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An Ultimate Ultra-Wide Field Imaging Option!
William Optics expands their incredible RedCat line, with this addition to that popular family that features the most expansive field-of view on a RedCat so far! At 178mm of focal length, this Petzval design telescope will allow you to capture wide, sweeping, views of celestial targets for immersive astrophotos without the mosaic-process. Widen your horizons with the ultra-wide, ultra-portable, William Optics MiniCat 51 Refractor!
Featuring a 6 element Petzval optical design sporting2 super ED lenses and lanthanum glass with advanced multi-coatings, this mini-scope provides a crisp,clear, and massive window into the night sky, with afocal length of 178mm. While this scope is the mostcompact RedCat to date, William Optics didn’tminiaturize the light gathering power of this scope,packing in a 51mm aperture to match their incrediblypopular 51mm f/4.9 RedCat 51 but dropping the focal ratio tof/3.5 for even faster data collection. This excellentoptical system ends in an APS-C image circle*, ensuringyou have coverage for some today most popular cameras! Supporting these premiumoptics are a camera rotator, Synta-style accessoryhandle, Bahtinov mask, and the same sleek, redanodized, and stylized aluminum construction seen onthe full-size RedCat scopes. Bringing things intofocus is William Optics’ patented WIFD focuser. Thisunique system shifts things internally rather than theexternal movement of traditional refractor focusers,providing a tilt-free and motionless connection foryour imaging gear!
*Please Note: While this scope is compatible with up to a full-frame image circle, William Optics states that corners on these and APS-C sensors are not as well corrected as other RedCats. They recommend post processing software (not included) to correct APS-C images, with notable effort required for fine tuning full-frame images.
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Miniaturized Form Factor, Not Performance
William Optics may have compressed their full sizeofferings into a compact package, but they did notminiaturize the performance! With a premium opticaldesign, patented WIFD focuser, and essential hardware,the William Optics MiniCat 51 Refractor providesmaximum functionality!
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Ultra-Wide Petzval Optics
Ensuring your images will be just as clear and crisp as they are expansive, is the MiniCat 51 Refractor’s Petzval optical design. With 6 optical elements arranged in 2 groups, this optical design allows the William Optics MiniCat 51 Refractor to provide excellent images! 2 Super ED elementsand lanthanum glass with advanced multi-coatings make up part of this 6 element premium design, keeping your images free of chromatic aberration. Front and center of this optical design is a 51mm front objective, matching that of the William Optics RedCat 51 Gen 3 APO f/4.9Refracting Telescope with WIFD this scope is based on, but with a f/3.5 focal ratio to give you a wider view into the night sky and 2x faster data acquisition. With a focal length of 178mm this can comfortably frame up the largest celestial targets, or offer a sprawling panoramic-esque take on smaller objects. If wide-field imaging is your goal, than this scope certainly has you covered!
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Popular Imaging Line, Now in a Mini Form Factor
William Optics’ RedCat line of telescopes are some of the gold standards when it comes to compact, premium construction, tack-sharp Petzval telescopes, and this excellence has now come to the ultra-wide field, ultra-compact imaging space! Dwarfed by its already compact big sibling, the RedCat 51 Gen 3 APO f/4.9 Refracting Telescope with WIFD, this scope is seriously tiny; coming in at just 8.3″ long and only 5.05 lb.! This hasn’t come at the cost of build quality however, with this scope featuring the same sleek red construction as its full-sized counterparts. Please Note: Unlike other RedCat models, the MiniCat 51 Refractor does not come with a built-in filter drawer.
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Unique WIFD Focuser, with EAF Compatibility
Typical refractor focusers work by moving a tube separate from the main telescope housing, extending and collapsing this tube out of the back of the housing until the gear attached is at focus. This is an effective solution, but it does come with some drawbacks. The further away from the main tube your gear is, the more it wants to tilt; and as this assembly needs to be smaller than the main tube, it can vingette the optics and reduce your useable signal. William Optics’ patented WIFD system removes both of these concerns from the equation! By instead moving optics inside the telescope to adjust focus, your gear now has a rock-solid and tilt-free connection capable of passing the full light cone of the optics through! William Optics didn’t stop there—as this focuser also features electronic focuser compatability out-of-the-box, making adding auto-focus capabilities a breeze. Those more interested in manaul focus need not fret however, as a dual-speed focus knob and an analog thermometer equipped coarse focus knob are here as well!
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Essential Accessories Included
This scope ensures you have all the essential hardware you need to have an excellent optical base for your astrophotography setup! With a Vixen-style dovetail and scope ring included, the William Optics MiniCat 51 Refractor to a wide variety of mounts right out-of-the-box. Attached to this is a stylized combination handle and Synta-style/ findershoe-mount accessory rail that can hold your guidescope or compatible WiFi camera control system. For manually finding focus, this scope also includes a Bahtinov mask inside the front dust cap. Finally, for camera adjustments the MiniCat 51 Refractor features a rotator with index markings that make precise, repeatable, rotations simple, as well as a built-in tilt plate to allow you to adjust out any misalignment of your imaging train!
Astronomy Hub: Your one-stop-shop for Astrophotography Knowledge!
Our Gear Experts have compiled a wealth of information to help expand your astrophotography knowledge! Below you’ll find links to articles, videos and “how-to” guides. Just one more reason that our Astronomy Hub is a one-stop-shop for all your astronomy and astrophotography needs!
| No Fuss Astrophotography Telescopes for Beginners |
| How to Connect a Camera to Your Telescope |
| Astrophotography Filter Connection Guide |
