SESTO SENSO 2 - The highly accurate, advanced, vibration free, robotic focusing motor for your telescope! Connect it to the USB port of your EAGLE or Windows® computer to electronically control focus while still allowing you to manually move your focuser by hand if needed. If you don’t want to focus using a computer, you can connect wirelessly from any smartphone or tablet using the integrated Virtual HandPad via the built-in Wifi network in the SESTO SENSO 2! Thanks to the Self Centering Clamp technology (SCC), SESTO SENSO 2 can be installed on most focusers without the need of external brackets. The supplied PLAY software and ASCOM driver allow easy configuration of the many advanced features of SESTO SENSO 2. Thanks to the precisely controlled motor with integrated electronics, SESTO SENSO 2 achieves incredible precision of just 0.7 microns.
10% discount sale extended by popular demand! Offer valid while stock lasts.
Based on the success of the previous generation motor PrimaLuceLab introduced in 2017, SESTO SENSO 2 adds even more great new features. SESTO SENSO 2 incorporates into a single enclosure (87.5 x 64 x 43mm) all the elements that comprise a motorized focusing system but, thanks to the great designers at PrimaLuceLab, it includes many new features:
USB-C port to connect to any standard computer or EAGLE USB port: the USB-C port is a more sturdy, reliable connection and it is also reversible, allowing for easier connections in the dark.
It works also with PLAY astrophotography software, much more than a standalone program. SESTO SENSO 2 can be controlled also by using third party softwares thanks to the provided ASCOM driver.
Integrated WiFi connection with Virtual HandPad: if you don’t want to use a computer to control your telescope’s focuser, you can use your smartphone or tablet connected to the SESTO SENSO 2 WiFi network to control it with the Virtual HandPad.
Self Centering Clamp (SCC) technology to connect to focusers without external brackets: easily connect it to most focusers (if needed, optional adapters are available for other focusers) with the bushings included in the box, improved over the previous version.
Dimmable LED lights: LED lights on the SESTO SENSO 2 body are dimmable and can even be turned off completely. This way you can reduce light emission if you prefer during astrophotography or visual use.
Compatible with ARCO rotator: SESTO SENSO 2 now comes with ARCO port to easily connect the ARCO rotator without the need for additional data or power cables.
Compact, lightweight and integrated design
SESTO SENSO 2 integrates all of the control electronics into a single compact enclosure with its ports displayed on the side. In the upper area you find the dimmable status LEDs that can even be turned off for better light management at night. Below the LEDs, you will find the USB-C port to connect SESTO SENSO 2 to an EAGLE or other Windows® computer using the provided cable, the ARCO port to power and control the optional ARCO camera rotator with a single cable, the 12V power supply port that powers the motor and integrated electronics using the provided cigarette lighter socket power cable (an optional cable is also available to power it directly from the EAGLE) and the port for the optional temperature sensor that allows (by using third party software) to perform auto focus adjustment procedures with the ambient temperature variation.
Control it via USB-C from the EAGLE or from any Windows® computer with a standard USB port
SESTO SENSO 2 comes with a sturdy USB-C port to connect to the USB port on your EAGLE or any Windows® computer (cable provided), and control it via the provided PLAY software or the ASCOM driver (tested with Windows 10/11 computers). SESTO SENSO 2 uses a USB-C port providing increased reliability with its reversible plug: you can connect the USB cable in either orientation, preventing problems when connected in the dark.
Control via WiFi, from any smartphone or tablet via the Virtual HandPad
SESTO SENSO 2 now has built-in WiFi remote control capability so you can control it from any smartphone or tablet, without the need of a computer! Just connect your device to the WiFi network of the SESTO SENSO 2 and start the app - You will be able to control the focuser by using the dedicated Virtual HandPad. Thanks to convenient preset settings, you can easily record and move the focuser to specific predetermined positions - Great for visual use too! WiFi control works even if SESTO SENSO 2 is also connected to a computer so you can control it simultaneously from 2 devices.
