Esprit 120ED Visual and Camera Set up

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Күн бұрын

Hi, I’m Ian and I live in Surrey in the UK.
After 3 months of waiting my Sky-Watcher Esprit 120ED it finally arrived in early December. Even better it was a clear evening for a couple of hours that night so I managed to get some first images done and again on the 6th and 10th of December.
I am extremely impressed with this telescope.
I promised to do a more detailed video on how I set-up my first three nights of imaging. So, in this video I will show how to connect elements for visual observation, and how to set-up for a DSLR or the OSC camera I use. I’ve not done DSLR with this telescope yet, but I have used by ZWO ASI294MC Pro OSC camera and you will see at the end of this video a really nice image of the Elephant Trunk Nebula taken with this telescope and camera combination, using the Optolong L-Extreme filter and playing with the colour channels in PixInsight.
Timecodes
0:00 - Introduction
1:05 - Lens and Dew shield
3:07 - Visual observation set up
5:32 - Fitting the Flattener
8:30 - Fitting a DSLR Camera
12:55 - Fitting a One Shot Color Camera
20:23 - Fitting the optional Filter Cell
24:55 - The Elephant Trunk Nebula
From Telescope to Flattener
An extension that connects to back of the Telescope with a 74m thread to Focus Tube and 65mm to the flattener end
Optional Filter Cell, 65mm threads both sides, 2" filter fits inside this cell
Flattener
Esprit 120 ED Field Corrector/Flattener, front end is 65mm and camera end is 62mm
Flattener to camera(s)
Extension to fit camera end of flattener at 62mm and camera side is 48mm (optional 2” filter can be added to this extension)
DSLR
T ring for DSLR camera, in my case a Cannon T ring
DSLR Camera
One Shot Colour Camera
ZWO 2" Filter draw (M48/M42), if you used the Filter option above, replace this with 21mm of alternative extension
Baader M48 Fine Adjustment Ring - Aluminum (1mm)
Easy Grip M48 Female to M42 Male adapter
Two x ZWO M48 to M42 adapter insert rings
Astro Essentials M48 Extension Tubes. (One 10mm and One 5mm)
Two Astro Essentials T/M42 Adjustment Spacers
One Shot Colour Camera
Image
6th and 10th December 2021
25 and 35 images of 300 seconds (25 and 10 junks) Gain 120, Bin 1
Camera Temp -10
60 Auto Flats and 60 Dark Flats
Processed with Deep Sky Stacker/PixInsight/Topaz Denoise/Photoshop
Main Equipment:
• Sky-Watcher Esprit 120ED (Super APO Triplet)
• Sky-Watcher Esprit 120ED Field Flattener
All above acquired from FLO
• Sky-watcher EQ6-R-PRO equatorial mount
• ZWO ASI 294MC-Pro single shot colour camera
• ZWO 60mm Finder/Guidescope
• ZWO ASI 120MM Mini
• Baader 610mm Longpass Red Colour Filter
• ASIAir Pro
• Optolong L-Extreme Filter
Music (at the beginning):
Isolated by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (creativecommons.org/licenses/...)
Source: incompetech.com/music/royalty-...
Artist: incompetech.com/
Music (at the end):
Dream Escape by The Tides

Пікірлер: 34

@oakleywindowcleaning 2 ай бұрын

Thanks. I’m upgrading shortly to the 150 with the ZWO 2600 mono, so it’s nice to get to see an Esprit being put together.

@dadwhitsett 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you. Great video. Just got my Esprit 120 last week and the reducer came in just today from Germany [2 telescopes in 1]. Looking forward to some clear skies.

@astrodad-simonb277 Жыл бұрын

Evening Ian, this is extremely helpful to me as I have just got the ED 120 Esprit and going to buy the EAF and have the Zwo 183. Simon

@jeffbrennan5394 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for doing this video, it was very helpful. 😎👍

@lukomatico 2 жыл бұрын

Great stuff Ian! - And pre-congratulations on 500 Subscribers, you'll be there before you know it! 🙂Clear skies!

@astrotimetraveller4622 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Luke, it’s fun putting these together and hopefully others gets some insights, kr Ian

@LogansAstro 2 жыл бұрын

That's an awesome scope you have there but I'm biased because I have the same 😄. I absolutely love my Esprit 120 and as you say, it produces nice round stars right to the very corners. Looking forward to seeing future images from this setup.

@astrotimetraveller4622 2 жыл бұрын

Many thanks Logan, I will be subscribing to you channel to get insight on your use too. Yes very impressed so far, just need so moonless, cloudless nights, not seen very often here in the UK! Kr Ian

@KhalifaAlgady 2 жыл бұрын

Great video, thanks for sharing!

@astrotimetraveller4622 2 жыл бұрын

Khalefa, many thanks, it was fun but a little complex to pull it together, kr Ian

@AstroSoundscape 2 жыл бұрын

Super looking kit Ian. Not sure if you've seen but Logan of Logan's Astrophotography channel has this scope, it takes super images. Sure you're in for lots of fun.

