antares vs celestron focal reducer

For these items, please contact us to obtain a shipping quote before you check out using the online shopping cart.International Customers:Free shipping does not apply to international orders. Please note, orders placed after 10am on 2/28/2023 will be delayed. Hi. But while the image gets brighter, the size of the image circle gets proportionately smaller. So ab6110 is asking for a FR only without coma correction, there are a couple of brands who make special reducers for the ACF. In both cases will end with a similar tfov. 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. Looking forward to the day when I can do a shoot-out between a Japan and China Celestron, just for kicks. Start here to find the perfect telescope for you! More details are found in the Appendix of this article. Sharpness is essentially the same. Optically, it consists of a four-element lens that is fully multi-coated for high contrast and resolution. Like many of us with SCTs, I have bought and sold a number of f/6.3 reducer/correctors over the years, and I have always been curious how they really stack up to each other. This article explained the basics of how focal reducers work with various kinds of telescopes and how their working distance affects their reduction factor, and it provided sufficient detail to help amateur astronomer choose and use the right focal reducer for a particular application. The nominal design reduction factor of these reducers is typically 0.5x. Sign up for our newsletter to get exclusive deals, observing tips, and new product announcements. Have a promo code? Or, when the distance of the focal reducer to the focal plane of the objective d1 equals the focal length of the focal reducer FR, the reduction factor MR = 0.5x. Normal shipments will resume on Monday, March 6, 2023. nleash the full pointing accuracy of your Celestron computerized telescope with a specialized telescope control software suite. Also, the focusers of most Newtonians do not have enough in-travel to accommodate a focal reducer. Melotte 15 - First Process in PixInsight (easy! You currently have javascript disabled. because they really dont matter. Unlike . I wonder whether, for example, Antares focal reducer for SCT belongs to the latter category. Can you help me? I have an 8SE, and am thinking about getting a focal reducer. I happily cycle through LRGB filters to build the image rather than do a whole run of one filter at a time. Reproduction without permission prohibited. 2023 Celestron, LLC. Rather than a direct side-by-side, I swapped the reducers so that I was using them on the exact same, well-collimated instrument. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. Easy solution found a very tiny dab of super lube on the threads and all was well and quiet.. I have both the Antares and the Celestron reducers. They are commonly available in 1.25" and 2" threaded cells that conveniently thread into the nosepiece of a compatible camera or the barrel of an eyepiece. The more focal reduction, the further inward the focal plane will be. More important, its clear that the Antares is a reducer/corrector, just like the Celestron and not merely a reducer. The working distance of the GSO 0.5x focal reducer with 1.25" barrel and the GSO 0.5x focal reducer with 2" barrel is about 51mm to 53mm, approximately, from the middle of the metal cell that holds the lens. Orders placed over the weekend will be shipped on the following Monday. More about this below. It also leads to larger (although fainter) images of extended objects like the Moon or planets for astrophotographers or visual observers. However I've also read that the back focal distance on the Celestron is 105mm while the Antares is 81mm so they couldn't be identical. All Rights Reserved. Stock focusers in an SCT move the mirror of the scope to change the position of the focal plane, and they have sufficient travel to accommodate a focal reducer. Again, these focal reducers are often provided by the telescope manufacturer. However, some focal reducers can be used on other models of telescopes, but this is not always possible. Reducer - Corrector The two samples I have PERFORM IDENTICALLY. Not one detectable iota of discernable difference. StevieDvd Members 1,182 1,812 Location: Stevenage, UK Posted March 9, 2021 (edited) Don't know but your welcome to try out my Meade 6.3 sct reducer next time you are passing. If I had to go out on a very thick limb, I would have to say that these two reducers/correctors are, indeed, identical the exact same glass in slightly different housings with different lettering. The focus barely shifts between filters and I suspect any shifts I do get are down to the filters and changes in temp. F6.3 Focal reducer for F/10 or higher telescopes, 43mm aperture, 4-Element, Fully Multicoated. 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. Practical Considerations of Focal Reducers, 4.2 Back Focus Requirements of Focal Reducers, GSO makes focal reducers for their line of Ritchey-Chretien, Celestron makes a series of focal reducers for the Edge HD line, 0.75x focal reducers for these telescopes, focal reducer for an 8-inch Celestron EdgeHD, A Primer on T-Rings and T-Adapters for Astronomy and Astrophotography, Choosing the Best Telescope for Beginners 2023, Top Night Sky & Astronomy Events in August 2022, Top Night Sky & Astronomy Events in July 2022, Selecting a Baader Planetarium Star Diagonal, A Guide to Choosing Astronomy Eyepieces for Binoviewers, Choosing a Magnifying Finder Scope for Your Telescope, A focal reducer will provide its design reduction factor only when it is placed at the exact working distance from the focal plane of the eyepiece or camera, Reducing the operating distance, that is, moving a focal reducer closer to the eyepiece or camera increases its reduction factor, or conversely reduces the amount of focal reduction. Celestron Nexstar+ 127 SLT, several budget plossl eyepieces, Celestron 8-24mm zoom EP and a 12.5mm illuminated double reticle EP, Svbony SV205 camera w/.5 focal reducer, Celestron SkyMaster 20x80 binos on a 40 yr old QuickSet PanHead tripod, Stellarium, Sharpcap and ManyCam on my laptop, SkyView and Nightshift on my phone and a dandy little $9 . Since the focal length of the reducer, FR, is fixed, as d2 increases then MR decreases. Some are available in 1.25" barrel format but with C threads. However, this also came at a cost, as the sky background in the Antares was slightly brighter. Focal reducers for SCT, RC, and field-flattened Edge HD or ACF telescopes thread onto the back of the telescope tube with 2"-24 or 3"-28 SCT threads. Thanks for any advice or experience you could share. 