What is the primary benefit of the M68 ClickLock Diagonal over a standard 2-inch diagonal?
The primary benefit is mechanical rigidity. By threading directly onto an M68 focuser drawtube, the Baader M68 ClickLock Diagonal eliminates the possibility of sag or tilt that can occur with diagonals held in place by thumbscrews or compression rings. This is crucial for astrophotography and high-power planetary viewing where perfect alignment is essential.
Will the M68 ClickLock Diagonal work with my Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope?
Not directly. Standard SCTs use a proprietary SCT thread. To use the M68 ClickLock Diagonal, you would need an adapter that converts your telescope's visual back to a male M68 x 1mm thread. It is designed primarily for high-end refractors and focusers (like those from Zeiss, Takahashi, or Astro-Physics) that use the M68 thread standard natively.
How does the ClickLock mechanism on the M68 Diagonal work?
The Baader ClickLock mechanism uses a system of internal cams and hardened steel rollers. When you twist the rubberized collar, these rollers apply even pressure around the entire circumference of your 2-inch eyepiece barrel. This provides a much more secure grip than a single thumbscrew and avoids scratching or denting the barrel.
How does the M68 ClickLock Diagonal improve imaging with a heavy camera on a large refractor?
When imaging the Moon or planets with a large refractor and a heavy camera, a standard slip-fit diagonal can tilt slightly, causing field curvature and distorted stars in the corners of your image. The M68 threaded connection of the M68 ClickLock Diagonal creates a solid, stable imaging train, ensuring your camera's sensor remains perfectly perpendicular to the optical axis, preserving image sharpness across the entire frame.
When observing Jupiter with a heavy 2-inch eyepiece, what is the advantage of the M68 ClickLock Diagonal?
Observing Jupiter at high magnification requires perfect collimation. A heavy 2-inch eyepiece can cause a standard diagonal to sag, shifting the optical path and softening the image. The M68 ClickLock Diagonal's rigid, threaded connection prevents this sag, ensuring that the fine cloud band details on Jupiter remain critically sharp, even as you move the telescope.
Can I rotate the M68 ClickLock Diagonal for a more comfortable viewing angle?
No, not easily. Because it threads on, the diagonal's position is fixed once tightened. To change the viewing angle, you would need to slightly loosen the entire diagonal on its M68 thread, which is not recommended. For applications where frequent rotation is needed, a high-quality compression-ring diagonal might be a better choice, though it will not offer the same absolute rigidity.
