I'm so glad you do what you do. A few weeks ago I saw the moons of Jupiter and the rings of Saturn for the first time in real life, on a toy telescope I gave my grandson for Christmas. That night, my wife decided I needed to buy a real telescope. I agreed. I subscribed to your channel and have been watching for a couple of weeks. Because of your videos I'm buying the Z61ii as my first scope. I'm also getting a pro pack, a used Canon DSLR, plus a 6 inch CST and go to mount for normal star gazing. The equipment today is amazing compared to when I shot Haley's Comet with my 35mm Minolta x370 so many years ago. Great review, and thanks for re-sparking my love for astronomy!!
I know this is an old review of Z61, sowing few times throughout the past year, but just because this review I bought this APO and using since now. Very portable and amazing for astrophotography Thx Trevor
Also, never stop doing honest reviews like this. Some of us rely on good honest product feedback. These ppl writing comments about how this sounds like a commercial are the ppl who don't get what you're trying to do, which is help ppl like me by providing information. Thank you
I ended up buying the SW80ed apo a few months back and set me back almost 1k usd with the flattener. this was only because i wanted a scope i could also use for viewing with other people. I do free telescope viewings in public places here in the Philippines to get my country more aware with astronomy. Upon seeing this video, i now want a z61 😂👍🏼 good job on the review!
I think WO products are excellent. For many years I bought the flattener/reducer 0,8x Mk1. I used it with many refractors and friends too, always with excellent results. One day my future travel scope would be a WO ! Thanks for sharing Trevor. Greetings from France.
After a lot of researching to find a first scope light enough for my star adventurer I finally splurged and bought myself this today. Super excited to try it out once I get it. Until then I will be using my crappy telephoto lens. :D
Muchas gracias máster... Creo que por lo que he estado viendo... Este es el mejor en todos los pro.... Entre precio, calidad y prestaciones... Genial OTA!!
Can anyone help me. I recently purchased the WO Zenithstar 61II APO directly along with the Dura Bright 2 inch Dielectric diagonal for SCT threaded scope, and the 48 mm t mount for a Fuji camera. I cannot get the diagonal prism or camera mount to attach to the scope. I have had others look at it and they say it appears I am missing an adapter that will allow me to connect the scope to the prism. I have tried to contact WO several times but they will not respond. Can any one with knowledge of this equipment let me know what I need? Thank you.
I'm totally new to this field .. looking to get something before my trip to a dark sky in March. I own a a6400 and wonder what would I need to do a minimal setup for sky looking as well as photography using this lens.. I've found one open box.
Thanks. I agree with some other comments - always good to disclose the conditions for equipment review - loan or gift. Anyways, this Z61 has gotten very good reviews also elsewhere, so I have just ordered one to use primarily with my Star Adventurer Mini for astrophotography. Will get it in a week or so. Thanks, and keep up the good work.
Good Review,very detailed and good filming! I think the Price is (including the Flattener) actually very good. Think about a Camera Lens in this Focal lenght with that kind of Colour correction :-) Would be Interesting to see how the Flattener works with full Format Sensor. Keep up the good work!
The hell with what everyone else says. I love the combo used with the Skyguider Pro. This system alloes you to use telescope and or camera. Great video. You answered a lot of questions and saved me a mountain of money. Thanks !!!!
Awesome, I was rewatching your Andromeda video because of this telescope in it. I'm glad it has a standalone review! I'm very interested in this and I feel like this will be my first true telescope. Thank you Trevor!
Hello Trevor, How the Z61 compares to an enthusiast-level super telephoto zoom lens such as nikon 200 ~ 500mm, sigma 150 ~ 600mm, canon 100 ~ 400mm for astro photography? Thank you. Great review!
+Meng Luo Very comparable to a Canon 300mm F/4L. I have used both on the iOptron SkyGuider Pro. The biggest difference is the locking precision focuser on the Z61.. obviously much better for AP. The price difference is quite an eye opener. Telescopes like the Z61 are as close as to a telephoto lens as it gets!
No, you don't have to use a ballhead with a scope like this. I have the Star Adventurer Pro (almost the same as the Skyguider), and I NEVER use the ballhead anymore. You can lock/unlock the DEC-axis as well as the RA-axis, and move it to wherever you want. Then, you simply lock it and start tracking ;) I hope you understand that, English isn't my native language, you see... :p
I would like to know this as well. In the way I'm seeing this with the L-bracket there would only be one up and down position which is directly perpendicular to the polar alignment.
Dude, would you say thats the best introduction to true astrophotography as a mostly beginner? What camera and mount are you using for that beautiful Andromeda shot? I own a Cannon Powershot 60HX which has a fixed lens and make the most of it for now. Great zoom.
