What many folks do not realise is that a black anodised shiny tube is a perfect reflector of Infra Red reflection on any telescope optics with smooth shiny surfaces, black or not. For close on 60 years I have either used blackboard flat black paint as it has slight texture, and where possible used Contact flocked self adhesive material. A similar product is made by some telescope manufacturers. Greetings from Tasmania Australia 👍🇦🇺🔭
Am definitely going to try this mod in the morning!!!! I love toying around with the C90 for photography and this mod could make this even more valuable
I find black auto spray primer works really well, for coating the inside of tubes. i just reworked my meade ds90 by painting the inside of the tube and blacken the lens edge, and it really made one hell of a difference in the quality of view!. I also lined the focuser with PTFE Teflon tape strips, so that now the focuser in like silky smooth!.
I bought a Skywatcher 90mak this year, prob made 2017. I just checked it, it's already 'flocked'. Glad to know the manufacturer are paying attention & making improvements.
I was going to perform this mod on my new Celestron C90 that arrived just three days ago and then I noticed that the inner tube had already a matte finish inside. I guess Celestron heared the buyer's feedback and improved the design, lucky me! =)
The same is true for my 500 mm f/5.6 version. Since it was marketed for daytime spotting and bird watching, where the problem is greatest, perhaps that user feedback had a impact. I like companies that listen.
David M F Chapman I was surprised that the change was so large. Given that it is marketed as a spotting scope I think Celestron should paint the tube during manufacturing.
Jenham's Astro i bought c90 2 month ago. i relook the inside tube and i think the color is white grey. i read some article in cloudynight that there is someone disasembly c90 and put plate to improve contrast and reduce flare. but what you did is plain and simple with better result. for your reference.. www.cloudynights.com/topic/427444-mct-secondary-baffle-mod/page-5#entry5729336
Thanks for the link. That is the old C90 model, and I think they used sandpaper which is similar to flocked paper but more risky in terms of scratches. They were clearly looking to do a bigger mod than me! When you put the paper in you can easily see from the front of the scope when it is long enough to reach the end of the baffle tube. Then you can cut it to length so it doesn't protrude near the secondary mirror/corrector lens.
Did that on my Mak127. Permanently , it is not an easy job because of the tube being only an inch in diameter! Used two thin bars to get it done (knitting needles would likely work). Stuck one of the sticking needles to the back of the velours paper and then rolled the velours sticking paper around the other as good as possible with some of the sticking paper already loose at the edge and ready to stick. Then bring that where it needs to go, stick down the initial edge and very, very slowly pull away some of the sticking paper and progress untill you're around the whole tube. Best to do this outside because it will soon become hard to see inside the tube. For the Mak127 I used a breadth of 9.2cm (3.6inches). It was hard on a 127 but a 105 has a shorter tube and same diameter tube so should be easier. Good luck! It's worth it and you can probably restart if things go wrong.
Hi. I noticed awful contrast when watching the Sun and some objects in the daylight and I decided to do something about it before I heard about flocking. I used blackest matt paint "Stuart Semple 3.0" Didn't assemble everything yet but I even blackened inside of diagonal mirror as it is plain glossy black inside and also tubes of the mirror on their outside and inside and side edge of the tick mirror. Unfortunately I didn't take any pictures with fixed manual settings to have a fair comparison later on (auto settings will always compensate for light conditions ). Nice to see, what can be achieved. /Maksutov 5"
I've just flocked the telescope tube on my Sky-Watcher Skymax 127. That was really easy to do. It also allowed my to clean the inside of the corrector plate and the mirrors. They definitely needed it. There was years of muck there. Baader Wonder Cleaning Fluid, a good rocket blower and a gazillion Kleenex tissues, really simplified that task. I can definitely see a marked contrast improvement in daylight tests. I'm really looking forward to testing it with some lunar and planetary videos. I might try flocking the baffle tube too. Unfortunately, I have hands that would look better on a gorilla. Fiddly mods might just be too frustrating to do well.
On my SkyMax 127 the inside of the tube is already coated in some kind of matte rubbery-looking substance. Perhaps they have fixed this on newer models, as mine is brand new (bought August 2023).
I can't believe they hadn't painted it already. It's a £200 scope. My 130pds has a flocked drawtube, and this modification has improved the views to a great extent!
The length should be 4.875" long and about 2.100" wide. This works very well but I chose to use a .625 diameter thin wall brass tube with a 16x22x1.5mm washer soldered on one end. I put the flocking inside the brass tube and wrapped 5 turns of black electrical tape around the outside both ends of the tube. It fits snug and won't rattle around.
Hi Alan, I am slowly going back over my most watched videos and adding/editing the CC. I have found some interesting auto translations while doing this! Thanks, Graham
The flocking I bought at Michaels has a right way and a wrong way to roll it up. One way it rolls poorly with several kinks and the other way rolls perfectly round.
Thanks Adam, I recently renewed the flocking paper and reminded myself how much difference it made. In terms of payload a mount like the Porta or similar like the Skywatcher AZ5 would handle a C90 no problem. For an old/orange model you would need to attach a dovetail bar to the mounting plate somehow. I have done this using the tripod mounting thread.
