Focusing accurately while taking astro-photographs is one of the most tedious and difficult things to do consistently. Using a motorized focuser is almost a necessity. Finding a motorized focuser that will work with multiple telescopes is difficult because it is desirable to use each scope both with and without a focal reducer. Each focal reducer is designed to be placed a certain distance from the imaging chip for best results. The focuser can not be between the reducer and the camera if this vital spacing is to be maintained. Another issue is the total length of the imaging train. If the focuser and reducer combination are too long, then the scope won't come to focus at all. In addition to these difficulties each telescope has a different requirement for attaching the camera.

The MicroTouch Autofocuser is designed to work with the popular Feathertouch line of focusers from Starlight Instruments. The MicroTouch allows autofocusing of a CCD camera when interfaced with a computer (via USB). Features also include Temperature Compensation, Digital Readout, and Manual Operation. The MicroTouch works with both regular Feathertouch (Crayford-style) focusers and the SCT MicroFocusers.

With the Microtouch system, each motor attaches directly to the existing Feather Touch focuser without needing any special adapters. The system does not add any length to the imaging train and allows you to focus with any combination of telescope and focal reducer. The Micro Touch focuser system uses internal software that is ASCOM compliant. ASCOM is a specification for communication between the computer, focuser and telescope. Making the system ASCOM compliant allows it to work with many other astronomical software packages that are also ASCOM compliant. The system comes with FocusMax software which works with the imaging capture software like CCDSoft and MaxIm DL/CCD but as of this writing, it does not work with AstroArt. I am using the system with CCDSoft. FocusMax is freeware and will work with any ASCOM compatible focuser. If you are interested in how it works, you should read the paper entitled Fast Auto-Focus Method and Software for CCD-based Telescopes By Larry Weber and Steve Brady.