2. The Reduction Factor and the Amount of Reduction are inversely related. I think that the FRs made in Japan in the day may have been better. During a twenty-year scientific career, he developed laser systems to detect molecules found in interstellar space and planetary atmospheres, and leveraged his expertise to create laser technology for optical communications networks. Increase that distance, and greater reduction results and visa versa. There is a way to make subjective data more useful and that way is proper blind, or better still. 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. The female end attaches to the rear cell of the telescope. A few people have reported issues with the male SCT thread diameter on this item being a bit larger than necessary. As one increases, the other decreases. Fortunately, my neighbors are not out in their backyards at 11 pm, or they may have thought I was torturing a small mammal. Once focused it's pretty good. None of this was offensive, nor did it interfere with views in any significant way. Using these numbers in equation 4 in the Appendix, below, we can easily calculate that the focal length of this unit is approximately103mm (it will be 103mm plus the small amount by which the rear lens surface of the reducer is recessed beneath the reducer housing). This also resulted in the clear aperture of the Antares being about 39-39.5mm, versus the Celestrons 41mm. Brian Ventrudo is a writer, scientist, and astronomy educator. 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. Therefore, a 55mm back focus with a filter that is 3mm thick added to the imaging train would become 56mm. Request stock alerts and we'll let you know when the item is back in stock. 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. Focal reducers are essential optical accessories for astrophotography, electronically-assisted astronomy (EAA), and in some cases, for visual observation with long focal ratio telescopes. By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use. That's partly because focal reducers correct for field curvature, which itself depends on the focal ratio and other optical design factors of the telescope. They are also less expensive than many external focusers of similar build quality. 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. The EdgeHD .7x Focal Reducer Lens makes your EdgeHD 1100 one full F-Stop faster than f/10, reducing your exposure time by half to capture the same brightness of object . Michael 1 ronin Members I've heard and read all kinds of things about the Antares being only a reducer and not a corrector, etc. The Celestron f/6.3 is ~150 compared to the Antares at ~70. (Note: Using the simple equations above, the focal length of this reducer can be estimated to be about 350mm). Please Log in to save it permanently. Focal reducers (and focal reducer/field flatteners combos) are usually used with two types of telescopes, refractors and compound telescopes such as Schmidt-Cassegrain or Ritchey-Chretien. Sky recognition technology that has revolutionized the manual telescope by eliminating the confusion common among beginners and enhancing the user experience for even seasoned telescope users. The same illumination you have at the edge of a 27mm field, the C8 has at the edge of a 38mm field. I have a Raspberry HQ camera, a Sony TV Zoom 12.5-75mm f1.8 and a Astromania 1,25" 0.5x focal reducer. Theres a long-running debate in these forums and even statements from some reputable dealers that the Antares is just a reducer (even though it is labeled Reducer/Corrector), whereas the Celestron is a true R/C, which flattens the SCTs naturally curved field and provides some edge correction. Description. Orders placed after 12:00 PM Pacific Time will be shipped the next business day. If it's positioned further from the eyepiece or camera and closer to the telescope objective, the reduction factor increases. Celestron Solar Safe filter technology is GUARANTEED SAFE for direct solar observation and has been independently tested by SAI Global Assurance Services. Once installed, you can add additional accessories like T-Adapters, 1.25 Visual Back, Star Diagonal, or Off-Axis Guider. Our proprietary StarBright XLT optical coatings dramatically increase transmission, up to 97.4% on our Schmidt corrector lenses. Steve There is one difference though the Antares came with only one lens cap whereas the Celestron had a cap for both ends. Download the Celestron PWI Telescope Control Software. The price for an item/offer must be listed and valid at the time of match. I have this one Opticstar F6.3 Focal Reducer / Corrector. Many focal reducers are meant to be used within a few millimeters of the specified working distance to achieve the best possible image results. Well done. No retailers currently carry this product. An eyepiece with a 27mm field stop yields a true field of 1.03 in the C6 at f/10. 