All Farpoint Products are made in the USA at our facilities in Gold River, California.
Farpoint Bahtinov Focus Mask Demonstration:
How to select and fit a focus mask for your telescope:
In 2008, Pavel Bahtinov, a Russian amateur telescope maker and astronomer, published an ingenious new way to easily focus your DSLR camera, webcam or CCD camera for astrophotography. The method is simple, very intuitive, and the device has universally been named after the inventor: The Bahtinov Mask.
Attach your camera to the telescope, center a fairly bright star in your telescope and achieve a rough focus. Then place the mask over the front aperture of your telescope by “hanging” it on the plastic screws from the front dew shield. Take a short exposure. The image of the star will show diffraction spikes. The “center” set will most likely be shifted to one side or the other. This is showing the defocus.
Adjust the focus of your telescope and re-expose the star, once again showing the diffraction spike pattern. Iterate the process until you get the central diffraction spike centered against the star and the other spikes. When you achieve a symmetrical pattern, you have acheived the best possible focus. Remove the mask, center your target object and take your images!
Farpoint manufactures this "lifesaving" astrophotography tool out of virtually indestructible ABS plastic, which comes in two major types and in a range of sizes. The mask pictured below left is a general purpose mask designed to fit refractors and Newtonian telescopes. The mask pictured below right is designed to fit Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes. Both types of mask are available in a range of sizes to cover your imaging needs.
Levenhuk Zeno Handy ZH43 Magnifier is equipped with a light source: it will help you work even in low light conditions. An light switch is located on the handle and its position is easily changed with a finger. This magnifier is perfect for studying tiny objects and decoding small font.
The William Optics UltraCat 108 is a cutting-edge 108mm apochromatic refractor designed for astrophotographers who demand top-tier performance.
Featuring a 5-element advanced Petzval optical design and a fast f/4.8 focal ratio, it delivers breathtaking edge-to-edge clarity and vivid detail, making it perfect for capturing expansive celestial views. Its robust build, exceptional optics, and innovative features redefine the standard for astrophotography.
The Petzval optical design includes two Super ED glass lenses, one ED glass lens, and lanthanum lenses with advanced fully multi-coated coatings. Together, they deliver sharp, vibrant images with true-to-life colours and significantly reduced chromatic aberration.