Wide-field ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY with the SAMYANG 135mm F2

[@Seafox0011]

Perfect for 'grab-and-go' - cheers for the video.

[@scotiaastro]

Cheers, mate! Glad you enjoyed and yes, its so great to just pick up a complete rig and pop it on a mount...such a time-saver. Thanks for tuning in and hope you have a great weekend! :)

[@Tony-Elliott]

Hi Steve, looks like an excellent little set-up mate

[@scotiaastro]

Thanks Tony! Super impressed with the quality of this wee rig and it'll be my go-to wide-field setup for a good while yet, I reckon...have a great day mate and thanks for tuning in! :)

[@jillratanapan2606]

OMG!!! Thank you so much for this video! This solves my wide field with my current setup THANK YOU!

[@scotiaastro]

So thrilled that its helped you out! Thanks so much for tuning in! :)

[@Ben_Stewart]

Love my Rokinon 135mm f2.

[@scotiaastro]

It's a wee imaging beast! Glad you're having fun with yours too! Have a great day, mate! :)

[@ralphgriffin2785]

You too my man...a big shout out to from all of us Astrophotographers in Australia...keep up the awesome work!

[@epostiljon]

Wow, hats of for you sir :-) I just started with this and...well you sertenly gave me a boost

[@scotiaastro]

Thanks so much for tuning in, mate! Glad it helped! Have a great weekend! :)

[@ralphgriffin2785]

I can’t believe this has only 31 likes including the one I just did…your images are amazing and that’s one hell of an unusual yet effective rig…keep it up my man…looking forward to more videos…

[@scotiaastro]

Thanks so much, Ralph! Really appreciate the lovely comments and cheers for tuning in…loads more content coming your way, so stay tuned! Have a lovely week, mate! 😀🔭📸

[@LogansAstro]

Great grab and go rig

[@scotiaastro]

Cheers, Logan! Yes, it’s a great wee rig…having loads of fun with it! Hope you have a great Easter weekend, mate! :)

[@damienk2372]

Very good and clear information, well done Damo

[@scotiaastro]

Glad it was helpful mate! Best wishes from the Northern Hemisphere! :)

[@vide027]

I'd like to see a photo of also having a guide scope mounted

[@AstroCrescent]

Nice review with sample images 👍🏼.

[@scotiaastro]

Thanks so much, mate! Hope you have a super weekend! :)

[@jonathanritter7364]

Awesome video. Im about to dive into the world of go to mounts and zwo cameras. This video was really cool and helpful. Was wondering if you can use wide angle lenses on zwo cams...

[@scotiaastro]

Thanks so much for tuning in mate! Yes, as long as you have the EF adapter, your can fit any compatible lens to the ZWO cameras...widest I've tried is 50mm and it worked fine, but I haven't gone any wider...good luck and let me know how you get on! :)

[@gspinin]

How do you frame your targets? Is there a camera rotator you use?

[@scotiaastro]

Thanks for tuning in, mate! :) No, I don't have an auto rotator on this system. I usually have enough field of view with the 135 to frame up most targets and failing that, I use the manual rotation features on the ASIAIR or NINA...hope that helps and have a great week! :)

[@David_Glazebrook]

Super informative vid. Thanks for sharing all that info. ps - when I tried to go to High Point Scientific via your links they were blocked :(

[@scotiaastro]

Glad you found it useful and thanks for tuning in! Sorry to hear that you're having issues with the links...just tried them out and they're all working at my end?! Have a great day and best wishes! :)

[@David_Glazebrook]

@@scotiaastro .... hmmm odd .... working for me now too ;)

[@David_Glazebrook]

@@scotiaastro strange but good as they now work for me ;)

[@hael8680]

Great video! How well does the autofocuser work with this attachment? Do you always get pinpoint stars at every focus run?

[@scotiaastro]

Thanks for watching! :) My EAF on this system has been working flawlessly and I've haven't had any issues with it at all...it's a tight wee integrated unit! :)

[@joegarrity9309]

Hi Steve. Excellent tutorial. Thanks for the insight. I'm intending to do just as you have instructed. Looks like a fantastic approach. I've had my eye on the new ASI2600MC Duo camera. It has two sensors, one for guiding. I'm uncertain if the image circle in this setup would encompass both sensors. I'd like to think I could image and auto-guide with one camera. Would you know if this is possible?

[@scotiaastro]

Thanks so much for tuning in mate and glad you found it useful! Yes, would highly recommend this wee system, its been a solid performer for me and great fun to image with! The 2600MC Duo sure looks intriguing and I've yet to see any real-world images from it yet...the guys over at Astroworkz have had a go and their video might answer some of your questions on it? Here's the link: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iGbPl5drodGXosk Hope that helps and have a great weekend! :)

[@blackice5649]

Great Video! Do you have a link for the Losmandy Plate?

