Is it actually more logical to look through the finder as a scope wheras with a RA finder you still end up bending your neck to point the finder at the first guide star...

Perhaps someone would be so kind as to compare the two and put a review on line as I cannot find one..

Mark

[GazOC]

Apologies if this is OT but if you are looking for something to use with your Skywatcher Dob then I'd go for a Telrad or Rigel.

[Moonshane]

I agree with Gary in part.

I found a Telrad transformed my ability to get into the right initial place in the sky, my 6x30 right angle (correct way up) finder is the next thing I use to get me closer still and then a wide angle EP to find the target.

I am going to eventually replace my 6x30 with a 8/9x50 right angle finder for the dob and will also use this on my refractor (on which I currently have a 9x50 straight through.

I find straight through finders very hard to use as everything is both upside down and back to front.

[brianb]

I find straight through finders very hard to use as everything is both upside down and back to front.

You do get used to that. It's pointing at something that's at right angles to your line of vision that's difficult, in fact I find it impossible, just as I can't drive properly if I can only see out of the window in the door.

[bobafett]

You do get used to that. It's pointing at something that's at right angles to your line of vision that's difficult, in fact I find it impossible, just as I can't drive properly if I can only see out of the window in the door.

Great analogy !

I've often thought that, and only ever had straight through finders on my scopes as I thought that looking down into a right angle finder without being able to open your other eye and quickly get a zero mag referance of whereabouts in the sky you are looking would be a nightmare !

Also, I really didn't like the red dot finder on my Nexstar when I first got it but to be honest I'm starting to warm to it the more I use it................

[brantuk]

It won't be a problem trust me - after the first few uses it becomes instinctive and you "just know" automatically which way to push/pull (or which buttons to press) to find stuff in finder and ota.

Red dot finders are cool too but you still have to bend and twist for some objects - so the raci really is a saving on muscle strain.

Hope that helps

I have all three btw - raci, rdf and straight through.

[boboco]

I am a novice at manual (just migrated from goto). For me the biggest breakthrough was switching from a "normal" right angled finder to a corrected image using an amici prism. I am sure that once I am experianced enough I can handle the correction between view and map, but as a novice its been a HUGE help to see the same through the finder as I see in the chart. And a telrad to find the guide star. I think again that the more experianced can get by with just a red dot finder someone at SGL5 (16" lightbridge - cant remember the name - but I am sure you know who you are!) was knocking off obscure NGC galaxies with just an rdf and the eyepeice and very quickly.

Just my tuppenth.

Cheers,

Karl.

[Llamanaut]

having used both conventional finders and telrad or red doty finders i find the red dot finder more accurate. As for views the view from a newtonian is easier for my brain to compute than a refractor but i suppose you get used to it

[mdstuart]

Thanks for the replies. I have a straight through finder and it is fine, I can find things I just wondered if a RA errect image would be easier. It seems from what you are saying I should if I do not mind bending stick with what I have got...

I have tried the Telrad and red dot idea at SGL5 which was interesting. To be honest I can now with a chart and my finder get to any area pretty quickly so I was just interested in the view on changing my standard dob finder with one of the RA errect image versions.

Brantuk - You have all three..which finder do you find you use the most?

Mark