I would be interested to see how much the black acrylic paint black 3.0 which blocks 99% of light would help telescopes such as this in general. Not sure if your interested in giving it a try.
wowww. spectacular result.. many thank bro. i will try this at home.. is the flocking will broken the lense? make scratch in example? is this safe for the lens?
Hello Luis, I do wish I'd bought the 127 rather than the 150, but that was more my fault for not reading about the weight and cool down carefully enough. Aperture fever! Graham
Hello Luis, with the right conditions the 150 did provide excellent views. But it was too heavy than the mount i am now using. A few years ago i had a heavier set-up but more recently we moved house and i need to carry the kit around more. My new, lighter mount struggled with the weight of the 150. Purchaser error on my part! Glad to hear you are having good views of Jupiter. Graham
Random question, I'm looking at the C70 and C90. however I don't primarily plan on using it for Astronomy, I plan on using it for my range trips (shooting at long range, ie 600-1000 yards+) being able to spot hits on targets. but I do plan on using it for astronomy as well, as well as maybe some bird watching. Should I opt for the C90 over the C70? Weight/cost isn't really a factor (as in, the cost between the two), however being able to spot what is essentially quarter inch holes at 1000 yards is primary. and field of view is sort of necessary, in that I'd like to be able to adjust zoom factor "on the fly". from what I understand the C90 comes with a standard 32mm plossl giving it 39x magnification, where as the C70 is 10mm-30mm, giving it a wide range 25x-75x, however i've heard that the quality is lackluster, and from the images i've seen between the two, the C90 has a higher detailed "higher resolution" image? thoughts?
Hi Munky, hope this helps assuming you haven't made your purchase yet. If cost and size/weight allow definitely go for the C90. I don't know how far each will take you but I seriously doubt the C70 would get you past 500 yds. You will get brighter clearer images using prime (fixed magnification) eyepieces rather than a zoom eyepiece. You can get the Celestron 8-24mm zoom eyepiece for the C90 if you really want the zoom capability, but for more magnification with the best clarity I would simply get an additional prime eyepiece with more magnification (for example an 18mm would give you 69x with the C90) or a 2x barlow lens to use with the existing eyepiece. I don't believe the C70 takes standard 1.25" eyepieces, so you have much more flexibility with the C90. Cheers and happy shooting.
Hi, I did it, works great, big improvement, thank you. I have a question, in order to better balance C90 on my mount, I need to replace the dovetail with the longer one. How easy will be to do that ?. Are the holes threaded in the body ?, or there is a nut inside ? Thank you.
Good news! I’ve looked in mine and can see no nut, only the end of the thread of the bolt. if you do drill another tapped hole some debris will enter the tube, probably not much though. So it could be done, in theory at least.
The inner baffle is made of grey PVC and has exactly the same diameter and wall thickness as an electrical PVC tube. That is why I seriously think Celestron has used electrical PVC pipe for the baffle. No joke.
The C90 is a great Telescope. After the mod the image quality is great. The IQ is as good as any spotting scope that costs 5x as much. Great reviews from you by the way, thank you for that!
So the contrast seems to be improved when the field is uniformly illuminated (daytime) but not so much at night, when the field is mostly dark. I wonder if you would see more contrast enhancement with the Moon at high power?
Hi! I just got myself the C90 Make, and will be doing the flocking. A quick question, do you have a favourite Alt Az tripod that supports the C90? I want to get one with slow motion controls that's good and steady, but not massively expensive :-)
Hello Jeffrey, If you want slow motions that rules out the Skywatcher AZ-4, which would otherwise be on the list. This may lead us to the AZ-5, is that available in your location? (I'm in the UK). The SW is cheaper than a Porta II, which i mainly use (but i managed to buy it in a sale!). Graham
Wow, that does make a good difference, especially for daytime viewing. I was going to get the Celestron C70 mini mak telescope for birdwatching in the day mainly and a bit of astronomy at night. Do you have any experience of using that particular scope? If so, is it ok for the money?
Steve Ferneyhough Hi Steve, I haven’t use the C70 so I have to go by the reviews, which seem generally positive. It’s a lighter product, vs the C90, and I suppose it is competing with a lot of more expensive 60/80mm birding scopes. I would guess the price/weight comparison probably favours the C70 if birding is the main aim, but the C90 would win if astro is the main use. Sorry not to be more help. Graham
That's fine thanks. I have ordered one and I will test it out and let you know what it's like if I remember. It would mainly be for birdwatching as I can carry it round easier all day rather than some of the bulkier refractor scopes.
I have both scopes (C70 sold by Omegon, same scope as the Celestron). Of course the c90 wins in terms of astronomy observing, but I have got some very nice nice views of Saturn and Jupiter with the c70, just upgrade the included zoom eyepiece with some good quality astro eyepieces and use the included 1.25 adapter. C70 is best in terms of grab and go portability, when coupled with a solid tripod and mount.
