Celestron Motorized Focuser: Easier SCT Focusing on Shaky Mounts
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 30 ก.ย. 2024
- A look at the Celestron motorized SCT focuser
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Its cool you can make a table like you we're discussing towards the end of the video, and the hand controller actually tells you that number.
Not having that kind of information and just having to guess where the focuser is at is rather annoying when you are doing everything by hand. If I do end up getting one of the evolution series, getting the auto focuser is definitely going to have to be a must buy with it.
I still have a 1980s-era C8 that Roger Tuthill "improved" in various ways including a VERY shaky tripod mount, so anything that would help get a crisp focus would be helpful. As it is, there's so much vibration that the object can drift entirely out of the field of view before settling down enough to tell whether a focusing tweak has helped or not. I really need a better mount but the budget just isn't there right now.
Yeah, a better mount is always a good option but then it almost always means a heavier mount as well. I would like something more stable than the evolution mount but I like being able to carry the mount and scope around in one piece and that would be hard to do with a heavier and more stable mount.
Noice video. Thank you the information on using this also for visual users. You mentioned that you use the ASI software to capture. I presume that you have to run the celestron software in the background to focus right?
I’m actually just manually focusing using the hand controller usually since that is easier than dealing with two apps at the same time.
It's a shame Celestron can't design an adapter set that would allow use of this autofocuser on different types of focusing systems like Crayfords and the Feathertouch. I have the Feathertouch you show mounted on my Edge 8 and it is marvelous for visual use, and no way do I want to remove it to put an autofocusing system on my scope for astrophotography. It seems that an adapter similar to what you have to use for the factory focusing knob could make using this autofocuser work with the Feathertouch; it would be win-win all the way. I generally focus with a Bahtinov mask and then lock the mirror both for visual and DSLR photography, but it can be a bit time consuming. I don't have the vibration issue when focusing, I'm using a GEM with my SCT, either an AVX or an EQ6R Pro.
Yeah, there are a lot of different auto focusers on the market but a lot of them require taking some part of the knob off and what not. I love and hate the Celestron one. It is great for focusing without causing and scope vibration but at the same time it is slower and a lot of times I just want to reach out and do it manually. But swapping it out is a lot of work.
How do motor knows when to stop when focus knob is fully turned or maxed out and not force break the knob?
It runs the full length of focus travel back and forth during setup to find those points. Since it is made by Celestron for Celestron telescopes, I’m assuming they have it set to know that when the motor strain reaches a certain level it has reached end of travel.
Autofocus? 😮
Only if you hook it up to a computer with the camera and run software that will adjust the focuser based on the camera image.
I just installed my focuser onto my SE 8 last night and after several attempts and adjustments, I still cannot get it to calibrate past 33%.
I've updated everything to the latest firmware.
I know the mount needs upgraded to something beefier eventually but for now it will do.
Ok strange. I would reach out to Celestron support if you still have trouble.
What Celestron app do you use for the Focusing Motor? I can't find anything that looks to be dedicated or mentions that contriol.
You can use the hand controller or the sky portal app. You do have to have the latest firmware installed like I had to do and the latest version of the app for that to work.
@@EarthtoSpaceScience Hi Steve and thanks for a really informative video. I've just bought the Celestron MF and read your comment about firmware. Are you talki g about the firmware for the Motorised Focuser and if so, How would I go about doing that? Many thanks
@@denissweeney497 no, the firmware for the hand controller needed to be updated. You just download the installer from the Celestron site and connect the hand controller to your usb port on your computer to update it.
Hey Steve, I initially bought a Nexstar 8SE with the single arm mount. With my first and last time out with that scope, I had a hell of a time trying to focus on Saturn and Jupiter with first, my 25mm eyepiece, and then switching to my ASI224 MC camera for some videos to process. Trying to re-center the view was also a PITA and although I got some fairly good videos, I knew that that scope would be returned. Along with the "UN-sturdyness" of that mount, I was not thrilled of the use of ALUMINUM ring gears in the drive train. I finally bought the CPC 800 HD scope and with the massive dual arm mount that uses REAL BRASS gears, I know that after the first real cold front passes through Florida, I feel assured that this scope will be stable enough for me to use the manual focus well. But, just in case, I DO have the Celestron Focus Motor at the ready. When I was sighting in the finder scope on a distant light pole, I noticed that the image was barely moving at all when focusing. At a higher magnification on a planet I knowingly will have a bit more image movement when focusing, but, I will still like the "manual feel" of finger focusing best. I also bought a flip mirror that proved to have great co-alignment with the eyepiece and camera views being spot on. Again, I am still waiting to get this scope out for the first time and I know I will benefit greatly with a sturdy, dual arm mount.... Thank you for all your good stuff....
Yeah, those CPC scopes are rock solid. I would definitely get one if I didn’t have so many trees (I have to move the scope around a lot for different views). Might just get one and put it on a set of wheels so I can wheel it around as needed.
Hi Steve, thanks for the video, very useful. Which image capturing software are you using when you image Jupiter in the video?
I just use the ASI capture software.
Thanks for the reply, Steve. I also found your video about your workflow for planetary imaging... excellent. I do planetary imaging only so far, and this was very helpful. I'm now waiting for May/June for some more good views.
ᑭᖇOᗰOᔕᗰ 😁
I would hate to have you work on anything of mine.