Followings are some prototypes we are currently testing.
The picture includes 55FL objective lens assembly and new reducer for 90FL. Unlike current 7870, a lens barrel goes inside focuser. This makes focuser less stress and the main tube longer. As a result, it should be relatively easier to set up and use.
Since my wife finally upgraded her iPhone, now her 5S turned the dedicated thermographer. It’s a scientifically good toy.
I noticed one of good features is to see the temperature even for distant objects. I’m not sure how far it can measure though. Thermography only shows relative temperature difference in each color. But this number should be absolute and hopefully accurate. This is very interesting to see.
Silver body
Teal body
I will be pointing more targets around to see the invisible. In California, the drought is becoming serious problem and the synthetic grass is getting popular to save the water these days. I’m thinking of it especially for my front yard too. But I’m very curious how much temperature different is between real and synthetic. I will walk around my neighbor to measure.
Canon rebates have extended for most of cameras. Although these are not instant rebate, you have good deal with a new American Express card.
Especially 6D with 24-105mm lens kit is very good deal. This lens is the premium quality and $1,150.00 value if purchased alone. But the kit cost is only $600 extra. See Hutech price list.
Note all of our prices are shown before rebate. Don’t miss this great chance! BTW, 60D has been recently discontinued. So these will be removed from our list soon.
I posted 90FL F3.6’s performance several days ago. This is the recent feedback from one of 90FL owners – Sam Berrada. While many 90FL users are waiting for the dedicated reducer, he had 0.7x reducer already. So he wanted to see how 90FL works with 0.7x reducer while he noticed the reducer was not optimized for 90FL. Here is his result.
90FL F3.9 + modified T3i + IDAS LPS-P2, 10 x 4 minutes at ISO 100(!!)
Surprisingly this was taken in the city of Montreal. IDAS LPS should do great job as expected. While the dedicated reducer is scheduled, this result shows the current reducer still works with up to APS-C sensors too. According to him, this was not completely focused yet because the optical system is a bit too long to reach the focus at the infinity. Sorry for that, Sam. So he expects he can make the image sharper and capture more faint nebulosity. Anyway, 90FL + 7870 is promising for APS-C sensor or smaller.
Mike Gifford in Northern California sent his eclipse image taken with IDAS UHB-RS solar filter and Nikon 300mm/D600.
And Following is my image taken by BORG 89ED + IDAS UHB-RS 82mm + Sony Alpha 6000H.
Both above were taken through same filter. But set at different color taste. Using IDAS filter photographically and visually this time again realize me its superior optical performance to create high contrast and clean(minimal internal reflection) image. Best broadband solar filter!! IDAS did great job to achieve that. I like it very much,
Fortunately we successfully enjoyed the eclipse at front of my office this afternoon.
This looks the maximum eclipse at my location around 3:30pm.
And following is the sequence of the eclipse starting around 2:10pm to 4:40pm.
Some sailing friends and neighbors came and enjoy visually with Ha solarscope and binoculars. As the above picture shows, we could see the moon’s bumpy crater edge visually too. That was very interesting to see.
Finally, thanks the universe for showing us such a great event.
Hutech starts carrying Sigma lenses as one of authorized dealers and have setup the special lens kit with Canon 6DH as Hutech original. Sigma’s newly-designed Art Series lenses are superb optics which is best match the modified full frame camera like 6D and creates premium wide-field astro photography.
EOS6T + Sigma 35mm/F1.4 Art : $2,995.00
EOS6T + Sigma 50mm/F1.4 Art : $3,050.00
As you have the chance to check the individual lens price, you will see how special these set prices are.
Latest Terry Dickinson’s SkyNews magazine article on performance of 6DH and 50mm lens explains everything of the optical performance of Sigma Art Series lenses. For Canadian users, check back his review in latest issue. Also you can see some of my test shots taken with 35mm one before.
I have fully same feeling as Terry’s. These are the excellent lenses I’ve ever used. I have some of other Sigma lenses. But Art Series are obviously different grade from others. If someone are looking for high quality super wide-field astrophotography, this is it!!
Currently there are huge sun spots. So I took a picture and played it around. According to the Eclipse Calculator, the maximum eclipse on the day after tomorrow will be something like this at my location. Following is my expectation. My concern is now the sky condition. Forecast say the clouds will be increasing from tonight……….
BORG 89ED + IDAS UHB-RS 82mm filter + Sony Alpha 6000H
I have decided to go for it commercially.
[B09036] – 2590* – 7102* – 7801 – 7835* – 7704
* : parts of package #6290
1.7kg / 365mm
[B09036FTF] – 2590 – 7102 – 7801 – FTF-BORG – FTF-M57 – 7704
1.9kg / 365mm
Full resolution [1.3MB]
A BORG designer suggested me to add a thinner spacer at front reducer assembly to minimize the field of the curvature. This a bit widens the separation of two reducer assemblies. Spacing looks working to me. So I decided to carry these packages. Also I encourage BORG users who own both 90FL and 7704 to try out. A large and thinner spacer at front reducer and, a smaller and thicker spacer at the rear. This should be mostly optimized for 90FL and 7704. This should be the fun scope. I’m not a strong image stretching person. So I should be able to work with the illumination issue. I’m looking forward to using this system next weekend.
Long-time BORG user – Scott Denning sent me the wonderful M33 image taken with his 125SD F3.9 system.
A combination of 50 ten-minute subs using L-R-G-B-Ha with Borg 125SD @ f3.9. Taken 9/25 and 9/26 at 10,500 feet elevation at a very dark site in Wyoming.
Have you checked back your solar gear and been ready to go for next week’s partial solar eclipse trip? I decided to go with IDAS-made broadband filter this time instead of Ha filter since personally I feel the broadband filter’s color more natural. So I start testing with it. Unfortunately, no big sun spots today though. 89ED is 600mm focal length. I noticed there is still a plenty of room in Sony’s APS-C sized sensor.
BORG 89ED + IDAS 82mm UHB-RS filter + Sony NEX-6000H
The above image was taken with the modified Sony 6000. Even HEUIB-II filter was put in the optical train to reduce red portion, it looks still reddish finish to me.
IDAS solar page shows my Annual Eclipse images. That image strongly reminds me how much manual tracking correction was painful during the eclipse that time. Even I corrected time to time, the sun was still moving around. And eventually I gave up creating time lapse movie. That was my painful memory. Now Solar Guider allows me to completely focus on the visual observing. Thanks for Hinode SG!! Since I’m planning to create the time lapse movie, the guider is a kind of must-item for me.
And solar binocular with the eye-safe IDAS UHB-RS filter.
52mm filters are set in front.
As described here several times, Canon binocular shows me very clean sun surface. It should be good transmission and minimal internal reflections. So it shows me very high image contrast. Also the image stabilizer function is charm. Very comfortable. This binocular is my best companion for solar events. And the premium solar filter creates high contrast image and my personally favorite’s yellowish solar surface too. I love this combination.
DigiBorg 
