Collins IS3 image intensifier

Guys,
Has anyone one out there used or own one of these thing.
Their website is
www.ceoptics.com/
and reviews are
www.cloudynights.com/category.php?category_id=132&pr=2x9

Basically, I want to hear from someone here who owns one, the way I see it is that I really cant increase the aperture of the scope, so this is the next best thing W.R.T most DSOs.
Basically, how do you find using it.

Hi Dave,

Have you been following the BIPH thread over on CloudyNights? New rival for the I3. Linky

I'd imagine you'd have to get in touch with your smuggling contacts. Isn't there an embargo on any devices with Gen 3 image intensifiers leaving the states. Maybe thats only a problem for direct orders. Maybe you could ship it to a US friend and have them bring it in their luggage next time they are over in Ireland. Claim its just an eyepiece or in the case of the BIPH...a binoviewer. Customs guys would probably be clueless.

Forget Greece. You'll have members of this forum organising excursions down to your neck of the woods for the triple wammy. The Burren, your 20" light bucket and then a look through your 60" effective I3/BIPH equipped scope.

WOW, thats stunning!!,
This BIPH thing give you an apparent 3x times increase in aperture apparently, that give me a 60" scope :woohoo: it just sounds to good to be true, I'll be holding off buying stuff for now and may even sell a few things to help fund this baby
www.cloudynights.com/ubbthreads/showthre...psed/sb/5/o/all/vc/1

As for it been available over here, if it is, then great, if its not available outside the US, then I'll figure out a way of getting it,

Crikey! That looks interesting!
When are you getting it dave?

at nearly 4k$, its gonna take a while unless
maybe you might get one before me ?? :silly:

Dave_Lillis wrote:

at nearly 4k$, its gonna take a while unless
maybe you might get one before me ?? :silly:

.3

Going on the CN thread neither bring much of an improvement to Galaxies for some reason. And although they are plug and play and easier to reconcile with visual astronomy because you are still looking through an EP shape/like device in your focuser...well I can't but wonder whether the mallincam is the better option. A few grand cheaper, higher sensitivity, up to 56sec integrations, colour but downside being more gear to lug around and its another step away from visual astronomy. Most guys have a small 3-4in LCD up by the focuser on the UTA and a 9-14in CRT monitor on the ground for close study of the view. I think I heard about 1 guy who solved the problem of stray light pissing off other observers at starparties and his feeling that this wasn't visual astronomy by mounting a small LCD inside a wee box with an old focuser attached and an old EP with all lenses removed bar the objective (I think. This was mounted up on his UTA. So while he was really looking at a 4in LCD, he felt it was more like true visual astronomy. I suppose thats kind of what the I3 is. You are looking at a tiny monochrome green CRT inside an EP shaped body.