Jupiter with VX Mount (Page 2): Very clear. This makes perfect sense. Thanks...

JimH123 Loc: Morgan Hill, CA

Albuqshutterbug wrote:

Wow, where to start.
I was shooting with a Canon 7D with a 2 inch adapter to scope. This shot I had added a 2" 2X barlow to the mix.
It was about a 40% crop. I am attaching the uncropped version.
I use the full frame 5D Mark II from time to time but not for Jupiter. Vignetting may be occurring but it is not noticeable in a black night sky.
Thank you for the compliment and I hope this unmuddies the water.

Very clear. This makes perfect sense.

Thanks

nikonshooter Loc: Spartanburg, South Carolina

Albuqshutterbug wrote:

No I do not have a Bahtinov mask.
I am planning on getting a Crayford dual speed focuser for the SCT. You use the standard focus knob for course focusing and then the Crayford for fine focus. It eliminates mirror shift and allows for a much finer focus.
I currently use my live view screen at 10x to get it as close as I can.

I have the Crayford on my Vixen but use the mask religiously in conjunction with the fine focusing. I cannot trust my eyes to focus...unless you are shooting the moon, saturn, jupiter.....but with mars and all DSO, I need help.

northcoast42 Loc: Puget Sound, Washington

Albuqshutterbug wrote:

8"SCT
f/10
ISO 500
1/6 second exposure
Cropped and adjusted in Lightroom 5
I went back and played with some of the shots I took last night and liked this one in particular.
This is a single shot not stacked.

Really nice for a single shot Albugshutterbug.

Albuqshutterbug Loc: Albuquerque NM

northcoast42 wrote:

Really nice for a single shot Albugshutterbug.

Thank you Northcoast.

northcoast42 Loc: Puget Sound, Washington

nikonshooter wrote:

I have the Crayford on my Vixen but use the mask religiously in conjunction with the fine focusing. I cannot trust my eyes to focus...unless you are shooting the moon, saturn, jupiter.....but with mars and all DSO, I need help.

I also have a Crayford but I've found that manually focusing is a problem no matter how fine the focus adjustment. I do a lot of webcam planetary photography. I see a much larger, more detailed image on my computer screen than I see through the viewfinder or through the lcd screen on a DSLR, even at 10x. Makes focusing less hit and miss but manually focusing is still difficult at these magnifications. The slightest touch requires a couple of seconds to settle down in order to see the result. I'm planning to get an electronic focuser as some point. I think that will solve the issue.

Albuqshutterbug Loc: Albuquerque NM

northcoast42 wrote:

I also have a Crayford but I've found that manuall... (show quote)

Did you get the Crayford that replaces the normal focus knob or the one that replaces the lens mount? I like the idea of course focus with the original and fine focus with the Crayford in the lens slot. I would think it would really let you zone in on the shot.

northcoast42 Loc: Puget Sound, Washington

Albuqshutterbug wrote:

Did you get the Crayford that replaces the normal focus knob or the one that replaces the lens mount? I like the idea of course focus with the original and fine focus with the Crayford in the lens slot. I would think it would really let you zone in on the shot.

I was fortunate in that my telescope came with a 10:1 Crayford already installed as the normal focus knob. You are correct about the focusing. The 10 to 1 ratio allows for a high degree of precision that is simply unobtainable with a conventional single knob focuser.

Albuqshutterbug Loc: Albuquerque NM

northcoast42 wrote:

I was fortunate in that my telescope came with a 10:1 Crayford already installed as the normal focus knob. You are correct about the focusing. The 10 to 1 ratio allows for a high degree of precision that is simply unobtainable with a conventional single knob focuser.

I would want the focuser that replaces the lens mount so that mirror shift would not be a factor. I know my mirror moves about when I use the stock focus knob and I would suspect that even with a Crayford in its place the shift would still be an issue.