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True Technology Flip-Mirrors and Filter Units
Micro Filter-Unit (NEW MK II VERSION INTRODUCED SEPT 2004)
Full Price list of True Technology manufactured products
'Mono' Flip-Mirror Finder (FMF) (click on images to enlarge)
A. 'Mono' flip-mirror finder with standard 1.25" male (317M) and female (317F) barrels. Each side of the body of the flip-mirror finder (fmf) is threaded with a female M42 x 1.0 thread, to accept a variety of adapters. The body is a 2"(50.8mm) cube
B. Standard push-fit configuration with CCD camera attached, plugged into 1.25" focuser
A. A better way to connect CCD and other imaging cameras, is by a screwed system. A versatile male-male adapter screws into the back of the fmf, and this adapter can also take a permanently mounted filter such as an IR-Blocking filter. Note that such filters are not only important in tri-colour imaging with a monochrome imaging camera, but also improve results when used with colour imaging cameras.
B. Details of the M42 adapters, with 3 versions available
C. A M42 T-Ring has been added to the configuration of (A), enabling CCD cameras such as Starlight Xpress to be directly connected, and permitting adjustment to the required angle
D. By using a T-thread to C-mount adapter a video camera such as the Astrovid, Planetcam or Stellacam can be attached
E. By using the new M42W webcam adapter, webcams can be attached -see also page on Toucam Pro
A. Filter-finder, rear view, showing adapters with IR-Blocking filter permanently mounted. Note that ALL the adapters used with the 'mono' fmf can also be used with the filter-finder. The body of the filter-finder measures 2.5" (63.5mm) front to back
B. Filter-finder showing filter being inserted, on mounting plate
C. A soft wallet is included with the filter-finder, which can take four filter plates with filters mounted
D. Filter plates with filters mounted (note that filters are not included in the price of the filter-finder)
The filter-finder above is a unique product, combining the functions of a flip-mirror finder, with a simple yet effective method of carrying out tri or quad-colour imaging. The unit measures 2.5" front to back, and a wide range of adapters are available to connect between most types of telescope and CCD camera. A quality front-aluminised mirror is used, providing good visual views in 45° position, and in this position, light to the CCD camera is blocked, enabling dark frames to be taken for CCD cameras which have no shutter (eg Starlight Xpress) A soft wallet is provided with each filter-finder, plus four filter plates. The plates take standard 1.25" filters, such as the high quality dichroic sets from ourselves.
A. MFU MK II (MFU2) has a female M42 x 1.0 thread on the front (you can screw Pentax and other M42 lenses directly into the MFU2) and has a male T-thread on the rear. A 1.25" push-fit barrel is now included as standard in the price of ............................. £ 49 including VAT and UK postage
B. MFU2 with M42 T-Ring attached.
C. MFU2 with T-rings on front and rear, with a low profile 2" push-fit adapter on the front. Note we have a similar adapter for SCT female thread (see thumbnails on Custom-Wheel section), and adapters to connect to both c-mount video cameras, and to webcams
D. If it is required to instal a permanently mounted IR-Blocking filter, we can thread the rear (at no extra cost, but must be done at time of order) to take a standard 1.25" filter. This would sit inside a T-Ring in the case of M42, or you would require a t-thread male-female extension piece of 5 or 10mm, eg from our T-extension tube set (5/10/20/40mm giving any spacing from 5mm to 75mm)
Below are details of our original micro filter unit. Note that all the configurations shown can be accommodated using the MFU2 above, which has now replaced the original
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E. Colour pictures from mono CCD cameras is easy to accomplish if you have a telescope with focuser, but not very easy if you want to take wide field shots using a standard camera lens. The Micro Filter-Unit was designed to enable colour imaging to be carried out using standard M42 camera lenses with CCD cameras, in particular Starlight Xpress CCD cameras, which have the sensor situated typically 17.5mm back from the front of the camera housing. The picture shows the MFU plus coupling adapter between a Pentax 135mm lens and a MX916 CCD camera. The velcro retainig strip has been lifted to show a filter inside the unit
F. Exploded view of above with filter removed. Note the spring loaded ejector pin under the MFU. The thin male-male adapter coupling to the CCD camera is a M42A (standard supply) which has the M42x1.0 thread on either side. Optionally/additionally a M42B adapter can be supplied with T-thread on one side, to connect to a T-Ring, and this would be the normal case when used with a telescope.
G. Close-up showing a filter being inserted
H. Test picture using True Tech filters.
48mm Manual Filter-Unit (48FILU)
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A. Manual 48mm filter unit with filter half inserted. Note the spring-loaded filter ejecting pin
B. The 48mm filter unit installed on a Takahashi refractor, with a Starlight Xpress CCD camera on the back. When a filter is installed the velcro strip at top is pulled over to retain the filter and exclude stray light from entering the unit
C. Side view showing the low profile 2" push-fit male (front) and female (rear) barrels, plus a 2" push-fit to T adapter and T-Ring for attaching a CCD camera. The front of the unit is threaded to take a permanently mounted 48mm filter, eg IR-Blocker.
D. Large wallet(extra) to take up to 9 x 48mm filters
