Cutting-edge astrophotography
with BC&F Astro Engineering digital camera eyepieces

Introducing the DigimaxT Zoom AC561
Our most powerful DigimaxT technology in
a fabulous zoom eyepiece!

With the new DigimaxT Zoom, BC&F Astro Engineering continues to lead the field of innovation in digital astrophotography. DigimaxT Zoom places superb control of magnification and image scale at your fingertips, giving you more magnification and wider vignetting control than any other specialist astrophotography eyepiece. Deceptively inconspicuous on the outside, this is in fact one of the most powerful and carefully designed tools for digital astrophotography we have ever developed!

Fig 3. The optics could not be closer to the T-thread camera fitting

Not only does the DigimaxT Zoom offer the user the purely visual convenience of stunning medium and high power views with a smooth turn of its rubber clad barrel; just like our popular DigimaxT 40 eyepiece the new 8-24mm DigimaxT Zoom eyepiece comes into its own when used for astrophotography. The eyecup of the DigimaxT Zoom unscrews (item 1 Fig 2) to reveal a precisely positioned T-thread, a feature that allows our wide range of digital camera adaptor rings and standard SLR (single lens reflex) camera T-mount adaptor rings to be attached (see Fig 3). When fitted to a digital camera (either fixed lens or SLR) the performance is simply amazing. The wide-range zoom adjustment allows incredible control and precise, fast adjustment of vignetting and image scale. The DigimaxT Zoom is probably the most sophisticated eyepiece projection tool for SLR and fixed lens digital astrophotography available on the planet today!

Fig 1. The DigimaxT Zoom

Fig 2. DigimaxT Zoom with eyecup unscrewed to show T-thread

Fig 4. (left) DigimaxT Zoom fitted to a Nikon Coolpix digital camera
Fig 5. (right) DigimaxT Zoom fitted to the Canon Rebel/EOS SLR
 

Here are just some of the great features of DigimaxT Zoom:

• stunning 8-24mm zoom eyepiece - great for purely visual use

• fits all fixed lens and digital/film SLR cameras (using separate T thread adaptors - not included)

• fast, precise control of magnification and image scale at your fingertips

• amazing magnification and image scale range

• widest possible control of vignetting

• includes 2x T-mount extension tubes for even greater image control

• 1.25” safety stepped nosepiece threaded for standard filters

• adapters available for all cameras (with or without threads)

• fully multi-coated optics

As confirmation of the DigimaxT Zoom’s astrophotographic pedigree we have included two short T-thread extension tubes with the eyepiece. When used with fixed lens digital cameras (and video camcorders) the extension tubes provide another layer of versatility to complement the zoom function and give even wider control of vignetting and image scale. However, as useful as they may be for use with fixed lens cameras, they become a true “killer” feature when used with digital and film SLR cameras (see Fig 6). With one or both extension tubes attached, the DigimaxT Zoom becomes a fantastic eyepiece projection imaging system. The control of vignetting and image scale or magnification provided by the DigimaxT Zoom is revolutionary. No other device has ever offered the astrophotographer so much image control.

If you’ve ever been disappointed with magnification that goes up and down in big jumps when attaching Barlow lenses and other fixed amplification systems to your camera, our DigimaxT Zoom kills all of this fiddling around and disappointment stone dead! The zoom projection system allows precise fingertip control of magnification and image scale that can respond instantly to the seeing and imaging conditions and the photographic opportunities presented by the target.

The DigimaxT Zoom is profoundly versatile and can be used with almost any imaging system to provide revolutionary astro imaging features. It can be attached to:

• all fixed lens digital and film cameras with suitable adaptor ring
(List of Camera Adaptor Rings) See note below regarding use with cameras without accessory threads

• all digital and film SLR cameras
(T-mount SLR camera adaptors)

• virtually all webcams with our standard and deluxe adaptors
(T-thread to webcam thread adaptors - basic and deluxe models)

• CCD cameras - most have female T-mount threads

• CCTV cameras with a suitable C or CS-mount to T-adaptor.

If your digital camera of camcorder is not equipped with a filter or accessory thread around the lens, your camera can still be attached to the DigimaxT eyepiece via our Ultra-T (AC607) universal camera T-thread mounting system. This low-cost accessory will allow any camera with a tripod thread socket to be securely mounted to our DigimaxT eyepieces and allow the full use of all of their imaging functions.

DigimaxT Zoom is supplied complete with two T-thread extension tubes (6mm and 10mm long) for even greater imaging versatility. Comes supplied in a dust and shockproof bolt storage bottle.

Other recommended accessories for use with the DigimaxT Zoom:

T-thread extension tube set AC603. A set of three extension tubes (6mm,10mm and 15mm long) to extend the range and magnification control of the DigimaxT Zoom still further. The tubes are an ideal supplement to the two tubes included with the eyepiece and are ideally suited for use with SLR cameras when using the eyepiece as a projection system.

Fig 6. A Canon Rebel SLR with the DigimaxT Zoom and the 6 and 10mm extension tubes