I'm glad you spent some more in depth time on this scope. I ended up with the GT71 only because I spoke with Williams about it and Mr Yang told me the weight difference was negligible not to mention that they have some GT71 scopes on sale in their demo portion of their website that they used at a star party. So if anyone is interested take them up on that deal. If not then grab the 61. Thanks Trevor. Hope your doing okay.
+don sigurdson No apology needed Don. Some videos will be useful to some, but not all. The hands on stuff is what I love - so you can count on more of those types of videos in the future
So the standard L-bracket doesn't have a dovetail profile and you need to bolt it to a dovetail bar to fit many mounts? Seems a step backward from the GT81 in this respect.
Enjoy your videos, very informative. Im wanting to get into this hobby. I have Nikon D3100 Can I start with this and add later or you suggest getting flatner when I get the telescope? Any suggestions would be incredibly helpful from Vancouver island! Thank you for any advice
What is the comparison between this and the redcat51? aside from the slightly large aperture and the slightly slower optics? the 61 is $250 cheaper. Is this due to better optics or just marketing?
I don't have any experience with the redcat 51, but I can tell you that the z61 needs a field flattener, the redcat doesn't. The z61 and the adjustable field flattener cost together about 680$, just slightly cheaper than the redcat.
If you use a 1.6X cropped sensor DSLR do you see elongated stars at the edge of the image or is this only with a full size sensor? Also if you attach the field flattener, can you use the telescope with an eyepiece in a star diagonal or do you need to remove the field flattener for visual work?
Trevor! It’s all your fault! I ordered a Z61. Got a great deal on a new one on eBay ($448 less 20%). Now, all I need are clear skies. I’m just south of Lake Erie in Ohio. Clouds!Clouds! Clouds! Thanks for the advice!
I just looked at a used one on line at a well known scope supplier priced at $500.00 with no field flattner. The prices for used W O scopes holds up nicely. ((-:
Great review ! Do you think it wouldn't be too heavy for my star adventurer mount ? It could be a cool replacement for my old nikkor 300mm f4.5 ai ed if lens but the nikkor is lighter (a little less than a kilogram)
So can we use it on a DX DSLR Nikon body ? The extra parts are specifically made for Nikon or Canon ? We will need a new tripod with rotatable base ? Sorry for all these questions but I'm looking to get into deep Astro photography
After getting this scope in Red, along with the Flat-61, how do I know what that should be adjusted to? I'm assuming that measurement on the Flat-61 affect the field not just back-focus right?
Trevor, on some of your videos you mention that because your DSLR has an APSC size sensor the focal length of your scope is multiplied by 1.5. I'd like to inform you that that is not the case. The focal length of the lens does not change with the size of the sensor. The 1.5 or other crop factors are used only to compare the field of view versus a 35mm frame. This is helpful when taking normal land pictures. But again is only a comparison factor. It only means that your field of view would be 1.5 times smaller than if you were using a full frame 35mm DSLR. This reference in fact is not that useful with astrophotograpy where all calculations are made based on the actual focal length. So, everybody should be aware that when your imaging or guiding software asks for your focal length you should use the actual focal length. The software will make the required calculations based on the information you provide for your camera pixel size (microns) and pixel width and height. As you use different cameras with different sensor sizes and pixel counts that will change. The crop factor really has no use in astrophotography.
+Arturo Caballero Thanks for the clarification. When I say the focal length changes with a crop sensor DSLR - I only mention it in terms of FOV. It's nice to know how big a particular DSO will be within the frame! With that being said, I hope to upgrade to a full frame DSLR soon to get that sweet 35mm field.
I was sure you new that. But I was trying to prevent any newbies like myself to misinterpret and enter the wrong information in their software. On the other hand they should be aware that focal reducers and barlows do change the focal length. Big fan of your videos!
Your videos are great - thank you. If I'm shooting with a Micro Four Thirds camera would I need the flattener? M43 has a 2x crop factor. Thanks for your insight...
Hey Trevor, are you only using prime focus? What is the magnification of prime focus with a crop sensor dslr. I will be using a 7D and I'm very close to buying this scope but I'm concerned about how large objects will appear with such a short focal length.
What are your thought on a 70-200mm 2.8 with a 2x tele converter on it? I know it softens my images when it come to wildlife photos but how do you think it would do with deep space photos on the ioptron skyguider pro when considering trying to find focus?
Great video Trevor,can you tell me if the telescope will fit on my nexstar evolution 5 goto mount. As I can afford the scope,just not a new mount and tripod. I doubt i.e. be able to take photos at zenith tho.
I've been watching some of your videos since I found your channel, by youtube recommendation, sometime in the early morning hours of March 13th 2018. I am enjoying them very much and I feel you are doing an excellent job with your videos; teaching, visuals, explaining, encouraging, etc. I have subscribed and will be viewing more of your videos and I am looking forward to see what you bring in the future. I am very pleased with your abilities of [astro]photography and your videos explaining it all.
