Switched from stacking eyepieces to using a filter wheel last month

For years I was swapping out eyepieces one at a time for my lunar photos. It took me like 10 minutes between shots to get the right magnification and refocus. Last month I finally got a 5 position filter wheel with my main eyepieces loaded in. Now I can switch between views in about 2 seconds without touching the telescope. The difference in consistency for stacking images is huge. Anyone else made the switch and noticed less blur in their final stacks?

2 comments

2 Comments

jakel3613h ago

Gotta admit, I used to think filter wheels were just for lazy people or rich guys with more gear than sense. But last year I grabbed a used 6 position wheel for my planetary imaging and it totally changed my mind. The time savings is huge, I can go from a 5mm for closeups to a 10mm for framing in like 2 seconds without bumping the tube. My Mars stacks from before the swap always had a little soft edge from me fiddling with the focuser between shots, but now they come out way sharper. You're right about the consistency, it makes a big difference in the final image.

the_piper10h ago

Wait, has anyone looked at how a filter wheel affects dew management? I swapped to one last winter and realized I could keep the whole optical train sealed up way better than when I was unscrewing filters in the dark. Even with @jakel36's point about sharpness, I bet the consistency from less air exposure between shots is doing a lot of the heavy lifting.