My C90 is older but still black. How far does your baffle tube extend out into the scope? Mine looks pretty short, like extending 1" or so out from the mirror. Am I correct in assuming the paper tube should not extend beyond the plastic baffle? Another thing you can try is to make a lens hood - it also improves the contrast although mine is still pretty awful - so I'm hoping the inner baffle tube will make an improvement.
Hi Barry, on my current model C90 the baffle looks to extend roughly 6-7cm in front of the mirror (rough guess by eye), and yes the paper should not extend further otherwise light paths will be obstructed. Let me know how the hood works out - as you may have seen it helped in my old model C90.
Hi Jenham, should I buy a Celestron 6mm ultra wide eyepiece to use in this C90 telescope? The magnification will be 208x, will the image be clear and bright?
If these are the low cost ultra wides with 66 AFOV and 15mm eye relief then it could work quite well with the C90 for high power lunar, planetary and double star observing. But don’t expect to much if you pay a modest amount (~£30). If it’s an Omni Plossl then i would avoid it.
Hi Graham, looking to do the flocking mod on a c90. a couple of quick Qs: do you have the dimensions of flocking paper to use? could you confirm 53.2mm x 70mm sounds right? My 2nd Q is how is it secured so that it does slide up/down the baffle when in use . Would hate to have the flocking paper "drop" inside the scope. Many thanks!
Hello, the roll of paper in mine is about 60mm x 120mm. This allows me to pull it out with tweezers, and to cover the whole length of the baffle. I don't secure it, but rely on the rolled tube pressing against the baffle. It doesn't slide about. The roll is long enough that it couldn't really fall into the tube entirely. If it slips and protrudes then it is easily retrieved. The paper i use has a peel-off self adhesive layer. I haven't tried to use this (that would be messy!), and i suppose that the combination of the paper and the retained backing paper gives it enough friction to stay in place. I hope this helps, Graham
My other Maks, which are also made by Synta, don't seem to have the same issue with the shiny baffle. I have heard that the the issue has been sorted on new C90s as well, but can't confirm personally. It's an easy fix if needed.
Hi, spraying in situ with an assembled OTA is probably not a good plan but could work if you first remove the rear cell and extract the primary and attached baffle.
Soapman I haven’t done this on my C90 but it appears that the mirror and baffle would be released via 3 bolts and therefore the alignment might not be disturbed. The 127 is different in this regard and the alignment can definitely be disturbed. The paper solution is low risk at least.
Soapman I haven’t done this on my C90 but it appears that the mirror and baffle would be released via 3 bolts and therefore the alignment might not be disturbed. The 127 is different in this regard and the alignment can definitely be disturbed. The paper solution is low risk at least.
do yourself a favor if your looking for a celestron c90, go to optics planet you can get a black c90 spotting scope that comes with a tripod ( piece of crap unless you hang a gallon or 2 of water off it), a nice 45 deg diagonal and 2 eyepieces a 32mm and a 12.5mm both are very nice!. it also comes with a backpack for the scope, and a separate backpack for the tripod. and I paid $159.35 through ebay with free shipping from optics planet! even tho this one is called a spotting scope, it is the same as the gold celestron telescope that you cant buy for less than $200 dollars!. and it only comes with one eyepiece the 32mm and a 45 diagonal and a backpack for the scope!. they are both 90mm x 1250mm focal length!. before use make sure to spin the focuser knob back and forth several times, to break it in and to free it up a little as its stiff at first!.
David Brandenburg I got all that kit minus the tripod when I bought mine, for about £130. The price has gone up quite a bit since then. I think it’s a great scope. Light tripods don’t result in good outcomes with a Mak! Clear skies David.
Yes that doesn't sound right. The flocking on mine worked well, and it sounds like Celestron have tried but done a bad job of removing the original glare.
@@JenhamsAstro awesome Thank-you. I love my c90 ive had it for quite some time. I had a 9.25 celestron sct on a cg5 and it just became a dust collector. I've got a real beefy carbon Fibre tripod and it's so easy to transport. Love your videos!
@@CAPHOTO1961 That’s good. I’m aware that Celestron does now paint it, but I’m surprised yours is as I thought this was a more recent improvement Mine is newer than 2013 and was shiny.
Hi Graham, Thanks for your video. Can you tell me the approximate length of the paper you are inserting into the C90? I'd also appreciate if in your opinion the the Skywatcher AZ4 tripod in steel is a decent enough mount for the C90 when considering that portability by man power will be the means on transport? Cheers Martin
Martin Higgins Hi Martin, the paper has a depth/length of about 12cm. You can easily start a bit longer and observe through the corrector lens when the paper reaches the end of the baffle, then remove and trim a little as needed. The AZ4 is a good mount. The choice of steel vs aluminium legs is not so clear. With a C90 the Ali will be stable enough and the whole package is very light. This is like my setup with a Porta 2. But the Ali legs are by their nature less able to absorb vibration and take heavier tubes than the steel legs. The screws which secure the Ali legs can also be fallible if you over tighten. If weight and ease of movement are key I would say the Ali is best. Many people end up with both types in the end if they have bigger scopes. I hope this helps. Graham
Zara Hall I have no idea! Hopefully one day Celestron will subscribe to my channel, watch the video, thank me for the tip and send me a free scope as a sign of their gratitude. Failing that we can fix it ourselves with some black paper!
