antares vs celestron focal reducer antares vs celestron focal reducer

You may need spacers or a T-adapter to ensure the correcting working distance. 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 . Now It only focuses near things, like some kind of macro zoom. The Antares f6.3 focal reducer screws directly to the visual-back thread of all popular SCTs and converts f10 instruments to f6.3. Because I have not heard any complaints about the made in China R/C. At least these two units I tested make the answer - whatever. Obviously bright objects like Jupiter or The Moon show the reflections. 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. Just point the telescope at any three bright objectsstars, bright planets, or even the Moonand your telescope can orient itself with the night sky. The Celestron is both a corrector and focal reducer and the Antares is just a focal reducer. 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. I found both to be very good. A focal reducer does just the opposite of a Barlow lens or focal extender. Upon close inspection, it was clear that the housing of Antares assembled in Canada version was a little more substantial than the Celestron. . We only send interesting emails and will never sell your data. Hi - most interesting - may I ask .. the brighter guys - "if a camera sensor is too small for a n adaper, will a focal reduer allow me to get greater use from the camera? This standard distance is a consequence of the design of DSLR cameras for which the distance of the sensor to the outer edge of the flanges is about 45 mm, while the T-ring that attaches to the flange for astrophotography is about 10mm thick. If I had to chose one, I would base my decision on your level of light pollution perhaps the Antares for its slightly higher transmission if you live under less light polluted skies, but the Celestron for its greater contrast if you are dealing with a suburban or urban light dome. No small animals were harmed in making these observations. Housings, threads, reduction, correction, blah, blah, blah. 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) Share Customers Also Purchased Description I was going to measure the difference in grams, but my lovely wife caught me trying to use her precious, high-tech kitchen scale for the cause, and put the kibosh on it. This factor is designated by a power that is less than 1, and it usually lies between 0.5x or 0.8x. This is one of our best-selling items, and customers have reported that this product is at least as good as, and probably better than, other leading f/6.3 focal reducers sold on the market for a lot more. Photographically you also get a wider field and much shorter exposures. In terms of reduction and correction - which are what reducer/correctors are supposed to do - both are superb. 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. Explore Scientific - Keys to the Universe Sale. The design reduction factor of a focal reducer is the relative amount by which the effective focal length of the telescope is reduced when the focal reducer is used at its specified working distance or back focus. * Not a Retail Store * 16313 Arthur StreetCerritos, CA 90703, USA, Availability: Item has been discontinued by Agena and we no longer carry this item. Your price: $579.00. For me, I was looking for, and planning to keep, the one that yielded the greatest reduction. The female end attaches to the rear cell of the telescope. With both, using the same diagonal set-up, the exact same stars were visible at the very edge of the FOV. A few large telescopes and mounts are excluded from this free shipping offer. The resultant reduction factor was measured to be 0.46x. Even though the manufacturer did not specify the working distance or focal length of this reducer, it is easy to see from this plot that this item provides its stated reduction of 0.5x when it is placed at a working distance of 51.5mm between the base of the threads on the mount and the focal plane of the eyepiece or camera. Edited by Tony Bonanno, 16 April 2021 - 06:44 PM. The Antares f/6.3 Focal Reducer for Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescopes is a low-price option for reducing the focal length of your Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope from f/10 to f/6.3. Not noticed any optical problems. They are designed (assuming you are referring to the f/6.3 version) for the f/10 light cone. 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. Performance wise what differences might there be using the reducer on a smaller scope. Unleash the full pointing accuracy of your Celestron computerized telescope with a specialized telescope control software suite. Focal reducers for refractors with focal ratio of f/7 to f/9, roughly, have a design reduction factor of about 0.75x to 0.8x and produce a flat field by correcting for the curvature of the objective lens. I don't know. This is a. I have the Japanese version and although I haven't used it in quite awhile, the views through it were superb with no internal reflections at all. Have a promo code? A former wireless communications consulting engineer and management consultant to various Fortune 500 companies, Manish started Agena AstroProducts in 2003. 