Orion SteadyPix Pro User manual

Orion®SteadyPix™Pro
Universal Camera/
Smartphone Photo Mount
#5306
Congratulations on your
purchase of the SteadyPix Pro
Universal Camera/Smartphone
Mount. This versatile adapter
enables you to take high-
magnication telescopic
photographs with a wide variety
of point-and-shoot digital
cameras and smartphones.
The SteadyPix Pro rmly holds
your camera or smartphone up
to the eyepiece of a telescope
or spotting scope, providing
the critical positioning needed
to capture sharply focused,
consistently well-composed
terrestrial shots or nighttime
astrophotos through the
telescope’s optics – with jaw-dropping results!
These instructions provide a brief outline of how to set up and use
the SteadyPix Pro. Please read them carefully prior to using it for the
rsttime.
INSTRUCTION MANUAL
IN 512 Rev. A 11/13
Corporate Offices: 89 Hangar Way, Watsonville CA 95076 - USA
Toll Free USA & Canada: [phone]
International: [phone]
Customer Support: [email protected]
Copyright © 2020 Orion Telescopes & Binoculars.All Rights Reserved. No part of this product
instruction or any of its contents may be reproduced, copied, modied or adapted, without the
prior written consent of Orion Telescopes & Binoculars.
AN EMPLOYEE-OWNED COMPANY

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Included Parts
Qty Item
1 SteadyPix camera mount
1 Smartphone holder
2 Smartphone bracket attachment
knobs
About Afocal Photography
The SteadyPix Pro lets you couple
almost any small digital camera and
popular models of smartphone to a
telescope to do “afocal” photography. In
the afocal method, the camera lens is
aimed into the telescope eyepiece.
While it is possible to take pictures
by holding a camera up to the
eyepiece by hand, small movements
of the camera make it difficult to
maintain perfect, consistent focus and
framing of your subject. SteadyPix
Pro eliminates those problems by
positioning the camera rmly and
precisely and locking it in that optimum
position relative to the eyepiece. This
coupling also allows the camera to
move in synchrony with the eyepiece if
the telescope is electronically driven to
“track” celestial objects.
To get the best pictures with the
SteadyPix Pro, we recommend using
telescope eyepieces with long “eye
relief” of 15mm or more. Long eye relief
will allow the camera to see the whole
eld of view in the eyepiece.
Refer to Figure 1 to familiarize yourself with the various parts of the SteadyPix
Pro, as they will be referred to in these instructions.
For Digital Cameras
The SteadyPix Pro is designed for use with small, digital point-and-shoot cameras
or very compact SLR cameras. It is not suitable for standard-size DSLRs as they
are too bulky and heavy.
1. Raise the adjustable eyepiece clamp plate (B) as far as it will go by rotating
the clamp adjusting knob (A) counterclockwise.
Figure 1. a) Parts of the SteadyPix
Pro main unit. b) Parts of the universal
smartphone bracket.
a.
b.
A
B
C
D
G
M
P
N
H
O
I
J
K
F
E

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2. Insert the telescope’s eyepiece
into the eyepiece holding clamp
(C) and tighten the adjusting knob
(A) until the grip on the eyepiece
housing is rm.
3. Mount your digital camera on the
camera platform (J) by threading
the camera mounting bolt (H) into
the ¼"-20 socket on the bottom
of the camera. Thread it in all the
way, then back it off a turn or so.
Now rotate the camera lock knob
(I) clockwise to tightly hold the
camera.
4. Turn the platform lock knob (E)
counterclockwise to release the
horizontal and vertical adjustment
knobs (D and F). Now align the
camera lens with the telescope
eyepiece by adjusting the
horizontal adjustment knob (D) and
vertical adjustment knob (F) either
clockwise or counterclockwise as
needed. The lock the platform in
place by tightening the platform
lock knob(E).
Before powering your camera on in the next step, loosen the camera lock
knob (I) and move the camera back on the platform along the platform slot
(K) as far as it will go. Because with many digital cameras the lens expands
outward when the power is turned on, setting the camera back from the
telescope eyepiece will reduce the possibility that the lens will contact the
eyepiece, causing damage to either or both of them.
5. Now turn on your camera and look at its LCD display. Move the camera
forward – toward the eyepiece until the LCD screen shows a full image. You
may also need to make small adjustments to the horizontal and vertical
positioning of the camera using the adjustment knobs E and F. Also, make
sure the eyepiece lens and the camera lens are parallel. Then tighten the
camera lock knob (I) to x the camera in the correctly aligned position.
If vignetting occurs; that is, if you see a dark circle around the image on the
LCD screen, as in Figure 2, the camera lens may be too far away from the
lens of the telescope eyepiece. In that case, loosen the camera lock knob
(I) and carefully move the camera closer to the eyepiece until the vignetting
is gone, if possible, then retighten the lock knob. Take care not to let the
Figure 2. Camera position relative to the
telescope eyepiece should be adjusted
until the image covers as much of the LCD
screen as possible.

