Televue Powermate question

[Thefatkitty]

Hey all,

I recently saved my pennies and purchased a Powermate 1.25" at 2.5X. I wanted to use this for AP with my DSLR on the Sun in white light with my WO 61mm at f/5.9, as well as a few of my longer f/l fracs for visual.

Seems it doesn't come to focus unless you have a HUGE amount of focuser back travel. The only scope I have so far that has come to focus with it is my old Vixen-made C80 which really has an insane amount of focuser tube length. Even still, the focuser is about 1/4" of being racked all the way out with the Powermate.

The scope in focus with the stock prism diagonal (I used a Fujiyama KK 18mm Ortho in both cases):

And in focus with the Powermate:

Is this normal? Seems to me that it's like buying a really nice car, but you might need doors and the like after you get it... I'm guessing focuser extension tubes?

Any insights/recommendations would be appreciated. I can still return it (B&H Photo), but I need to know if it's just me

Thanks in advance!!

[Bigzmey]

Hi Mark
I can help you with visual, but with AP you are on your own.

For visual you should insert the powermate into diagonal and EP into powermate. This way you will get it to focus within your normal focuser range and you will get 2.5x factor.

The way you have it set right now produces higher magnification factor (4x - 6x ?) and that requires additional focuser travel.

[Thefatkitty]

Hi Mark
I can help you with visual, but with AP you are on your own.

For visual you should insert the powermate into diagonal and EP into powermate. This way you will get it to focus within your normal focuser range and you will get 2.5x factor.

The way you have it set right now produces higher magnification factor (4x - 6x ?) and that requires additional focuser travel.

Andrey, thank you so much! That makes complete sense what you said. I was wondering too, when the C80 came to focus it seemed a bit dark. Yeah, no kidding at that magnification.
I can't see the forest for the trees here some days; I've really been busy. And trying this at 4AM didn't help either...

AP isn't a big deal, it was more for the visual.

Thanks again for clearing my fog; I'll let you know how it goes!

All the best,