TO EXPLORE THE UNKNOWN UNIVERSE
Telescope: Takahashi FSQ-85EDX
Location: Sunnyside Family Farm, Linneus, Maine, United States
HDR composition using 5×0.1s, 5×0.01s and 1×0.1ms.
| Model | Retail Price* |
| QHYCFW3S-SR/US | USD 259 |
| QHYCFW3M-SR/US | USD 299 |
| QHYCFW3L | USD 429 |
| QHYCFW3XL | USD 799 |
The QHYCFW3 series filter wheels are available in multiple sizes to accommodate filters from 1.25-inch to 50 millimeters square.
QHYCFW3 filter wheels can be controlled by either an independent external program using the filter wheel’s USB port or via a special 4-pin port. When connected to the QHY 4-pin port there is no need for an additional power cable or control program. All of the filter wheel functions can be controlled through the QHY camera.
QHYCFW3 filter wheels utilize a new motor with direct drive and will reverse direction to take the shortest path when moving from one filter to another. For Example, in this demonstration the wheel moves from filter position 1 to position 2 to position 3 and then back to 1 again, over to position 7 and back to position 1 without ever making a complete rotation of the carousel. This saves time if you’re doing a lot of filter changes in one imaging session.
LED changes color for each filter position. The tricolor LED assigns one unique color or combination of colors to each filter position so you can tell if it’s moved to the correct position without removing it from the Telescope.
The CFW3 is also thin. This feature and the short back focus of the COLDMOS cameras means you can add one of several camera lens adapters for Canon and Nikon camera lenses for wide field imaging with the filter wheel.
In the center of the back plate is a 12-volt DC power port. This port is threaded for a short extension cable that is supplied with the camera that securely attaches such that it will not accidentally disconnect while you are imaging.
| Filter Wheel | Filter Supported | Recommended Gears | Back Focus Consumed* | Weight | Note |
| CFW3S-SR CFW3S-US |
7*1.25-inch mounted/31mm unmounted | QHY533M, QHY183M QHY5III Mono Planetary Cams (CFW1.25”Adapter needed） |
20mm (SR)+4mm (Adapter） 15.5mm (SR)+4mm (Adapter） |
About 430g | There’s no difference between S-SR and S-US expect their depth, but S-SR can be compatible with thicker 1.25” mounted filters. |
| CFW3M-SR | 5*2-inch mounted/50mm unmounted | QHY268M, QHY600M | 20.5mm+2mm (Adapter） | About 720g | |
| CFW3M-US | 7*36mm unmounted | QHY163M, QHY294M, QHY268M | 17mm+2mm (Adapter） | About 700g | |
| CFW3L | 7*2-inch mounted/50mm unmounted | QHY600M (PH/Pro) | 21.5mm | About 900g | |
| CFW3XL | 9*2-inch mounted/50mm unmounted
or 7*50mm square unmounted |
QHY461PH
QHY600M-PH SBFL |
21.5mm | About 1500g | A special adapter needed when connecting QHY600 SBFL and CFW3XL, see https://www.qhyccd.com/qhy600sbfl-cfw3xl-adapter/ |
*Back Focus Consumed
For the convenience of calculation, all the data displayed are the increase in the back focal length taken up by using the adapter, which is not necessarily equal to the thickness of the component itself. All the adapter data provided by QHYCCD are based on the focal length increment. For More information please see: https://www.qhyccd.com/astronomical-camera-adapter-bfl-solution/
The Calculation of Filter Wheel’s back focus consumed includes two parts: The thickness of the filter wheel body (like the 15.5mm of CFW3S-US), and the back focus consumed (like 4mm of CFW3S-US). Now new cams don’t need this adapter anymore, like QHY533M, QHY268M, QHY600M-PH SBFL, etc.
QHYCFW3S:
QHYCFW3M:
QHYCFW3L:
QHYCFW3XL:
QHYCFW3-S-SR
QHYCFW3-S-US
QHYCFW3-M-SR
QHYCFW3-M-US
QHYCFW3-L
QHYCFW3-XL
Click here to update the firmware of your filter wheel. http://www.qhyccd.com/…/latestSo…/other/arduloadeFW3.zip
This firmware can keep your filter wheel rotate in one direction rather than two directions.
Safety instructions
1. Do not insert your fingers into the round holes on the filter wheel, otherwise the filter disc may cause finger injury.
2. The copper nails in the filter wheel cannot be disassembled, otherwise the filter wheel will loosen and affect normal use.
3. When the camera uses the control line to control the filter wheel, it is forbidden to use the USB cable to connect the filter wheel at the same time to prevent the power supply from damaging the filter wheel.
4. For the frameless filter, when using the screw to press the lens, it must be pressed by the plastic gasket, but not directly with the metal nut of the screw. Otherwise there is a risk of crushing the lens.
1. Control port switching button: This button is used to set the interface mode. There is two mode: USB control mode and 4PIN conrol mode. If you use the USB cable to control QHYCFW3 you need to select the USB control mode. If you use the 4pin QHYCFW socket cable to control the QHYCFW3 from QHYCCD camera, you need to select the 4PIN control mode. This switch button is inside the case. You can push it on and off. But since it is inside the case, you can not know which position it is. So QHYCFW3 has a LED indicator to tell you of it. When the filter wheel is powered on , if the indicator light flashing for one second and it is red color, the filter wheel is in the USB control mode; if green color the filter wheel is in the 4PIN control mode.
2. Status indicator: Each filter wheel hole position corresponds to a specific color. And this indicator will display if the CFW3 working in the USB control mode or the 4pin control mode. When power on the QHYCFW3, it will be on for one second then off. If it is red color, the QHYCFW3 is in USB control mode. If it is green, the QHYCFW3 is in 4pin mode. the indicator light is off to prevent shooting light pollution the indicator light is off to prevent shooting light pollution.
3. Reset button: After pressing, the filter wheel hardware is reset, the turntable returns to the initial position, the default hole 1
Filter wheel standard accessories
1. Filter wheel body
2. 2-inch extension tube
3. M4 metal hand screws
4. Filter fixing nails, including gasket
5. Filter wheel connected to camera control line
After connecting the camera, go back to the interface and select Setup Filter to select the filter wheel. Follow the steps (as shown).
Select the appropriate hole position to operate.
Use the USB cable to plug into the USB port of the filter wheel and the other end to connect to the computer.
Open the device manager to check the port number (if the driver is installed on the computer, the driver to be installed will be detected automatically, otherwise the 2CP210X driver in ALL-in-one pack will need to be installed).
Open the MaxIm DL software and click on Camera Contorl. As shown
After confirming the error, click the ok button continuously. Go back to the Camera Control page.
Note 1: When send a goto command to QHYCFW3. Motor will start goto the target position. After arrived. QHYCFW3 will send back the current position.
For example: Now QHYCFW3 is in position 1(position1=command 0) and tar(et is position 4(position4=command 3). After the color wheel arrived the target , it will send back 3(ASCII)
But if current position is 1 (position1=command 0) and you send the same position (command 0) to QHYCFW3 . Color wheel will not rotate. And in the old version (the version before 201409) the color wheel will not send back any info in this condition. In the new version . the color wheel will send the current position:
0(ASCII)
This modification is used to judge if the colorwheel has arrived the target for the host software.
VRS MXP NOW RESET