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camera lens contact the eyepiece! Note that with some eyepiece and camera
combinations, it may not be possible to eliminate vingetting entirely.
6. Place the eyepiece (with SteadyPix Pro attached) back in the telescope’s
focuser (if the eyepiece was removed to install in the SteadyPix Pro) and
secure it with the locking thumbscrew(s) (Figure 3). Now you’re ready to aim,
focus, and shoot!
TIPS:
• Before attaching the SteadyPix Pro with camera attached to the telescope,
focus the object you want to photograph in the telescope eyepiece using
the telescope’s focuser. You may still have to tweak the focus a bit once
the SteadyPix and camera are installed, but at least you’ll be close to the
focuspoint.
Figure 3. The SteadyPix Pro with camera attached is shown mounted on an Orion
SpaceProbe 3 reector telescope.

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• We recommend using the
camera’s self-timer setting to take
your picture, as this will allow
a few seconds for any camera
shaking caused by pressing the
shutter button to settle down
before the exposure begins. If
the camera is shaking during
the exposure the resulting image
will be blurry. Many smartphone
camera apps also have a self-
timer feature.
For Smartphones
The smartphone bracket included
with the SteadyPix Pro is compatible
with phones measuring up to 3.15"
(~80mm) in width and any length.
1. Rotate the smartphone bracket
post adjustment knobs (M)
counterclockwise to raise the
bracket posts (N) as needed to
t the width of your particular
smartphone.
2. Slide your smartphone into the
bracket (O) from the right side
as shown in Figure 4, with the
phone’s LCD screen facing toward
you. Make sure that the phone’s
camera lens is not blocked by
the bracket. Then tighten the post
adjustment knobs (M) to lock the smartphone in place.
3. Mount the smartphone bracket on the SteadyPix Pro camera platform
using the camera mounting bolt (H) and camera lock knob (I) and one
bracket attachment knob (P) into the two left-most holes in the base of the
smartphone bracket (O) (Figure5). (Depending on where your phone’s
camera lens is located, you may need to use the two right-most holes.)
Figure 5. Attach the smartphone bracket
to the SteadyPix camera platform.
Figure 4. Slide your smartphone from
right to left into the bracket.

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4. Position the smartphone’s camera
lens approximately in the center
of the eyepiece holding clamp (C)
(Figure 6).
5. Center the smartphone’s camera
lens about a quarter inch back
from the telescope eyepiece
using the horizontal and vertical
ne-adjustment knobs (D and
F) and by moving the phone on
the platform slots (K) as needed
by slightly loosening the two
attachment knobs (H/I and P).
Ensure that the eyepiece lens
and the phone’s camera lens are
parallel. When done, tighten the
platform lock knob (E).
6. Turn on the smartphone and its
camera. Make any horizontal,
vertical, or front-to-back
adjustments to the camera
position until the LCD displays the
largest image. Then tighten the
lock knobs to x the camera in that
position (Figure 7).
Now you’re ready to mount the
assembly on the telescope and start
shooting pictures.
Mounting the SteadyPix Pro on
a Tripod
The SteadyPix Pro can be mounted
on any camera tripod equipped with
a ¼"-20 post. This is useful when
photographing through a small
monocular, where the weight of the
monocular can be supported solely by
the eyepiece clamp of the SteadyPix
Pro, while the heavier SteadyPix Pro is
attached to the tripod (see Figure 8).
Attach the SteadyPix Pro by threading
the tripod’s ¼"-20 post into the ¼"-20
socket (G). Figure 7. A smartphone is aligned in the
SteadyPix Pro and ready to mount on the
telescope.
Figure 6. Center the smartphone’s
camera lens in the eyepiece holder clamp.

