Takahashi FS-60CB
Travel can be an opportunity to visit real dark locations, ideal for astrophotography. But not all equipment is suitable for travel. Therefore this small 60mm refractor was added. It is the Takahashi FS-60CB. This very light, two lens system with Fluorite optics is in its native form better suited for visual astronomy. But with the 1.04x flattener or even the 0.72x reducer, this telescope has some great potential as photographic instrument as well. It can even support full-frame cameras. To enable heavier imaging trains, the stock focuser is replaced with the Primalucelab Essatto automatic focuser. The FS-60CB is part of a system of interchangeable components, which include a 1.7x Q-extender and 76 mm front objective, to provide maximum flexibility.
Specifications
Aperture: 60 mm
Focal length (with reducer): 370 mm (255 mm)
Focal Ratio (with reducer): f/6.2 (f/4.2)
Image circle: 45 mm
Length: 440 mm
Weight: 1.4 kg
Cradle
The tube is mounted on a Losmandy plate using an original Takahashi 80QS cradle. This 0.5kg cradle with 80mm inner diameter offers more than sufficient support for the FS-60CB tube. The tool-free opening of the cradle allows for an easy rotation of the setup should this be required for transport.
Velcro platform
The top of the cradle has one 1/4” male connector. This connector is used to mount a small 3D-printed platform with some velcro. This platform can be used to quickly attach a mini computer such as a Raspberry Pi.
Losmandy plate
The Takahashi cradles have a unique but robust round mounting profile. ADM offers losmandy plates in different sizes that are suitable for this profile. For the FS-60CB the 7” version is a good fit.
Esatto Focuser
The stock focuser of the FS-60CB is replaced by the Primalucelab Esatto Autofocuser. PLL offers a dedicated adapter (PL3600255) to thread the Esatto directly into the tube. The motors and gearing of the Esatto are strong enough to hold an imaging train up to 5 kg. Unfortunately, if you want to go with all-threaded connections, on the camera-side you have to go from M56/1 (PLL) to M56/0.75 (Takahashi), something that was only achieved by a Precisepart adapter.
Multi-flattener 1.04x
For astrophotography with the FS-60CB, a flattener is essential. In 2020 Takahashi released a new universal flattener, to be used on several telescopes, the 1.04x multi-flattener (TKA00582). The excellent optics of this flattener have made the FS-60CB a much more popular instrument in astrophotography, supporting even up to full-frame cameras. Connection on the telescope side is a female M56x0.75 thread. On the camera side there is a male M52×0.75 thread.
0.72x Reducer
The Takahashi 0.72x reducer (TKA20580B) turns the FS-60CB into a pretty fast 250 mm, f/4.2 wide field telescope. The 40mm image circle will not completely cover a full-frame sensor, but an APS-C sized sensor works very well with this combination. Connection on the telescope side is a female M56x0.75 thread. On the camera side there is a male M52×0.75 thread.