Easily connects to most focusers thanks to its Self Centering Clamp (SCC) without the need of external brackets
SESTO SENSO 2 doesn’t require any external brackets to attach to focusers: just remove the fine and coarse knobs from your focuser and you will reveal a shaft. SESTO SENSO 2 is designed to fit to a 25mm diameter shaft, common to most focusers on the market (optional adapters available for focusers with shaft diameters of 26, 33 or 37mm - other diameters are currently not compatible). SESTO SENSO 2 uses a new shaft connection bushing, improved over the previous generation, that has been designed to accommodate different focusers more easily. Another advantage of the SCC technology is that you can always use the manual (coarse) knobs of your focuser, even if SESTO SENSO 2 is installed (if you move the focuser by hand, in order to control the focuser again with SESTO SENSO you will only need to manually bring the focuser to the minimum position and press the "Set position as 0" button to calibrate it again). SESTO SENSO is compatible with many telescopes (included bushings: red for 2,5mm diameter, black for 2,8mm diameter, blue for 2,4mm diameter, green for 3,5mm diameter, silver for 3,1mm diameter, gold for 4mm diameter), like (but not limited to these):
SkyWatcher EVOSTAR 72 ED, 80 ED, 100 ED and 120 ED
SkyWatcher ESPRIT 80 ED, 100 ED and 120 ED
SkyWatcher Newton 200mm and 250mm, f/4 and f/5
Takahashi FSQ85
Takahashi FSQ106
Telescopes with Baader SteelTrack® focuser
Telescopes with FeatherTouch 2" focuser (3" and 3,5" models require optional 33mm or 37mm adapter)
SESTO SENSO 2 can be used with many different telescopes, like Newtonians, refractors, and Schmidt-Cassegrain (and aplanatic versions) with external manual focusers. If you are searching for a motorized focuser for your SC/RC type telescope and you haven’t already installed an external focuser, may we suggest our ESATTO focuser with a high load capacity, integrated motor, and the same advanced electronic control found in the SESTO SENSO 2.
Connect via a single cable to ARCO camera rotator and field de-rotator
SESTO SENSO 2 includes a special port allowing ARCO, camera rotator and field de-rotator, to be directly connected. With ARCO, you can remotely control the rotation angle of your camera in order to achieve perfect framing of the object you want to record. If you have an alt-az mount, you can use ARCO to de-rotate the field without the need of an equatorial wedge! SESTO SENSO 2 and ARCO are designed to work together - You will need only one short interconnect between the two!
Compact and lightweight device, no need for external controllers
SESTO SENSO 2 encloses in a single compact package (dimensions 87.5 x 64 x 43mm) both the motor and the control electronics, all with the great design you’ve come to expect from PrimaLuceLab products. The housing is made up of a single block of aluminum (SESTO SENSO 2 weight is 380 grams), CNC machined, with a beautiful red anodized finish. The upper part of the SESTO SENSO 2 is made up of rigid plastic in order to allow the WiFi antenna to operate for an easier remote control.
SESTO SENSO 2 robotic focusing motor - What’s included:
- SESTO SENSO 2 - 12v DC cigarette-style plug power cable - USB-C to standard USB cable - Hex keys for assembly - 6 color-keyed bushings for different focuser types - Quick installation guide
Reviews
8 Reviews
Mostly happy with it. Excellent Hardware.
Have been using the focuser for a few days now. Very precise! Works very well with INDIGO. The INDI driver might be very buggy, depending on which version of INDI you have, even with the FW 3.0.x.
A bit loud for my taste. Louder than my M-Uno ;-) I guess, I have to adjust the settings.
Very stable and compact connection to the scope (ZWO FF130).
Works great for astrophotography. At small step sizes, you hardly see your Bahtinov spikes moving. Excellent for very precise adjustments.
