The Ultimate Virtuoso FOCUSER Upgrade
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- čas přidán 3. 10. 2023
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The Skywatcher Virtuoso Heritage 150p telescope has a weakness: the Focuser. After a long time searching and thinking in a good harmless solution to upgrade it, i was giving up...until i saw something that gave me a good idea. So good that i'm already using it and need to share with you all.
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#TiagoFerreira
#DobsonianPower - Věda a technologie
5 REASONS To Buy a 6" Skywatcher Virtuoso Gti czcams.com/video/dXW6IVE5DO4/video.html
This looks awesome. Well done Tiago.
The focuser is definitely the weak point of the Virtuoso, well done for continuing to try and improve the set up. I will look into it for mine😊
This is great to know as I’m after the Heratige 150 manual tabletop Dob for Christmas, thank you.
Great! 👌
Thanks Tiago.
Great solution to the current focuser! I will check out the parts and give it a go - hopefully i can find a supplier down here is Australia. One question - after making the mod to the focuser did you need to readjust the sliders? i know that having it in the home (factory) position doesn't work well with ZWO cameras and that moving the sliders down compensates for the back focus - how far do you have your markers / sliders from the original (home) position? Keep up the great work!
My sliders with this new focuser go to around 40mm with a focal reducer. It all depends on how do you have the things settled
Thank you so much for sharing this focuser solution. I've owned the Heritage 150P for about a year and been frustrated with the stock focuser for a while. So I ordered the parts for this upgrade and am going to give it a try. I have been looking at premium, wide field of view eyepieces (e.g. Baader Morpheus or Pentax XW series) for this telescope for planetary viewing that are 300g-400g in weight (twice the weight of the eyepieces I currently own) and am worried they will be too much for the telescope's focuser plate and truss design and affect the alignment and cause too much vibration to be a useful eyepiece. From your experience with this telescope design, is this a valid worry? Thank you.
The lighter the eyepiece, the better but you should be fine with any 1,25" eyepiece
Thank you.@@DobsonianPower
So I got all the pieces! I'm having difficulty putting it on though. Tightening the screws throws off the collimation completely no matter what I do!
Nooo. You have to do it very patiently. And very gently. It works for me and many people. Try again.
@@DobsonianPowerhow do you tighten it without having it tilt or push to one side?
@jefftrvecvlt1819 look. Do this, it will help. I did the same: pick those large electrical tape and stick one layer only to the bottom of the focuser. That will make it stiffer. Then center with the mirror and tight gently the screws. Then collimate
Hi I do like content of this video,I got awb model with the crap focuser I will look in to getting some thing eles thanks .wayne
Thank you. Do you have any suggestions on how to handle a slop in the clutches / gears on the virtuoso? Mine seems to constantly be loose on the up and down motions. Purchased in June and only has maybe 10-15 nights of use. Trying to find good deal on a zwo 294 to extend my use but not until this slop handled haha
Unfortunately all do that and according to skywatcher is how it is. I don't know a fix to that yet so i use mine with it
@@DobsonianPower ok thanks, that’s unfortunate but good to know!
@rageagtm if i ever discover a fix I'll post on the channel
Mam pytanie
Gdzie mogę kupić
Mam 150/750 Heritage FlexTube Virtuoso GTi
I chciałbym wymienić ten wyciąg na taki jak w firmie
I love this telescope. I've been taking my first ever astrophotographs using a cheap, second hand, Panasonic Lumix GF3 mirrorless camera. Like you, I've found the focuser difficult. I'm definitely going to try this upgrade. Thank you so much for posting this.
One question. The first component is a 2 inch to T2 adapter.
The second has an M42 screw thread.
Does screwing an M42 into a T2 make it very tight? Perhaps that is what is wanted?
Would a 2 inch to M42 adapter be better or worse or no difference?
All those parts are m42, 0.75mm pitch. Sellers call whatever they want, t2 or m42. Just check it's all 0.75mm like mine. If you buy and has 1mm and you force it you will not take it off anyway, so...
Thanks for the explanation. I've got my order in.
Now to watch all your other videos. :)
@orionexploding1112 if you want join our discord . Loads of people with the virtuoso and we can help you. Also you can see the pictures they take with it
Okay. $94.13. I will give it a try. Better than cutting off the old focuser.
Haoge Macro Focus Lens Mount Adapter Built-in Focusing Helicoid for M42 42mm Screw Mount Lens to M42 42mm Screw Mount Camera 17mm-31mm
Astromania Adaptor T2 Thread to 2" Female for Telescope - Can be Screwed onto Any T2 Male Thread and Provides a clamp for 2" Accessories
Alstar M48X0.75 (2" Filter) Female to M42X0.75 T / T2 Male Thread Telescope Adapter
I got these from your web site. Hope I go the right items.
Thanks.
works like a charm
Have you tried using an Astro camera with the new focuser? Did you have any issues?
I use a 294 all the time. No issues 👍 shouldn't be a gigantic camera though
,top merci
I hope they restock the extension soon, I want this upgrade so bad but that piece has been out of stock for a while :(
yeah they sell very fast now
@@DobsonianPower according to Agena Astro customer service they expect to be back in stock by late January
@@cjdaglow6427 thanks for the info. Christmas season delays a bit everything...
Still out of stock till March 😞. I found this one on Amazon, perhaps similar for us in the U.S.?
