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Antares Quick Release Bracket and Base for 50mm Finders

4.5 (10 Reviews) Read Reviews Write Review
Brand Antares
Part Number RBA
Availability available

Product Info

Manufacturer Description

This all-metal finder bracket will work with many (but not all) 50mm finder telescopes sold on the market today (GSO, Orion, Meade, Celestron, etc.). The finder features two nylon thumbscrews and a spring loaded screw for quick and precise finder alignment. Durable gunmetal gray finish. Bracket weighs 5.4oz (without dovetail base).

This bracket is very similar to the quick-release bracket sold by GSO except that the inside of this Antares bracket has been shimmed a little bit on one end to accommodate slightly larger diameter finder tubes (such as Antares and Celestron). The inner diameter of the bracket is 54.4mm, so please measure your finder tube diameter to make sure that your finder will fit into this bracket before placing an order.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Some reviewers/customers have mentioned that this bracket has worked with their Stellarvue F50 finder (which is reported to have an outer diameter of 55mm). While Antares may have made some brackets with an inner diameter larger than what is mentioned above, please understand we cannot guarantee an inside diameter that is larger than Antares' specification, and we cannot be responsible if the bracket does not fit your specific finder.

Reviews

4.5 (Based on 10 Reviews) 90% of reviewers recommended this product.
Rating Distribution
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    1. alanoodle

      alanoodle Member

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      Review by Alan N.
      1523720941
      Apr 14, 2018

      4.0 Very Good Finder Bracket

      Pros:

      Cons:

      Comments:

      Very sturdy and lightweight. I always liked the design with the O-ring in the front and the 2-screw-and-plunger design in the back which makes it very easy to aim the finder.

      Two things keep this bracket from getting a fifth star. First is that the inside diameter of the back is a bit tight, limiting how much the finder can be adjusted. Second, while the adjustment screws are nylon and won't scratch the finder tube, the spring loaded plunger has a metal tip and may scratch the tube's finish.

      Bottom Line: Would you recommend this item? Yes
      Was this review helpful? Yes / No

      This review was provided courtesy of AgenaAstro.com

    2. dvoprvb

      dvoprvb New Member

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      Review by dvoprvb of CT.
      1380326400
      Sep 27, 2013

      4.0 Works everytime

      Pros:

      Easy to Use,Lightweight,Strong Construction

      Cons:

      Comments:

      It works great.

      Bottom Line: Would you recommend this item? Yes
      Was this review helpful? Yes / No

      This review was provided courtesy of AgenaAstro.com

    3. BigZ

      BigZ New Member

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      Review by Stargeezer of Nottingham, NH.
      1370131200
      Jun 1, 2013

      5.0 A perfect fit

      Pros:

      Lightweight,Easy to Use

      Cons:

      None

      Comments:

      I bought the Antares Quick Release Bracket for my 50mm Antares finderscope. The fit was perfect, and I appreciate having to adjust only two knobs to attain alignment. So far, the bracket holds the finder just as I had initially set it even though I cover and uncover my entire rig with a dust-proof fabric shower curtain. Nice finish on the bracket too.

      Bottom Line: Would you recommend this item? Yes
      Was this review helpful? Yes / No

      This review was provided courtesy of AgenaAstro.com

    4. Guest

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      Review by AstroMarty of Santa Monica, CA.
      1360454400
      Feb 9, 2013

      5.0 Excellent buy

      Pros:

      Strong Construction,Easy to Use,Perfect Fit

      Cons:

      None

      Comments:

      I have an Antares 8x50 RACI illuminated finder and was glad to find out Agena Astro provides a special bracket that fits perfectly. The regular GSO bracket is too narrow. Very happy with the service, a rubber ring and an extra shoe were included at no extra cost. I attached the bracket to my Orion 110mm ED and it works great.

      Bottom Line: Would you recommend this item? Yes
      Was this review helpful? Yes / No

      This review was provided courtesy of AgenaAstro.com

    5. Guest

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      Review by BrentC3114 of Olympia, WA.
      1350691200
      Oct 19, 2012

      4.0 Very good but could have been better

      Pros:

      Cons:

      Comments:

      The bracket is very good but could have been better. First off make sure you are buying the right one, there is a model availalbe for SCTs which includes the SCT base - I didn't get this one and I had to order the base separately.