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Mounting the Smartphone
Bracket on a Tripod
Mounting the smartphone bracket itself
on a standard-size or mini tripod can
be useful for taking family or group
portraits (where you want to be in
the picture too), self-portraits, or just
wide-eld terrestrial shots with your
smartphone on a steady platform.
Just thread the tripod’s ¼"-20 post into
the center socket on the bottom of the
smartphone bracket (Figure 9).
What to Photograph with the
SteadyPix Pro
Now that you have set up the
SteadyPix Pro with your camera or
smartphone and telescope or spotting
scope, the only question remaining is
“What can I photograph?” We have a
few suggestions for you:
Terrestrial Photography
With literally millions of objects to
photograph on earth, there are only
a few tips we can give for using
the SteadyPix Pro for terrestrial
photography. One is to consider using
a telescope with an Alt/Az (short for
altitude/azimuth) mount on a sturdy
tripod. An Alt/Az mount will allow
simple up/down, left/right motions
of the telescope so that you can
easily adjust and aim the camera.
Equatorial mounts (mounts designed
to track the movement of stars in the
sky) are not recommended, as they
will be needlessly heavy due to the
counterweight, and their ability to track
celestial objects is of no use when
photographing an object like a bird’s
nest. In fact it will likely get in the way.
Remember that objects viewed through
certain types of telescopes will be oriented backwards, upside-down, or both so
some telescopes may not be suitable for terrestrial photography.
Figure 8. The SteadyPix Pro is shown
attached to a photo tripod via the ¼”-20
socket in the SteadyPix’s foot. A monocular
is held in the eyepiece clamp.
Figure 9. The smartphone bracket can be
attached directly to a photo tripod’s ¼”-20
post.

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The Moon
The Moon is one of the easiest and most interesting targets to photograph. With
its rocky, cratered surface there is a wealth of detail to be photographed with your
camera and SteadyPix Pro.You will be to take beautiful images of the whole Moon
or close-ups that showcase the craters, mountains, or maria. Single snapshots
work well and multiple shots can be digitally stacked later in a program such as
Registax to increase the signal-to-noise ratio and dynamic range of the image.
Also, you can take video and then stack a series of the sharpest individual video
frames. The Moon is a very large target, so at higher magnications you may only
get a part of the surface in each picture. Use eyepieces that provide low powers
(50x and below should work with most telescopes) if you wish to have the entire
surface of the Moon in your eld ofview.
Photographing the full Moon can be difficult since sunlight is falling directly
on the lunar surface, producing no shadows, so details will be harder to see.
Photographing the Moon when it is in one of its partial phases is preferable, as
the angle of the Sun causes shadows highlighting the surface relief. You might
also want to use an optional Moon lter that threads onto the bottom of the
eyepiece to bring out more subtle features on the lunar surface, even during a full
Moon.
The Sun
Photographing our nearest star, the Sun, is always interesting, but it must be
done with caution. You must use a properly tted solar lter covering the front
opening of the telescope, or serious, instantaneous eye damage could occur
with even a momentary glimpse of the Sun! The intense radiation emitted by
the Sun could also damage your camera. Furthermore, if the scope has a nder
scope attached, its lens should be covered with aluminum foil or a lens cap to
prevent damage to your eyes or to the nder scope itself from excessive heat
buildup.
With a proper solar lter installed on the telescope, you will be able to photograph
sunspots on the Sun’s surface and record their changing size, shapes, coloration,
and patterns over time.
If you have a tracking mount, be sure to set the tracking rate to “Solar” to keep the
Sun’s disk in the eyepiece eld of view.
The Bright Planets
Next to the Sun and the Moon, the planets Mars, Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn are
the brightest objects in the sky and make excellent targets for afocal photography
with the SteadyPix Pro. Keep in mind that the planets don’t stay still like the
stars, so to nd them you should refer to In the Sky This Month at our website
(OrionTelescopes.com), or to charts published monthly in Astronomy, Sky &
Telescope, or other astronomy magazines.
To get the right amount of detail on the planets, eyepieces that give high powers
(at least 75x or more) should be used when using the SteadyPix Pro. Low powers