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. Things change but when I rebought I got an Antares and it seems about the same to me. Does anyone know if the Antares 4000 focal reducer is as good as the Celestron focal reducer. You can probably eke out 1.2 without noticing serious vignetting, which is a field stop of 31.5mm. Specially-designed focal reducers are available for use with these telescopes. The Reduction Factor and the Amount of Reduction are inversely related. Thanks guys, appreciate the feedback. First, I wanted to compare the actual reduction provided by these competitors, as many threads here cite different ideal spacing from the reducer to eyepiece focal plane to achieve the correct f/6.3 result. This would tell us exactly how well aberrations are corrected. Hi. All Rights Reserved. For Ritchey-Chretien telescopes such as those manufactured by GSO, there are also dedicated focal reducers with a reduction factor of 0.7x to 0.8x. Based on Test 1 and Test 2, I think there is perhaps more validity to opposing statements here in these forums that the Antares and current China-made Celestron do, indeed, have exactly the same optics just with different housings and branding. Orders placed after 12:00 PM Pacific Time will be shipped the next business day. Thank you so much for the informative article, I now understand better how to integrate my reducer into my system to get better performance. Easy solution found a very tiny dab of super lube on the threads and all was well and quiet.. Who cares? Details: The item must be the identical item, brand name, size, weight, color, quantity and model number. 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. Add a 0.63x reducer, and the brightness of extended objects increases by (1/0.63)2 = 2.5. The lens that the ZWO comes with give a perfect wide angle image of what is in front of it. The brightness, shape, and distortion of specific stars in the exact same position at the edge of the field was precisely identical in both reducers. If used with other f/ratios, the field flattening characteristic may be unpredictable. Right off the bat, I was struck by how similar the two R/Cs were. Since the focal length of the reducer, FR, is fixed, as d2 increases then MR decreases. Many focal reducers are meant to be used within a few millimeters of the specified working distance to achieve the best possible image results. 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. You don't need to follow these equations to use a focal reducer, but they do show how the reduction factor changes with the placement of the reducer. Also, the focusers of most Newtonians do not have enough in-travel to accommodate a focal reducer. It must be in stock at the time of Price Match for us to make a guarantee. Maybe I got a lemon. No idea what the issue is. 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. InternetSales@optcorp.com, 800-483-6287 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. The camera side of the focal reducer is threaded for a T-adapter with wide M48 threads, or in some cases, with smaller M42 threads. 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. Reducer Lens .7x - EdgeHD 1400 Learn More. Reducer Lens .7x - EdgeHD 800 Brightness, color, and contrast were subtly different, but could be as much the day they were coated as any real difference in the two brands. The reducer features fully coated optics in an anodized aluminum filter ring with an ergonomic rubber grip. Using one on such a scope would make demands on the eyepiece design and increase the exit pupil to an extent that focal reduction on fast Newts is not practical. ED stands for "extra-low dispersion," which refers to the composition and optical properties of the glass used for the lenses. The internal surfaces are blackened and glare-threaded to provide the highest contrast. If used before or beyond the working distance, unwanted image distortion may result, especially when using cameras with larger sensors. Sign up to receive sale alerts, news about upcoming celestial events, and telescope tips from our experts! SKU: CEL-94245. We will be glad to help. 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. Reducer - Corrector It's highly unlikely that they could be so precisely identical unless they were. Read our 101 article or get in touch. Celestrons FREE planetarium app is an astronomy suite that redefines how you experience the night sky. Orders placed over the weekend will be shipped on the following Monday. Such an image circle is still large enough to encompass the relatively large sensor of many deep-sky astronomy cameras. I have had the Japan unit on the back of my C5 since 1994 or thereabouts. 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. Thanks guys, I'm trying to get my ZWO ASI120MC-S to work with my 90mm Meade. Please let us know what topics you are interested in. Is there likely to be any differences in performance between using these on an 8 or something smaller like my 6SE? 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. The reducer is we might presume designed to correct to some as yet un-measured extent, the image of a standard SCT. No results, please adjust your filters. Place the plastic covers on the lens when not in use to reduce the dust collection. We reserve the right to verify a competitor's advertised price and the availability of the item. Great report and verifies what I had thought all along, Fortunately, my neighbors are not out in their backyards at 11 pm, or they may have thought I was torturing a small mammal. Equation (4) shows the relationship between the distance d2 and the reduction factor MR. For this test, I used a single configuration R/C, Click-lock, and 1.25 diagonal with the adapter. Reducer Lens .7x - EdgeHD 800 Learn More. 