Melotte 15 - First Process in PixInsight (easy! Does anyone know if the Antares 4000 focal reducer is as good as the Celestron focal reducer. control and Sky Viewer display makes selecting your target easy. Request stock alerts and we'll let you know when the item is back in stock. 2. You attach the focal reducer to the rear port on a SCT and can keep it covered. At a significantly lower price point, the Antares is a steal, and theres no need to upgrade to the Celestron if you already have one. It's easy! The two samples I have PERFORM IDENTICALLY. Please Log in to save it permanently. Once installed, you can add additional accessories like T-Adapters, 1.25 Visual Back, Star Diagonal, or Off-Axis Guider. https://www.celestron.com/products/reducer-corrector, //cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1935/4371/products/94175_reducer_corrector_01.jpg?v=1603736883, //cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1935/4371/products/94175_reducer_corrector_01_medium.jpg?v=1603736883, Popular Science by Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 5" Smartphone App-Enabled Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope, Advanced VX 8" Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescope, C9.25 Optical Tube Assembly (CGE Dovetail), Advanced VX 6" Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescope, Advanced VX 700 Maksutov Cassegrain Telescope, CGX-L Equatorial 925 Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescope, CPC 1100 GPS (XLT) Computerized Telescope, CGX-L Equatorial 1400 Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescope, CGX-L Equatorial 1100 Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescope, CGX Equatorial 925 Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescope, CGX Equatorial 800 Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescope, CGX Equatorial 1100 Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescope, CGEM II 1100 Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescope, Advanced VX 9.25" Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescope, Advanced VX 11" Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescope, Not compatible with #93648 Off-Axis Guider, not compatible with #93519 2" Mirror Diagonal (discontinued), Currently not compatible due to mechanical interferences. Perhaps not exactly- there will be some uncertainty because of manufacturing tolerances and so forth, but it will be close. Antares f/6.3 Focal Reducer for Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescopes - Agena Astro Is that distance D= Fo-d1=Fo-(d2/MR)? What is likely is that fatigue sets in, and also that as the targets move toward or a way from the meridian there will be changes for that reason alone. Reducer Lens .7x - EdgeHD 1400 Learn More. The threads were similar on the eyepiece end, but a bit smoother. 3. If used with other f/ratios, the field flattening characteristic may be unpredictable. But is there a difference in quality between the Antares and the Celestron or Meade focal reducers? But I am rusty, can you condense a bit for me please? Rather than a direct side-by-side, I swapped the reducers so that I was using them on the exact same, well-collimated instrument. Reducer Lens .7x - EdgeHD 925 All rights reserved. As one increases, the other decreases. Refractors, or SCTs with external focusers, may not have sufficient in-travel to reach focus in some configurations. There is one difference though the Antares came with only one lens cap whereas the Celestron had a cap for both ends. Oceanside Photo & Telescope wants our customers to shop with confidence knowing that you will always get the best deal available. None of this was offensive, nor did it interfere with views in any significant way. What an enjoyable read and detailed comparison. Celestrons aplanatic EdgeHD optics revolutionized astroimaging. Product Details. The distances d1 andd2 can also be expressed in terms of the focal length of the focal reducer FR with the lens equation: Using Equation 2, Equation 1 can also be expressed in terms of d2: The focal reduction factor of the focal reducer depends on its focal length and its distance from the focal plane of the objective as shown by Equation 4: Again, for example, when the focal reducer is placed at the original focal plane of the objective, d1=0 and MR=1, which means there is no focal reduction. As often noted in reviews and forum threads, Antares products tend to have threads that are a little less precise, and this specimen certainly demonstrated this. When placed in the focal plane in front of a camera or eyepiece, a focal reducer leads to a wider field of view and a brighter image of extended objects, which is important for reducing the exposure times when imaging faint extended objects like nebulae or galaxies. However, even though the imprint on the item states "Reducer / Corrector" please note that his is a reducer only. This "speeds up" the