Location of focus on instrument

they have an instrument with focus on the side?

I have a Dietzgen 1' Engineer's Transit with the focus on top of the telescope near the front.

The Trimble S6 has the focus on the side and I like it.

It's a robot, I rarely ever look through the scope anymore. Whats more important is how well it maintains lock and tracks on the rod then where the focus knob is.

Just my opinion after 10 years of working solo with a robot.

My K&E has the focus knob on the top also.

What does it matter?????

I would like it on the scope.

that being said, What does it matter where the focus is????? ...Its a robot. If I am standing behind it I would hit the track button and not use focus after that.

What does it matter?????

If you are using it manually and it has ATR (automatic target recognition) you just point it, looking over the top of the scope, get it close and it will do the rest.

You don't even have to look through it, let alone focus it.

What does it matter?????

Not a robot but Pentax offers an auto focus total station. There's also an auto focus auto level.

Doesn't appear that Pentax has distribution in North America.

Generally speaking open style transits manufactured in the U.S.A., K&E, Gurley, Dietzgen et al, had a focus knob on the top of the telescope. Open style transits made in Japan, Lietz/Sokkisha, World Sokki, Path had the focus knob on the side i.e. through the telescope axis. I suppose the advantage to this is that it's easier to focus when the telescope is reversed or inverted.

Enclosed style transits also had the focus knob on the side. Optical theodolites were usually focused by turning a knurled outer ring directly in front of the eyepiece assembly although some early models from Japan had the knob on the side.

What does it matter?????

I used an old Dietzgen in the early 70's that had 2 focus knobs on top. One to get close and a second one at back of the scope to fine tune. I hated that thing.

What does it matter?????

Should be on the scope, fewer moving parts. Mike are you sure that the thingy on the back is not for the parralex adjustment.
jud

What does it matter?????

It might have been, but it was 40 years ago and my memory is not what it use to be. I will have to pull my old head hard drive and replace it with a new flash drive. I sure hate to lose all the great memories of my misspent youth.

What does it matter?????

I realize it is a robot,and I go robotic for topo and construction.

I still focus for backsight setup and traversing.

We went from Trimble S6 with focus on the side,to Topcon 9005A with the focus on the scope.

We also had the Topcon IS with the focus on the side,also with auto focus,which I am not sure if I liked the auto focus feature or not.

John

What does it matter?????

While I am a fan of Robots with the focus In the side, from a repair standpoint the focus on the eyepiece is much less prone to damage. When you put a focus on the side you are essentially sticking a gear shaft through the standards and into the telescope assembly which is where you edm and tracker are placed. Therefore, if the focus goes out, it becomes a major repair issue. And trust me, I've had plenty in the shop that go bad.

Hey Iceman! I think I prefer the focus on the scope, although that could be purely from having far more experience with these traditional methods.

I have used an S6 only a few times and struggled briefly when remembering the transition but felt comfortable with it quickly.

Also, I live in North Lynnwood/South Everett Washington and notice you are in Everett also. Glad to see someone working in my area with the workload to be, "discussing the purchase of new robotic instruments." :good: Let me know if you need to retain an additional qualified Land Surveyor to assist you in operation of whichever style you choose! 😉 🙂

Kelly

> The Trimble S6 has the focus on the side and I like it.

+ 1.

What does it matter?????

I don't think so. I think the main culprits for having focus on the side (the Trimble robots) have a "flybywire" focus mechanism. There is no gear.