Gerd Waloszek       

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Leica X Vario Attached to Telescope

On this page, I demonstrate how I attach the Leica X Vario to a telescope eyepiece with a T mount filter thread for taking astro photos using the projection technique. Projection technique means that the camera is mounted to the eyepiece, not directly to the telescope. The latter technique can only be used with SLR cameras where the body can be directly attached to the telescope - typically using a T mount adapter.

BTW: I mention the 1:50 method on this site several times. This is a simple variant of the projection technique - you hold the camera by hand to the eyepiece instead of attaching it firmly...

Prolog...

At the beginning a few warnings:

• Special care must be taken that the front lens of the camera and the front lens of the eyepiece do not touch and damage each other!
• If you need to use several adapters rings and attach these to the camera lens, you are in danger of tightening the rings too strongly so that you cannot separate them from each other when disassembling everything. Particularly, the DT ring may stick either to the camera lens or to the adapter to which it is attached - I experienced already both cases... As I do not like to grasp the adapters with tongs, I used a rubber blanket from our kitchen gear (used for opening glass containers or bottles) for separating adapters - with success. However, special tools for unscrewing the adapters would be much more helpful...
  
  

Eyepiece and Adapters

Here, you can see the Revelation 32 mm DigiScope eyepiece and the two adapters needed to mount the Leica X Vario to the eyepiece. A second adapter, a Baader DT ring adapter M37/M43 (or a step-down ring 43-37), is required, because there is no T mount adapter available, which directly fits the filter thread of the lens (43 mm).You can remove the upper part of the eyepiece including the eyecup to reveal the T mount filter thread.

Camera Attached to Eyepiece

Here, you can see the Leica X Vario attached to the Revelation 32 mm DigiScope eyepiece:

Camera Attached to Heritage P130 Telescope

Here, you can see the Leica X Vario attached to the Dobsonian telescope Sky-Watcher Heritage P130 and the Revelation 32 mm DigiScope eyepiece:

Results cannot be published, since I gave the Sky-Watcher P130 telescope away to a friend April 2017.

Camera Attached to GSO 8" Dobson Telescope

Here, you can see the Leica X Vario attached to the GSO 8" Dobsonian telescope (GSD 680) and the Revelation 32 mm DigiScope eyepiece:

Results: Jupiter with Moons (April 7, 2016)

The following photos were taken with the projection method (camera lens mounted fix to a 32mm eyepiece, ISO 3200) using a Leica X Vario:

Further results cannot be published, since I gave the GSO GSD 680 8" Dobsonian telescope to a dealer for selling it in April 2017 (sold).

Camera Attached to Skymax-102 Telescope

Here, you can see the Leica X Vario attached to the Sky-Watcher Skymax-102 telescope (Maksutov-Cassegrain) and the Revelation 32 mm DigiScope eyepiece.

Attention: The small Dobson base (taken from the Heritage 100P) is extremely wobbly and shaky and therefore not a "recommendation," but only shown here for demonstration purposes. If I actually use this base, I hang the camera's shoulder strap around my neck to avoid the worst!

Results: Nearly Full Moon (February 28, 2018)

Photo data : ISO 1600, - 2 EV, focal length about 50 mm equivalent

Post-processed, 3000 pixels		Post-processed, 3000 pixels

Camera Attached to Skymax-127 Telescope

Here, you can see the Leica X Vario attached to the Sky-Watcher Skymax-127 telescope (Maksutov-Cassegrain) and the Revelation 32 mm DigiScope eyepiece.

Attention: The small Dobson base (taken from the Heritage 100P) is extremely wobbly and shaky and therefore not a "recommendation" (it is even more dangerous here than when used with the Skymax-102!), but only shown here for demonstration purposes. If I actually use this base, I hang the camera's shoulder strap around my neck to avoid the worst!

Results: Nearly Full Moon (February 28, 2018)

Photo data : ISO 1600, - 2 EV, focal length about 50 mm and 35 mm equivalent

About 50 mm equiv., post-processed, 3200 pixels		About 50 mm equiv., post-processed, 3200 pixels
About 35 mm equiv., post-processed, 2700 pixels		About 35 mm equiv., post-processed, 2700 pixels