ASG Photon Cage
The ASG Photon Cage is designed to work with popular astrophotography cameras to eliminate tilt and backfocus issues commonly found in astrophotography images. The Photon Cage works with nearly every astro camera and telescope, including Refractors, SCT’s, Newtonians, RASA’s and others.
Variety of Models to Choose From
The ASG cage comes in a variety of models we have added over the years. From our standard 90mm photon cage which fits most ZWO & QHY cameras to increasingly popular Player One, Moravian, and ToupTek models.
Works with nearly any telescope:
- Refractors
- Reflectors
- SCT’s
- RC’s
- Newtonians
- RASA’s
- CDK’s
- and more…
Precision Tilting
- Its 4-corner tilting system allows for effortless correction of optical aberrations, ensuring a perfectly flat field for sharp, detailed images from edge to edge.
- The independent backfocus adjustment provides a level of fine-tuning not found in traditional setups, enabling you to achieve critical focus with ease.
- With 120 TPI (threads per inch) adjusters, every movement is incredibly smooth and precise, allowing for micro-adjustments that are essential for high-resolution imaging.
- This cage’s incredibly small 3mm backfocus makes it compatible with a wide range of accessories and setups, maximizing versatility without compromising performance.
The ASG Photon Cage is also designed as a modular system, with optional accessories like filter sliders available for both mounted and unmounted filters, and the cutting-edge ASG Electronic Photon Cage, which offers electronically assisted tilt (EAT) for automated, micron-level adjustments.
Standard Photon Cages: Any Scope, Any Camera
The Standard Photon Cage is designed to work with nearly any camera and telescope. Refractors, Epsilons, Newtonians, SCT’s, RASA’s, and other’s will appreciate a tilt & backfocus device that mounts to either a 90mm or 78mm astro camera.
These are our most popular standard units and come in 90mm diameter or 78mm diameter designs. These fit all the ZWO 2400, 2600, 6200 cameras as well as QHY models.
You get full 4 corner tilting and independent backfocus adjustment that will make your stars round and images flat. The Photon Cage takes up 3mm of optical train spacing and comes with M54 female threads, 6 bolt EFW 62mm diameter pattern with M2.5 threads, and our ASG 5 bolt filter slider pattern (All 3 mounting patterns now come stock on our Photon Cage).
Electronic Photon Cages
Precision Electronically Assisted Tilt (EAT) and backfocus adjustment is now a reality. Whether you run a astro rig remotely in the Andes or you work as I do from your backyard, the new ASG Electronic Photon Cage will allow you to dial in not only your backfocus but also remove tilt using our supplied software. It can be mounted to any telescope though and comes with a variety of mounting patterns.
Not only does the unit work with most ZWO or QHY cameras that are 90mm in diameter, we can easily adapter player one and moravian cameras into the unit with special adapters we provide. Central obstruction is also kept to a minimal with a slender design and footprint.
Photon Cage + RASA 11 Mounts & Sliders
The new PRO filter slider system jumps up to 68mm baseplate and custom CNC machined filter holders. The PRO system will bolt to any Photon Cage and provides more light for full frame sensors. We also offer a custom M68 RASA 11 mount that is specifically designed for this application.
This increases your filter slider capability from 2″ mounted to 50mm unmounted or larger 50x50mm unmounted square cut glass. Maximize the light gathering with the PRO system. Full RASA 11 + 6200mm analysis found here!
You get full 4 corner tilting and independent backfocus adjustment that will make your stars round and images flat. The Photon Cage takes up 3mm of optical train spacing and comes with M54 female threads, 6 bolt EFW 62mm diameter pattern with M2.5 threads, and our ASG 5 bolt filter slider pattern (All 3 mounting patterns now come stock on our Photon Cage).
Photon Cage + RASA 8 Mounts & Sliders
Our Photon Cage can be outfitted with our RASA 8 big camera filter holder, specifically designed to help users with ASI 2600 and QHY600 SBFL cameras. This special lockring and filter holder gives you a removable filter slider AND camera tilt/backfocus adjustment all in one device.
The ultra thin filter sliders hold 2″ mounted filters and fill the specific need for this RASA 8 group using the large camera bodies with 12.5mm backfocus.
ZWO 2600 DUO compatible version!
Photon Cage + Player One Adapters
The Standard Photon Cage is now designed to work with the Player One Octagonal design unique to their body. Using a specially designed adapter, you can slide your Player One camera into the standard 90mm photon cage and get precision tilting and backfocus adjustment compared to the stock coarse-thread plate provided on their camera.
These are standard 90mm cages with the additional adapters so you can easily return to a standard 90 cage.
