UPDATE: my imaging scope arrived today and it appears to be AWESOME. Naturally it is totally cloudy tonight, so I can't star test it. I am interested in trying to use this as a birding scope also.
This is a TRUE APO and I'm also curious to compare it to the Bigma for both terrestial and astro use. The scope is a 480mm f6 and the Bigma (advertised as an "APO") will do that at about f6.3 so it should be a "fair fight". It came with a field flattener that doesn't affect the focal length. A lot of scopes come with good optics at good prices, but then to do Real Work with them you need to upgrade the focuser ($300+) or something. This one (The Orion ED80T CF) has a really good focuser already on it. The focuser on the telescope is super smooth and has two knobs, one for "rough focusing" and a smaller knob that has a 10:1 gear reduction for "fine focusing". I'm also curious to see how close I can get it to focus (and with what light loss) using extension tubes. SO many things to work out here in the next few weeks & months. I realized that I don't have a "prime focus" adapter for either of my Pentax cameras, so I ordered one. Hopefully it will be here by Saturday so I can get SOMETHING done with it over the weekend (weather permitting). I also decided to splurge and get a Rigel QuikFinder for it: http://www.amazon.com/Rigel-Systems-QuikFinder-Compact-Battery/dp/B006IJECSI Pics to come. On Fri, Mar 21, 2014 at 7:57 AM, Darren Addy <[email protected]> wrote: > First the enablement part... Found a good deal on what will be my > first real astrophotography imaging (and visual) scope: An Orion ED80T > CF (Carbon Fiber tube). It is a highly regarded scope for the money > and the used one I found comes with the matching field flattener which > helps out the performance in the corners. It is a 480mm focal length > f/6 design and highly color-corrected. It could be used terrestially > also, I think. The optical tube only weighs 5.5 lbs, which is great > since my equatorial mount is only rated for 20 lbs and I will probably > have a home made guidescope to mount along with the DSLR (or K-01). > > So, since I put this on a credit card, I now need to get it paid for. > ;) > > FS List (WORLDWIDE): > Will calculate and charge actual shipping to your address. Email me > for a quote. Happy to ship worldwide to PDML-ers. > > Pentax-A 135mm f2.8 A highly regarded prime, with good reason. Built > in hood and easy "A" usage on Pentax DSLRs. This one is cosmetically > in the best condition of any I have seen. I'd grade it as > (conservatively) EXC. Includes both caps... $229 > > Scarce: Macro-Takumar Preset 50mm f4 (1:1) When you are lucky enough > to find one of these they can be pretty beat up cosmetically. This one > is beautiful. It comes with original caps and the green velvet lined > original Asahi case, which I don't think it has been out of a whole > lot in its life. Condition trumps rarity, but this one has BOTH going > for it. A highly regarded lens you'll be proud to have in your stable, > for a relative pittance.... $199 > > Minolta Maxxum 24mm f2.8 AF lens with caps and case. Works (as you > know) natively on Sony Alpha mount.....$219 > > Very clean Minolta SRT101 with the MC Rokkor 58mm f1.4. Includes > original front metal cap and case which is in very decent shape (and > probably why the camera is so clean).... $95 > > Beautiful working LUNA PRO F meter in case with strap. This is a > highly sensitive meter and accepts specialized attachments, including > one for spot usage (not included, but available on the used market). > I'll probably kick myself for letting this go.... $75 > > Darren Addy > Kearney, Nebraska > > > > -- > Photographers must learn not to be ashamed to have their photographs > look like photographs. > ~ Alfred Stieglitz -- Photographers must learn not to be ashamed to have their photographs look like photographs. ~ Alfred Stieglitz -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List [email protected] http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
