SBIG STL CCD Adapters for Astro-Physics Field Flatteners

Description

Two versions were designed to connect your SBIG STL series camera to the Astro-Physics 2.7" and 4" Prime Focus Field Flatteners. These adapters were developed with four primary goals in mind:

• To reduce the vignetting caused by the use of a standard 2" nosepiece on the large CCD chip of the STL-11000. These adapters couple directly to the STL Series camera’s accessory mounting block.
• To allow easy framing of your image
• To maintain the critical distances to the focal plane required by the Astro-Physics 2.7" and 4" Prime Focus Field Flatteners.
• To allow the unvignetted use of the 2.7" Photo-Visual Telecompressor (27TVPH) with the STL camera when the 2.7" to 6x7 Outer Bayonet Adapter (ADA2767) is also employed.

Specifications

These two adapters were designed to work with all of the 2.7" and 4" Field Flatteners that we have produced: from the Traveler’s 2.7" Field Flattener to the 206EDF’s big 4" model, with the exception of the field flatteners for the 175EDF and 160EDF which have their own separate adapters for the STL series cameras.

Additional Applications:
With these two adapters and the development of the 2.7" to 6x7 Outer Bayonet Adapter (ADA2767), a whole additional world of opportunities was opened for STL camera owners. You can now have a wide open light path to your STL camera, as well as easy image framing from any scope with an Astro-Physics 2.7" female thread - including large Meade and Celestron SCTs with our ADASCTLM27 and ADASCTLC27 adapter in place of the visual back. Best of all, you can now also use our Photographic-Visual Telecompressor (27TVPH) with your STL camera with the maximum available clear aperture!

Even though these adapters were designed for use with the Astro-Physics Prime Focus Field Flatteners, they both can be used with the 27TVPH Telecompressor or in any light path which does not employ a field flattener, and does not, therefore, have rigid spacing requirements. If critical spacing will never be an issue (i.e. an SCT with the ADASCTLM27 or ADASCTLM27), you might be better off choosing the shorter adapter. It is usually easier to add extensions than to cut the length of your light path!

The adapters are machined from single pieces of aluminum for strength and rigidity and bolt directly to the STL camera’s accessory mounting surface. This allows removal of the 2" nosepiece, and the much larger opening of our adapter leaves the camera's own internal filters as the only possible source of vignetting on the edges of the CCD chip. Clever radius-cut keyhole slots at the bolt attachment positions allow you to safely attach the bolts to the STL first, and then mount the adapter and twist it into position. The ADA671 and ADA672 are precisely machined here in our own CNC facility and black anodized for a rich finish. The internal knife edge baffling is painted flat black to maximize contrast in your images.

Instructions:
Instructions for using your STL Adapter for 6x7 Outer Bayonets including most Astro-Physics Prime Focus Field Flatteners (ADA671 & ADA672)