Widefield test image - Zenitar 16mm lens

Got hold of a Zenitar 16mm wide-angle lens for my 10D at the weekend.
Sky cleared to reveal a nearly full Moon Took this shot to try out
the lens. The re-scaling of the image doesn't do the original
justice. The lens performed admirably and held most of the star
images as fine points.

http://www.digitalsky.org.uk/widefie...ield-test.html

The Zenitar is extremely good value for money (mine cost me about
£80). If you are interested the the place to go is here (assuming the
link works)

http://stores.ebay.com/www-kievcamer...enameZl2QQtZkm

If you're looking to get one for a 10D, you need to get one with the
EOS mount built in - i.e. not the one that's available with an M42
mount and an adapter. Apparently (according to some forums), the
adapter can interfere with the mirror. Obviously, I can't check the
validity of this statement. However, the one with the EOS mount
certainly does work with the 10D.

--
Pete
http://www.digitalsky.org.uk

Be nice to see the results from a moon free night.

Graeme

On Mon, 29 Nov 2004 11:17:02 -0000, "gp.skinner"
wrote:

Be nice to see the results from a moon free night.

Wouldn't it ;-) !!!
--
Pete
http://www.digitalsky.org.uk

"Pete Lawrence" wrote in message
...
Got hold of a Zenitar 16mm wide-angle lens for my 10D at the weekend.
Sky cleared to reveal a nearly full Moon Took this shot to try out
the lens. The re-scaling of the image doesn't do the original
justice. The lens performed admirably and held most of the star
images as fine points.

Brings out the colour in Betelgeuse beautifully. Is that a faint green glow
on the horizon, (in the east?)?

I enjoyed your recent M42. How good are the Canon's on fainter objects?

Regards


Chris

On Mon, 29 Nov 2004 11:32:05 GMT, "Chris Taylor"
wrote:

"Pete Lawrence" wrote in message
.. .
Got hold of a Zenitar 16mm wide-angle lens for my 10D at the weekend.
Sky cleared to reveal a nearly full Moon Took this shot to try out
the lens. The re-scaling of the image doesn't do the original
justice. The lens performed admirably and held most of the star
images as fine points.

Brings out the colour in Betelgeuse beautifully. Is that a faint green glow
on the horizon, (in the east?)?

The faint green glow is a hurried attempt to remove a green lens flare
from the Moon ;-) It has preserved the colour of Betelgeuse well
though.

I enjoyed your recent M42. How good are the Canon's on fainter objects?

To be honest Chris, I've only played with cherry picked DSOs up until
now. I have a number of fainter targets I'd like to attempt but I
suspect that my 4" will start to let me down. It's performed
admirably so far but it's not really a light bucket!

I will try and bring my 10" LX-200 into the frame for this purpose. I
do find this scope a bit heavy to carry in and out comfortably. I'm
still undecided about keeping it to be honest.

--
Pete
http://www.digitalsky.org.uk

be nice to see the Moon!!!


"gp.skinner" wrote in message
...
Be nice to see the results from a moon free night.

Graeme

"Pete Lawrence" wrote in message
...
I will try and bring my 10" LX-200 into the frame for this purpose. I
do find this scope a bit heavy to carry in and out comfortably. I'm
still undecided about keeping it to be honest.

Yup, I'm finding the LX90 with a piggybacked 80mm refractor to be about the
limit of what's reasonable to lug about. Its OK for visual use but coupled
with the LPI, DSI, Laptop, USB Cables and the serial cable its looking at
about 30 mins to set up. By the time its all set up you're already
contemplating the 30 mins to pack away (while watching the clouds that are
busy rolling in...).

Just sold our home in South Africa. The next house I buy is looking set to
have an observatory, even if it's an outhouse sized one. Anyone know a good
hypnotist for the wife's 'buy-in'?

The 4 1/2" Celestron also recently found its way back from South Africa,
battered like an old suitcase. It'll be interesting to see which one gets
the casual usage, if these skies ever clear up.

Regards


Chris

"Chris Taylor" wrote in message
...
Yup, I'm finding the LX90 with a piggybacked 80mm refractor to be about
the limit of what's reasonable to lug about. Its OK for visual use but
coupled with the LPI, DSI, Laptop, USB Cables and the serial cable its
looking at about 30 mins to set up. By the time its all set up you're
already contemplating the 30 mins to pack away (while watching the clouds
that are busy rolling in...).

Just time for your eyes to dark adapt.

I'm still waiting for clear skies to try mine out. There's only about a 15
degree window overhead that I can use at the best of times but I could see
actual stars in it when I got home from work. Unfortunately, it's been such
a long time since I saw any stars at all that the ones now there aren't the
ones I'd learned to recognise. By the time I'd got the PC powered up and
peeked at Skymap, it had clouded over again. I'm seriously considering just
using the telescope as a telephoto lens on my camera, just so I get some use
out of it.

Meanwhile, Pete Lawrence seems to be continuing with clear skies! Does
anyone know if it's a Selsey thing, or just Pete?
Grim

"Grimble Gromble" wrote in message
...
"Chris Taylor" wrote in message
...
Yup, I'm finding the LX90 with a piggybacked 80mm refractor to be about
the limit of what's reasonable to lug about. Its OK for visual use but
coupled with the LPI, DSI, Laptop, USB Cables and the serial cable its
looking at about 30 mins to set up. By the time its all set up you're
already contemplating the 30 mins to pack away (while watching the
clouds
that are busy rolling in...).

Just time for your eyes to dark adapt.

I'm still waiting for clear skies to try mine out. There's only about a 15
degree window overhead that I can use at the best of times but I could see
actual stars in it when I got home from work. Unfortunately, it's been
such
a long time since I saw any stars at all that the ones now there aren't
the
ones I'd learned to recognise. By the time I'd got the PC powered up and
peeked at Skymap, it had clouded over again. I'm seriously considering
just
using the telescope as a telephoto lens on my camera, just so I get some
use
out of it.

Meanwhile, Pete Lawrence seems to be continuing with clear skies! Does
anyone know if it's a Selsey thing, or just Pete?
Grim



I believe Chief Lawrence of the Selsey tribe has a cloud banishing chant
that he
wont share with the rest of us....

Last night a lovely clear sky at 20:00, i decided to watch battlestar
galactica
then go out with me scope....HA.....By 21:00 a big bank of misty horrible
low
cloud rolled in from the east and stayed that way til i could no longer keep
my
eyes open.

God i hate english weather!!! Think i might move to Selsey

On Tue, 30 Nov 2004 11:08:37 -0000, "Robert Geake"
wrote:

God i hate english weather!!! Think i might move to Selsey

Even Selsey couldn't deal with that bank of cloud Rob. There were
waves of clear then cloudy conditions crossing my sky last night. I
finally decided to call it a day (or even a night) at around midnight.
However, when I looked out at 1am, there was Orion hanging high in a
cold looking dark but milky blue sky. I was tempted to go out and
have a look at comet Machholz but in the end tiredness got the better
of me

--
Pete
http://www.digitalsky.org.uk