CHF 399
In stock with supplier (usual lead time approx. 10 working days)
Visit WandererAstro Snowflake 7+1 is a top-of-the-range motorized filter wheel designed for demanding astrophotographers looking for impeccable mechanical integration, minimal thickness and excellent light-tightness. Thanks to its innovative 8 positions, One of which is dedicated to an additional filter or an opaque filter for darks, it offers a level of flexibility rarely seen on the market.
With a thickness down to just 14 mm, The Snowflake is one of the most compact filter wheels available. This feature is particularly interesting for configurations where backfocus is limited, or where the addition of accessories such as a field rotator (CAA) or tilt adjuster is required.
Unlike conventional 7-position filter wheels, the Snowflake has an eighth slot for an additional filter or the opaque filter supplied as standard. This solution makes it possible to produce calibration images (dark frames) directly from the setup, without having to dismantle the camera or manually shutter the telescope.
The Snowflake's main asset is its extremely slim profile. Depending on the version chosen, the mechanical thickness starts at just 14 mm, preserving maximum backfocus for correctors, reducers or complementary accessories.
The short distance between filter and sensor also increases the effective aperture of filters, reducing the risk of vignetting with large sensors.
The wheel uses a gear drive combined with a damped anti-backlash system. This design ensures extremely precise and repeatable filter positioning, guaranteeing perfect consistency of flats and calibrations over time.
Snowflake adopts a completely enclosed architecture with no visible motors or electronics. Its exclusive one-piece mask eliminates potential stray light paths, while offering a particularly meticulous finish.
Internal light-proof grooves and a supplied foam gasket complete the system to ensure maximum sealing, even with certain cameras requiring additional insulation.
Installation on the camera is facilitated by an ingenious design that allows the fixing screws to pass directly through the eighth slot in the disc. This solution eliminates the need to dismantle the filter wheel during assembly, and considerably reduces the risk of screws falling into the mechanism.
Whereas most filter wheels rely solely on peripheral screws, the Snowflake also incorporates a central fastener. This architecture considerably improves the rigidity of the whole, and halves mechanical deformations under load.
Snowflake has been developed to work with the majority of equipment on the market. It is compatible with cameras and optical dividers (OAGs) from all the major astrophotography brands.
Thanks to its high-power motor and robust mechanical design, the Snowflake remains fully operational even in extreme winter conditions. It can operate up to -30°C, This makes it an ideal solution for permanent observatories and astrophotographers working in the mountains.
The filter wheel is compatible with all major acquisition software, thanks to support for the ASCOM. Compatibility INDI is planned via a future dedicated pilot.
The Snowflake range is offered in three variants to suit the different filter formats used in astrophotography.
| Model | Thickness | Compatible filters | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| SFW50 | 16 mm | 2″ mounted and unmounted filters Ø50 mm | 758 g |
| SFW50S | 14 mm | Unmounted filters Ø50 mm only | 719 g |
| SFW36S | 14 mm | Unmounted filters Ø36 mm only | 555 g |
Please note: the record thickness of just 14 mm is only available on models SFW50S and SFW36S, designed for unmounted filters. The SFW50, compatible with 2″ filters, has a thickness of 16 mm.
Nevertheless, this remains exceptionally compact for an 8-position motorized filter wheel that accepts large-diameter filters. For users of APS-C or full-frame sensors looking to optimize every millimeter of backfocus, this difference can be decisive when integrating a rotator, corrector or tilt adjuster.
