TheSkySearchers

Lady Fraktor wrote: ↑Wed May 26, 2021 7:33 pm A good review Bigzmey, the Antares 9x50 was the same specifications as the Stellarvue as well.
I hope the Apertura works very well for you.

John Baars wrote: ↑Wed May 26, 2021 9:21 pm Thanks for your review!

The ability of switching eyepieces is a great one! It make it possible to reduce the eye-pupil, and with a serious wide-field eyepiece, to maintain an acceptable field of view for starhopping. The small eyepupil makes many DSO's like Messiers visible in the city, something what a standard finderscope can't achieve.

I hope more observers reading this review will experience the ease of your solution of finding DSO's under a LP sky. I certainly did. It makes quite a difference! Thanks for bringing it under our attention!

notFritzArgelander wrote: ↑Wed May 26, 2021 10:34 pm Since I may have to do more future observing from LP areas this is definitely something I need to consider! Thanks,

notFritzArgelander wrote: ↑Fri May 28, 2021 3:16 am

notFritzArgelander wrote: ↑Wed May 26, 2021 10:34 pm Since I may have to do more future observing from LP areas this is definitely something I need to consider! Thanks,

Well, I considered it and ordered 1. The previous plan involved upgrading to the Baader Vario 10x60 f4 of which I already have 1 that is the dedicated finder for the MK66. If I like it I can get a 2nd and still save over getting another Vario....

Ylem wrote: ↑Fri May 28, 2021 5:58 pm Sounds real nice, heck to be able to swap EPs is a no brainer

I currently have an Orion 6x30 on the Mak, I may go for this for the C8

Ylem wrote: ↑Fri May 28, 2021 5:58 pm Sounds real nice, heck to be able to swap EPs is a no brainer

I currently have an Orion 6x30 on the Mak, I may go for this for the C8

Bigzmey wrote: ↑Fri May 28, 2021 4:55 pm

notFritzArgelander wrote: ↑Fri May 28, 2021 3:16 am

notFritzArgelander wrote: ↑Wed May 26, 2021 10:34 pm Since I may have to do more future observing from LP areas this is definitely something I need to consider! Thanks,

Well, I considered it and ordered 1. The previous plan involved upgrading to the Baader Vario 10x60 f4 of which I already have 1 that is the dedicated finder for the MK66. If I like it I can get a 2nd and still save over getting another Vario....

Let us know how you like it. Apertura vs GSO/Orion RACI is no brainer. Apertura vs Vario will depend on application and personal preferences. One thing for sure, Vario as offered is not cheap, but with added mounting hardware and 1.25" EP holder it is one expensive finder. One can get 80mm ED for less.

kt4hx wrote: ↑Tue Jun 01, 2021 1:06 pm Thanks for the review Andrey. I've been looking at this finder for a couple of years now. From all I can find, it is indeed the same as the Stellarvue, coming from Kunming Optical, which is known for producing "house brand" optical equipment. The big advantage here is exactly what you mention - the cost difference of buying the Apertura all-in-one RACI or having to pay more for the Stellarvue piece by piece. The Apertura brand is an excellent value if one wishes to have an illuminated finder. The Astro-Tech equivalent at Astronomics is also higher than the Apertura because it comes bare bones and you have to buy the mount separate.

I will ask you, do you feel that the illuminated eyepiece messes with your dark adaptation at Anza? That is the most common problem cited with such devices, even at their lowest setting. I have seen it suggested to apply a little red nail polish to the the LED to dampen its brightness. While it is true that it can be difficult to see the cross-hairs in a normal RACI finder at a dark site, one could question whether illumination is needed at all. After all, I have not had any difficulty centering stars within the FOV of my standard RACI when the cross-hairs are hard to find. At home where the sky is brighter, the cross hairs are very easy to see - unfortunately. Thus far I have resisted the urge to go illuminated in order to preserve my dark adaptation and have to admit, I've had no real issues using a standard 8x50 RACI, even on the 17.5 inch. I might succumb to the urge at some point however!

John Fitzgerald wrote: ↑Tue Jun 01, 2021 2:38 pm The main trouble I have had with my SV finders, is when the diagonal is rotated, the image becomes de centered by as much as two degrees.

That is extremely annoying, having to re center the field by manipulation of adjusting screws. Rotation of the diagonal is frequently necessary when using my G11 mount.

