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Stellarvue F50 Finderscope
| Brand | Stellarvue |
| Part Number | |
| Availability | available |
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Reviews
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Apr 29, 2008
Stellarvue F50 Finder
Pros:Lightweight; Ability to change eyepieces; Separate focus for reticle and ep
Cons:Little pricey if you include the rings...about $170 total
Comments:Call me "old-fashioned" but I prefer using setting circles on my Losmandy GM8 when looking for a DSO. I guess I believe in the old adage...KISS (keep it simple, stupid). For visual, once getting in the area using the circles, I will use a low power EP on the main scope to find the target. Then, I'll switch to a higher mag for closer study.
Bottom Line: Would you recommend this item? Yes
When doing astrophotography, however, it becomes somewhat of a nuisance using the diagonal/EP combination on the imaging scope to find the target and then switching to the DSLR and refocusing. Piggybacking a small refractor with the capability of switching magnifications would solve the problem but I didn't want the extra weight on the mount.
The Stellarvue F50 looked like it might be the perfect solution - lightweight and the ability to change eyepieces for different magnifications. The sleek finder also has a diagonal that can be unscrewed and rotated...saving money on a chiropractor.
The supplied 23mm reticle eyepiece allows for focusing the crosshairs and also has the option of illuminating the reticle. There is a small hole provided for screwing in an illuminator.
I have found the F50 to be exactly what I was looking for. Lightweight and, with a 10mm EP, it renders 20x which is just right for finding the faint fuzzies.
I suppose go-to and a guidescope would be easier but, like I said, I like to keep it simple...and Stellarvue's F50 does that for me.Jun 30, 2007Good Finder with nice features
Pros:Nice aperture, crosshairs can be focused, removable eyepiece
Cons:Crosshairs are fragile, somewhat thick grease in the focusing mechanism
Comments:This is a 50mm finder with a removable crosshair eyepiece (not illuminated). There is a separate focus for the crosshairs which is a nice feature. You can also use certain other eyepieces in this little finder, but I have not tried this. The lens is a simple design that shows stars near the edge which are lines rather than points, but otherwise the quality was okay. I did have to make my own crosshairs using thin aluminum wire since the original crosshairs were just filaments that I broke by accident. It comes with lens caps. The grease used in the focusing mechanisms is a bit thick though.
Bottom Line: Would you recommend this item? Yes
The views, though, are bright with a lot of stars visible. The 50mm objective really makes it easier to find deep space objects.Sort by