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will make it easier to nd the planets, but they will not bring out any signicant
details on the planets. High magnications must be used to get images of the
famous details of the planets, such as the rings of Saturn or bands on Jupiter’s
surface. Try using a 2x Barlow lens to boost the magnication of the eyepiece.
You might also consider using colored planetary lters that thread onto the bottom
of the eyepiece (just like the Moon lter). These colored lters bring out subtle
details of the planets by ltering out various colors that reduce detail. Orion has
several sets of colored lters available. Visit our website, OrionTelescopes.com,
for more information on colored planetary lters.
Deep-Sky Objects
It is very difficult, though not impossible, to shoot deep-sky objects – star clusters,
nebulas, and galaxies – afocally with a point-and-shoot digital camera. That’s
because most of them are extremely faint. Deep-sky objects usually require use
of a tracking mount and exposures of several seconds or more, which isn’t always
possible with typical point-and-shoot cameras. Some smartphone apps do have
the ability to integrate a number of images into a nal “long-exposure” image,
allowing capture of brighter deep-sky objects. Try experimenting with shooting
bright deep-sky objects with the equipment you have and see what kind of results
you can obtain.
Specifications
SteadyPix Pro (Main Unit)
Size 195mm x 115mm x 105mm
Weight 12.4 oz. (350g)
Material Aluminum, plastic
Eyepiece size compatibility 28mm – 45mm dia. (1.11"-1.77")
Platform load 4.5 lbs. (2.0kg) max.
Mounting ¼"-20 socket on foot
Smartphone Bracket
Size (min) 120mm x 60mm x 88mm
Weight 5.1 oz. (144g)
Material Plastic
Max phone size 80mm width, any length
Mounting ¼"-20 sockets on bottom (x3)

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WARNING: Never look directly at the Sun with the naked eye or
with a telescope – unless you have a proper solar lter installed
over the front of the telescope! Otherwise, permanent, irreversible
eye damage may result.
Corporate Offices: 89 Hangar Way, Watsonville CA 95076 - USA
Toll Free USA & Canada: [phone]
International: [phone]
Customer Support: [email protected]
Copyright © 2020 Orion Telescopes & Binoculars.All Rights Reserved. No part of this product
instruction or any of its contents may be reproduced, copied, modied or adapted, without the
prior written consent of Orion Telescopes & Binoculars.
AN EMPLOYEE-OWNED COMPANY
One-Year Limited Warranty
This Orion product is warranted against defects in materials or workmanship for
a period of one year from the date of purchase. This warranty is for the benet of
the original retail purchaser only. During this warranty period Orion Telescopes &
Binoculars will repair or replace, at Orion’s option, any warranted instrument that
proves to be defective, provided it is returned postage paid. Proof of purchase
(such as a copy of the original receipt) is required. This warranty is only valid in the
country of purchase.
This warranty does not apply if, in Orion’s judgment, the instrument has been
abused, mishandled, or modied, nor does it apply to normal wear and tear. This
warranty gives you specic legal rights. It is not intended to remove or restrict your
other legal rights under applicable local consumer law; your state or national statu-
tory consumer rights governing the sale of consumer goods remain fully appli-
cable.
For further warranty information, please visit www.OrionTelescopes.com/warranty.