Good question! I have received some comments suggesting that Celestron may have improved it recently, but i can't confirm this. Certainly worth fixing if you have a shiny baffle.
Mine has soft light on the tube but not shining reflections, but there is a big difference on terrestrial views contrast between 2pm and 6pm. Does anyone know the Spanish term for "Flocking paper" so i can ask for on a hardware store.?
Hi, I don't speak Spanish but a few google searches came up with the word "borra", meaning a velvet like fabric coating. Sorry if you end up buying a suit made of velvet!
@@JenhamsAstro Hello, thanks for your reply. I’m looking for a portable grab and go scope. I have considered the Celestron C5? Obviously a little more bulky than the C90. Thanks for your reviews.
Hi Stevie, I've got an old C5 from the 1980s and it still gives fine views, but I'm not sure it would be my grab and go choice due to bulk and the need for a suitable mount. I know it's sold as a (daytime) spotting scope these days but again I'm not convinced that its aperture is required for terrestrial, vs a more compact ED refractor type. It's just my personal opinion though. Optically it's a decent OTA.
@@JenhamsAstro Good advice, thanks for taking the time to reply. I’ve since looked at the Vixen Porta ll and the Skywatcher AZ5, both look great mounts. I normally use my binoculars, which a great....but I just need a little more resolving power to enjoy the planets. The great conjunction was a fine sight, but just two bright dots. I need more, and to be just a portable as my bins. After watching all your reviews the C90 is looking excellent, or as you say, a nice wide field ED refractor, maybe and 80mm or so. Again, thank you.
Hello, i haven't got a C70 myself but i found an interesting thread on Stargazers Lounge that suggested the baffle was too thin to flock easily, and also that it didn't look to be the same source of glare as with the stock C90. So i think the answer is no. It's worth a read if only to see the extremes people go to when modifying scopes! stargazerslounge.com/topic/257819-celestron-c70-project/ Clear skies to you! Graham
Great video, thank you. I just bought a C90 Mak and can confirm that the central tube is already painted flat black. 👍
thought it would be some enthusiast thing but when he showed the comparison i was blown away
Might help to use some of that flocking paper to make a dew-shield for the C90 too. Cut some off-axis light before it gets to the OTA
3:01 The difference in daytime is just amazing. I wonder if it would be important for long exposures on faint nebulae that fill the field of view.
What many folks do not realise is that a black anodised shiny tube is a perfect reflector of Infra Red reflection on any telescope optics with smooth shiny surfaces, black or not. For close on 60 years I have either used blackboard flat black paint as it has slight texture, and where possible used Contact flocked self adhesive material. A similar product is made by some telescope manufacturers. Greetings from Tasmania Australia 👍🇦🇺🔭
Es usted, un genio!! Gracias por este descubrimiento. Me ha sido de gran ayuda. Un saludo.
Am definitely going to try this mod in the morning!!!! I love toying around with the C90 for photography and this mod could make this even more valuable
Somehow I overlooked this video previously. That’s quite impressive for daytime use. Glad I stumbled on it. Merry Christmas.
Thanks, and the same to you!
I find black auto spray primer works really well, for coating the inside of tubes. i just reworked my meade ds90 by painting the inside of the tube and blacken the lens edge, and it really made one hell of a difference in the quality of view!. I also lined the focuser with PTFE Teflon tape strips, so that now the focuser in like silky smooth!.
Yes it's surprising how a few small tweaks can improve the view.
WOW, I've been watching all of you're videos, great info, thanks
I bought a Skywatcher 90mak this year, prob made 2017. I just checked it, it's already 'flocked'. Glad to know the manufacturer are paying attention & making improvements.
Good news. Thanks for the info. Graham
I was going to perform this mod on my new Celestron C90 that arrived just three days ago and then I noticed that the inner tube had already a matte finish inside. I guess Celestron heared the buyer's feedback and improved the design, lucky me! =)
Good news, thanks.
@@JenhamsAstro Svbony 25-75 70 Mak
Normal ?
The same is true for my 500 mm f/5.6 version. Since it was marketed for daytime spotting and bird watching, where the problem is greatest, perhaps that user feedback had a impact. I like companies that listen.
Quite a dramatic improvement! I did this for my ancient 1983 C90 as well.
David M F Chapman I was surprised that the change was so large. Given that it is marketed as a spotting scope I think Celestron should paint the tube during manufacturing.
Jenham's Astro
i have seen the inside tube on my c90. and the color is white. interesting why celestron not paint this inside tube with black color..
jhon malakiat hi, white makes no sense to me! How old is your scope?
Jenham's Astro
i bought c90 2 month ago. i relook the inside tube and i think the color is white grey.
i read some article in cloudynight that there is someone disasembly c90 and put plate to improve contrast and reduce flare. but what you did is plain and simple with better result.
for your reference..
www.cloudynights.com/topic/427444-mct-secondary-baffle-mod/page-5#entry5729336
Thanks for the link. That is the old C90 model, and I think they used sandpaper which is similar to flocked paper but more risky in terms of scratches. They were clearly looking to do a bigger mod than me! When you put the paper in you can easily see from the front of the scope when it is long enough to reach the end of the baffle tube. Then you can cut it to length so it doesn't protrude near the secondary mirror/corrector lens.