Hi Trevor. I recently got into astrophotography. I bought a Skyguider Pro and it works wonders for wide field astro. Now I'm starting to make my way into deep sky imaging. I'm thinking about getting the Zenithstar 61. My question is will this setup work with my small Panasonic GX85 micro four-thirds camera or will I need to buy a crop sensor DSLR? And if it does, what other equipment will I be needing. Thank you for the awesome content. Very inspirational.
+bookie60 Nope.. Ive fine tuned my polar alignment recently.. sharp stars in 2 min exposures with no guiding! Pretty sure the SGP could handle a 71mm scope with a small guide scope too..
I have the SkyGuider Pro with a z73 and a canon 80D, no issues.. But I think that's pushing the limit.. z73 is 5.5 lbs.. Mount can handle 11lbs of payload
Excellent content. I watch every episode you release. A question. This should work well with a cooled ASI camera as well? I have a ASI071MC Pro coming in soon and would love to do widefield with it.
Please, can you explain to me?. Why do you say that you've to multiply for 1.6 in order to consider the focal length when you use the t3i camera? thank you !!
The camera chip is an APS-C size, which is smaller than the full frame chips, that would be equivalent to a 35mm film negative (which is what everything relates back to). So the focal length is actually 360mm, as specified, but when you put that on the camera he uses (I have a Canon 60D, same size chip) it actually results in taking an image that would appear to be that taken with one of 360*1.6 or 576mm. It's because you are cropping the image down from what the full size 35mm film would have taken. If you google why this is and how it works you will find loads of articles with easy to understand information about it. Much better than my simple description.
Hi would someone be able to tell me if this telescope would fit to a EF camera body? Specifically the Canon 200D Mark II. I’m busting to get into this hobby further and can’t get a straight answer to this question from anyone.
Great video like all the others in the channel! I have one question: is it recommended for a beginner in astrophotography? Due to budget issues I can't go further 1000 € (I'm from Italy) so I was thinking about some budget solutions like the star adventurer mount (skywatcher) and a small refractor. Now I saw the new skywatcher evostar 72ed but there is no flattener available yet. Which one to choose? Thanks in advance.
Yeah this is a bit toooo late But u should really ask these questions on Reddit people and there much faster in a day Also I have no knowledge as I too am looking for something to buy so sorry
Gabe Sewell An f/4 500 or 300 f/2.8 coupled with a great sensor like a Sony A7SII or RII could make for shorter exposures and possibly cleaner image wit more dynamic range. The quality of the image is very good. BTW Are you hanging OK after the loss of your father? Been there. Prayers
I haven't used it but I agree with the notion that the A7SII and A7RII cameras would be excellent for astrophotography. And I think you may have confused me with Trevor who runs this channel and makes the content for us, I apologize! I saw a question I thought I could help and didn't specify that I am not the intended recipient of the question
+sylvain favreau Yes, of course! I feel like this telescope is more likely to be used with a DSLR because its so portable. I haven't used it on my HEQ5 and the 183C yet. Which is not technically a CCD 😉
So I really considering getting this setup for use with my Sony full frame camera, however I live in London so will need to be going narrowband, how easy is it to introduce narrowband filters in this image train?
you have to have your camera modified, otherwise it's blind to H-alpha wavelenght. But that means your camera can't be used for daytime photography, unless you use an extra specific filter. I have a stock camera and use a light pollution filter, an IDAS LPS D1. It works very well :)
Hi. I’m looking at getting into wide field deep sky Astro photography. Which would you recommend this or the Spacecat 51? I’ll be pairing it with my Nikon D810a
Nice review guy, for a funny and easy-going telescope that somehow reminds me of my old WO Megrez - 80 mm F/6 Caf2 triplet. A small killer ! I like WO, in first line since years, in steering APO refractors to a different degree of affordability, with a few mechanical compromises. Pure fun also for this small bad 61boy. I like your style ! For what it counts (my 2 cents), I would even mention anymore the concept of "crop-factor" for DSLR and astro-photography. A telescope (or a lens) is what it is. A sensor (whichever type), has its active area. There's no crop, anywhere, and the information is by the way useless if you think to the physical meaning of focal length, digital sampling or so. Crop-factor was just a commercial way to explain "photographers" why a non-full-frame chip could have been an advantage.... Sorry for bothering with a poor people caveat and my best regards. Enjoy your hobby, I see pure passion. Ciao, Paolo
Great review looking to upgrade my lenses, just got my ioptron skyguider pro and I haven’t had a clear sky sense lol, btw now I want to play morrowind again
Thanks for the video. Only an occasional viewer. And haven't dipped into astrophotography yet. I had a quick search on RUclips and was unable to find whether 'using a telephoto lens for astrophotography ' as a discussion video has been covered by anyone. Have you any thoughts on it? I have a nikon d500 and a tamron 150-600....any thoughts on its use for star photography?