@astrotimetraveller4622 2 жыл бұрын

Ollie, many thanks for the tip, I’ve looked at Logan’s channel and will subscribe, always good to see what someone else can achieve with the same equipment and learn from them, kr Ian

@weegieb Жыл бұрын

please verify the back focus spacing from the flattener to the imaging surface. you say 75mm. I believe it is 55 mm from back of flattener to image surface. I took this from cloudy nights regarding the set up "Backfocus of 75mm they write in the manual is misleading, it is actually 55 mm starting from the M48 adapter that sits behind the field flattener. 75mm is the required distance from the edge of the flattener to the sensor, but included with the flattener, you should have an adapter that allows to keep a remaining 55mm backfocus to your sensor, which will be a plug and play on any DSLR, and / or building an imaging train to reach 55mm with the ASI1600. Fortunately, ZWO included ALL the necessary adapters to reach that distance. I have already showed my imaging train with exactly this setup somewhere on this forum I believe..

@astrotimetraveller4622 Жыл бұрын

Hi, I’ve always had it at 75mm and have it in focus. Never tried 55mm. Clear skies Ian

@neilsmith5883 Жыл бұрын

The one thing I really hate with this telescope is the dew shield. Why o why only 2 clamping bolts.

@tomdyer9149 Жыл бұрын

Thanks for the video very well done! One question is how do i attach a 2x barlow lens with the dslr?

@astrotimetraveller4622 Жыл бұрын

Hi Tom, thanks for watching. I presume you have the 2x Barlow so you will need a T ring to connect to your DSLR, they are specific to make and model so make sure you buy one for your camera. You may need an extension of some kind depending on the size of your Barlow, 42mm or 48mm are common. Clear skies Ian

@AlexandraJanine75 Жыл бұрын

The flattener has already the possibility to insert a 2" Filter on camera-side. From the M48 thread of the flattener the correct spacing is 55 mm. So actually the only thing you need is a wide T-ring for a DSLR or just the adapter that is included anyway in the case of a cooled astro camera. The way you do it makes the vignette worse I'm afraid. The filter is the bottleneck in your setup. Especially with a full-frame camera, it should be as close to the camera as possible and not in front of the flattener. Especially if you want to use the now available reducer for the 120ED. Which is really great.

@petecarpenter1068 Жыл бұрын

Hi Ian, first off thanks very much for your video output, all very useful and interesting especially as I have just got my Esprit so we have exactly the same set up. I have had one night with the scope and found that once focused the reading on the draw tube was about 7.5 or thereabouts, is this similar to yours? I have an EAF fitted too and at the end of the session had to run the focuser all the way in as I have to keep the scope in it's box, I was just a little concerned about running the EAF this much at the start and end of each session. Might be overthinking this one and it might not be a problem at all.

@astrotimetraveller4622 Жыл бұрын

Hi Pete, thanks for watching. I don’t need to retract the focuser, so have no experience of moving it in and out for each session, but it works very well so I’m very pleased with it. Yes my draw tube was about 7.5 as well. It’s a great scope and when a night goes well you can get some amazing images with it, you’ll really enjoy it I’m sure, clear skies Ian

@user-tj3xv2ic9v 6 ай бұрын

Tell me where you bought the 62 mm adapter ?

@frankguyton9596 Жыл бұрын

Is the scope any good visually pinpoint to the edge showing airy disk.

@astrodad656 2 жыл бұрын

Is there ever a reason to use a dslr vs your dedicated zwo astro camera? Both are osc correct (zwo not mono)? once I got my cooled cmos I never went back to my dslr. Thanks. Helpful vid re: backfocus accessories.

@astrotimetraveller4622 2 жыл бұрын

Hi thanks for watching. Good question. I’ve never gone back to my dslr for Deep Sky Imaging, but have used for Moon/planetary such as the great conjunction in 2020. However, I’ve just got a ASI178MC for planetary work, I’ve not used it yet, but assume this will take me further away from using the dslr other than perhaps Timelapse, kind regards Ian

@tjn5845 2 жыл бұрын

great presentation. What is the approximate weight of your imaging rig? Does the EQ6 handle it well? Thank you

@astrotimetraveller4622 2 жыл бұрын

Hi, many thanks, yes the EQ6 R Pro handles it very well, I’m getting good guiding if you see my first light video. . I think the telescope is 10kg and my camera, flattener and guide-scope probably add another 2kg. The mount should handle up-to 20kg payload, so the whole rig is well within its capability. Kind regards Ian

@tjn5845 2 жыл бұрын

@@astrotimetraveller4622 thank you for the information and look forward to future videos

@oakleywindowcleaning 2 ай бұрын

At the 19:25 mark you rotate the camera, is this a rotator you have fitted in the image train please?

@astrotimetraveller4622 2 ай бұрын

Yes, it comes with the telescope, so you can rotate for your fov requirement. Clear skies, Ian

@oakleywindowcleaning 2 ай бұрын

@@astrotimetraveller4622 I never knew that, it doesn't get mentioned in any of the telescopes blurb does it?

@oakleywindowcleaning 2 ай бұрын

Or is that what this is one the FLO page '3” CNC Machined 11:1 Rotatable Dual-Speed Linear Power Focuser'?"

@astrotimetraveller4622 2 ай бұрын

It’s on page 9 of the 120 manual, which you can get from the FLO page on the scope. Strange they don’t promote it as it’s very useful. The page 3 relates to the focuser only I believe. Kr Ian