Truly amazing comparison!
Did that on my Mak127. Permanently , it is not an easy job because of the tube being only an inch in diameter! Used two thin bars to get it done (knitting needles would likely work). Stuck one of the sticking needles to the back of the velours paper and then rolled the velours sticking paper around the other as good as possible with some of the sticking paper already loose at the edge and ready to stick. Then bring that where it needs to go, stick down the initial edge and very, very slowly pull away some of the sticking paper and progress untill you're around the whole tube. Best to do this outside because it will soon become hard to see inside the tube. For the Mak127 I used a breadth of 9.2cm (3.6inches). It was hard on a 127 but a 105 has a shorter tube and same diameter tube so should be easier. Good luck! It's worth it and you can probably restart if things go wrong.
Hi.
I noticed awful contrast when watching the Sun and some objects in the daylight and I decided to do something about it before I heard about flocking. I used blackest matt paint "Stuart Semple 3.0" Didn't assemble everything yet but I even blackened inside of diagonal mirror as it is plain glossy black inside and also tubes of the mirror on their outside and inside and side edge of the tick mirror. Unfortunately I didn't take any pictures with fixed manual settings to have a fair comparison later on (auto settings will always compensate for light conditions
).
Nice to see, what can be achieved.
/Maksutov 5"
I've just flocked the telescope tube on my Sky-Watcher Skymax 127. That was really easy to do. It also allowed my to clean the inside of the corrector plate and the mirrors. They definitely needed it. There was years of muck there. Baader Wonder Cleaning Fluid, a good rocket blower and a gazillion Kleenex tissues, really simplified that task. I can definitely see a marked contrast improvement in daylight tests. I'm really looking forward to testing it with some lunar and planetary videos. I might try flocking the baffle tube too. Unfortunately, I have hands that would look better on a gorilla. Fiddly mods might just be too frustrating to do well.
Good to clean the years away. My 127 is fairly new so still in reasonable condition. I hope you see an improvement with Astro viewing.
On my SkyMax 127 the inside of the tube is already coated in some kind of matte rubbery-looking substance. Perhaps they have fixed this on newer models, as mine is brand new (bought August 2023).
Strange that the manufacturer doesn't apply such simple techniques into their builds.
Agreed!
Whoever you are, bravo
Nice trick, thank you for sharing.
Nice! Incredible difference!
I can't believe they hadn't painted it already. It's a £200 scope. My 130pds has a flocked drawtube, and this modification has improved the views to a great extent!
Good news. Whilst I have no idea why Celestron don't fix this, I like easy mods so I shouldn't complain!
Hi mine is an astrozap baader white light filter. You can buy these ready made in a frame with 3 screws, or just buy the film and make your on.
The length should be 4.875" long and about 2.100" wide. This works very well but I chose to use a .625 diameter thin wall brass tube with a 16x22x1.5mm washer soldered on one end. I put the flocking inside the brass tube and wrapped 5 turns of black electrical tape around the outside both ends of the tube. It fits snug and won't rattle around.
Thank you so much for the details
Thank you for making these enjoyable vids. Have you experimented with flocking in your C5?
Thanks for adding CC to your videos.
Hi Alan, I am slowly going back over my most watched videos and adding/editing the CC. I have found some interesting auto translations while doing this! Thanks, Graham
Wow , Nice im gonna do the same with mine
The flocking I bought at Michaels has a right way and a wrong way to roll it up. One way it rolls poorly with several kinks and the other way rolls perfectly round.
Thank you 🖖🏼
What a difference. Perhaps the benifits at night will show up in a 10 or 20 minute exposure.
Yes i think any reduction in stray light helps the image. Worth a try.
Wow--that was impressive. Thanks for the information. Regarding your mount system: would this accommodate an orange tube C90 as well?
Thanks Adam, I recently renewed the flocking paper and reminded myself how much difference it made. In terms of payload a mount like the Porta or similar like the Skywatcher AZ5 would handle a C90 no problem. For an old/orange model you would need to attach a dovetail bar to the mounting plate somehow. I have done this using the tripod mounting thread.
Very usefull advise
I would be interested to see how much the black acrylic paint black 3.0 which blocks 99% of light would help telescopes such as this in general.
Not sure if your interested in giving it a try.
I am also interested in painting the inside of the tube. do you think it is removable?
wowww. spectacular result.. many thank bro. i will try this at home..
is the flocking will broken the lense? make scratch in example? is this safe for the lens?
100% safe because the paper does not touch any glas. The improvement is realy huge.
I will try this on my 127 mak. Thanks for the video (seems like you didn't like the 150 mak too much).
Hello Luis, I do wish I'd bought the 127 rather than the 150, but that was more my fault for not reading about the weight and cool down carefully enough. Aperture fever! Graham
But have you try it with good seeing? I was looking at Júpiter with GRS visible yesterday morning (at 257x) and it looked sharp as a picture.