      I love the design of this bracket-it makes adjusting the finder much easier. The one thing I did not like about it was the finish. It was rough. There was an unpainted section on my bracket inside where the finder goes. The worst thing is that the paint made it impossible for me to mount the removable bracket into the Syntha finder shoe for SCT without removing the paint on the bracket area. This bracket would look so much better (and probably fit the shoe) if it were anodized instead of painted. If an anodized version ever does come out then I would probably upgrade!

      Bottom Line: Would you recommend this item? No
      Was this review helpful? Yes / No

      This review was provided courtesy of AgenaAstro.com

    6. Guest

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      Review by evanapp of Kensington, CA.
      1319932800
      Oct 29, 2011

      4.0 Easy-to-use Finder Bracket

      Pros:

      Compact,Strong Construction,Lightweight,Easy to Use

      Cons:

      Uncertain finder position,Small adjustment range

      Comments:

      Using with an Antares RACI 7x50 finderscope on a 4" ED refractor (90mm FL). The two screw adjustment is easy and convenient to use. However alignment pushes the tube almost all the way to the far side of the bracket, with the spring-loaded pin almost entirely withdrawn, so that there is very little room for adjustment. This could be a fault of the finder, rather than of the bracket. It is also a little difficult to fix the finder position in the bracket, even with the o-ring supplied. This bracket is reported to be usable with other 50mm finderscopes, including the StellarVue.

      Bottom Line: Would you recommend this item? Yes
      Was this review helpful? Yes / No

      This review was provided courtesy of AgenaAstro.com

    7. Guest

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      Review by David B. of Pen Argyl, PA.
      1285200000
      Sep 22, 2010

      5.0 EZ two screw alignment

      Pros:

      Solid,Compact,EZ to align

      Cons:

      None

      Comments:

      Excellent fit for my Stellarvue F50W2 finder. I like the ease of alignment offered by the two screw design. The included O ring eliminates any free play and holds the tube a little more snugly so it won't rotate with a heavy eyepiece in the diagonal.

      Bottom Line: Would you recommend this item? Yes
      Was this review helpful? Yes / No

      This review was provided courtesy of AgenaAstro.com

    8. shardik

      shardik New Member

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      Review by Shardik of Fort Collins, CO.
      1279756800
      Jul 21, 2010

      5.0 Never going back to 6 screws

      Pros:

      Easy to use,Strong Construction,Accurate

      Cons:

      Comments:

      So far superior to 6-screw brackets that there's no comparison. Two quick adjustments and you're fully aligned with the 'scope. The O-ring could be a bit fatter, but otherwise, this bracket /rocks/!

      Bottom Line: Would you recommend this item? Yes
      Was this review helpful? Yes / No

      This review was provided courtesy of AgenaAstro.com

    9. doug76

      doug76 New Member

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      Review by Doug76 of Franklinton, LA.
      1268697600
      Mar 15, 2010

      5.0 The best type bracket

      Pros:

      Compact,Strong Construction

      Cons:

      Comments:

      I find these type brackets to be best for finder scopes. Simple two screw adjustment, and in seconds your finder and scope are aligned.
      I had a thin rubber ring to install on my Antares finder, and agree this should be included. With the thin rubber ring, this bracket gets a five star rating from me.

      Bottom Line: Would you recommend this item? Yes
      Was this review helpful? Yes / No

      This review was provided courtesy of AgenaAstro.com

    10. Guest

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      Review by flowernoire of Boston.
      1249776000
      Aug 8, 2009

      4.0 Helpful Finder Aid

      Pros:

      Cons:

      Comments:

      Two easily adjustable finger screws allow fast and accurate alignment of finder scope to main scope. The front opening of the bracket required some electrician tape for the bracket to snuggly abut the main scope. An improvement, that would move this product from 4 star to 5 star, would be the inclusion of a rubber ring.

      Bottom Line: Would you recommend this item? Yes
      Was this review helpful? Yes / No

      This review was provided courtesy of AgenaAstro.com

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