Sony RX100 M1 Attached to Telescope

On this page, I demonstrate how I attach the Sony RX100 M1 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 Sony RX100 M1 with MagFilter filter adapter to the eyepiece. A second adapter, a step-down ring 52-37, is required, because there is no T mount adapter available, which directly fits the filter thread of the MagFilter adapter (52 mm). You can remove the upper part of the eyepiece including the eyecup to reveal the T mount filter thread.


Top left: MagFilter filter adapter for Sony (52 mm); bottom left: Step-up ring M37/M52; right: Baader Digital Camera T-mount adapter M37/M42 (#2408165)	Top left: MagFilter adapter for Sony (52 mm); bottom left: Step-up ring M37/M52; right: Baader Digital Camera T-mount adapter M37/M42 (#2408165)	Left: MagFilter adapter for Sony (52 mm); center: Baader Digital Camera T-mount adapter M37/M42 (#2408165); right: Step-up ring M37/M52

Top left: Revelation 32 mm DigiScope eyepiece; bottom left: MagFilter adapter for Sony (52 mm); bottom center: Step-up ring M37/M52; bottom right: Baader Digital Camera T-mount adapter M37/M42 (#2408165)	Ditto, T-mount thread uncovered (eyecup right nect to it)	Revelation 32 mm DigiScope eyepiece with all adapters added for magnetic connection to the RX100 M1 lens

	Ditto

Camera Attached to Eyepiece

Here, you can see the Sony RX100 M1 attached to the Revelation 32 mm DigiScope eyepiece:

Camera Attached to Skymax-102 Telescope

Here, you can see the Sony RX100 M1 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!





				Different zoom steps: wide (left), tele (right)

Skymax-102 on Photo Tripod and as Spotting Scope with Amici Prism


On photo tripod		Ditto		Ditto, with Amici prism

Warning: Using the Sony RX100 M1 at an Amici prism with the MagFilter filter adapter is dangerous, because the camera can easily fall down. The magnet is not strong enough to hold the camera securely in place, at least, mine is not (there are different reports on the Internet about the strength of the magnet...). The same applies to using the zenith prism if you point the scope higher up!

Results

Daylight Samples


Zoomed in (50 mm equiv.)		Ditto		Ditto, with Amici prism

Camera Attached to Skymax-127 Telescope

Here, you can see the Sony RX100 M1 attached to the Sky-Watcher Skymax-127 telescope (Maksutov-Cassegrain) and the Revelation 32 mm DigiScope eyepiece.

Results

Daylight Samples


Wide angle (35 mm equiv.)		Zoomed in (50 mm equiv.)		Ditto

References

XP PhotoGear 52mm MagFilter Threaded Adapter Ring (B&H): www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1001725-REG/xp_photogear_xpmfa52_52mm_magfilter_adapter.html
Carry Speed MagFilter Filteradapter auf 49, 52, 55 und 58mm (Carry Speed, Germany; in German): www.carryspeed.de/produkte/magadapter.html