Filterwheel FR-03

Filterrad FR-03

For the maximum comfort throughout CCD- Observations a filter wheel is a major requirement. Making colour images, you do not have to go after every exposure to the telescope. The controlling software changes automatically the filters and exposes every colour channels without your help.
The filter wheel FR-03 is driven by a stepper motor and is guarded by a little micro controller. It can be controlled by a serial interface as well as by two buttons (+1 position & reset) at the box of the micro controller. An interface suitable for SBIG CCD- cameras (Classic Body) is also existing.
Like all of my products, the filter wheel is completely made of aluminium and brass. All screws are made of stainless steel. All alu- surfaces are black anodised. The design of the case secures maximum protection against scattered light.

Till now more than 180 units are shipped to astronomers, universities and various companies around the world, and as far as I know all of them are happy with it :-)

The filter wheel is fitted at both sides with a huge thread M48 x 0.75, to prevent vigneting in your system even when you are using very large chips. A turn- and clampable adapter to T2 or M42x1 for the side of the camera is also delivered. You can set the rotation angle of the camera relative to the filter wheel with that adapter. For the telescope side I offer you adapters to M42x1 thread, T-thread, 1.25" and 2" nosepiece. Almost every other connection is feasible.

The filter wheel has an optical depth of less than 25 mm and is that flat, that it can be used also very well at scopes with a high focal ratio. The thickness of the both cover plates is strong 4mm. Due to this very massive design, you can use the filter wheel also in front of large and heavy cameras (SBIG, Apogee, FLI) without having problems with bending of the case. On the other hand, a weight of almost 840g results from the design.

The filter wheel supports the following protocols:

  • SBIG
  • OES
  • DFM
  • TrueTechnology
  • TTL based protocoll for industry applications


The filter wheel is available in three different types:

  • with a filter carrier with 6 positions for 1.25" filters
  • with a filter carrier with 4 positions for 2" filters
  • with a filter carrier with 6 positions for unframed filters with a 34mm free pass through


The carrier for the unframed 34mm filters offers a big advance: Due to the very big pass through one gets no problems with vigneting at the edge of the field of view or at your guiding chip even when using very large chips (KAF- 3200, Site etc.). At the same time, 6 filter positions in the wheel are possible, so the choice is not so much determined like at the 2" filter carrier which has only four positions. The carrier can be completely equipped with ASTRONOMIK filters if requested.

The change between the different carriers is very easy. It should not be done in the night at the telescope, but at a desk it is ready in a few minutes. To use the filter wheel in a flexible way, you can buy later other carriers.

Parts List:

If you order a FR-03, you get the filter wheel itself, the controller with a long (~1m) or short (~0.3m) cable, a serial cable or a SBIG cable, a printed manual (in english) and a CD with full documentation in german, english and french.
Adapters are extra

Please answer the following questions when you place the order:

Which carrier?
Which Controller (long or short cable)?
Which communication cable (serial or SBIG) ?
Any additional adapters or other parts?
Do you also need filters?

Filterwheel FR-03

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