Stellarview f50 Finder

[Moonshane]

Hi all

I have just ordered a right angle finder off Astroboot which looked like it would satisfy my 'wants' with a right angled view, a removable 'focusable' eyepiece and good quality optics. Unfortunately the quality optics don't live up to the hype, the eyepiece is only focusable if you lift it nearly half an inch out of the diagonal and the general build is bad so I am sending it back.

I have come to the conclusion I should just pay double or a little more and get a really good one. The Stellarview f50 seems like a good option and would perhaps match my wish for a finder capable of working well and being an improvement on the 6x30 finder I have at the moment - this is OK but I feel a little more light gathering will help my finding in LP skies at home.

Are they worth it and do they ever come up used? I cannot find a 'new' UK supplier online at all.

Cheers:icon_salut:

Shane

[brantuk]

Shane I have two of the Orion 9x50's RACI's - they're terrific and fit in a standard SW mounting shoe with no mods. Tad pricey but Harrisons and Widescreen do them. Thoroughly recommended

[Moonshane]

cheers Kim

you may have made me see sense.

[johninderby]

Unfortunately there isn't a UK dealer for the Stellarvue finder any more. When I spoke to the dealer who used to sell them he had simply given up on them due to chronically unreliable deliveries.

They are excellent finders, but the Orion ones are probably 95% as good and are much cheaper although you can't change the eyepiece. The F50 was going for about £149.00 the last time it was available in the UK.

John

[Astro_Baby]

I have the Stellarvue F50M and its basically the queen of all optical finders. Quite simply awesome. Its built like a tank, weighs a ton, the optics are as good as it gets and it works like a charm. I use mine as a standalone spotter scope at times.

On the downside - its VERY heavy - by the time you have added a set of rings to mount it the weight is around 2lbs to 2.5lbs. Its a very fast focal ratio so gets stroppy if you feed it cheap EPs especially at shorter focal lengths.

I have heard Stallervue are a nightmare to deal with - they never replied to a single one of my emails when I was buying. In the end I got mine from OPtCorp I think in the US. I have never seen one come up for sale 2nd hand.

Is it worth the cash ? I dont know is the honest truth - its a value judgement only you can make. I just got fed up with my standard 8x50 I tried an Antares finder which was dreadful and decided to cut messing about and just buy the flat out best and have done with it.

If you go for it DONT buy the Stellarvue fittings for the scope if your mounting it on your newt. The fitting is way too high and not a very good fit for some Vixen accessory shoes. I got a fitting from scopestuff for mine whech keeps the finder closer to the scope body and reduces the balance issues.

I did a review on it on here (and on my own site). The review is here if you want some pics Stellarvue F50M RACI Finder

Oh and if you do get the F50 make sure you get an illuminator. The cross hairs are almost invisible under a dark sky without it.

[brantuk]

"I tried an Antares finder which was dreadful"

I'm with Astro Baby on this one - I tried one and ended up sending back to RVO cos I couldn't get the darned thing to focus - avoid like the plague

[Astro_Baby]

Ahhh interesting - I did wonder if I was unlucky.

[John]

Ahhh interesting - I did wonder if I was unlucky.

Nope - I've had 2 of the Antares ones and never got on with either. The idea of a removable eyepiece with it's own helical focusser seemed OK but in practice I found them awkward to align and fussy to focus.

I've an Orion (USA) 9x50 RACI now and it's great

[Astro_Baby]

Well thats where the F50 comes in. Its everything the Antares should be. Independent helical focusers - one for the reticule and one for the main optics. Not the terrible Antares thing where the heleical focuses the reticule and you have to mess around moving the EP up and down for the main focus. The F50 has both on a pair of very slick focusers.

Its also amazingly well made - cost no object in its construction. There are a few things I'd improve if I were engineering it. I'd put a better slip ring system on the back end so that when you rotate the prism theres no image shift when you rotate it. I tuned mine a bit from out of the box to improve the image shift issue but its still a bit prone to it when you rotate the prism around. Its not a big deal as I find in practice you dont really need to rotate it but I like things to be perfect when possible.

Apart from that minor grumble (which to be fair Stellarvue acknowledge) its beautiful.

Rather like quality EPs its a finder you will always keep I guess.

My TAL 8x50 could give the Stellarvue a run for its money on optical quality and build quality though. If only TAL did a right angle back and illuminator for it - sighs.

By the way I use my finder to do the Synscan align. I make sure the finder and main scope optics are well aligned by swapping the F50s cross hair eyepiece between the finder and the main scope then when I do the Synscan alignment I ONLY use the finders cross hairs to do star alignemnt. Works a treat every time with spot on alignment.

If your at Salisbury drop on by and I'd be happy to show you the F50 in the flesh.

[Moonshane]

cheers everyone!

on reflection, the weight of the f50 will be an issue as I'll be using this mainly on the Dob. and occasionally with the 35mm Panoptic!

I reckon I'll therefore got for the Orion. Anyone know if the Orion UK ones are any good too as I may have a chance of one of those shortly.

Suspect they (Orion UK / Orion USA) are will be much of a muchness?

[johninderby]

The Orion US ones are fine. I've had two F50s but have now gone over to the Orion 9x50 RA finder as optically there isn't that much to choose between them. I'd say the Orion is 95% as good optically as the F50 but is lighter. One thing I do really like about the Orion is that the eyepiece is very low and not sticking way up in the air like the F50 eyepiece was.

I've found that with the Orion the crosshairs are thicker and an illuminator isn't needed. The non-illuminated F50 eyepiece had such fine crosshairs that it was pretty well useless. I changed over to a different reticle eyepiece.

The Orion UK are the same as the Orion US as are the Telescope Service ones.

John

[Moonshane]

The Orion US ones are fine. I've had two F50s but have now gone over to the Orion 9x50 RA finder as optically there isn't that much to choose between them. I'd say the Orion is 95% as good optically as the F50 but is lighter. One thing I do really like about the Orion is that the eyepiece is very low and not sticking way up in the air like the F50 eyepiece was.

I've found that with the Orion the crosshairs are thicker and an illuminator isn't needed. The non-illuminated F50 eyepiece had such fine crosshairs that it was pretty well useless. I changed over to a different reticle eyepiece.

The Orion UK are the same as the Orion US as are the Telescope Service ones.

John

Great John thanks - always good to 'Page the Oracle' (showing my age there!)

I know that there's lots of stuff online but there's nothing like first hand experience comments from people on a forum you trust! That's one of the things that makes SGL so excellent.

Thanks to all for the info which although it led me away from my initial preferred choice, resulted in me being very happy with my options. I actually have the Orion 6x30mm RACI Finder which is great but in my skies it just lacks a little punch.