I've seen a few people use that exact lens and get great amateur images, it's not uncommon for people to use their telephoto lenses for astrophotography if they come from a photography background... only downsides are the extra weight and size that are associated with large telephoto lenses because of the unnecessary autofocus and image stabilization features. Also more expensive, but that doesn't really matter if you already have the lens and no telescope :)
Hi Trevor - I enjoy your videos and look forward to new ones. May I respectfully suggest you make appropriate disclosure statements (paid or compensated endorsements; free or loaned gear; paid or unpaid reviews; etc) about the gear you use or review (as you have done in some other videos)? It would make your already informative videos much more valuable to the viewers in my opinion.
Hey Trevor, would I just need the scope and the flat 61 to get started, or are there other accessories required on top of that? Currently using a Canon 6D.
I've been asking the same thing. :) The Redcat 51 looks really amazing, but 2 things are stopping me from buying it. 1) Price. It's simply too much for such focal length 2) Focal Length. I already have a 250mm lens, and want something with a longer focal length Other than that, it's a very fast quadruplet APO with very good reviews and sharp images.
omg elderscrolls music and stars go so well together. i remember walking around the north of morrowind just looking at the stars when i was a young.
Glad i wasn't the only one who noticed.
I'm so glad you do what you do. A few weeks ago I saw the moons of Jupiter and the rings of Saturn for the first time in real life, on a toy telescope I gave my grandson for Christmas. That night, my wife decided I needed to buy a real telescope. I agreed. I subscribed to your channel and have been watching for a couple of weeks. Because of your videos I'm buying the Z61ii as my first scope. I'm also getting a pro pack, a used Canon DSLR, plus a 6 inch CST and go to mount for normal star gazing. The equipment today is amazing compared to when I shot Haley's Comet with my 35mm Minolta x370 so many years ago. Great review, and thanks for re-sparking my love for astronomy!!
How have you like the Zenithstar 61? I'm considering this as my first telescope, I already have a canon mirrorless camera.
I'll tell you what.... YOU'VE came a long way in 4 years man!
I know this is an old review of Z61, sowing few times throughout the past year, but just because this review I bought this APO and using since now. Very portable and amazing for astrophotography
Thx Trevor
Also, never stop doing honest reviews like this. Some of us rely on good honest product feedback. These ppl writing comments about how this sounds like a commercial are the ppl who don't get what you're trying to do, which is help ppl like me by providing information. Thank you
I ended up buying the SW80ed apo a few months back and set me back almost 1k usd with the flattener. this was only because i wanted a scope i could also use for viewing with other people. I do free telescope viewings in public places here in the Philippines to get my country more aware with astronomy. Upon seeing this video, i now want a z61 😂👍🏼 good job on the review!
+Paolo Portillo Thats an excellent scope Paolo.. I often recommend it. Great to hear what you are doing! Clear skies
I think WO products are excellent. For many years I bought the flattener/reducer 0,8x Mk1. I used it with many refractors and friends too, always with excellent results. One day my future travel scope would be a WO !
Thanks for sharing Trevor. Greetings from France.
After a lot of researching to find a first scope light enough for my star adventurer I finally splurged and bought myself this today. Super excited to try it out once I get it. Until then I will be using my crappy telephoto lens. :D
Thank you for giving your decision in the first 10 seconds!@ Love your videos
Great review!! We have one, and we love it. Thank you for sharing!!
You sold me. Bought he scope, Nikon adaptor and the flattener! Cant wait to get it outside!
Muchas gracias máster... Creo que por lo que he estado viendo... Este es el mejor en todos los pro.... Entre precio, calidad y prestaciones... Genial OTA!!
Can anyone help me. I recently purchased the WO Zenithstar 61II APO directly along with the Dura Bright 2 inch Dielectric diagonal for SCT threaded scope, and the 48 mm t mount for a Fuji camera. I cannot get the diagonal prism or camera mount to attach to the scope. I have had others look at it and they say it appears I am missing an adapter that will allow me to connect the scope to the prism. I have tried to contact WO several times but they will not respond. Can any one with knowledge of this equipment let me know what I need? Thank you.
Is there a reason the price has doubled since you made this review?
I'm totally new to this field .. looking to get something before my trip to a dark sky in March.
I own a a6400 and wonder what would I need to do a minimal setup for sky looking as well as photography using this lens.. I've found one open box.
