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This is a more practical question. After attaching Baader FCCT to QHY camera and attaching to 8" RASA, can the camera be quickly removed for transport and field-attached with the required precission? And how to do it - by using the Celestron retaining ring? Otherwise - is there any recommended way to transport telescope with camera attached? Also another question - can the combination be used w/o any filter? Or is use of a filter mandatory due to backfocus impact?
Question by: Pawel Lancucki on Feb 11, 2023 2:12:00 PM | 1 Answer(s)
This is more of an answer than a question! I now have the FCCT II and a QHY286C Short BFL and this combination works! You have to make sure it is the new Short Back Focal Length version of the 268C. Also the screws included with the FCCT II and the original screws were too short so I had to purchase a 3 M2x20mm screws to attach the FCCT II to the QHY268C Short BFL. I purchased my camera from Agena Astro in the USA. Thanks Baader Planetarium! My tilt is eliminated!
Question by: Dave on Dec 12, 2022 2:32:00 PM | 1 Answer(s)
I would like to connect this to both my qhy 268M and qhy 294M cameras. For the 268M, I need a male or female M54 connection on the lens/telescope side, for the 294M, I need a female M42 thread for a nikon bayonnet. Is this possible?
Question by: Luke on Jan 24, 2023 8:07:00 PM | 1 Answer(s)
- Description
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Details
Baader FCCT (Filter Changer Camera Tilter)
The Baader FCCT was designed exclusively for Celestron's RASA 8 Astrograph and QHY cameras. It is a filter changer with camera adjustment mechanism for covering the largest possible field size that the RASA8 can suppply, enabling sharp image corners and ultimately fast fine corrections to the optical plane. The Baader FCCT (Filter Changer Camera Tilter) allows quick filter exchange as well as very easy correction of field any existing tilt – without having to remove the camera from the RASA 8" each time.
FCCT I with QHY 163M on RASA 8
Celestron's most transportable astrograph, the RASA 8" – Rowe-Ackermann Schmidt Astrograph, ccan capture spectacular deep-sky wide-angle images in seconds. This incredibly fast f/2.0 system is the perfect telescope for modern astronomical CMOS color cameras, smaller CCD cameras and mirrorless cameras. What would otherwise require several nights of exposure time can be accomplished with the RASA in a single night – in principle. Until now, the most severe obstacle was to get the stars in each corner of the chip really round and minimized in size. To do this, the camera had to be removed in order to reach the adjustment screws in the front of the Schmidt plate. But whenever the camera is put back in place, unavoidably this will result in a small lateral offset of the mechanical image train, which causes another corner of the image to show slightly distorted stars. This problem is solved by using the FCCT since nothing needs to be disassembled anymore.
Only the RASA 8 has the image plane is so close to the Schmidt plate that the original front adjustment screws cannot be reached as soon as a camera is connected. To remedy this shortcoming, the FCCT can accommodate specially designed, 3D-printed thin filter drawers and, in addition, precisely align the chip plane within fractions of a millimeter by means of easily accessible adjustment screws positioned 120° apart at the side of the filter chamber. This makes working with the RASA 8 a pleasure, without having to fight for a perfect image position for a long time.
FCCT II with QHY 268M on RASA 8
For the FCCT, we offer three sizes of 3D-printed filter drawers that exclusively accommodate unmounted filters with diameters of 31 mm / 36 mm and 2" (unmounted diameter = 47.4 mm). Smaller filters than 31mm very often lead to vignetting in the image corners even with small chip sizes and force cropping of the image content – leading to correspondingly unhappy customers. For this reason we do not offer the smallest possible filter size of (unmounted) 1¼" filters for the RASA 8". The large angle of view of 14 degrees forces to choose filters as large as possible to avoid image deterioration at the corners as well as vignetting and reflections. A filter should at minimum be 20% larger in diameter than the chip diagonale
The design of the Baader FCCT is of revolutionary importance for the successful use of the RASA 8. The performance of this RASA 8 optics is praised everywhere in the highest tones - only the difficult (better impossible) adjustment of the stars in the chip corners was a nuisance from the beginning. Many users have to work on the move and often did settle for a somewhat blurred image corner in order not to lose precious exposure time.