Hello Luis, with the right conditions the 150 did provide excellent views. But it was too heavy than the mount i am now using. A few years ago i had a heavier set-up but more recently we moved house and i need to carry the kit around more. My new, lighter mount struggled with the weight of the 150. Purchaser error on my part! Glad to hear you are having good views of Jupiter. Graham
Next, make an extended lens hood for the front and pick up better saturation and contrast! The OLD C90 had them!
Yes, sounds like a good idea. I'll give it a try. Clear skies!
Random question, I'm looking at the C70 and C90. however I don't primarily plan on using it for Astronomy, I plan on using it for my range trips (shooting at long range, ie 600-1000 yards+) being able to spot hits on targets. but I do plan on using it for astronomy as well, as well as maybe some bird watching.
Should I opt for the C90 over the C70? Weight/cost isn't really a factor (as in, the cost between the two), however being able to spot what is essentially quarter inch holes at 1000 yards is primary. and field of view is sort of necessary, in that I'd like to be able to adjust zoom factor "on the fly". from what I understand the C90 comes with a standard 32mm plossl giving it 39x magnification, where as the C70 is 10mm-30mm, giving it a wide range 25x-75x, however i've heard that the quality is lackluster, and from the images i've seen between the two, the C90 has a higher detailed "higher resolution" image?
thoughts?
Hi Munky, hope this helps assuming you haven't made your purchase yet. If cost and size/weight allow definitely go for the C90. I don't know how far each will take you but I seriously doubt the C70 would get you past 500 yds. You will get brighter clearer images using prime (fixed magnification) eyepieces rather than a zoom eyepiece. You can get the Celestron 8-24mm zoom eyepiece for the C90 if you really want the zoom capability, but for more magnification with the best clarity I would simply get an additional prime eyepiece with more magnification (for example an 18mm would give you 69x with the C90) or a 2x barlow lens to use with the existing eyepiece. I don't believe the C70 takes standard 1.25" eyepieces, so you have much more flexibility with the C90. Cheers and happy shooting.
wutttt, I'm going to try that
Very nice! Can you see Sirius b, the companion of Sirius a better with the flocking?
Thanks. Good question! I will try to take a look.
Hi, I did it, works great, big improvement, thank you. I have a question, in order to better balance C90 on my mount, I need to replace the dovetail with the longer one. How easy will be to do that ?. Are the holes threaded in the body ?, or there is a nut inside ? Thank you.
Good news! I’ve looked in mine and can see no nut, only the end of the thread of the bolt. if you do drill another tapped hole some debris will enter the tube, probably not much though. So it could be done, in theory at least.
@@JenhamsAstro Hi, Thank you, waiting for Amazon to deliver the dovetail plate now.
Me gustaría que fuera en español,también los subtítulos,no todos hablamos inglés,gracias.
Hola Antonio, he intentado agregar subtítulos en español usando la traducción de RUclips. ¡Déjame saber si funciona!
The inner baffle is made of grey PVC and has exactly the same diameter and wall thickness as an electrical PVC tube. That is why I seriously think Celestron has used electrical PVC pipe for the baffle. No joke.
You may have discovered their secret! Shame it's so shiny.
The C90 is a great Telescope. After the mod the image quality is great. The IQ is as good as any spotting scope that costs 5x as much. Great reviews from you by the way, thank you for that!
So the contrast seems to be improved when the field is uniformly illuminated (daytime) but not so much at night, when the field is mostly dark. I wonder if you would see more contrast enhancement with the Moon at high power?
David M F Chapman I will give it a try if the clouds stay away over the next few days.
Hi! I just got myself the C90 Make, and will be doing the flocking.
A quick question, do you have a favourite Alt Az tripod that supports the C90? I want to get one with slow motion controls that's good and steady, but not massively expensive :-)
Hello Jeffrey, If you want slow motions that rules out the Skywatcher AZ-4, which would otherwise be on the list. This may lead us to the AZ-5, is that available in your location? (I'm in the UK). The SW is cheaper than a Porta II, which i mainly use (but i managed to buy it in a sale!). Graham
@@JenhamsAstro Hi Graham! Many thanks for the great suggestions! I'm in the UK, too, so I should find some good sources :-)
Does it decrease the resolution at all? Great job on your videos. Well done...
david cummins thanks. I don't think it affects the resolution if you do a tidy job with the paper - better than in my demo at least!
Is there another mount that puts the finder scope above the OTA instead of below the OTA?
I haven’t used it but the SV225 seems to offer this. Worth checking.
Wow, that does make a good difference, especially for daytime viewing. I was going to get the Celestron C70 mini mak telescope for birdwatching in the day mainly and a bit of astronomy at night. Do you have any experience of using that particular scope? If so, is it ok for the money?
Steve Ferneyhough Hi Steve, I haven’t use the C70 so I have to go by the reviews, which seem generally positive. It’s a lighter product, vs the C90, and I suppose it is competing with a lot of more expensive 60/80mm birding scopes. I would guess the price/weight comparison probably favours the C70 if birding is the main aim, but the C90 would win if astro is the main use. Sorry not to be more help. Graham
That's fine thanks. I have ordered one and I will test it out and let you know what it's like if I remember. It would mainly be for birdwatching as I can carry it round easier all day rather than some of the bulkier refractor scopes.