Beautiful man! William Optics it's very beautiful, good optic
Thanks. I agree with some other comments - always good to disclose the conditions for equipment review - loan or gift. Anyways, this Z61 has gotten very good reviews also elsewhere, so I have just ordered one to use primarily with my Star Adventurer Mini for astrophotography. Will get it in a week or so. Thanks, and keep up the good work.
hi. i 'm planning to buy but when searching there is no planet photos taken by this apo. cant watch or take clear and bigger photos of planets?
What if I have a MIRRORLESS camera? Can I use it as well? Or I won’t have enough range ?
Just bought this model but need help in a good tripod. Thanks.
Good Review,very detailed and good filming!
I think the Price is (including the Flattener) actually very good.
Think about a Camera Lens in this Focal lenght with that kind of
Colour correction :-)
Would be Interesting to see how the Flattener works with full Format Sensor.
Keep up the good work!
The hell with what everyone else says. I love the combo used with the Skyguider Pro. This system alloes you to use telescope and or camera. Great video. You answered a lot of questions and saved me a mountain of money. Thanks !!!!
Can you use a ball head to adjust it to the desired position in the sky as you would do it with a tele lens?
Awesome, I was rewatching your Andromeda video because of this telescope in it. I'm glad it has a standalone review! I'm very interested in this and I feel like this will be my first true telescope. Thank you Trevor!
+Gabe Sewell So glad to hear that Gabe. Thanks
Hello Trevor,
How the Z61 compares to an enthusiast-level super telephoto zoom lens such as nikon 200 ~ 500mm, sigma 150 ~ 600mm, canon 100 ~ 400mm for astro photography?
Thank you. Great review!
+Meng Luo Very comparable to a Canon 300mm F/4L. I have used both on the iOptron SkyGuider Pro. The biggest difference is the locking precision focuser on the Z61.. obviously much better for AP. The price difference is quite an eye opener. Telescopes like the Z61 are as close as to a telephoto lens as it gets!
Thank you for the reply. I still want to get a nikon 200~500mm for some wildlife shot as well.
The Z61 is actually sharper than a telephoto lens and colour aberration is virtually non-existent on the Z61.
that is a scope as where the others are lenses. no comparison. totally different glass..
+
After Polar alignment is set, how do you adjust to your target in Declination? Ball Head?
No, you don't have to use a ballhead with a scope like this.
I have the Star Adventurer Pro (almost the same as the Skyguider), and I NEVER use the ballhead anymore.
You can lock/unlock the DEC-axis as well as the RA-axis, and move it to wherever you want.
Then, you simply lock it and start tracking ;)
I hope you understand that, English isn't my native language, you see... :p
I would like to know this as well. In the way I'm seeing this with the L-bracket there would only be one up and down position which is directly perpendicular to the polar alignment.
I still can’t make my mind up whether to get the Zenith 61 or the Redcat 51. Any advice is greatly received
mR. pAaNDa Thank you sir 👍🏻
if you can even find the redcat or the spacecat... they are very rare and out of stock everywhere.
So it’s essentially a prime lens?
Dude, would you say thats the best introduction to true astrophotography as a mostly beginner? What camera and mount are you using for that beautiful Andromeda shot? I own a Cannon Powershot 60HX which has a fixed lens and make the most of it for now. Great zoom.
I'm glad you spent some more in depth time on this scope. I ended up with the GT71 only because I spoke with Williams about it and Mr Yang told me the weight difference was negligible not to mention that they have some GT71 scopes on sale in their demo portion of their website that they used at a star party. So if anyone is interested take them up on that deal. If not then grab the 61.
Thanks Trevor. Hope your doing okay.
I apologize for my remarks. You are just keeping is up with the latest and greatest. Keep up the good work . I love your channel
+don sigurdson No apology needed Don. Some videos will be useful to some, but not all. The hands on stuff is what I love - so you can count on more of those types of videos in the future
Would this be OK with a full frame Canon R5?
Noob here. Dumb question, but can I use this without a camera? Will I be able to see andromeda without a camera?
Yes you can with some eyepieces. But it will be better don't expect clear view of astrophotography. It seems like gray cloud. mono tone, no colour.
I received my Z 61 this afternoon and can't wait for first light!
Is it good?
How good is it?
Tam47 I also just got one a few days ago and it’s great!
So the standard L-bracket doesn't have a dovetail profile and you need to bolt it to a dovetail bar to fit many mounts? Seems a step backward from the GT81 in this respect.
Enjoy your videos, very informative. Im wanting to get into this hobby.
I have Nikon D3100
Can I start with this and add later or you suggest getting flatner when I get the telescope?
Any suggestions would be incredibly helpful from
Vancouver island!
Thank you for any advice
What is the comparison between this and the redcat51? aside from the slightly large aperture and the slightly slower optics? the 61 is $250 cheaper. Is this due to better optics or just marketing?