Digital post-processing of such images then consumes much more time. Already in the test phase of the FCCT very good image results have been achieved by well-known astrophotographers: RASA 8": Extreme image results by Michael Jäger
Scope of supply:
- FCCT I or FCCT II with inserted dark slider and two 0.5mm spacer rings for focus finetuning
- extra long 2mm hexagon screwdriver as torque wrench (28cm long), as well as short 0.9mm, 1.3mm and 1.5mm hex keys
- Three M2 hexagon socket screws for camera adaption
- Filter-Extractor-Tool for inserting/extracting the filter drawer
- Storage bag for four filter holders (to be purchased separately)
- 1 Pair Cotton Cloves for mounting sensitive accessories (#2905050 , € 5.5)
FCCT Alternatives and recommended accessories
Baader UFC-System (Universal-Filter-Changer) and Baader/Zeiss M68-System with Tilters
UFC-Tilter on the UFC-Base
For all RASA optics, especially for the RASA 11 and RASA 36 models, the UFC (Universal Filter Changer) always remains the first choice to take full advantage of the excellent contrast performance of this most modern of all Schmidt cameras together with CMOS-optimized Baader f/2 (Ultra) high-speed filters. The combination of UFC filter drawer and UFC filter has long enabled comfortable work on the two large RASA models.
Due to the short backfocus of the RASA 8, only the use of the UFC filter drawer was possible on the smallest Celestron astrograph for a long time. With the help of the Baader UFC S70 RASA 8" Telescope-Adapter (optical height: 1.4 mm) (#2459136 , € 85) , cameras with 13mm backfocus and T-2 female thread - like the ATIK Horizon - could also be used on the RASA 8, together with all regular filters. To do this, the original Celestron coupling nut and adapter plate must be removed and the UFC adapter screwed directly onto the RASA 8 primary thread. Only the adjustment of the optics is complicated, because due to the design the UFC body overhangs the adjustment screws in the Schmidt plate plane. The only thing that this design lacks (only in the case of the RASA 8 optics) is easy access to the pull and push screws of the field alignment lenses in the RASA 8 Schmidt plate plane – hence the resulting development of the FCCT.
With the larger RASA 11 and 36 optics, more backfocus is available, so for this we recommend only using the UFC filter changer system, in conjunction with a Baader UFC-Tilter (#2459146 , € 276) (mechanical image-plane corrector), where these components in combination perform the same function as the FCCT for the RASA 8. However, the UFC filter changer does not require ultra-thin filter drawers, but makes the full range of standard filters usable. The UFC-tilter also makes it possible not to have to remove the camera when you need to correct the image position of the chip.
Another choice is the Baader M68-Tilter (#2458170 , € 255) whenever the UFC is not required and a filter wheel is attached to the camera or no filters are needed when imaging for example with a DSLR or CMOS/CCD color camera.
CMOS-optimized Baader Filters
CMOS-optimized Baader f/2 (Ultra-) Highspeed-Filters
For all extremely fast astrographs with focal ratios around f/2, special filters are needed. For these telescopes we offer two families of CMOS optimized f/2 Highspeed and f/2 Ultra Highspeed filters. The filter choice has to be decided by the sky quality. Out of the abundance of light from cities, excellent results are obtained with f/2 Ultra-Highspeed filters. For only moderately brightened night skies, the 6.5nm f/2 Highspeed filters are a good and very affordable choice. With conventional filters, which are designed for the relaxed focal ratio of classical telescopes, a shift of the central wavelength (CWL) occurs when applied to fast astrographs. In extreme cases, the CWL of a nebula region may even be completely outside the half-width of a filter. Therefore, specially manufactured f/2 filters are indispensable for such optics.
Related Articles
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The Baader FCCT with the QHY 268M on the RASA 8 - Step by Step to Perfect Collimation
If a sensor diagonal of 22mm is ideal for a sharp image with the RASA 8, but if you have got "only" a camera with a diagonal of 28.5mm is available - is a good image possible at all? I tried this out and will describe here step by step my way to the finished image with the Baader Baader FCCT (Filter Changer Camera Tilter) for RASA 8" and QHY cameras (various versions available) an the QHY 268M ( QHY268 M/C BSI Cooled Medium Size APS-C Cameras (various versions available) (various versions available) ) on the RASA 8, especially the adjustment of the overall system. I suggest that you read all this before you try it out yourself! For safety's sake, check every step – and everything at your own risk! Why Astrophotography with a RASA 8? I like the RASA 8 very much. It is a very handy OTA and has very good imaging optics. I was able to test the first prototype of the FCCT filter slider and camera filter together with the QHY163M on the RASA 8 some time ago and had a lot of fun. These shots laid the foundation for my enjoyment of the current...