[@scotiaastro]

Hey mate, thanks for tuning in and glad you found it useful! :) I was using the 7.9 inch Losmandy Plate from First Light Optics, here in the UK: www.firstlightoptics.com/dovetails-saddles-clamps/stellamira-universal-losmandy-style-dovetail-bar.html But, I did find that on certain mounts, it had a tendency to slip a bit, so was a tad too narrow for some saddles...so just be aware of that. As an alternative there's also the excellent ADM range, which I have also used and have had no issues: bit.ly/4aHLnsk Hope that helps, but any other questions, please don't hesitate to ask. Have a great weekend! :)

[@blackice5649]

@@scotiaastro Thanks for the information!

[@tombock336]

This is a great video, Steve! I have the exact same set up and of all my astro gear, it’s quickly becoming my fave to shoot with! With one exception - camera rotation! 😅. Have u figured out any sure fire ways to get your framing set on the 2600MC…maybe even ahead of time? It’s such a challenge to rotate. And wish I understood how to pre-rotate (using Telescopius as a guide perhaps) using the ZWO writing as a rough rotation guide?

[@scotiaastro]

Hey Tom! Thanks so for tuning in! Yes, this wee rig is one of my favs and love that its set-up and ready to go when I need it. Thinking of grabbing an AM3 from ZWO when they're out, as the AZ-EQ6 GT is a bit overkill! Lol! Like you, I find rotation is the Achilles Heel and I usually choose targets based on whether I have some breathing room with the sensor fit. I find the square sensor on the 533MC is better at this and easier, but yeah, haven't figured out an efficient way to rotate the camera yet, either! Hope you have a great week, mate! :)

[@tombock336]

@@scotiaastro So, I have seen a few posts that show the rotation on the 2600MC as.....if the ZWO writing is "right side up" and flat to the ground, that's 90 degrees (or 270). And if it's turned 90 degrees so that it mimics the writing on the spine of a book, that's 0 or 180. What I DON'T know, is if that's the angle u need to dial in BEFORE u slew, or after. I need to spend more time to mess with it. Obviously once u tighten the camera to the filter drawer, it lands at some random angle, so u would have to physically move the whole thing to this preset angle before u lock it back down for the night.

[@silviocalzone6958]

do you know if this configuration also works with the asi 183mc pro? I tried it but couldnt focus on infinity

[@scotiaastro]

Hey Justin, yes...I think you should be ok with a 183? Are you using a ZWO EF mount adapter with your set-up? ZWO have a really handy 'back focus' guide on their website that includes configuring your specific camera with a Canon mount lens? Any other questions, just let me know. Good luck! :)

[@silviocalzone6958]

@@scotiaastro thx, im using a artesky canon to t2 adapter with an included filter drawer

[@1clancym]

Any tips on back focus needed for Rokinon 135mm f2 paired to a ZWO 183 MC pro? I cannot focus on anything. Great video. Thx Mike

[@scotiaastro]

Hey Mike! Thanks for tuning in! I assume that you have the correct lens adapter to bridge the Rokinon/Samyang 135 to your 183? The 183 has a back focus of 17.5 and the Lens adapter takes up the remaining 26.5 to give you the required 44mm for this setup? ZWO used to have a great illustrated guide covering all their cameras, but found this one here from 365Astronomy here in the UK (just scroll to the bottom of the page and its shows you the connecting and backfocus for the 183 www.365astronomy.com/zwo-2-filter-drawer-for-canon-eos-lenses-with-male-m42-connection-for-the-camera Hope that helps, but any other questions, just fire them over! :)

[@1clancym]

@@scotiaastro Thankyou so much. I have the back focus correct now, but just couldnt grt my ASIAIR pro to achieve focus. It said it was focused, but when I started looping to get calibrated for guiding, it kept saying " no suitable stars". I have a picture of a billion starts it was looking at. Kind of bloated.

[@1clancym]

I managed to straighten it all out. I had two issues. I removed a spacer and went with the small adapter that is screwd onto the 183. 17mm I think. And the camera adapter. However, I had the incorrect mount specified. I have a Skywatcher HEQ5 so I selected Skywatcher. Turns out I need EQmod mount. Lastly, my back lash was way out of whack. Haven't used this in seven months. Changed a bunch of items. Cloudy nights for ever. There is something to be said for a Vespera and a Seestar. Charge them up, turn them on and go. Nice and light also. At 70, I find lugging all this heavy stuff in and out gets old. Last thing I did was set up the asiair to work in station mode and ran an ethernet cable outside. Works great. Winters coming. Many thanks, Mike

[@subashisamarasinghe1439]

Hi, scotia astro, how do you achieve the back focus distance required by the camera and the filter slider?

[@scotiaastro]

Hi mate, there's a great section on ZWO's website which provides details and illustrations on how to connect all of their cameras to the Filter Slider...it's super easy...hope that helps! :)

[@DuncanErratt]

Hi Steve, great video. Have just started using the lens with a 1600mm Pro. Noticed some internal reflections on Deneb when shooting N America nebula. Have you had any similar experiences with the 2600 mc, and any advice to offer ? Cheers

[@scotiaastro]

Hey Duncan! Thanks for tuning in! :) I've been really lucky not to suffer any reflection issues on my setup, but sorry to hear that you are?! Fast optics do have their downsides! I've used my Samyang setup with the ZWO 2600MC and 533MC Pro cameras, with filters including Antlia ALP-T 5nm, Optolong L-eXtreme (which gave me some halos on brighter stars) and the IDAS NBZ UHS filter, which has worked flawlessly. Maybe check to see that everything is sitting square and there's no tilt on your train? Hope you get it sorted and let us know how you get on.

