Enhancing Your Astrophotography with Focuser Improvements
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- Опубліковано 15 чер 2024
- Next up in my journey to improve my Skywatcher Quattro 150P is to upgrade my focuser. There are few focusers out there that one can use to upgrade the one that comes with the 150P. But this focuser from CYCK, I figure, would be a step up from what comes stock with the telescope. Knowing all the issues with the 150P, I changed the focuser to improve the telescope as I continue to prepare it for first light!
My Astrophotography Gear
Mount: Skywatcher EQ6-R Pro and Celestron branded LosmandyG-11 (being rebuilt)
Pier: Homemade pier, yeah!
Telescope (wide angle): Apertura 75Q, F/5.4, 405mm FL
Telescope (long): Third Planet Optics (TPO) 10" Newtonian F/4, 1000mm FL
Telescope (A bit longer): Third Planet Optics 6" RC f/9 1370mm FL
Guide Scope: Skywatcher Evoguide 50mm ED, F/4.8, 242mm FL
Guide Camera: Player One Neptune-M (IMX178 sensor, monochrome)
Guide Camera: ZWO ASI 290MM Mini
Astro Camera Monochrome: ZWO ASI 2600MM Pro
Astro Camera Color: OGMA AP26CC
Filter Wheel: ZWO EFW 2" 7 position and ZWO EFW 2" 5 position
Rotator: Pegasus Astro Falcon Rotator
Focuser: ZWO EAF (on each scope)
Power: Pegasus Pocket Powerbox Advance Gen 2 and Pegasus Pocket Powerbox Micro
Flat Panels: Deep Sky Dad Motorized Flat Panel, Wanderer 190mm motorized Flat Panel, Pegasus Astro Flatmaster 150, and a homemade one for my 10" Newtonian
Software Control PC: Mele Quieter 3 and Mele 3 Overclock C
My Astrophotography Software
Mount control software: Green Swamp Server (controls EQ6r Pro mount)
Mount control software: Gemini 2 (controls G-11 mount)
Pegasus Astro device management software: Pegasus Astro Utility Platform (controls all of my Pegasus Astro devices)
ASCOM 6.6 Platform
Acquisition software: NINA (lastest version)
Guiding software: Phd2 (latest version)
Planetarium software: Stellarium (latest version)
Plate solving software: ASTAP
Plate solving software: Plate Solve 2 and Plate Solve 3 from Planewave - Навчання та стиль
Looks a very worthwhile upgrade and well made piece of kit.
I've been eyeing that focuser on eBay for my Skywatcher 12" dob. Thanks for posting this.
Thanks Dave.
Great video :)
I would love to see a follow up where you adjust the tilt!
Yup, it is in the works. I am planning on first light in July (weather permitting), so that is on my to-do list, and I will do a video of the process.
@@DavidCotePhotographylooking forward to it :)
Nice video. I noticed that one of the small washers (grommet ring) went out of place when you were showing it to us at 11:50. In the video, you subsequently installed the metal ring on top without realigning the grommet ring. Just thought you should know, in case it’s not been corrected later. Cheers.
Yup, I saw that when I was reviewing the video and went back and corrected it. Thanks for the catch!
I've gotta say Skywatcher Crayfords are poor at best & I upgraded mine although at the time I couldn't find any rack & pinion focusers in my budget so went with another generic crayford which is miles better & holds my camera just fine. Interestingly enough I bought the same kit for my other halfs 150 PDS but i found the mirror mask to be to big as it doesn't hide the clips so I never fitted it in the end unless I'm missing something of course.
Clear skies
First.. Great video on that Focuser... I would agree it 100% better than the stock unit. But this has always been a concern with anything made in China? Don't think you said the total cost $200 ish and worth it. Now how will it perform with the EAF and NINA? How will it work a year or 2 later, these are unknown. But I do like the lower costing focusers for A.P imaging but the quality is a concern... Please do a longer video, no quickly on the adjustments, please...As always thank you!!
Yes, I was wondering about the quality as well. It is not a Feathertouch, but the build quality appears to be sufficient. I will not really know until I have tried it out after a season or two. I could do a teardown of the focuser and see how it is constructed, and I might still do that if I find the time this summer. It is really hard to find a focuser for this size telescope. I wanted to put on an Esatto 2" focuser, but they only have adapters for the Quattro 200P and the 250P. So, this was one of my only options. I still might pick up an Esatto for my 10" Newt, but that would be a later addition if I decide I need it. CS!
Thanks for this video Dave. I have the 8in Quattro and have had the same slipping at times. It is able to tighten up o.k. for my image train. I really like the
f4 speed of the optics. Cs
Ray
I did this mod last summer. EAF focusing is 100x better than with the stock focuser especially with heavier loads. Have you found a solution for replacing the clamping ring at the top though? It’s kind of janky and can be difficult to tighten/loosen in the cold.
I got a compression ring from First Light Optics in the UK, and I plan on using it. I don't feel comfortable with the blue ring that comes with the focuser; it looks too sketchy to me, LOL!
@@DavidCotePhotography could you share a link to that?
@@mattysastropics www.firstlightoptics.com/adapters/astro-essentials-2-inch-compression-ring-adapter-for-sky-watcher-newtonians-and-72ed-refractor-m54.html
The clamping ring is perfect as long as you keep the hex nut glued in place and the washers. Buying a 50$ compression ring from F L O is a complete waste of money in this case.
I've noticed that people upgrade the spider vanes on the secondary and add a mirror clip mask on the Quattro 150P, do these upgrades need ( or should?) be done on the other Quattro models ?
Great question. I don't have any experience with the Quattro 8 or 10 inch Newts, so I can't say. I do know that a mirror mask is always a good idea, but as for the spiders, I think it depends on whether the mask is sufficient to hold the secondary mirror without any flexure. The 6" Quattro's are known for their flimsy spiders, so I replaced mine to avoid having to do that later. CS!
Im a newbie and have experienced one focuser. How would i know if its not very good or not? It seems ok....
It depends on your use case. If you are doing visual, then it is sufficent. If you are just putting on a small camera like the 294 or 183, it is most likely sufficent. But if you have a large camera like the 2600 series from ZWO and a filter wheel and a rotator, then it gets pretty heavy and the focuser just isn't up to the job. Again, it depends on what you put on it.
@@DaveUrbanAstro ty for the answer. Dont have or plan to have more than a imx533 cooled camera and filter drawer so i should be ok