For this reason, on one of the SV finders, I swapped the objective into an identical tube that had a removable 1.25 inch diagonal, and used a standard prism that is better aligned. It's not RACI, so it gives an identically oriented field as my refractor. I can easily star hop this way. Sky Safari6 Pro allows me to flip the field to match any view.

Problem finally solved.

It seems to me, with an expensive finder like a SV, that the prism could be made square to the objective lens. Both my SV finders were equally bad in that respect.

Bigzmey wrote: ↑Tue Jun 01, 2021 4:40 pm

kt4hx wrote: ↑Tue Jun 01, 2021 1:06 pm Thanks for the review Andrey. I've been looking at this finder for a couple of years now. From all I can find, it is indeed the same as the Stellarvue, coming from Kunming Optical, which is known for producing "house brand" optical equipment. The big advantage here is exactly what you mention - the cost difference of buying the Apertura all-in-one RACI or having to pay more for the Stellarvue piece by piece. The Apertura brand is an excellent value if one wishes to have an illuminated finder. The Astro-Tech equivalent at Astronomics is also higher than the Apertura because it comes bare bones and you have to buy the mount separate.

I will ask you, do you feel that the illuminated eyepiece messes with your dark adaptation at Anza? That is the most common problem cited with such devices, even at their lowest setting. I have seen it suggested to apply a little red nail polish to the the LED to dampen its brightness. While it is true that it can be difficult to see the cross-hairs in a normal RACI finder at a dark site, one could question whether illumination is needed at all. After all, I have not had any difficulty centering stars within the FOV of my standard RACI when the cross-hairs are hard to find. At home where the sky is brighter, the cross hairs are very easy to see - unfortunately. Thus far I have resisted the urge to go illuminated in order to preserve my dark adaptation and have to admit, I've had no real issues using a standard 8x50 RACI, even on the 17.5 inch. I might succumb to the urge at some point however!

Hi Alan. On both SV and Apertura you can adjust the brightness, it is very smooth so you can set crosshair to barely visible or a bit brighter. So, no it does not affect the dark adaptation. What I also like is that crosshair lines are much thinner compared to none-illuminated RACI. I find it easier to precisely center on a star or planet.

kt4hx wrote: ↑Tue Jun 01, 2021 5:06 pm

Bigzmey wrote: ↑Tue Jun 01, 2021 4:40 pm

kt4hx wrote: ↑Tue Jun 01, 2021 1:06 pm Thanks for the review Andrey. I've been looking at this finder for a couple of years now. From all I can find, it is indeed the same as the Stellarvue, coming from Kunming Optical, which is known for producing "house brand" optical equipment. The big advantage here is exactly what you mention - the cost difference of buying the Apertura all-in-one RACI or having to pay more for the Stellarvue piece by piece. The Apertura brand is an excellent value if one wishes to have an illuminated finder. The Astro-Tech equivalent at Astronomics is also higher than the Apertura because it comes bare bones and you have to buy the mount separate.

I will ask you, do you feel that the illuminated eyepiece messes with your dark adaptation at Anza? That is the most common problem cited with such devices, even at their lowest setting. I have seen it suggested to apply a little red nail polish to the the LED to dampen its brightness. While it is true that it can be difficult to see the cross-hairs in a normal RACI finder at a dark site, one could question whether illumination is needed at all. After all, I have not had any difficulty centering stars within the FOV of my standard RACI when the cross-hairs are hard to find. At home where the sky is brighter, the cross hairs are very easy to see - unfortunately. Thus far I have resisted the urge to go illuminated in order to preserve my dark adaptation and have to admit, I've had no real issues using a standard 8x50 RACI, even on the 17.5 inch. I might succumb to the urge at some point however!

Hi Alan. On both SV and Apertura you can adjust the brightness, it is very smooth so you can set crosshair to barely visible or a bit brighter. So, no it does not affect the dark adaptation. What I also like is that crosshair lines are much thinner compared to none-illuminated RACI. I find it easier to precisely center on a star or planet.

Thanks Andrey. Good to know and in particular about the cross-hair thickness. What I wish they all would do is provide a reticle that has an open center so one can more clearly see the star rather than positioning it behind the cross at the center of the field. Apparently the ES illuminated finders do this (see below), and it seems a more logical way to allow for better centering. Of course one can get that if willing to pay more for the ES finders.