ASKAR ACL200 200mm f/4 Professional Sextuplet APO Astro Camera Lens (ACL) Mark II

A WORLD FIRST! Structure and appearance of a camera lens, but with a performance of a high quality APO telescope!

The current stock is the Mark II version with a different ring and a red finderscope base clamp at the top. (for the same price as the original version)

The ASKAR ACL200has been specifically designed for astrophotography, whilst it meats the requirements of landscape photography. A unique focusing solution, coarse and fine focusing rings with locking knobs provide the ultimate astro photo experience. 

A groundbraking product for full frame cameras that perfectly combines the usual features of a telescope and a telephoto camera lens.

When using it for deep-sky imaging, it will produce clear and sharp images with minimal amount of distortion and chromatic aberration, resulting in great astrophotos of highest quality. The built-in filter holder that accepts a 2" filter will help to achieve your goal: use a light pollution filter (like the Optolong L-Pro) or/and a H-alpha filter and combine them into a single image. Instead of a H-alpha filter you could also consider a dual or triple narrowband filter, like the ZWO 2" DB filter or Optolong 2" L-eNhance or 2" L-eXtreme.

Although not exactly lightweight, you can be assured that it is built to last and will serve you many years if handled with care.

NEW FEATURES OF THE MARK II VERSION

We did some modification on the old ACL200, hoping to improve our customers’ experience with it, which includes a handle with standard Vixen dovetail finder slot, a new-type mounting ring and two extra thumbscrews.

Compared with the old mounting ring, the new ring has an extruding stalk for the installation of the handle. And the new-added handle with a dovetail finder slot will serve for many purposes of attachment like finders or ASIAIR controllers. Further more, the handle can also go with a dual-connection of a controller and a finder as the length of which accommodates both accessories

FEATURES

• Professional telescope APO lens for astrophotography
• High quality optical design
• Easy to use as a camera lens
• Dual speed helical focusing for high precision focusing (fine focus provides micro adjustment - a 1mm movement in one rotation)
• Lockable 360-degree rotation for perfect framing
• 2" filter holder built-in (filter needs to be screwed in)
• Arca-Swiss style connection plate with 3/8" and 1/4" female threads for mounting to a tripod
• Manual aperture control between f/4 and f/22 for landscape photography
• Shortest focusing distance: 3m (i.e. for imaging birds, etc.)

SPECIFICATIONS

• Focal Length: 200mm
• Aperture: 50mm
• Objective type: Sextuplet APO (six lenses in three groups)
• Focal Ratio: f/4
• Min aperture: f/22
• Aperture blades: 10 pcs
• Focus mode: manual
• Type of focusing: coarse and micro motion
• Micro Motion distance: 1mm
• Closest focusing distance: appr. 3m
• Front filter diameter: 82mm
• Overall length: 195mm
• Diameter: 100mm
• Weight: 1800g
• Back-end connection:
  • M48x0.75 male thread (as per supplier's specification, but we've heard from a customer that it is actually M48... we'll check it out shortly)

WHAT'S IN THE BOX

• ACL200 body
• Lens shade
• Arce-Swiss style dovetail bar (also compatible with Vixen-style clamps)
• Instruction manual
• 2" filter holder (assembled with the lens)
• Quality control checklist
• Soft padded case

SAMPLE IMAGES

(Click on the images for large size)