I have both scopes (C70 sold by Omegon, same scope as the Celestron). Of course the c90 wins in terms of astronomy observing, but I have got some very nice nice views of Saturn and Jupiter with the c70, just upgrade the included zoom eyepiece with some good quality astro eyepieces and use the included 1.25 adapter. C70 is best in terms of grab and go portability, when coupled with a solid tripod and mount.
My C90 is older but still black. How far does your baffle tube extend out into the scope? Mine looks pretty short, like extending 1" or so out from the mirror. Am I correct in assuming the paper tube should not extend beyond the plastic baffle? Another thing you can try is to make a lens hood - it also improves the contrast although mine is still pretty awful - so I'm hoping the inner baffle tube will make an improvement.
Hi Barry, on my current model C90 the baffle looks to extend roughly 6-7cm in front of the mirror (rough guess by eye), and yes the paper should not extend further otherwise light paths will be obstructed. Let me know how the hood works out - as you may have seen it helped in my old model C90.
Hi Jenham, should I buy a Celestron 6mm ultra wide eyepiece to use in this C90 telescope? The magnification will be 208x, will the image be clear and bright?
If these are the low cost ultra wides with 66 AFOV and 15mm eye relief then it could work quite well with the C90 for high power lunar, planetary and double star observing. But don’t expect to much if you pay a modest amount (~£30). If it’s an Omni Plossl then i would avoid it.
@@JenhamsAstro thanks for your reply, but I asked about 4mm eyepiece 😅
@@dautai actually it said 6mm! Clear skies whatever you choose.
@@JenhamsAstro thank you for your fix, I and you both had a typing mistake 😄.
What do you think about Angleyes SWA 70 8mm? it is more expensive than Celestron'
Hi Graham, looking to do the flocking mod on a c90. a couple of quick Qs: do you have the dimensions of flocking paper to use? could you confirm 53.2mm x 70mm sounds right? My 2nd Q is how is it secured so that it does slide up/down the baffle when in use . Would hate to have the flocking paper "drop" inside the scope. Many thanks!
Hello, the roll of paper in mine is about 60mm x 120mm. This allows me to pull it out with tweezers, and to cover the whole length of the baffle. I don't secure it, but rely on the rolled tube pressing against the baffle. It doesn't slide about. The roll is long enough that it couldn't really fall into the tube entirely. If it slips and protrudes then it is easily retrieved. The paper i use has a peel-off self adhesive layer. I haven't tried to use this (that would be messy!), and i suppose that the combination of the paper and the retained backing paper gives it enough friction to stay in place. I hope this helps, Graham
hi, got a Q. I see you own numerous Mak's besides the C90... do your Skymax model maks have the same problem as the C90 mak?
My other Maks, which are also made by Synta, don't seem to have the same issue with the shiny baffle. I have heard that the the issue has been sorted on new C90s as well, but can't confirm personally. It's an easy fix if needed.
great idea, do you think could be possible di use a acrilic spray paint instead a paper ? do you think you can remove the tube?
Hi, spraying in situ with an assembled OTA is probably not a good plan but could work if you first remove the rear cell and extract the primary and attached baffle.
@@JenhamsAstro any alignment problem after?
Soapman I haven’t done this on my C90 but it appears that the mirror and baffle would be released via 3 bolts and therefore the alignment might not be disturbed. The 127 is different in this regard and the alignment can definitely be disturbed. The paper solution is low risk at least.
Soapman I haven’t done this on my C90 but it appears that the mirror and baffle would be released via 3 bolts and therefore the alignment might not be disturbed. The 127 is different in this regard and the alignment can definitely be disturbed. The paper solution is low risk at least.
@@JenhamsAstro grazie mille ! Thanks for your help...
Thanks
do yourself a favor if your looking for a celestron c90, go to optics planet you can get a black c90 spotting scope that comes with a tripod ( piece of crap unless you hang a gallon or 2 of water off it), a nice 45 deg diagonal and 2 eyepieces a 32mm and a 12.5mm both are very nice!. it also comes with a backpack for the scope, and a separate backpack for the tripod. and I paid $159.35 through ebay with free shipping from optics planet! even tho this one is called a spotting scope, it is the same as the gold celestron telescope that you cant buy for less than $200 dollars!. and it only comes with one eyepiece the 32mm and a 45 diagonal and a backpack for the scope!. they are both 90mm x 1250mm focal length!. before use make sure to spin the focuser knob back and forth several times, to break it in and to free it up a little as its stiff at first!.
David Brandenburg I got all that kit minus the tripod when I bought mine, for about £130. The price has gone up quite a bit since then. I think it’s a great scope. Light tripods don’t result in good outcomes with a Mak! Clear skies David.
The inner tube in my new-model C90 seems to have a flat black painted finish, but the contrast is lousy. This seems contradictory.
Yes that doesn't sound right. The flocking on mine worked well, and it sounds like Celestron have tried but done a bad job of removing the original glare.
Hello, which tripod is that ?