800-483-6287 Will not focus with the stuff I have. As per the OP I still can't see any reason to buy the Celestron for significantly more $$$. Go behind the scenes with Celestrons product development team and learn more about our award-winning and patented innovations. It's usually specified in millimeters. As mentioned in Section 2 of this guide, the reduction factor of a focal reducer depends on its position in the optical path relative to the eyepiece or camera. The working distance or required back focus, explained above, is usually specified and is far more important in practice. While most Barlow lenses and focal extenders work with most kinds of telescopes available to amateur astronomers, focal reducers are designed to work in a narrow range of focal ratios of a telescope objective. Thanks for pointing this out. I only have the Celestron f/6.3. We tested GSO's 1.25" 0.5x focal reducer at a variety of operating distances and calculated the field of view through a telescope to derive the actual reduction factor that is plotted below. The easiest way to use a focal reducer is to make sure you place it at the specified working distance in front of your camera or eyepiece. For both imaging and visual observing, these reducers also improve image sharpness at the edge of the field by correcting for coma and field curvature. USD $80.00. But the diameter of the image circle decreases by a factor of 0.63 to about 24mm. We have tested our current batch and it works with Meade, Celestron, and Baader SCT accessories. They both are great and I doubt my eyes could detect a difference in any one of them including the Japan version. It's easy! The Antares is supposed to be pretty comparable. Reducer - Corrector Learn More. Since the Celestron and Antares are supposed to have different focal lengths and spacing specs, I expected different results. As a Barlow's magnification increases with increasing distance from the Barlow, a focal reducer's reduction increases with increasing distance from the reducer. Explicitly designed for Celestron Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes, this unique lens reduces your telescopes focal length and f/ ratio by 37%, turning your long focal length telescope into a fast, short focal length instrument. Now It only focuses near things, like some kind of macro zoom. For example, a 0.8x reducer placed at the working distance provides a reduction of (1 0.8) x 100 = 20%. WiFi technology encircles the globe in a web of connectivity, knowledge, and information. High power views will provide flatter fields all the way to the edge, both visually and photographically. A couple of tiny dust particles between lens elements, uneven lens edge blackening, very minor coating blemishes, or even a very small fine lens scratch or two are very common in this Antares product and must be accepted as normal for this item. The reducer fits all Meade and Celestron . They provide 0.75x focal reducers for these telescopes that takes an f/8 instrument down to f/6. The Antares FR2-0.7X is the same 4-element f/6.3 lens system used for f/10 Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes but in a 2" barrel threaded for standard filters. 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. 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. Copyright 2003-2022 Agena AstroProducts. No results, please adjust your filters. These RC reducers cannot be used with other types of telescopes. But I am rusty, can you condense a bit for me please? Most different was that the sky background was a little darker and more uniform, providing a tiny contrast boost for fainter objects. Fastar Technology allows imagers the option of drastically increasing the speed and sensitivity of their Celestron optical tube, allowing bright, detailed images with short exposures. We will match any online price that we confirm as valid. A former wireless communications consulting engineer and management consultant to various Fortune 500 companies, Manish started Agena AstroProducts in 2003. In this case, an additional T-adapter (with an optical length of 50mm) is needed to get the spacing correct for a DSLR or other camera with a 55mm back focus. But nearly every observer who installs one of these devices is pleased with their performance. This article explains the basics of how focal reducers work with an astronomy telescope. In this configuration, the 29.5mm camera nosepiece and a 6mm extension ring positions the reducer at a working distance of 53.5mm from the camera sensor, which is located 12.5mm inside the front edge of the camera. No difference. Please re-enable javascript to access full functionality. Overall, this reducer does a phenomenal job at preventing gradients due to internal reflections from the camera sensor back to the glass in the reducer, as I suffered with the Antares reducer. Dedicated focal reducers for refractors are intended primarily for imaging, not visual observation. 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. It might work but it does not tell us anything about how well or to what extent the product works to correct the field of an SCT. Meade once made an f/3.3 focal reducer for SCT scopes. Again, swapping back and forth for a couple of hours on M44, M35, and several brighter stars, I examined the shape of specific stars near the edge of the field with both correctors. The Buyer's Guide To Eyepieces at the top of the Eyepieces forum has a column for this spec. The equations and argument in the Appendix of this article shows the relationship between the working distance and the reduction factor. 