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A Brief Overview of the Baader Tilter Family
If you notice that the edges of your image(s) are not sharp then image tilt may be present in your system. Image tilt is caused when the sensor is not perpendicular to the light path. The cause(s) of image tilt can be many and can include flattener/corrector lenses, tilted focuser drawtube, extension adaptors, camera angle adjusters as well as inherent camera sensor tilt in the camera body itself. Being able to correct for this image plane tilt is important and essential to get perfect focused sharp star images across the field of view. Baader Planetarium currently offer three accessories - their "Tilter family" - that can help compensate for image plane tilt. Baader UFC-Tilter (#2459146 , € 276) : an S70 dovetail accessory that fits on the telescope side of the UFC and it is compatible with the entire Baader UFC system. The unit allows an adjustment tilt shift of the UFC Base (and an attached camera) of up to 1° to compensate for misalignments in the image field. The Tilter is only 9.75-10.50 mm in optical length depending on amount of tilt adjustment made.The wide range of telescope- and camera-side adaptors allow the UFC-Tilter combination to be used on...
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RASA 8 - with QHY cameras and Baader FCCT
We very much regret the delay in the availability of the FCCT. We had developed the FCCT primarily for the QHY163 M/C Medium Size CMOS cameras, cooled. Our customer Christoph Kaltseis had already been able to test the prototype in the first phase of development with the QHY163M (see his report below). When we were almost finished, a message came from QHY that Sony would discontinue the 163 chip. As a result, we too stopped FCCT production in frustration. However, in mid-2021, the QHY163 was suddenly available again - and we were keen to design a solution for the next larger 90mm camera bodies as well. This has now resulted in two versions of the FCCT, with the FCCT II made for the new QHY 294M / C Pro Medium Size Cooled CMOS camera and QHY268 M/C BSI Medium Size APS-C cameras, cooled. Now it is possible to mount all QHY cameras with 77mm (FCCT I) or with 90mm (FCCT II) body diameter on the RASA 8, change filters - and adjust the position of the camera sensor precisely and quickly with the camera mounted. The FCCT I can also be upgraded for 90mm cameras if required. After an eternally...
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With the Baader M68-Tilter to perfect alignment
The Baader M68 is a system that fulfils many wishes in an elegant way and with high stability. All distances can be set precisely, and with the Baader M68-Tilter (#2458170 , € 255) an ingenious extension has been added to the system. But before talking about the tilter, let me tell you how I came to this system. When I was testing the prototype of the Baader FCCT (Filter Changer Camera Tilter) for RASA 8" and QHY cameras (various versions available) for the RASA 8, I wished that the connection and collimation possibilities for the C14 were just as sophisticated. I have acquired enough experience so that I can "read" the image of the C14 so well that I know whether I am really seeing a tilt or just a problem with the distance. Of course, this led to the desire to use a tilter to adjust the field perfectly to the camera sensor. I mentioned this idea in passing once during a conversation with the Baader company, and we discussed what functions would have to be incorporated so that imaging with the C14 EdgeHD could be optimised as easily and smoothly as with the RASA 8 and the FCCT....
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The Baader UFC Tilter Adapter (Part 10)
Baader UFC Tilter The effects of image tilt can ruin an otherwise great astrophoto. Image tilt (or image plane tilt) happens in imaging when an area towards the edge of the field exhibits out-of-focus or imperfect star images and is caused by the image sensor not being pefectly perpendicular to the light path. Focuser skewness (or "droop"), flattener/corrector lenses, extension adaptors, camera angle adjusters as well as inherent camera sensor tilt in the camera body itself are all causes of image field tilt. Being able to correct for this image plane tilt is important and essential to get perfect focused sharp star images across the field of view. For those that do astroimaging with our Universal Filter Changer (UFC) we are pleased to annnounce a NEW accessory to help compensate for image plane tilt - the Baader UFC-Tilter (#2459146 , € 276) . This is a telescope-side UFC S70 accessory that is compatible with the entire UFC system and can be used with many refractor and Celestron 11" and 36cm RASA imaging setups. The unit allows an adjustment tilt shift of the UFC Base (and an attached camera) of up to 1° to compensate for misalignments in the image field....
Additional Information
| Manufacturer | Baader Planetarium |
|---|---|
| SKU (#) | baaderfcct |
FAQ
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Please click on title to open or open/close all FAQs
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Will the FCCT also become available for ZWO cameras?