Hello, it’s a Vixen Porta II
Only flocking paper I can find is self adhesive, is that what you used? Just keeping the backing paper on it?
My paper from FLO is self adhesive but I keep the backing paper on it. When you curl it up it stays put against the baffle tube.
@@JenhamsAstro awesome Thank-you. I love my c90 ive had it for quite some time. I had a 9.25 celestron sct on a cg5 and it just became a dust collector. I've got a real beefy carbon Fibre tripod and it's so easy to transport. Love your videos!
@@CAPHOTO1961 Thanks a lot. It’s a great little scope.
@@JenhamsAstro So i looked inside that tube and it seems like its been painted matte black already? I bought it on March 27, 2013.
@@CAPHOTO1961 That’s good. I’m aware that Celestron does now paint it, but I’m surprised yours is as I thought this was a more recent improvement Mine is newer than 2013 and was shiny.
Wow
how long is that tube on the c90 mak?
Hi Graham,
Thanks for your video. Can you tell me the approximate length of the paper you are inserting into the C90?
I'd also appreciate if in your opinion the the Skywatcher AZ4 tripod in steel is a decent enough mount for the C90 when considering that portability by man power will be the means on transport?
Cheers
Martin
Martin Higgins Hi Martin, the paper has a depth/length of about 12cm. You can easily start a bit longer and observe through the corrector lens when the paper reaches the end of the baffle, then remove and trim a little as needed. The AZ4 is a good mount. The choice of steel vs aluminium legs is not so clear. With a C90 the Ali will be stable enough and the whole package is very light. This is like my setup with a Porta 2. But the Ali legs are by their nature less able to absorb vibration and take heavier tubes than the steel legs. The screws which secure the Ali legs can also be fallible if you over tighten. If weight and ease of movement are key I would say the Ali is best. Many people end up with both types in the end if they have bigger scopes. I hope this helps. Graham
Hi Graham,
Thanks for the info. I value your view on the aluminium v. steel tripod as I'd certainly like to keep weight to a minimum.
Cheers
Martin
Why they don't make a matt finish in the factory?
Zara Hall I have no idea! Hopefully one day Celestron will subscribe to my channel, watch the video, thank me for the tip and send me a free scope as a sign of their gratitude. Failing that we can fix it ourselves with some black paper!
Why is it not painted flat black at the factory or made from a matt plastic?
Good question! I have received some comments suggesting that Celestron may have improved it recently, but i can't confirm this. Certainly worth fixing if you have a shiny baffle.
perhaps a gen 2 of this thing could come with a sun shade..
hoplite101able Yes that might be a good idea as per the old model.
Me nephew made one for me with his 3D printer. See: www.thingiverse.com/thing:1677101
WoW
How long its paper tube?
Around 12cm.
Mine has soft light on the tube but not shining reflections, but there is a big difference on terrestrial views contrast between 2pm and 6pm. Does anyone know the Spanish term for "Flocking paper" so i can ask for on a hardware store.?
Hi, I don't speak Spanish but a few google searches came up with the word "borra", meaning a velvet like fabric coating. Sorry if you end up buying a suit made of velvet!
👍
Hi, please may I ask what mount are you using?
Hello, it’s a Vixen Porta II mount. Other similar mounts are offered by other makers e.g. Skywatcher AZ5.
@@JenhamsAstro Hello, thanks for your reply. I’m looking for a portable grab and go scope. I have considered the Celestron C5? Obviously a little more bulky than the C90. Thanks for your reviews.
Hi Stevie, I've got an old C5 from the 1980s and it still gives fine views, but I'm not sure it would be my grab and go choice due to bulk and the need for a suitable mount. I know it's sold as a (daytime) spotting scope these days but again I'm not convinced that its aperture is required for terrestrial, vs a more compact ED refractor type. It's just my personal opinion though. Optically it's a decent OTA.
@@JenhamsAstro Good advice, thanks for taking the time to reply. I’ve since looked at the Vixen Porta ll and the Skywatcher AZ5, both look great mounts. I normally use my binoculars, which a great....but I just need a little more resolving power to enjoy the planets. The great conjunction was a fine sight, but just two bright dots. I need more, and to be just a portable as my bins. After watching all your reviews the C90 is looking excellent, or as you say, a nice wide field ED refractor, maybe and 80mm or so. Again, thank you.
can you add a sun/dew shield to them?
I haven't seen a Celestron dewshield but a flexible one like those from Astrozap would fit.
Hi can this be done in the c70 as well?
Hello, i haven't got a C70 myself but i found an interesting thread on Stargazers Lounge that suggested the baffle was too thin to flock easily, and also that it didn't look to be the same source of glare as with the stock C90. So i think the answer is no. It's worth a read if only to see the extremes people go to when modifying scopes! stargazerslounge.com/topic/257819-celestron-c70-project/ Clear skies to you! Graham
@@JenhamsAstro you are the best thanks
use a pencil or sharpie to roll it
Chased that moon with a cheaper telescope. It's flying across the sky so fast it's hard to keep up with it via lesser setup.
Buy a new Micro !!!
Better in later videos I hope.