First Telescope – ASKAR 71F | Any good resources on how to use it?

Equipment Focuser Refractors Star Tracker Acquisition Auto-Focusing Beginner First Telescope Request for feedback How-to
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Cassio Pieroni Trevisani avatar
Cassio Pieroni Trevisani avatar

Hi everyone,

I’ve just bought my first telescope, the ASKAR 71F, and I’m really excited to start my astrophotography journey. I’ve done some photography before, but this is my first proper telescope setup, so I’m very much in learning mode.

If anyone here uses the ASKAR 71F (or similar refractors), I’d really appreciate any advice, tips, or resources that helped you when you were starting out. Things like:

  • Good setup guides or YouTube tutorials ( I have found some on YouTube, but mostly reviewing the product)

  • Focusing tips and achieving good stars and how to use it with my StarTracker.

  • Recommended accessories

  • Beginner workflows for imaging

  • Common mistakes to avoid

I’m still putting my setup together and trying to understand the best way to get started, so any guidance from the community would be hugely appreciated.

Thanks in advance and clear skies! 🌌🔭

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Tony Gondola avatar
Tony Gondola avatar

Welcome to the game!

To start with, can you give a list of the equipment you have besides the OTA? That will help everyone here in giving you advice.

Have fun!

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Cassio Pieroni Trevisani avatar
Cassio Pieroni Trevisani avatar

Tony Gondola · Mar 10, 2026, 03:25 PM

Welcome to the game!

To start with, can you give a list of the equipment you have besides the OTA? That will help everyone here in giving you advice.

Have fun!

Hi Tony

Thank you for your message:

Here’s what I have so far:

Sky-Watcher Start Adventurer GTI
Canon R6 Mark II (Already have the adaptor)
Canon EOS 750 D (Already have the adaptor) - also have 1.4x and 2 x extenders.
RGB Filters

I also have many different glass for Canon camera R and EF mount.

I do not have a focuser. Do I need to consider one? Is there anything else I should consider for my journey?

Thanks

Cassio

andrea tasselli avatar
andrea tasselli avatar
Of the above you don't need neither the extenders nor the RGB filters. As of the focuser I assume you mean an EAF and that is optional as you may easily focus manually for starts. If you plan to use the cameras stand alone you will need a intervalometer if not already built in but I doubt they allow for open Bulb settings. Alternatively you'd need a PC if you want to use a specific program to drive both the mount (optionally an EAF) and allow you choose targets, center the target and acquire the images and much more besides. For DSLR I'd recommend APT and it is free.
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SonnyE avatar
SonnyE avatar

When I was beginning I was rarely happy with my attempts at hand focusing. I built my own electronic focuser and that really helped to dial in the focus.

But when I got a proper focuser, I was able to really get down to a fine focus in NINA.

I always recommend a true Astro Camera. DSLR’s have too many moving parts. You need to allow for them to settle.

Great telescope choice though. 😉

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Cassio Pieroni Trevisani avatar
Cassio Pieroni Trevisani avatar

SonnyE · Mar 10, 2026, 03:46 PM

When I was beginning I was rarely happy with my attempts at hand focusing. I built my own electronic focuser and that really helped to dial in the focus.

But when I got a proper focuser, I was able to really get down to a fine focus in NINA.

I always recommend a true Astro Camera. DSLR’s have too many moving parts. You need to allow for them to settle.

Great telescope choice though. 😉

Thank you Sonny, really appreciate your feedback. Clear skies!

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Tony Gondola avatar
Tony Gondola avatar

I wouldn’t worry about other lenses and extenders. You’ll just want to combine the 71 with one of your SLR bodies. That will be your base setup. Also, your RGB filters won’t be of much use with a color camera so you can ignore those as well. The 71 has a focuser so you’re all set there. In short, you have the hardware to start shooting in a very basic way using no guiding and short exposures. Set ISO to 1600, exposure times of a few seconds and of course, shoot RAW format. For processing I would suggest Siril in combination with Affinity or GIMP, all free.

To go further you’ll need to add two three things:

Guide scope and guide camera or and off-axis guider and guide camera.

An EAF (electronic auto focuser).

A computer and software to run everything.

I could go into a lot more details here but I think the best thing to do is start shooting with the hardware you have. You’ll learn soon enough from that what’s needed to extend your capabilities.

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Cassio Pieroni Trevisani avatar
Cassio Pieroni Trevisani avatar

andrea tasselli · Mar 10, 2026, 03:45 PM

Of the above you don't need neither the extenders nor the RGB filters. As of the focuser I assume you mean an EAF and that is optional as you may easily focus manually for starts. If you plan to use the cameras stand alone you will need a intervalometer if not already built in but I doubt they allow for open Bulb settings. Alternatively you'd need a PC if you want to use a specific program to drive both the mount (optionally an EAF) and allow you choose targets, center the target and acquire the images and much more besides. For DSLR I'd recommend APT and it is free.

Hi Andrea,

Thank you for your response.
Yes, I meant an EAF. I am a bit rubbish with focus, so I can benefit from having one, I guess.
The intervalometer is already built in the Canon R6 Mark II, but it also has an intervalometer that I can connect with the camera if needed.

Thank you for your response. Clear skies!

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