optical train by reducing the focal length and magnification of the scope, requiring less time to integrate the same signal. They both are great and I doubt my eyes could detect a difference in any one of them including the Japan version. . Regardless, the difference was miniscule and is more than adequate on both and exceeds a 8 or 6 SCTs baffle tube diameter. More about this below. The Buyer's Guide To Eyepieces at the top of the Eyepieces forum has a column for this spec. Meade does not make an equivalent line of focal reducers for the ACF scopes, although some models of Meade ACF are already at f/8, faster than the f/10 ratio of Celestron Edge HD scopes. In these equations: The combined focal length of the objective and focal reducer is given by Equation 1: For example, when d1=0, that is, the focal reducer is at the focal plane of the objective, Fcomb=Fo, so the focal reducer has no effect. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. Check out our 2022 telescope buying guide here! Clearly cost is a big factor for satisfied users. Antares Click Lock Visual Back - Cats & Casses - Cloudy Nights That includes, for example, a 1.25" eyepiece with an apparent field of view of 68 and a focal length of 24mm (eg. Anyway, when purchased my R/C the "original" Celestron unit was not readily available and was offered instead the one sold under the shop's own label (in my case Tecnosky, but I saw the same product offered under TS label). One focal reducer will not achieve optimum results with all types of telescopes, so there is no universal' focal reducer. Sign up for OPT news, exclusive offers, and updates on the latest gear! Orders placed after 12:00 PM Pacific Time will be shipped the next business day. Antares f/6.3 SCT Focal Reducer - Rother Valley Optics Ltd 2.2 Using a Focal Reducer at the Working Distance, 2.3 Adjusting the Reduction Factor of a Focal Reducer, 3.3 Focal Reducers for Compound Telescopes, 3.5 Focal Reducers for Ritchey-Chretien and Field Flattened Scopes, 3.6 Focal Reducers in 1.25" and 2" Barrel Formats, 4. For me the Antares was a little brighter and had the least scatter by a bit so the better coatings won. Looking forward to the day when I can do a shoot-out between a Japan and China Celestron, just for kicks. It also leads to larger (although fainter) images of extended objects like the Moon or planets for astrophotographers or visual observers. With this telescope and this focal reducer, it does not help to move to a 2" eyepiece and a 2" diagonal as the visual view will be akin to looking through a porthole within the larger apparent field of view of the eyepiece. I use the Celestron version and it seems OK for both visual and imaging. A few people have reported issues with the male SCT thread diameter on this item being a bit larger than necessary. However, I noticed immediately that the Antares had a bit more of an heft to it, giving it a solid feel the Celestron didnt possess. In your opinion, is the Celestron is worth the added cost ($150 vs. $90)? Still not sure what is the right gear for you? A reducer is a set of converging (or positive) lenses that cause the light from a telescope objective to converge at a steeper angle to the focal plane as if it were coming from an objective with a faster (lower) focal ratio and a shorter focal length. Not one detectable iota of discernable difference. They are also less expensive than many external focusers of similar build quality. Copyright 2021 Stargazers Lounge He received his first telescope at the age of 5 and completed his first university course in astronomy at the age of 12, eventually receiving a master's degree in the subject. We only send interesting emails and will never sell your data. Yet, the Antares still easily and fully threaded without any hitches. The reducer features fully coated optics in an anodized aluminum filter ring with an ergonomic rubber grip. That was fun. - thanks. Reducer - Corrector | Celestron I really don't see any difference in the current crop except the "Meade" is usually the cheapest. Focal reducer for 8SE - Celestron vs. Antares - Cloudy Nights So, this past week I challenged the Antares and Celestron models to a head-to-hear on my C8 on some decent nights of good seeing and transparency in my Bortle 5-6 urban skies. Antares' f/6.3 focal reducer provides a faster f/6.3 system for imaging or visual use when used with an f/10 SCT or other compatible telescopes. Celestrons award-winning Nature DX binocular gets a major upgrade with the addition of ED objective lenses. Does anyone have any experience with the Celestron and Antares focal reducers? Because of their distinct optical design, slower Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes (SCT) with focal ratios of f/10 require a different design of focal reducer compared to refractors. How does it look thats what matters. This filter threads on to the rear cell of your Celestron or Meade SCT telescope. Telescope