I don't have any experience with the redcat 51, but I can tell you that the z61 needs a field flattener, the redcat doesn't. The z61 and the adjustable field flattener cost together about 680$, just slightly cheaper than the redcat.
Would it be better to go for the 73 Trevor?
If you use a 1.6X cropped sensor DSLR do you see elongated stars at the edge of the image or is this only with a full size sensor? Also if you attach the field flattener, can you use the telescope with an eyepiece in a star diagonal or do you need to remove the field flattener for visual work?
Did you ever do a red cat 51 review? I can’t seem to find one from you.
Trevor! It’s all your fault! I ordered a Z61. Got a great deal on a new one on eBay ($448 less 20%). Now, all I need are clear skies. I’m just south of Lake Erie in Ohio. Clouds!Clouds! Clouds! Thanks for the advice!
I just looked at a used one on line at a well known scope supplier priced at $500.00 with no field flattner. The prices for used W O scopes holds up nicely. ((-:
Would you recomend this telescope + DSLR + Skyguider pro for a started setup?
that's what i use
Great review ! Do you think it wouldn't be too heavy for my star adventurer mount ? It could be a cool replacement for my old nikkor 300mm f4.5 ai ed if lens but the nikkor is lighter (a little less than a kilogram)
What adapter do you need for a sony e-mount adapter?
Is this a good telescope for beginners?
Can I install the ZWO EAF to the Z61 focuser?
Do i still need to buy the field flattener when using a crop sensor Nikon D500?
Whats the name of the counterweight that you use in the video and can the same one be used on the little brother the skytracker pro.
So can we use it on a DX DSLR Nikon body ? The extra parts are specifically made for Nikon or Canon ? We will need a new tripod with rotatable base ? Sorry for all these questions but I'm looking to get into deep Astro photography
I use this scope with my DX nikon DSLR body
hi Trevor, which one would be good? William Optics Zenithstar 61 or RedCat 51?
Dang. Watching this in 2019 and I can't find this scope new for under $450 now.
i'm about to buy one. pretty pricey.
Can it be used for just visual too?
alphaphotoandvideo yes. Not optimal however.
I spoke with William Yang last week, he says the Flat61 will be available in mid Oct (it's out of stock currently).
+jamesNewman Great information James - thank you for sharing.
After getting this scope in Red, along with the Flat-61, how do I know what that should be adjusted to? I'm assuming that measurement on the Flat-61 affect the field not just back-focus right?
So I could use a star tracker for this telescope and save money on an equatorial mount and tracker?
Trevor, on some of your videos you mention that because your DSLR has an APSC size sensor the focal length of your scope is multiplied by 1.5. I'd like to inform you that that is not the case. The focal length of the lens does not change with the size of the sensor. The 1.5 or other crop factors are used only to compare the field of view versus a 35mm frame. This is helpful when taking normal land pictures. But again is only a comparison factor. It only means that your field of view would be 1.5 times smaller than if you were using a full frame 35mm DSLR. This reference in fact is not that useful with astrophotograpy where all calculations are made based on the actual focal length. So, everybody should be aware that when your imaging or guiding software asks for your focal length you should use the actual focal length. The software will make the required calculations based on the information you provide for your camera pixel size (microns) and pixel width and height. As you use different cameras with different sensor sizes and pixel counts that will change. The crop factor really has no use in astrophotography.
+Arturo Caballero Thanks for the clarification. When I say the focal length changes with a crop sensor DSLR - I only mention it in terms of FOV. It's nice to know how big a particular DSO will be within the frame! With that being said, I hope to upgrade to a full frame DSLR soon to get that sweet 35mm field.
I was sure you new that. But I was trying to prevent any newbies like myself to misinterpret and enter the wrong information in their software. On the other hand they should be aware that focal reducers and barlows do change the focal length. Big fan of your videos!
Great review ! What do you guys think of the Z61 vs the new Redcat 51 for an ideal portable photography set up ?
Hi Trevor - Are there any issues with using this telescope along with a OSC camera such as the ASI183MC-PRO?
Your videos are great - thank you. If I'm shooting with a Micro Four Thirds camera would I need the flattener? M43 has a 2x crop factor. Thanks for your insight...
Hey Trevor, are you only using prime focus? What is the magnification of prime focus with a crop sensor dslr. I will be using a 7D and I'm very close to buying this scope but I'm concerned about how large objects will appear with such a short focal length.
What are your thought on a 70-200mm 2.8 with a 2x tele converter on it? I know it softens my images when it come to wildlife photos but how do you think it would do with deep space photos on the ioptron skyguider pro when considering trying to find focus?
Love this little thing, have you ever tried it for visual only? What's it like?
Great video Trevor,can you tell me if the telescope will fit on my nexstar evolution 5 goto mount. As I can afford the scope,just not a new mount and tripod. I doubt i.e. be able to take photos at zenith tho.