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. Hello! I would not use the reducer with a 2" diagonal or eyepiece in the C6. The lens has a knurled surface, providing a tremendous gripping surface for threading/unthreading. But the diameter of the image circle decreases by a factor of 0.63 to about 24mm. Some refractors such the TeleVue Nagler-Petzval (NP), the Takahashi "FSQ", and the William Optics Redcat/WhiteCat 51 have inherently flat fields because of internal optical elements. Reducer Lens .7x - EdgeHD 925 Learn More. Celestron is considered better in terms of QA, less likely to come with free dust, hair or fingerprint. As another example,GSO makes focal reducers for their line of Ritchey-Chretien imaging telescopes. I wont bother with differences in packaging, caps, etc. More details are found in the Appendix of this article. This fully multi-coated lens provides maximum light transmission with near full-field illumination. Your eyepieces are the first accessories you should learn to use with your telescope. Read our guide! Go behind the scenes with Celestrons product development team and learn more about our award-winning and patented innovations. The visual back must be removed first. Sign up for our newsletter to get exclusive deals, observing tips, and new product announcements. If you are using a camera that has a back focus of less than 55mm, additional spacer rings will be required between the reducer and the camera. It was used strictly for imaging, not visual observing. 3. In practice, it's important to remember that you will rarely operate at the exact working distance and at the exact reduction factor that is specified. This part is no longer in production, but it is sometimes available used and may be used with cameras with smaller sensors. Unscrew that wide angle lens and put it away, then attach the ASI120 to the nose-piece that came with the camera and fit that into the eyepiece holder. Equation 6 & 7 item two & three does not make sense, both say increase its reduction (one should say reduce its reduction?). Focus misses by about 1 turnof the focus knob.Here is my solution:Buy a shorter 1.25 visual back for my scope. I only have the Celestron f/6.3. OPT Product Number: AE-SCTFR specifications Warranty 2 Year Warranty Works as advertised! Most focal reducers are designed to operate optimally at the working distance in the optical path to achieve their specified reduction factor, which is usually between 0.5x and 0.8x. The new Lithium Phosphate (LiFePO4) battery chemistry has significant advantages over other battery chemistries, great for for those Astronomers on the go. No negative issues to report. Once focused it's pretty good. Ive owned Celestron, Meade, and Antares models over the years at least a couple of each. Meade once made an f/3.3 focal reducer for SCT scopes. Once installed, you can add additional accessories like T-Adapters, 1.25 Visual Back, Star Diagonal, or Off-Axis Guider. We have corrected # (iii) after equations 6 & 7. 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. Antares or Celestron? Most Feather Touch focusers cost between $300-$350. This focal reducer and field flattener consists of a four-element multicoated 40mm lens in a metal cell. Our patented SkyAlign alignment technology makes setting up a computerized telescope simple, fast, and accurate. One of the most important factors in a telescope is its transmissionthe percentage of light that reaches the focal plane. Fumbling around in the dark, fine threads might be a problem. I happily cycle through LRGB filters to build the image rather than do a whole run of one filter at a time. Planetarium software package which provides easy-to-understand explanations and impressive visuals of all kinds. This should not be the case if they have their purportedly different focal lengths. Can you tell me about the use of reducers in Maksutov-Cassegrain telescopes? There is one difference though the Antares came with only one lens cap whereas the Celestron had a cap for both ends. However, this also came at a cost, as the sky background in the Antares was slightly brighter. Using this same example of an 8" SCT and a 0.63x reducer, a visual observer can also enjoy brighter images and a wider field of view. I would pay slightly more for the Japan produced version, just because Hirsch was not bad either but sold it since I had 2 already. I have the Antares and have no complaints. Some coma is visible in the corners, but the image is quite good for EAA applications. 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. The C8 has no noticeable vignetting with a 32mm Plssl in the f/6.3 reducer. Download the Celestron PWI Telescope Control Software. If yes, what kind of focal reducers can I use? Assuming you use the reducer with the stock 1.25" diagonal, it will operate at f/6.3. Reducer Lens .7x - EdgeHD 925 For example, a 0.8x reducer placed at the working distance provides a reduction of (1 0.8) x 100 = 20%. * Not a Retail Store * 16313 Arthur StreetCerritos, CA 90703, USA. 