Focus Ring and Helical Focuser

Gear Drive Stepper Focus Systems

Adding autofocus to telescopes and cameras using focus rings  or helical focusers has never been simpler. We offer 3 approaches (see photos in gallery to the right for examples) to meet your needs, all starting with our nSTEP Stepper Motor.

nSTEP Stepper Motor

Motorize your focuser with our high torque 12V DC Stepper.  We've done over 100 different types and variations including Williams Optics, Takahashi, Coronado,   JMI, Astro Tech, Baader, Borg, Cave, Meade, Skywatcher, Tectron, TMB, Vixen, Cave, Zhumell. With a couple of photos and a few simple measurement we can craft a STEPPER focus motor kit that will fit yoru focuser at no additional cost. E-mail us at rigelsys0@gmail.com and we'll get it started.  

• Step resolution: Gear coupling of motor to focus shaft provides up to 9,600 steps per revolution in full step mode and 19,200 in half step mode to supply the very fine focus movement required for fast telescopes and camera lenses.

•  Bracket kits & gear ease of installation: Tailored to each focusers for ease of attatchment, each kit contains all the parts needed for each particular focuser.

• Manual focusing: Gear coupled stepper is easily declutched for manual focusing using focus ring.

Focus Ring Gear Stepper with Crossbar

Tilta Seamless Focus Gear Ring doesn't slip even on stiff focus rings. It is easily stretched and pulled over the camera/telescope focus ring to provide gear teeth that engage with the drive gear on the stepper motor for positive non-slip focusing. To slip Tilta focus gear over focus ring, front or back optics diameter has to be <= focus ring diameter.

Additional camera/telescopes can be accomodated by purchasing appropriate diameter Tilta Seamless Focus Gear Rings which are inexpensive and available for focus rings up to 92mm diameter. We recommend buying a ring one size below Focus Ring diameter for tight fit.

Split Gear Stepper with ADM R100-100mm Ring

Split gear works with very large diameter focus rings and systems with ADM or Losmandy rings. Using a split gear limits focusing range to approximately 300 degrees of rotation.

Additional camera/telescopes with different focus ring diameters can be accomodated by purchasing a new diameter matching Split Gear Kit includes stepper, ADM ring with Stepper bracket, and one split gear.

Helical Focuser Stepper Kit

Very popular way to motorize Coronado solar scope focusing for accurate and "shake" free focusing which is very important in solar viewing and imaging. Much more affordable than upgrading to an expensive focuser which will not solve the "shakes".

Whichever option you chose, you'll need a your focuser with our high torque 12V DC Stepper driven by a  powerful usb-nSTEP or wifi-nSTEP controller to drive the high torque 12V DC Stepper. Follow these links to add a nSTEP controller to your kit.