I've been watching some of your videos since I found your channel, by youtube recommendation, sometime in the early morning hours of March 13th 2018.
I am enjoying them very much and I feel you are doing an excellent job with your videos; teaching, visuals, explaining, encouraging, etc. I have subscribed and will be viewing more of your videos and I am looking forward to see what you bring in the future. I am very pleased with your abilities of [astro]photography and your videos explaining it all.
How well does this take pictures of the planets?
Hi Trevor. I recently got into astrophotography. I bought a Skyguider Pro and it works wonders for wide field astro. Now I'm starting to make my way into deep sky imaging. I'm thinking about getting the Zenithstar 61. My question is will this setup work with my small Panasonic GX85 micro four-thirds camera or will I need to buy a crop sensor DSLR? And if it does, what other equipment will I be needing. Thank you for the awesome content. Very inspirational.
So no problems for the skyguider carrying that load?
+bookie60 Nope.. Ive fine tuned my polar alignment recently.. sharp stars in 2 min exposures with no guiding! Pretty sure the SGP could handle a 71mm scope with a small guide scope too..
Good to know. Ive got a zenith star 66 and a 30d that are begging to be dusted off. Thanks!
I have the SkyGuider Pro with a z73 and a canon 80D, no issues.. But I think that's pushing the limit.. z73 is 5.5 lbs.. Mount can handle 11lbs of payload
Is that an Elder Scrolls Soundtrack in the backround? :D
Excellent content. I watch every episode you release. A question. This should work well with a cooled ASI camera as well? I have a ASI071MC Pro coming in soon and would love to do widefield with it.
I was looking for an equipment just like that, your videos really help me every time
Thank you so much :)
Did you end up getting it? Looking at getting one myself
James No, I just upgraded my old equipment for now. But I‘m still planning on buying the Zenithstar 61 in a few years :)
Shia * nice! Mine should be here tomorrow, looking forward to using it
James Cool! Keep me updated with how it‘s working for you :)
Shia * mine just came in! I’m gonna have to wait a bit because the field flattener is another $200 lol
Trevor, how well does the Z61 peform on the smaller ioptron skytracker pro camera mount?
Please, can you explain to me?. Why do you say that you've to multiply for 1.6 in order to consider the focal length when you use the t3i camera? thank you !!
The camera chip is an APS-C size, which is smaller than the full frame chips, that would be equivalent to a 35mm film negative (which is what everything relates back to). So the focal length is actually 360mm, as specified, but when you put that on the camera he uses (I have a Canon 60D, same size chip) it actually results in taking an image that would appear to be that taken with one of 360*1.6 or 576mm. It's because you are cropping the image down from what the full size 35mm film would have taken. If you google why this is and how it works you will find loads of articles with easy to understand information about it. Much better than my simple description.
thank you !
Hi would someone be able to tell me if this telescope would fit to a EF camera body?
Specifically the Canon 200D Mark II.
I’m busting to get into this hobby further and can’t get a straight answer to this question from anyone.
Great video like all the others in the channel! I have one question: is it recommended for a beginner in astrophotography? Due to budget issues I can't go further 1000 € (I'm from Italy) so I was thinking about some budget solutions like the star adventurer mount (skywatcher) and a small refractor. Now I saw the new skywatcher evostar 72ed but there is no flattener available yet. Which one to choose? Thanks in advance.
Yeah this is a bit toooo late
But u should really ask these questions on Reddit people and there much faster in a day
Also I have no knowledge as I too am looking for something to buy so sorry
What would be the advantage of using over my Canon 500 f/4 or 300mm f/4 or 2.8?
Possibly less expensive, very precise and high quality, plus you can do visual observing if you want. Lighter too, compared to those massive lenses.
Gabe Sewell An f/4 500 or 300 f/2.8 coupled with a great sensor like a Sony A7SII or RII could make for shorter exposures and possibly cleaner image wit more dynamic range. The quality of the image is very good.
BTW Are you hanging OK after the loss of your father? Been there. Prayers
I haven't used it but I agree with the notion that the A7SII and A7RII cameras would be excellent for astrophotography. And I think you may have confused me with Trevor who runs this channel and makes the content for us, I apologize! I saw a question I thought I could help and didn't specify that I am not the intended recipient of the question
good for a DSLR what about a CCD is it good too?
+sylvain favreau Yes, of course! I feel like this telescope is more likely to be used with a DSLR because its so portable. I haven't used it on my HEQ5 and the 183C yet. Which is not technically a CCD 😉
thank you
So I really considering getting this setup for use with my Sony full frame camera, however I live in London so will need to be going narrowband, how easy is it to introduce narrowband filters in this image train?
you have to have your camera modified, otherwise it's blind to H-alpha wavelenght. But that means your camera can't be used for daytime photography, unless you use an extra specific filter. I have a stock camera and use a light pollution filter, an IDAS LPS D1. It works very well :)
Great vid, would love to see more reviews like this
Is it better than the red cat????