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. Manish Panjwani has been an active amateur astronomer since before Halley's Comet last flew by our neighborhood. Most manufacturers provide this specification. I had a Celestron, Antares and Hirsch for awhile and compared them over about a year. Advanced designs for Schmidt-Cassegrain scopes such as the Meade ACF or Celestron Edge HD have optical elements in the tube to correct for coma and field flatness. They are also less expensive than many external focusers of similar build quality. I really don't see any difference in the current crop except the "Meade" is usually the cheapest. Some third-party vendors also make reducers for SCT scopes. The equations in the Appendix show how this all works. 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. ), ASI Air Plus - Connected items are 'greyed out', Cost of ordering used equipment U.S. - Can can more than double figure, Tuthill Isostatic Mount and Star Trap Power Module. Given past experience with them, I decided not to include the Meade version in my little experiment, as I have never met one I liked from getting one of the too-short focal length models, to one with some overflow cement in the doublet, to focus difficulties with some eyepieces. 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. ), but stars seemed a bit tighter and their colors were richer and more dramatic. By Stars had a tiny bit more sparkle and pop. You currently have javascript disabled. Designed distancing using the reducer with a 1.25 visual back and 1.25 Televue mirror diagonal; 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. I use the same back spacing for both on a small 6" Celestron SCT. It covers the basic optics and design specifications of a focal reducer, and goes through some practical factors to consider when selecting and using a focal reducer. If the reducer is placed closer to the eyepiece or camera than the distance D, the reduction factor decreases. That is definitely a 2" eyepiece, but it is not a large or long focal length 2" eyepiece. The reducer fits all Meade and Celestron . 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. 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. It's easy! So, if you have a filter that is 3mm thick, you need to add 1mm of spacing to your imaging train to retain the correct back focus. Images in the Celestron tended to appear ever-so-slightly dimmer (maybe? Focal reducers for these relatively fast ED refractors are generally for imaging only, not for visual observation. Better images are also obtained when using these focal reducers at a reduction factor of 0.5x 0.8x, approximately. 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. Does anyone know if the Antares 4000 focal reducer is as good as the Celestron focal reducer. In terms of reduction and correction which are what reducer/correctors are supposed to do both are superb. Celestron Solar Safe filter technology is GUARANTEED SAFE for direct solar observation and has been independently tested by SAI Global Assurance Services. That includes, for example, a 1.25" eyepiece with an apparent field of view of 68 and a focal length of 24mm (eg. 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. 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. Given the results of Test #1, I wanted to see if there was any truth to this assumption. 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. Besides observing from his heavily light polluted backyard in Los Angeles, Manish enjoys conducting astronomy outreach programs in local schools. However, these will not impact optical performance. The Antares is supposed to be pretty comparable. - thanks. 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. I have a Raspberry HQ camera, a Sony TV Zoom 12.5-75mm f1.8 and a Astromania 1,25" 0.5x focal reducer. With spring galaxy season here, I decided to pick up a couple more to compare in a head-to-head shoot out. It's usually specified in millimeters. I am new to these optic topics, and I want to ask you what happens with Masutov like SW or Celestron 4 or 7 inches. 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. Despite never removing it no matter what I was looking at. Since the Celestron and Antares are supposed to have different focal lengths and spacing specs, I expected different results. I think there may be some confusion here, because Antares makes a variety of reducers for eyepieces and scopes in addition to this SCT R/C but this definitely is a reducer/corrector. 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). We process your personal data as stated in our. Focal reducers are essential optical accessories for astrophotography, electronically-assisted astronomy (EAA), and in some cases, for visual observation with long focal ratio telescopes. These reducers can also be used for visual observing with SCT scopes with eyepieces with a field stop as large as 24-27mm. DUE TO EXTREMELY HIGH DEMAND, WE WILL NOT BE TAKING NEW ORDERS UNTIL MONDAY, DECEMBER 14. Depending on the design of the telescope, they may require separate focal reducers if they require focal reducers at all. However, because the field curvatures in refractors and SCTs vary a lot, I would predict unpredictable effects inre: field curvature. Best evidence would by obtained by using a camera and evaluating the image both by eye and with a computer analysis. My Celestron was made in China and the Antares in Canada. 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. However, some focal reducers can be used on other models of telescopes, but this is not always possible. Powered by Invision Community. The most popular accessories for your new telescope! (Note: Using the simple equations above, the focal length of this reducer can be estimated to be about 350mm).