As a QHY dealer we do have access to all QHY cameras and when the design solution for such a "seemingly impossible product" like the FCCT I came up, we were able to use QHY cameras for all tests concerning RASA and FCCT adaptation and find out about all obstacles (there were many, one of them being the fact that not two RASA 8s have the exact same image plane position...). So for this combination we know that it works and we did add two 0.5 mm shims to enable the user to compensate for such fine focal differences. Now any 77mm diameter QHY-camera body featuring the 6.5 mm chip distance can be mounted onto the FCCT I and onto RASA 8 optics with three screws (check the instruction manual).
However, we did integrate the four-hole-scheme of the smaller ZWO ASI cameras into the FCCT I camera flange, but there is no detailed instruction manual available for this and we had no opportunity to test the FCCT I ourselves with ASI cameras. Some mechanically skilled customers already managed to mount an ASI onto an FCCT I by locating the necessary longer screws themselves and did successful imaging with their RASA 8 (see test review). However, we would not recommend this for everyone, since the FCCT is not a simple "consumer-product" but was intended for hardnecked "Amateurs" – which by definition are "lovers, devoted to a cause".
So if you have a 78mm diameter ZWO camera and want to fit an FCCT I, maybe contact your local dealer and see if he can offer you an FCCT I with the option of taking it back if it doesn't fit your ZWO-camera after all.
For the larger ZWO cameras we did not have the engineering time to find out if a mechanical adaptation (such as our FCCT II for Ø 90mm QHY cameras) is possible at all. A mechanical solution needs to be developed still and may take some time. Also in this case it needs to be mentioned that the UFC-system is a workaround to mount most of those cameras, while retaining ability to exhange a wide variety of standard filters without the need to buy dedicated unmounted 2" filters (that are necessary for the larger chip sizes anyhow) – albeit without the tilter functionality.
And for the larger RASAs this restriction also does not apply, since there the longer backfocus does allow to mount any camera when combining the UFC-filter chamber and the UFC-tilter -
How do I adjust tilt and achieve micron adjustment with the FCCT, the UFC and M68 Tilter?
Each tilter essentially consists of 3 pairs of opposing set screws which independently move the inner tilt mechanics and are easily accessed from the side using the included hex key (Allen wrench). These screws have tapered and hardened points that bear against a precision hardened ‘zero-clearance’ steel-counterpart. The direction that each set screw moves the tilter is shown with an etched arrow next to the individual screw. On the FCCT the extra-long hex-key with handle also serves as torque-control against overtightening. As soon as the handle starts to rotate (to "flex") without continuing to turning the screw then the maximum torque allowed is reached and instead of continuing to increase pressure on that screw, the other screw in that pair first must be unlocked by a very small amount.
CAUTION: Never tighten a screw all too firmly, only light to medium tension is required to hold the tilter with zero play. Tightening the screws too hard may damage the hardened screw tips.
- Check each set screw to make sure it is lightly tightened down (seated). The screws only need to bear against the internal mechanism with light pressure.
- To move the tilter in a particular direction, first loosen the opposite direction screw a very small amount, then lightly tighten the screw that moves the tilter in the direction you want it to go. Only very small adjustments are needed to square the mechanical axis, so only move the screws a small amount.
- Final small tweaks may be made by very slightly increasing the pressure of just a single screw, or very slightly decreasing the pressure of the opposing screw.
Additional Tips:
- It is recommend that you start with the tilter set at its nominal position with both parts flush. The tilt allowed is approx 0.4 mm to either side.
- The amount of loosening and tightening controls the amount of tilt movement. Always put the image center into perfect focus first and then work out the edges.
- A simple way to check if overtightening occurs is to closely inspect each single image frame taken during the adjustment procedure to see if some upper or lower-side movement (that is: lateral movement) is visible when trying to move one screw in the system to adjust for more angular tilt. Even slightest lateral movement would indicate that at least one of the three pairs of screws is severely overtightened, as each tilter-system is mechanically matched to zero-play.
- In case lateral movement is visible at all in the image frame, then loosen the opposing screw by the same amount and it will cause a tilt action immediately. You will need some time to "get the right feel" just how finely each these three pairs of screws work as a team, to increase pressure and reduce pressure in order to do the adjustment in very minute increments. In this way, micron movements are possible.
- The FCCT is designed to carry up to 2 Kg of camera equipment, the larger M68 and UFC-tilter can take up to 5 Kg of camera total weight.
- The tilter should be positioned close to the camera, to reduce additional loads from having the camera cantilevered far from the tilter.