Astromania Adaptor T2 Thread to 2" Female for Telescope - Can be Screwed onto Any T2 Male Thread and Provides a clamp for 2" Accessories
@hart316 this will work but it's 10mm higher amzn.to/3urgk4M?AMZN%F0%9F%8C%8DExtension%202%22%2050mm&
Hi Tiago, is there another helicoid you would recommend? The one you linked is out of stock.
just pick the one it has better price: this amzn.to/3QV2kHV or this amzn.to/3MZUjR8 or this amzn.to/3MYREXA or this amzn.to/47Mt30b or this amzn.to/40ZWZ76
Thanks. I’m waiting for the parts to come in. I’m also going to get your recommended ZWO ASI294MC. Although I’m confused if I need a 1.25” or 2” cut filter and what I would attach it to in the new focuser setup. Can you clarify for me so I can order the right size filter? Sorry I’m a noob, but feel I can pull off EAA after watching a number of your videos. Thanks for that and subbed to the channel.
@@Tamatty no worries. But usually if you ask during a live stream is where i can explain better and as we can interact live, everything it's clear. Also easier to me. To buy the right filter it's tricky. In your scenario as you have only the virtuoso and your starting, i recommend you to buy a 1,25" filter. The zwo 294 apart from being the best camera, it comes with 2 additional adapters: 1-nosepiece that you can attach a 1,25" filter and 2-a m42 to 1,25" ring, that you can use with the 1.25" filter (best option). It will depend if you do my focuser upgrade, to choose one or another but 1,25" filter will always fit and it's cheaper. The choice of the filter type will depend on your bortle sky level (light pollution). Stay tuned to my weekly live streams, you can ask questions there.
I am missing it, I cannot find the link to the focuser. Can you share please? Thanks
It's all in dobsonianpower.com did you check there?
Thank you! I see it now, it looked thinner in the thumbnail photo, but I didn’t clicked on the link! Got it! Thank you very much!
@@hart316 you're welcome. It works very well
Wonderful modification, thanks for this!
Enjoy!👍
Can you build one for me and ship to Pennsylvania? How much would it be with shipping?
i don't do that stuff man
I’m looking for link to ultra low profile helical focuser but don’t see it.
I just updated the list. It's there now
I’m wondering if that helical focuser is M48 to M42 photographic thread. If it works for you though, must be T2 M42?
@fazergazer it's m42 male one side, m42 female the other side. It's very useful for other stuff like photography also, although i will only use it for this
M42 to M48 right? I get it now!❤
@fazergazer no, the helicoidal it's m42 to m42. I added an adapter
Just looking at an alternative solution, as your setup if just about 300 NZ$. Would I be able to buy a ZWO HELICAL FOCUSER 1.25", and just do a swap? Probably not optimal, but just looking for answer!
You can't swap different measures. You can though add the nosepiece to the helical and just insert it into the focuser as an alternative. You can also force an helical to stick into the focuser base. There are alternatives.
@@DobsonianPower Thanks Tiago! I'm a complete beginner in this realm, and your videos really help me settle my choice on the Virtuoso 6''! Being in New Zealand, there aren't many ways to get parts for telescopes! Would you be able to details the parts you are talking about (e.g. nosepiece)? If I understand correctly, I would 1) collimate the telescope with the current focuser, then 2) remove the focuser, and add the ZWO helical in it's place, then collimate again? Again, sorry, I'm sure I'm mixing a lot of things up
@@antoinefilion9588 yes, it's right that. I made a recent live stream explaining that and much more in the virtuoso. Live streams is where i can go deep on different questions and i can better show and explain: czcams.com/video/ao2BrmaseTs/video.html
@@DobsonianPower Thank you very much for that! I just watched your live stream, and subscribed as well! Hopefully, I won't miss the next one! I'm giving a conference in Denver in a few weeks, hopefully, I'll be able to gather most of the pieces I need while I'm over there!
@@antoinefilion9588 great 👍
Would it be easier and cheaper to simply do this:
Screw old focuser all the way in, insert the camera T adapter, screw on new focuser onto the T (M42), then screw camera onto the focuser (also M42). For eyepieces, instead of screwing on camera you'd screw on a M42 to 1.25" like you mentioned in the video.
Nope. You'll get worst backfocus management, much more vignetting and if you have 2" filters as most of us have, would be a cumbersome to use them. Yes there are many more ways to do it but my system is better.
@@DobsonianPower oh, why will my way cause worse backfocus and vignetting? I'm new at this..
First, your way is not bad. Actually it would be my 2nd choice. But everything that you do that shrink the already small focus aperture will boost the vignetting. While i remove obstruction, you add it using the original draw focuser and adding 1.25" nosepiece. And the backfocus MANAGEMENT will complicate because my system is thought to use a high and a low threshold, a small space where you can freely move the sliders wether you use a FR, a barlow or nothing. All 3 with different backfocus. A bit hard to explain writing but you'll understand as soon as you're start using it more.
@@DobsonianPowerThanks. I was trying to cut costs since in Canada it will all cost 177$!
ouch! then do it your way man, it's way better than the default system
Would this fit the skywatcher heritage 150p?
By the way, do you have an alternative to the 2 inch to 1.25 inch adapter, the one you posted is sold out.
Yes 👍
@darkzero79 you can use any other one. This one i use has the advantage of being very low profile and light. Where are you located?
USA, thank you!
All the parts are in and it works super well! The problem is with the 2 in to 1.25 inch adapter raises the focus length just a little too much but I was able to adjust the focal length to compensate. Thanks for sharing!
can I see the original video that inspired this? (FredLad?)
The original is in this video. It was showed first during a live stream but i don't know which one, i do every week.
Thanks to you