Askar FMA180 Astrograph and Triplet Apo
The FMA180 from Askar is an almost pure color triplet APO refractor with two special ED glasses for excellent correction. The high-quality optics produce an almost color-pure and high-contrast image and also meet high demands in the field of astrophotography and observation. With the special f/4.5 full-frame corrector, the ASKAR FMA180 with 40 mm aperture and 220 mm (f/5.5) focal length becomes a professional APO telephoto lens with 180 mm focal length (f/4.5), for landscape as well as astrophotography. The internal blackening and the elaborate multi-coating ensure high-contrast and brilliant images without reflections even under difficult lighting conditions. The use of 2" nebula filters is also possible, thanks to the filter thread in front of the lens.
Astrophotographic results obtained with this telescope on Astrobin:Here you can find some astrophotographs made with this telescope model:
Link to AstrobinThe FMA 180 f/4.5 as an astrograph for astrophotography:Astrophotographers will be delighted with this compact telephoto lens. Stars right up to the edge of the image will be reproduced crisply. With 55 mm working distance (T2 connection) you can connect all common cameras. The distance can be extended to 99 mm. The multi-functional mount allows easy adaptation to the finder shoe of your telescope or to a piggyback camera holder via the 1/4" female thread. With the PSFotoDel dovetail bar, you can also attach the refractor to a Vixen standard dovetail clamp and connect it to a mount.
Note: Without the corrector, you will have more focal length, but due to the curvature of the image field, you will probably no longer have beautiful stars outside the center.
The FMA 180 mm f/4.5 as telephoto lens:The manual APO telephoto lens is corrected up to full frame size. From the T2 thread you have a working distance of 55 mm. Ideal for mirrorless system cameras, DSLR and of course astro cameras. The telephoto lens is so compact that it can also be used handheld. The high speed of f/4.5 allows short exposure times even under difficult lighting conditions.
Note: Without the corrector you will have more focal length, but due to the curvature of the image field you will probably no longer have a sharp image outside the center.
The FMA 180 as APO refractor and mini guide scope:The lens provides sufficient working distance for a 1.25" star diagonal mirror and standard 1.25" eyepieces. You can make wonderful wide-field observations or simply connect an autoguider and guide your telescope cleanly. Of course, you can also work without a star diagonal mirror if you want to guide.
The FMA 180 for solar observation:You can use the telescope with star diagonal and eyepiece and attach a front filter to the objective, for example the AZ-1501 or a self-made filter from the Baader filter film (SofiEcoV).
Without the reducer/corrector and the long extension tube, you can also use a 1.25" Herschel wedge such as the TSHE125. Of course, you can also use a camera, in which case we recommend a model with small pixels due to the short focal length (see recommended accessories). Depending on the sensor size, however, a Barlow lens can also be an option.
The FMA 180 as spotting scope:The high-contrast optics allow exciting wildlife and landscape observations. In just a few simple steps and with an Amici prism, you can turn the telephoto lens into a compact and crisply sharp spotting scope. You can use all common photo tripods, the adapter is already included.
Practical tip from Teleskop-Service - how to achieve good focusing for astrophotography:The FMA180 is equipped with a helical focuser. Although this works, it is relatively coarse. Especially with very high-resolution astro cameras, very good focusing on the star soon becomes a game of patience. The TeleFokus75 solves the problem. It offers a very precise and, above all, reproducible fine adjustment (see preview photos).
VideoThe manufacturer provides a product video:
Astrophotographic results obtained with this telescope on Astrobin
Here you can find some astrophotographs made with this telescope model:
Link to AstrobinASKAR FMA180 APO - First Light - by H. Jürgen Mainka
As always a super service, prompt answers and the delivery very fast, Sunday ordered and Tuesday it was already there.
To the item: Askar 180 mm f/4.5 APO
I am totally enthusiastic about this baby APO, pinpoint stars up to the corners and full illumination with my APS-C format camera (chip diagonal 28.3mm), I don´t have full-frame format, but it should fit for it.
Stars are without color fringe and tack-sharp.
Adapters for all possible versions to mount the APO are included, with the Arca-Swiss style bar I could mount the APO directly on my mount with Vixen style.
Comet Neowise 317 images each with 8 seconds exposure time Camera ZWO ASI 2600MC-Pro Color cooled stacked on comet with DeepSkyStacker Post-processing with AstroPixelProcessor and Adobe Photoshop CC 2020NGC 7000 and IC 5070 615 images with 8 seconds exposure time each Camera ZWO ASI 2600MC-Pro Color cooled Live stacking with SharpCap Pro Post-processing with PixInsight and Adobe Photoshop CC 2020Askar FMA180 APO telephoto lens - first-light photograph by Robert Reischl
The first "correct" shot (not just test for correct setting) of our customer Robert Reischl (
here his Instagram site) already looks very good:
NGC 7000 - North America Nebula Exposure: 20 frames with 60 seconds exposure time each Optics: Askar 180 mm F/4.5 Mount: Star Adventurer Mini Post-processing: PixInsight & Luminar 4Askar FMA180 APO Telephoto Lens - Test image by Stephan Vier
This photo was intended as a simple test on the part of our customer Stephan Vier and was taken out of the light dome of Cologne:
NGC 1893 - open cluster in IC 410 Exposure: 135 frames at 60 seconds exposure time @ 200 ASA Optics: Askar 180 mm F/4.5 Mount: Star Adventurer GTI Postprocessing with, among others: SIRIL
Here is the report of the customer:"Good morning.
I recently bought the small Askar Apo 180FMA from you and am absolutely thrilled.
I would like to send you a small field report:
I have treated myself to the small Askar 40/180 for wide field images and am completely in love with the dwarf.
Here is a small statement about the small telescope.
The small APO is packaged Apple-like, a tightly fitting cardboard box protects the dwarf in an exemplary manner and unpacking it is already fun.
The first thing that comes to light is the optics in basic configuration. In this configuration, it is immediately ready for photographic use with a DSLR and comes with 40/180 to a quick focal ratio of f4.5, which is great.
Furthermore, you will find different (screwable!) extension tubes to configure the good piece variably incl. 1.25 connection.
So you can use the FMA as a mini telescope, finder or guiding scope. And all this in absolutely convincing quality.
At the bottom of the box are then still the tube rings and other mounting accessories available. There is everything with what you need.
In addition, there is a 2" thread in front of the lens for filters, etc.
The workmanship is already top, now it will be interesting: how does the small optics?
As I think, great!
The screwed-in flattener does its job as it should and the part also does not produce color, or for me not noticeable.
The first test took place yesterday evening from my Cologne light dome.
Quickly attached my original Nikon D5300 via T2 ring and off I went with it on the SA GTI.
Important: I did a filter test at the same time and screwed on a fairly inexpensive CLS filter in front and put on a DIY spike mask.
I take already times in advance that the filter nothing botches and apparently actually brakes the city haze something. Since I first hardly expected something and yet get something ;) .
Since the 180 dwarf shows an enormous field, I stopped short on NGC 1893 and exposed at ISO 200 135x60 sec.
No darks, flats, biases.
The following image was stacked in SIRIL, green cast removed, photometric color calibration, minimally cropped, background extracted and somewhat stretched. Nothing has yet been sharpened, smoothed or edited out.
The image is intended to show the sharpness and general imaging performance of the small telescope. I will take the same picture again without filter and spikes, but I think you can see here how well the FMA performs.
Best regards
Stephan Vier"