2023 OPT Telescopes. Celestron makes a series of focal reducers for the Edge HD line that are matched to the 8", 9.25", 11", and 14" apertures of these scopes. Bear in mind you can't squeeze blood out of a turnip, i.e. However, with appropriate spacers and a camera with a known back-focus, it is easy to determine the exact amount of focal reduction for a given setup (some imaging software packages will also let you derive this from images). GSO, for example, has a 0.75x reducer for RC scopes with a back focus of 80mm, which is usually enough room for a wide range of astronomy cameras and accessories and spacers as needed. JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. This award-winning optical system reduces visual defects like field curvature and coma, creating an ultra-flat field for pinpoint stars all the way to the edge of todays largest imaging sensors. 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. My Celestron was made in China and the Antares in Canada. That was fun. CPWI has an extensive object database, employs PointXP mount modeling, and more. With the Celestron Reducer/Corrector Lens, thats precisely what you get. I'd favor the Japanese Celestron version over the others that are commercially available. For imaging, a T-adapter is threaded to the camera side of the focal reducer, which in turns connects to the camera with the appropriate hardware. Try & buy if you like - usual mates rates. You may need spacers or a T-adapter to ensure the correcting working distance. This is very impressive performance given how hard this problem is to mitigate in general. We reserve the right to verify a competitor's advertised price and the availability of the item. They usually have a 2" barrel that slides into the telescope focuser. What an enjoyable read and detailed comparison. ED glass is specially formulated and contains rare-earth compounds that greatly reduce a visual defect called chromatic aberration. Get ready for a night of astroimaging with your mount faster than previously thought possible with All-Star Polar Alignment. If you want to save a few buck watch the classifieds on CN. For example, the focal reducer for an 8-inch Celestron EdgeHD telescope has a design reduction factor of 0.7x and a specified working distance (or back focus) of 105mm. Things change but when I rebought I got an Antares and it seems about the same to me. If the focal reducer is to be used for visual observation, the visual back is threaded onto the eyepiece side of the reducer, and then a star diagonal and eyepiece are installed as usual. Housings, threads, reduction, correction, blah, blah, blah. Your price: $579.00. External Focusers for Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescopes 3.1 The Basics of SCT Threads It's an either/or proposition: reducer and 1.25", or 2", but not 2" and reducer. control and Sky Viewer display makes selecting your target easy. Images in the Celestron tended to appear ever-so-slightly dimmer (maybe? All Rights Reserved. One of the most important factors in a telescope is its transmissionthe percentage of light that reaches the focal plane. These 0.63x focal reducers were originally designed to optimize for an image circle to match 36mm x 24mm film or its digital equivalent for astrophotography. Equation (4) shows the relationship between the distance d2 and the reduction factor MR. The focal length of a focal reducer is usually measured from the rear lens surface of the reducer (and not the reducer's housing). This Antares 1.25" 0.5x focal reducer lens (tele-compressor) is used under the Orion brand name to thread into the nosepiece of Orion StarShoot Solar System cameras and StarShoot Deep Space Color Imaging Camera. I was referring to the C6 to answer you specifically. In your opinion, is the Celestron is worth the added cost ($150 vs. $90)? CPWI has an extensive object database, employs PointXP mount modeling, and more. JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. Product Details 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. Thanks Peter! An image of about 24mm across, approximately, allows an observer to use a 1.25" eyepiece with a maximal field stop. Our patented SkyAlign alignment technology makes setting up a computerized telescope simple, fast, and accurate. Explore Scientific - Keys to the Universe Sale. Each focal reducer has a fixed specification called the working distance or required back focus. With the barrel 1.25 reducer won't focus, all I get is fuzzy snowballs. Who cares? These reducers can also be used for visual observing with SCT scopes with eyepieces with a field stop as large as 24-27mm. Newtonian reflectors will seldom be able to accommodate the in-focus travel demanded by focal reducers. Celestron or Antares? This may be a problem if the focuser tube or the diagonal (for visual observing) is too narrow to accept light at this larger angle. Learn more about extra solar planets imagery, 3D Star rendering, observation planning, telescope control, multiple-panel printing, and much more. It was also a little brighter in the center of the field with subtle darkening in the outer 20% or so. Place the plastic covers on the lens when not in use to reduce the dust collection. A little longer light path with a 2 Baader click-lock, low profile 1.25 adapter, and the 1.25 diagonal; Using an eyepiece with a 27mm field stop with the reducer will illuminate the edge the same as using an eyepieces with a 42.9mm field stop without it. Most manufacturers provide this specification. For both imaging and visual observing, these reducers also improve image sharpness at the edge of the field by correcting for coma and field curvature. This is a. Hmmm . 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. I would not use the reducer with a 2" diagonal or eyepiece in the C6. The visual back must be removed first. Oceanside Photo & Telescope wants our customers to shop with confidence knowing that you will always get the best deal available. Scope size might influence choice as well, as a C6 might benefit from the Antares' transparency, while larger scopes might benefit from the Celestron's higher contrast.

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