Howdy! I am very new here (this is my first post), so please excuse the ignorance of my question. I recently received my STF-8300M with FW8-8300 and just finished the filter wheel installation. The screw type (hex versus phillips or vice versa) and configuration (pattern/quantity) didn't match the instructions (both printed and on the SBIG site), but figuring out which were the correct ones to remove was pretty straight-forward to get through for even me... however, my question is regarding the o-ring placement. Perhaps it doesn't even matter, but the install steps mention that if you have a filter size less than 3mm in thickness (which I do - I got the Baader set), you need to insert an o-ring on top of the filter to snug it in the cavity so it doesn't rattle. Does it matter if the o-ring rests in the tray before the filter or the filter rests in the tray before the o-ring? I know this is a terribly newb-ish question, but when I installed the filters and laid the o-rings "on top" as the instructions stated, they didn't really line up perfectly. I gently replaced the cover and barely tightened the screws (just so they were not loose in the threads) and the o-rings look like someone trying to fit in one-size-too-small skinny jeans after Thanksgiving dinner. Anyway, I just buttoned it all up like that as I'm sure it will work fine, but if I have the order reversed, I don't mind going back in there swapping them around. Outside of my silly little filter question, the camera and filter wheel (as sitting on my desk next to my imaging laptop) worked the first time I connected them to the PC. I have been shooting with a stock/unmodded DSLR for a little over a year and am excited to expand my imaging horizons with a much better tool. I live in Texas where the night skies get warm most of the year, so cracking a whip at the noise is going to be a breath of fresh air. I am also anxious and excited to leverage astrophotography filters in data acquisition when weather and time allow an outting. Thanks in advance for any guidance you can offer me as someone new to CCD imaging. Have a great week and weekend! Cheers, Clayton Bownds KapHn8d[at]gmail[dot]com
Thanks, Doug! I wasn't trying to over-think it, I promise. I'm looking forward to listening and learning here... cheers. /c