Is it possible to mount a MILC cam on this beauty?
Do you need a field flattener with a crop sensor camera?
Same question here.
You will need the flattener unless you don't mind cropping out the edges of your image
Have you ever used this to do non astro ? Would it even work ?
Nice skyrim music btw, love it.
I knew I recognized the music!
Warning! Once you try an APO refractor Z61 - even just visual observing, it's very hard to go back to achromatic $50 refractor.
Hi. I’m looking at getting into wide field deep sky Astro photography. Which would you recommend this or the Spacecat 51? I’ll be pairing it with my Nikon D810a
hi! I don't know anything but I hope you get far on astrophotography good luck! :>
Nice review guy, for a funny and easy-going telescope that somehow reminds me of my old WO Megrez - 80 mm F/6 Caf2 triplet. A small killer !
I like WO, in first line since years, in steering APO refractors to a different degree of affordability, with a few mechanical compromises.
Pure fun also for this small bad 61boy.
I like your style !
For what it counts (my 2 cents), I would even mention anymore the concept of "crop-factor" for DSLR and astro-photography. A telescope (or a lens) is what it is. A sensor (whichever type), has its active area. There's no crop, anywhere, and the information is by the way useless if you think to the physical meaning of focal length, digital sampling or so. Crop-factor was just a commercial way to explain "photographers" why a non-full-frame chip could have been an advantage....
Sorry for bothering with a poor people caveat and my best regards.
Enjoy your hobby, I see pure passion.
Ciao, Paolo
Can we mount it over skywatcher star adventurer?
Looks like the SA has a payload capacity of 11 lbs.. so yes, no problem handling the 3.2 lb Z61 and DSLR.
Great review looking to upgrade my lenses, just got my ioptron skyguider pro and I haven’t had a clear sky sense lol, btw now I want to play morrowind again
Did you use an air extension tube with this set up?
Thanks for the video. Only an occasional viewer. And haven't dipped into astrophotography yet. I had a quick search on RUclips and was unable to find whether 'using a telephoto lens for astrophotography ' as a discussion video has been covered by anyone. Have you any thoughts on it? I have a nikon d500 and a tamron 150-600....any thoughts on its use for star photography?
I've seen a few people use that exact lens and get great amateur images, it's not uncommon for people to use their telephoto lenses for astrophotography if they come from a photography background... only downsides are the extra weight and size that are associated with large telephoto lenses because of the unnecessary autofocus and image stabilization features. Also more expensive, but that doesn't really matter if you already have the lens and no telescope :)
Hi Trevor - I enjoy your videos and look forward to new ones. May I respectfully suggest you make appropriate disclosure statements (paid or compensated endorsements; free or loaned gear; paid or unpaid reviews; etc) about the gear you use or review (as you have done in some other videos)? It would make your already informative videos much more valuable to the viewers in my opinion.
+Ardash Muradian Deal! This telescope was loaned to me from William Optics. I will always share my honest opinion on this channel!
If you watch Trevor's other video's he does mention the items that are on loan to him or have been supplied to him .
AstroBackyard this sound more like an ad from the manufacturer then many of your other reviews.
Ardash Muradian you'll find this information in the video description
Prices seemed to have significantly increased. These are going 538 now on high point
Yeah, huge demand for telescopes since COVID started. Unfortunately, supply and demand are creating high prices and zero stock (or long wait times).
@@gomcse this is like 800 Euro now in EU, I wanted to get one but after seeing what the price should be around that's just way too much
Hey Trevor, would I just need the scope and the flat 61 to get started, or are there other accessories required on top of that? Currently using a Canon 6D.
I didn't see any live demo shooting by your telescope ? I'm from Bangladesh. Thanks.
Does this really need a field flattener for DSLR (next year for the ZWO) imaging? I know the edge stars will be oblong, but can they be cropped out?
Sensor format of MFT or smaller would be fine.
The Bugatti Veyron of guide scopes, this will seriously improve my PHD guiding.
Hey, nice review, would you happen to know where to buy this in europe ?
Zenithstar 61 or Redcat 51? And why please?
I've been asking the same thing. :)
The Redcat 51 looks really amazing, but 2 things are stopping me from buying it.
1) Price. It's simply too much for such focal length
2) Focal Length. I already have a 250mm lens, and want something with a longer focal length
Other than that, it's a very fast quadruplet APO with very good reviews and sharp images.
What exactly does the dove tail do?
balance adjustements by giving it room to slide in the clamp