SkyWatcher Auto Focuser

Rating (max 5):

5

I thought I would just write a review which I hope will help other people who want to buy this for the SW 130p on the Syncscan Alt/Az goto mount.

I bought this from FLO and recieved it fine and OK as always. Anyway fitting is easy enough even though the instructions show the crayford focuser.

Using the parts and bracket supplied the focuser fits without modifcation and it works really well and can be fitted in about 25 mins with ease.

Just need clear skies to try it out now. Great item. This is with the black tube 130p with the 2" R+P Focuser.

Rating (max 5):

4

I bought this for a SkyWatcher Explorer 130. Which you will note is not in the list of supported models but I thought I'd give it a shot. Therefore, I wasn't too surprised when I find I couldn't connect as-is.

The bracket supplied has numerous holes, no doubt to support the different models. Just none of them were suitable for mine. However, 30 minutes with a drill and I had holes in the right place and the drive was attached securely to my focuser.

I believe the previous reviewer's assumption that his focuser is just too big is probably correct. With the speed turned fully up, home to fully extended takes 35 seconds which is perfectly acceptable in my opinion. With the speed turned fully down, you can barely see the drive moving. This allows for much finer focus precision than possible by hand.

Would have got 5 stars if I hadn't of had to resort to a drill.

Rating (max 5):

4

Bought this to try out on a non-SW scope with a long-ish focal length of 1350mm. I was finding it difficult to focus manually due to the image moving so much when I touched the focus knob. My scope had a 1/4" shaft for the focuser axle, so I thought I might be able to get this to work with it somehow.

The SW Electronic Focuser comes with a selection of bits to assist in attaching it to various scopes, one of which is a flexible plastic coupler, which I ended up using successfully.

I can now focus very finely without inducing any movement in the image, so in this respect I'd award 4 maybe even 5 stars.

However, even with the focus speed turned right up it is still slow to go from one end of the focus travel to the other. This slow speed is fine when you are close to correct focus, but when first setting up your kit from a case where you have to wind the focuser all the way in to store it, it takes time to move to correct focus.

You end up using the manual knob on the opposite side to the electronic focuser to speed up winding the focuser out, but you are fighting against the electronic focuser - which probably is not too good for it & even then you can't move it that fast, just help it along.

It also feels like it is creeping along due to a less than fresh battery - like the battery is about to expire, which does not inspire confidence. Maybe it is just that my focuser is a bit too big & heavy for it.

BUT, once you are close to focus, it is great, to be able to focus with no image movement, you can even slow the focuser down for really fine focus control

If you can over look the initial wind out & the wind in at close of play issue, then you would give this more stars......it is a hard one to put stars on 3 seems too mean, 4 a little too generous, but taking into account the cost too - it is worth getting I think.