My only complaint is the virtual pad. Very cumbersome to use. OK when looking at a screen for AP… For visual astronomy, not so much. When I double click on the buttons, it zooms in on the screen, but does not move. Sometimes it just keeps going depending on how long you pressed those software buttons, even at small step sizes. The buttons are very small on the phone, so you have to keep looking down onto you bright phone screen. There is no haptic feedback. I would gladly pay extra for a physical handbox/pad.
A minor issue: Yes, you can still move the focuser manually, but the resistance is very big, even when the hold current is turned off. Not usable for manually focusing IMHO.
By Wilfried
on 08-13-2023
Hutwelker
I love this little masterpiece of Italian precision engineering, direct, fast, fits, easy assembly, adaptable, flawless connection via Ascom, and probably superior to any belt driven focuser. It also looks chic ;-).
By Reiner
on 06-19-2021
Wonderful piece of equipment: part 2
Sesto Senso 2 review By Henri-Julien Chartrand April 4, 2021
I will be brief. After more than a year of use and handling both a DSLR and a CMOS camera (QHY163C), the Sesto Senso 2 is still fun to use. Reliable, precise and consistant night after night, it becomes the extension of your eyes as you reach for the best focus for your object to image, how ever you want to measure it. Worked no problem in -15C conditions. I confirm with other users s that Sharpcap recognize the unit with the ASCOM Driver. Load capacity, WIFI capability and no external bracket needed for a simple and yet sturdy installation did it for me. I ordered yesterday a second unit for my larger refractor. Cant wait to use it again. Respectfully, Henri-Julien Chartrand 73,39,11 W 45,30, 29 N
By Henri-Julien Chartrand
on 04-05-2021
Wonderful piece of equipment: part 2
Sesto Senso 2 review By Henri-Julien Chartrand April 4, 2021
I will be brief. After more than a year of use and handling both a DSLR and a CMOS camera (QHY163C), the Sesto Senso 2 is still fun to use. Reliable, precise and consistant night after night, it becomes the extension of your eyes as you reach for the best focus for your object to image, how ever you want to measure it. Worked no problem in -15C conditions. I confirm with other users s that Sharpcap recognize the unit with the ASCOM Driver. Load capacity, WIFI capability and no external bracket needed for a simple and yet sturdy installation did it for me. I ordered yesterday a second unit for my larger refractor. Cant wait to use it again. Respectfully, Henri-Julien Chartrand 73,39,11 W 45,30, 29 N
By Henri-Julien Chartrand
on 04-05-2021
Lo dovevo comprare prima!!!
Il prodotto è semplicemente uno spettacolo!! Già aprendo la scatola si percepisce subito che fra le mani abbiamo un oggetto ben fatto, curato nei dettagli, bello a vedersi. L'installazione è semplice, le istruzioni ben dettagliate. Se poi prima si è guardato il video che si può trovare direttamente sul sito di Primaluce il tutto è ancora più semplice. Altrettanto semplice l'installazione dei driver (sia Ascom, che di sistema) così come il software "Focus Manager". Disarmante l'immediatezza e la semplicità del software di gestione, calibrazione rapida e precisa. Spettacolare la possibilità di salvare proprie posizioni in modo da andare subito a fuoco nelle diverse situazioni in cui si fotografa. Molto interessanti e ben studiate le varie velocità che si possono sia impostare a proprio piacimento sia utilizzare tramite i "preset" che si trovano nelle impostazioni avanzate e che variano a seconda del fatto che il fuocheggiatore sia più o meno montato con camere e accessori pesanti. L'interfaccia wi-fi è anch'essa semplice ed immediata nel suo utilizzo. Ho provato l'hand control sia su sistema operativo Android sia iOs. Entrambi funzionano egregiamente. Ho potuto testare l'utilizzo del Sesto Senso 2 anche con altri software qali NINA e SharpCap 3.2; entrambi si sono interfacciati tramite Ascom e il tutto ha funzionato senza fare una piega. Tornassi indietro lo acquiesteri "prima" perché davvero mi domando come abbia fatto sino ad oggi senza questo capolavoro di tecnica e ingegneria.
