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Re: [APML] Olympus Varimagnifier
Thank you Philip
The problem is I have 2 OM1's (which I'm happy with) and 1 Nikon F3
I use one of the OM1's just with lenses (stopped down) as much cheaper than
the Nikon ones. I also KEF with one OM1 body and attach the other to the
scope.
With the F3 I've just been trying to get as best a focus as I can get with
the viewfinder (I tried using a watchmakers loupe on the ground glass screen
but couldn't get on with it - it wasn't really a good fit - my diy skills
showing :-)
So I had 2 options - a varimagnifier for the OM1 or an "improved" loupe or
better, the consumer fitting (DW4) for the F3.
Guess I'll try having another go at making a loupe to fit the F3
Thank you once again for your advice
Eddie Guscott
PS. Rumour has it we may have some decent weather next week - cold front
moving in from Iceland...
----- Original Message -----
From: "Philip Perkins" <pgp@astrocruise.com>
To: "Discussion of Film Astrophotography" <astro-photo@seds.org>
Sent: Friday, February 06, 2004 12:36 AM
Subject: Re: [APML] Olympus Varimagnifier
> Hi Eddie,
>
> I've never owned a Varimagnifier but this conclusion has been reached
> pretty consistently by APML over the years. It's intended for 'regular'
> daylight photography whereas the needs of astrophotography are
> different. The light is considerably dimmed by passing through the thick
> glass of the camera's Pentaprism, bouncing off several surfaces, then
> further dimmed by passing through the Varimagnifier, involving several
more
> glass surfaces, and yet a further prism. Result: the light is so dim it's
> hardly useable for astrophotgraphy.
>
> If you've already gone the Olympus route then fine - a lot of people have
> great success with this camera. In my view a much more elegant solution
is
> to dispense with the pentaprism altogether, fit a direct screen viewer /
> magnifier, and achieve right-angle viewing into the bargain:
> http://www.astrocruise.com/misc/pb_mount.jpg
>
> By fitting a bright screen such as the Red Dot D, and focusing directly on
> the screen, the view is dramatically bright - you can easily see the gas
> clouds of bright nebulae - it is like looking through a low power
> eyepiece. You can see the full 35mm FOV and focusing is very easy. Even
> using the Nikon 300mm f/2.8 lens where the focus point is very critical,
it
> snaps into focus, very precisely (I also have a 14x magnifier for precise
> focusing). There is no need for a knife edge focuser at all - you are
> focusing against the manufacturer's calibrated focus point, and you can't
> get more accurate then that.
>
> The camera is a Nikon F2, and that's a homemade 6x viewer that you see. I
> also have the Nikon DW2 which does the same thing except it is much more
> costly. I use the homemade 6x viewer in preference. Unfortunately I will
> probably sell the cameras (I have two F2's) and associated gear quite
soon.
>
> Regards
> --Philip
>
>
> At 18:21 05/02/2004 +0000, you wrote:
> >Thanks Robert & Kevin for your honest replies
> >
> >Eddie Guscott
> >
> >----- Original Message -----
> >From: "Robert J. Seabold" <bseabold@mn.rr.com>
> >To: "'Kevin Wigell'" <kwemail@twcny.rr.com>; "'Discussion of Film
> >Astrophotography'" <astro-photo@seds.org>
> >Sent: Thursday, February 05, 2004 4:31 AM
> >Subject: RE: [APML] Olympus Varimagnifier
> >
> >
> > > Not as experienced as you guys but I agree...I bought the
Varimagnifier
> > > tried it once and never picked it up again...
> > >
> > > Bob Seabold
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: astro-photo-bounces@seds.org
> > > [mailto:astro-photo-bounces@seds.org]On Behalf Of Kevin Wigell
> > > Sent: Wednesday, February 04, 2004 6:35 PM
> > > To: Discussion of Film Astrophotography
> > > Subject: Re: [APML] Olympus Varimagnifier
> > >
> > >
> > > Eddie, yes you can see the entire FOV as the 35 mm frame (using the
lower
> > > magnification setting), but the image will be very dim. It's better to
> >just
> > > look through the viewfinder. The view through the varimagnifier will
just
> >be
> > > larger and dimmer.
> > >
> > > I have one but virtually never use it. Anyone want to buy it from me?
> > >
> > > Kevin Wigell
> > > www.kwastronomy.com
> > >
> > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > From: "Eddie Guscott" <eddie.guscott@blueyonder.co.uk>
> > > To: "APML" <astro-photo@seds.org>
> > > Sent: Wednesday, February 04, 2004 18:13
> > > Subject: [APML] Olympus Varimagnifier
> > >
> > >
> > > > Hello All
> > > >
> > > > I know there has been several threads on finders for different
cameras
> >but
> > > I
> > > > just wanted to ask opinion on using the Olumpus Varimagnifier for
> > > > composition purposes only - not for focussing (as I think I now
> >understand
> > > > the knife edge method of focussing and find it reasonably easy to do
:-)
> > > >
> > > > Will I be able to see the same FOV as the 35mm flm sees? and thereby
> > > compose
> > > > the image easier.
> > > >
> > > > Thanks for any comment
> > > >
> > > > Eddie Guscott
> > >
> > >
> > > _______________________________________________
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> > > http://seds.org/mailman/listinfo/astro-photo
> > >
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> > >
> >
> >
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>
> Philip Perkins
> <pgp@astrocruise.com>
> Wiltshire UK & Luberon France
> http://www.astrocruise.com
>
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