[@antoniohuerta9144]

Samyang 85 mm F1.4 is half the price. Due to shorter focal length, it is faster. When stopped down by 1 stop, its optical aberrations are comparable to that of the 135 mm lens. Is there anything special going for the 135 mm ?

[@scotiaastro]

Hey Antonio, thanks for tuning in and for your question. :) For me, the best part of the 135 is the framing of certain wide-field targets that I like to shoot...I feel in some cases the 85 is a bit too wide and a 200 - 250 lens/telescope can be too tight (on some targets). With the copies I have of the 85 and the 135, I find that my 135 is a bit sharper all round, but they are both fantastic...especially given their price! Have a great day and best wishes! :)

[@themarksmanABP]

Can't I just put this on an A7RV and a good solid tripod and achieve the same results with the lens? Eould have the option of FF or APSC mode too. Awesome shots. Ive just moved to a scottish island which will be awesome for astrophotography so started looking into it the past few days

[@scotiaastro]

Hi mate, thanks for tuning and congrats on your move to the islands...when it's clear, you'll get some stupendous views! A camera and tripod is fine for more static landscape astro shots, but for deep sky stuff (like I do with mine), you need to account for the rotation of the Earth and movement of the stars and need some sort of tracker or larger mount to make sure you don't get star trails or blurry images. I'm sure you'll get some fantastic milk way stuff with the A7RV though... :) Hope that helps!

[@themarksmanABP]

@@scotiaastro ah yes of course, it would need to be on a tracker to avoid star trails. On a quality tracker though, I'd guess you could get some awesome stuff

[@ruthlessrog1]

I have a Zeiss Batis 85/1.8 which contains an ED glass element, would i be able to pull of this method even though its an AF Lens? I know i probably wouldnt be able to use an EAF due to its smooth focus ring.

[@Astropostie]

May I ask how you produce flats when using the 14mm Samyang lens?

[@scotiaastro]

Hey Andy, thanks for tuning in! :) With the 14mm I restrict this to wide-field landscape/Milky Way shots with much shorter exposure times, often just sitting it on a tripod, so flat frames are much less critical for that, so I can thankfully avoid taking them! Lol! Hope that helps and have a great day! :)

[@Astropostie]

@@scotiaastro thx for super quick reply! I’m just starting my Astro journey using a full frame Sony camera with both Samyang lenses you mention here and have just treated myself to a secondhand tracker. Videos like yours are a great resource so thx v much

Hi, I'm looking to buy this lens used. Does this lens come with the bayonet compatible to multiple camera brands or do I need to find a specific one compatible with for e ample canon?

[@scotiaastro]

Hi mate, thanks for tuning in! Yes, the 135 comes in range of compatible fittings, but I use the Canon EF mount version...think you can also get it in Fuji X, Micro 4/3, Nikon, Pentax, Sony A and Sony E mount fittings too? Good luck and you'll love it for astro! :)

[@ghost25911]

I'm using almost the exact setup but with the asi 585mcpro. I cannot achieve infinity focus at F2.8. I have to stop it down quite a bit. As suggestions?

[@leonidtalas696]

Hi sir. Thank you for the video! Can I ask you what is the diameter of the fixed non-rotating section of the lens where you can install lens collar (section between aperture and focus rings)? I plan to buy this lens and a collar ahead of time.

[@scotiaastro]

Hi! Thanks for tuning in! Do you mean the ZWO Lens Adapter? The one I use is 50.8mm at its widest...hope that helps? Have a great day! :)

[@leonidtalas696]

Hi. No, I mean the part of the lens itself, between the rotating aperture ring and focus ring. The area where you can install lens collar. Trying to figure out the collar diameter. But I will have the lens itself in a few days, will figure it out myself. Thanks for the reply!

[@tenman76]

With the setup (lens coupled to the EAF via the Astrodymium), how to you adjust the camera framing angle?

[@scotiaastro]

Thanks for tuning in mate...yes, rotation is one of its Achilles heels, so I just do my best to work around it... :)

[@michaelclancy7874]

No issue with back focus? I have a ZWO ASI 183mc pro. Just Mount it and go? Thankyou for making this video. Mike

[@scotiaastro]

Hey Mike! Thanks for tuning in! I've had no issues at all with back focus and my setup has worked flawlessly...the ZWO Canon EF adapter works a treat...they have a handy guide on spacing with different cameras on their website, so you can go check that out, but it works great for me...hope that helps and have a great day! :)

[@michaelclancy7874]

@@scotiaastro OK Thanks much for responding. Mike

[@CDigata]

Did you use a guide scope?

[@scotiaastro]

Hi mate, it depends on the project and the mount I’m using. Generally the 135 is so fast, I only need short exposures of around 60s so don’t need a guidescope. If I’m going over 60s, which is rare, I’ll certainly use one. Hope that helps! :)