Optics, Rutten and van Venrooij, Chapter 15, Willman-Bell (1988). The resultant reduction factor was measured to be 0.46x. Reducer - Corrector Unique focal reducer and field corrector lens accessory, Reduces the focal length and f/ ratio of your Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope by 37%, Provides a dual focal ratio instrument, without sacrificing image quality, Compatible with all Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes (see compatible list in description). I use the same back spacing for both on a small 6" Celestron SCT. Sign up to get exclusive deals, observing tips, and new product announcements. Never used one, but read the reviews here that suggest a coating problem. They usually have a 2" barrel that slides into the telescope focuser. What I do know is that the Antares and the Celestron samples that I have perform exactly the same from the center right out to the edges. This is the distance at which the reducer must be placed in front of the eyepiece or camera focal plane in order to operate at the design reduction factor. 2023 OPT Telescopes. Can you tell me about the use of reducers in Maksutov-Cassegrain telescopes? Many Ritchey-Chretien telescopes available today are made by GSO. Therefore, a 55mm back focus with a filter that is 3mm thick added to the imaging train would become 56mm. Thanks guys, appreciate the feedback. Celestron is considered better in terms of QA, less likely to come with free dust, hair or fingerprint. Like you, I am primarily visually observing but I have everything together now that so I am going to start experimenting with photography so we'll see how it does there. From the SkyProdigy, a telescope so smart it can align itself, to our high-performance EdgeHD optical system, weve revolutionized the hobby of astronomy for beginners and advanced amateurs alike. The click-lock with a 2 dielectric diagonal with a somewhat shorter light path, using both a 2 ES 28mm/68 and the same low-profile adapter with a 1.25 ES 24mm/68. looks virtually identical, except for the lettering. Getting the proper back-focus for your imaging camera is a vital step in getting the best data possible out of your telescope imaging/research rig. Most refractor manufacturers such as William Optics, Tele Vue Optics, Explore Scientific, Sky-Watcher, William Optics, and Stellarvue make their own focal reducers optimized for use with their telescopes. Wow, that is a very detailed discussion! In this case, d2 = FR/2, which means the back of the focal reducer is located at a distance FR/2 from the camera or eyepiece. CEL-94245. Optically, it consists of a four-element lens that is fully multi-coated for high contrast and resolution. Sign up for a new account in our community. The working distance (backfocus) of the Celestron f/6.3 reducer is specified to be 105mm from the base of the male SCT thread on the camera side. A little longer light path with a 2 Baader click-lock, low profile 1.25 adapter, and the 1.25 diagonal; To test this, I used three set-ups: 1. When you said, "in some cases" a focal reducer also works as a flattener/corrector, are you saying that not all focal reducers are flatteners/corrector? It's usually specified from the base of the mounting threads on the reducer's housing, and this is the most practical way of providing this specification. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue. Celestron's EdgeHD reducers feature a custom 5 element optical design engineered to maintain the flat-field performance of our award-winning EdgeHD optical system. The faster f/ratio allows you to use slower film or shoot in lower light level situations and still properly expose your subject. All Rights Reserved. The naming convention of SCT focal reducers is a little confusing. If the reducer is placed closer to the eyepiece or camera than the distance D, the reduction factor decreases. If you place your camera at a different working distance, you will get a different reduction factor and perhaps unwanted distortion in the image. Your eyepieces are the first accessories you should learn to use with your telescope. It is recommended for . I focus using a moonlight electronic focuser and focusmax. Keep in mind that these differences were very subtle, and could be due to normal variations in coatings among different runs, and not necessarily unique to the brands. It was used strictly for imaging, not visual observing. I'd favor the Japanese Celestron version over the others that are commercially available. This is especially true when these reducers are used with cameras with smaller sensors with a dimension of about 1/4 to 1/3 the diameter of the reducer, and with telescopes with a focal ratio of f/7 or larger. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. This telescope control software replaces the hand control and allows the user to remotely control their Celestron computerized telescope from their personal PC or laptop.