Baader Universal Filter Changer (UFC): The UFC camera-side adaptors (Part 4)

The UFC Camera Adaptors:

In this latest blog on the Baader UFC System, we will look at the UFC camera-side adaptors. At present there are nine (9) different adaptors that will allow cameras to be attached to the (camera-side) of the UFC Base unit. These are shown in the image below. The image shows the type of fitment to the camera (e.g. T-2, FLI etc), the product code and also the optical path length (thickness) of the adaptor (which is important when using the UFC system with e.g. focal reducer where the camera sensor needs to be positioned at a particular distance from the reducer - we will cover this in a later post).

All of the nine adaptors have the following common features:

• made of aluminium
• anodised matt-black
• have countersunk holes
• are attached to the UFC-base unit using 8 hex screws supplied with the adaptor for secure fitment (screws are flush fitting when fully tightened)

The image below shows the camera side of the UFC Base on which all the UFC camera-side adaptors are fitted.

Baader UFC Base (Filter Chamber) telescope-sided S70 dovetail receptor (optical height: 13 mm) (#2459110 , € 58,-) camera side showing the 8 threaded holes for allowing the secure attachment of a suitable UFC camera adaptor.

Below is an image of a UFC camera adaptor showing the 8 countersunk holes in which the hex screws are inserted for securely attaching the adaptor to the UFC Base.

This image is representative of the T-2, M48, 2", M54 and M72 camera adaptors which feature a male camera attachment thread (for camera bodies which have a female thread)

UFC Camera adaptor

The image below shows the UFC camera adaptor (T-2 version) attached to the UFC base ready to accept a suitable T-2 threaded camera.

UFC Base with a T-2 UFC Camera adaptor attached

The following adaptors have male threads (on the camera-facing side) for attaching to cameras/camera accessories that have female threads:

• T-2 (for most popular imaging cameras)
• M48
• 2"
• M54
• M72 (e.g. for large format cameras - e.g. Starlight Xpress SX-46)

For the above adaptors, the camera or accessory simply screws onto the UFC camera-side adaptor.

It is worth noting that the although the T-2 camera adaptor may be considered for use with T-2 threaded cameras (as the name "T-2 UFC camera adaptor" suggests), the adaptor can in fact be used to attach a range of Baader's Astro T-2 system accessories. This includes such items as their Baader Focusing Eyepiece Holder 1¼" / T-2 (T-2 part #08A) (#2458125 , € 46,-) or a Baader ClickLock eyepeice clamp. This allows the UFC system to be used visually too! We will discuss this further in a later blog.

The remaining four adaptors have different fitments and are worthy of pointing out.

• S52 Dovetail: This is for use with Baader Protective EOS or Wide T-Ringe with S-52-Dovetail, which feature a removable inner T-2/M48 insert. The T-rings are securely attached to the S52 UFC camera adaptor by tightening 6 small hex screws located around the edge of the T-ring which "grabs" onto the (male) S52 dovetail.
  

  Protective T-Ring ready to be attached to the UFC S52 dovetail camera adaptor

• FLI: This adaptor is for use with FLI-ML and FLI-Pl cameras that have a dovetail style nose-piece (e.g. see below). This adaptor is also the thickest of the range at 10mm (compared to the typical 2mm for most of the other range). The camera is secured to the camera adaptor by tightening the three hex screws located around the outside edge of the FLI UFC camera adaptor (which "pushes"/contracts the inner split ring inwards to "grab" onto the camera dovetail nose-piece.
  
  

  UFC Camera Adaptor for use with FLI ML/PL Cameras: Baader UFC 2" FLI Camera-Adapter (optical height: 10 mm) (#2459122 , € 96,-)

• M68: this has M68-1 inner threads for use with e.g. Baader/Zeiss M68 adaptors. It also is the second thickest adaptor at 5.5mm (10mm for the FLI and 2mm for the rest of the range).

Baader M68 Adaptor with internal female threads: Baader UFC M68x1 (f) Camera-Adapter (optical height: 5,5 mm) (#2459118 , € 33,-)

• 

  Baader UFC Straylight-Flange (#2459121 , € 33,-)

  Stray Light Flange: This has no threads and is actually used when the UFC Base is connected to the front of a camera lens - it acts as a lens shade to minimise stray light. We will discuss how to attach the UFC to a camera lens in a later blog in a few weeks.

UFC System attached to DSLR camera lens with the stray light adaptor attached

Nächstes Mal werden wir uns die teleskopseitigen UFC-Adapter näher anschauen.

>> View all UFC-Products <<

About the author: Lee Sproats

Dr. Lee Sproats has been interested in astronomy since watching Star Wars in 1977 and has appeared on the UK Sky at Night TV programme. He then went on to study Astronomy where he obtained a degree and then a PhD in the subject at University College London/Mullard Space Science Laboratory. He has worked in Australia in radio astronomy and used optical/infrared telescopes on Hawaii and La Palma and Lowell and Kitt Peak observatories in the USA. After working for the University of Surrey to promote the use of computers for teaching in UK higher education and then as an IT trainer for a stock market company, he went on to work for Greenwich Observatory Ltd where he ran their northern branch and then worked for David Hinds Ltd dealing with our and Celestron products. He is often involved in flight excursions that take passengers to observe the northern lights, has led trips to see the great USA 2017 eclipse near Hopkinsville and was lead astronomer onboard a specially chartered 737 to view the 2015 total solar eclipse at 38,000ft. Lee`s astronomical interests include Lunar observing, astrophotography, photometry and pro-am collaborations.

Since David Hinds stopped operation in December 2020, Dr. Sproats works for Baader Planetarium as our UK representative/consultant and is responsible for looking after our UK/Eire dealers, dealing with Baader Planetarium/PlaneWave/10Micron product support, writing articles and also is involved in our large telescope and observatory instrumentation projects.