You get full 4 corner tilting and independent backfocus adjustment that will make your stars round and images flat. The Photon Cage takes up 3mm of optical train spacing and comes with M54 female threads, 6 bolt EFW 62mm diameter pattern with M2.5 threads, and our ASG 5 bolt filter slider pattern (All 3 mounting patterns now come stock on our Photon Cage).
Photon Cage + Moravian Adapters
The Standard Photon Cage is now designed to work with the Moravian Octagonal design unique to their body. Using a specially designed adapter, you can slide your Moravian camera into the standard 90mm photon cage and get precision tilting and backfocus adjustment compared to the stock coarse-thread plate provided on their camera.
These are standard 90mm cages with the additional adapters so you can easily return to a standard 90 cage.
You get full 4 corner tilting and independent backfocus adjustment that will make your stars round and images flat. The Photon Cage takes up 3mm of optical train spacing and comes with M54 female threads, 6 bolt EFW 62mm diameter pattern with M2.5 threads, and our ASG 5 bolt filter slider pattern (All 3 mounting patterns now come stock on our Photon Cage).
ZWO 461 Medium Format Photon Cage
The ASG Photon Cage – 461 Edition is for the big boy camera, allowing the ZWO camera to have precision tilting and backfocus adjustment while mounting directly to the ZWO 6 bolt EFW pattern on 99mm diameter hole pattern.
This design provides full robust 4 corner tilting of the large sensor camera along with independent backfocus adjustment and secure 2 point capturing of the camera. These units are specially designed for the larger 50×50 filter wheel provided by ZWO.
Pictured is a RASA 11 with our 54mm big bore camera mount, M54 spacers, M54 rotator, and a Photon Cage around a small ZWO ASI camera. A CNC filter slider with engraved (G) for Green is also in place.
Pictured is an Edge HD 8 SCT with a ZWO 7-position filter wheel mounted to our Standard Photon Cage. Mounted using ZWO M42 to M54 thread adapter, the Photon Cage can be mounted to almost any filter wheel, refractor, epsilon, SCT, Newtonian, etc. We also provide standard 6 bolt EFW bolt pattern using M2.5 holes if you wish to mount directly to a filter wheel such as large ZWO 4 bolt or QHY 6 bolt (Both use same pattern).
Ready to build your unit?
View Pricing and Availability, or email us for more info!
Part I – Introduction to the ASG Photon Cage
In this new updated video we introduce you to the 4-corner tilt and backfocus system that is the Photon Cage. The ASG Photon Cage is designed as a modular system to fit any RASA, Refractor, Epsilon, Newtonian, SCT or other scope you may have and makes dialing in that perfectly flat image with NINA, Hocus Focus, ASTAP or other tools an easy task.
Who is this for? Anyone interested in or is looking for a tilt and backfocus adjustment system for their telescope.
Part II – Setup & Installation of a Photon Cage
In this new updated video we show how to setup your Photon Cage right from the box for the first time. We discuss how to easily install your camera, add o’ring or gasket systems, and even setup initial zero points and then adjustment spacing necessary to make your Photon Cage work great right out of the starting gate.
Who is this for? This is a good video for anyone who has purchased a Photon Cage and is looking to setup and install on their telescope.
Part III – Adjusting Tilt with NINA & Hocus Focus
This video is an upgrade to our previous video on adjusting tilt with NINA and Hocus Focus with your astro camera. We specifically show several runs on how to adjust tilt using live examples from a previous evening, plus we cover all the steps needed to install Hocus Focus as well as parameters, settings, options, and typical workflow.
This video is primarily focused on showing what to look for within Hocus Focus, how to identify trends and basic relative adjustments compared to the 6 planes around an astro image.
Who is this for? Anyone looking to remove tilt from their images and understanding the process using a real evening of focus curves. This video is good for anyone using NINA, Hocus Focus, ASTAP or CCD Inspector and looking at how you remove tilt.
Setup RASA 11 with Photon Cage
Who is this for? This video is very specific to anyone with a RASA 11 looking to add a Photon Cage.
Setup RASA 8 with Photon Cage
Who is this for? This video is very specific to anyone with a RASA 8 looking to add a Photon Cage.
Photon Cage Accessories
ASG also offers accessories including 3D printed filter holder boxes in a variety of configurations. Filter Sliders will come in the economical 3D printed or the precision CNC variations. RASA cable guides as well as other accessories are also available.
Assorted Filter Slider Boxes
We offer a variety of bundled filter sliders and boxes in RGB, HOS, LRGBHOS, UBVRI and more. Ask us about our custom services if you need them.
3D Printed or CNC Filter Sliders
Our custom filter sliders are 3D printed with custom threads to accept popular 2″ screw in filters. Save money or go full CNC machined sliders with custom engraving.
RASA 8 & 11 Accessories
We built custom 3D printed cable guides to work well with our Photon Cage, routing cables where you need them.
Ready to build your unit?
View Pricing and Availability, or email us for more info!