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RASA 8 - mit QHY Kameras und Baader FCCT
Wir bedauern die Verzögerung der Verfügbarkeit des FCCT sehr. Wir hatten den FCCT vor allem für die QHY163 M/C Medium Size CMOS Kameras, gekühlt entwickelt. Unser Kunde Christoph Kaltseis hatte den Prototyp bereits in der ersten Phase der Entwicklung mit der QHY163M testen können (siehe seinen Bericht unten). Als wir fast fertig waren, kam eine Nachricht von QHY, Sony würde den 163er Chip einstellen. Daraufhin haben auch wir die FCCT-Produktion frustriert eingestellt. Mitte 2021 war jedoch die QHY163 auf einmal doch wieder verfügbar – und wir wollten unbedingt auch eine Lösung für die nächstgrößeren Kameragehäuse mit 90 mm Durchmesser konstruieren. Daraus sind nun zwei Versionen des FCCT entstanden, sodass der FCCT II auf die neuen Kameras QHY 294M / C Pro Medium Size Cooled CMOS Kamera und QHY268 M/C BSI Medium Size APS-C Kameras, gekühlt passt. Nun ist es möglich, alle QHY-Kameras mit 77mm (FCCT I) bzw. mit 90 mm (FCCT II) Gehäusedurchmesser am RASA 8 anzubringen, Filter zu wechseln - und die Bildlage des Chips präzise und rasch bei montierter Kamera einzustellen. DEr FCCT I kann bei Bedarf auch für 90mm aufgerüstet werden. Nach ewig langer Verzögerung ist nun endlich der Baader FCCT (Filter Changer Camera Tilter) für den...
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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 ( QHY 268 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...
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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....
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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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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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Additional Information
| Manufacturer | Baader Planetarium |
|---|---|
| SKU (#) | 2459075 |
| EAN Code | 4047825050915 |
| Net weight (kg) | 0.1 |
| Type of Adapter | Camera Adapter |
FAQ
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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.
In the worst case, the hexagon socket in that 4 mm set screw may be "cracked", if the tightening torque is way too high. In this case, the tilter may need to returned for repair. For this reason, among others, we supply an extra-long hexagonal screwdriver for the FCCT filters. The long length of the 2 mm hex-rod acts like a torque wrench, because if too much force is applied, only the handle turns, but the tip of the hexagon does not continue to turn. In addition, with a RASA 8 tube, the turning handle of the hexagon is outside the tube diameter. With the other tilters, the spacing situation is not so tight, so in these cases such overlong screwdrivers are rather a hindrance.
- 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.
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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