Un GRAZIE a tutto lo staff anche per la gentilezza e professionalità.
Dario Gozzini
By DarienGi
on 03-19-2021
Consistently sharper images
With Sesto Senso my astrophotographs have consistently and significantly better focus than I could achieve manually. I used to keep tweaking the focus alot but now with Sesto Senso I just set, lock, and forget about it for a good while. Star Images (FWHM) are frequently only about 2” or less when using narrowband filters on an image scale of about 1” per pixel. I defocus slightly to both directions until I get about equally out of focus star images and then set the focus to halfways.
By Anssi
on 12-26-2020
Light Weight, Well-Designed, Accurate Robotic Focuser
I have been looking for a robotic focuser that will fit on my C9.25 Edge SCT with the giant Celestron F/7 reducer installed but had been unsuccessful until this week. I purchased a Primalucelab Sesto Senso 2 focuser for my Esprit 100 refractor. Turns out that it fits on my 9.25 Edge Featherlight Focuser with about 1/4 in clearance. The Sesto Senso 2 focuser is a mechanical marvel, fits very rigidly and operates very smoothly. This is now dedicated to the C9.25 Edge and intend to purchase a second one for the Esprit 100 refractor.
One word of caution. Primalucelab suggest you read the complete instruction manual before starting the installation. I instead just serially followed the mechanical installation instructions, then software load instruction but when I got to the calibration steps for a SCT, the manual says " rotate the focuser clockwise to the stop, then install the robotic focuser". After removing and reinstalling the unit, everything works perfectly.
By Jim from Texas
on 04-06-2020
Wonderful piece of equipment
Sesto Senso 2 review By Henri-Julien Chartrand February 14, 2020
When they say highly accurate, compact, lightweight, vibration free, easy to install and to use, they mean it. I strongly suggest that you immediately download the instruction manual before you do anything. No need to print the 24 pages. Read it, study it. It will make the installation more enjoyable. Next, download all drivers and software packages for the Sesto Senso 2. The link is at the bottom of page 3 of the manual. Everything you need to install the unit on your telescope is included in the box. Just a quick note on that: 1)\tThe USB-C to USB cable is a great idea, no fiddling there; 2)\tThe supplied Allen keys are the minimum you can work with. If you have a set with larger or T handles, the easier it will be for you; 3)\tI suggest that you put in all the grub screws before you start your installation. It is much easier to do when you can hold and work with the unit in your hands before it is attached to the telescope (bushing already installed + the required bushing for your particular micro focuser’s shaft + the self-centred clamp); Follow the instructions starting on pages 4 and 5. At the earliest stage, putting in the grub screws in advance will facilitate the installation. Make sure they don’t protrude inside the bushings and the Self-Centered Clamp. This is particularly important when it will be time to slide the outer ring of the Sesto Senso 2 to the collar of your focuser. At that point, start with the two opposing grub screws to help centering it on the bushing that goes on the shaft of the micrometric knob. Make sure they are tight and evenly secured in order to prevent slippage. Same goes for the grub screws on the bushing already installed on the unit. For the self-centering clamp, start with the two opposing grub screws and finish with the third and last one. Gently at first, until you feel resistance. Even the pressure for all three. Check the smoothness of the unit by hand. (Don’t worry if your focuser has some backlash. The software will take care of it). Following these steps, I was able to install the unit first time out. It took me about ten minutes. Great start. Depending on the type of telescope you have, you might have to rebalance. Mine is a 6-inch, reflector astrograph. Despite the Sesto Senso 2 light weight, I had to rebalance my set-up since the focuser is offset on the telescope. So, do this now. If downloading was done at first and you got confirmation that everything is OK, you are good to go. Make sure you have the right power source. From that point on, follow the instructions in the manual starting at page 6 and enjoy the simplicity of how the unit operates. One word of caution for the initial calibration: allow ample room at the minimum and maximum travelling distance. Depending on the load on the unit and the quality of your focuser, there might be some slippage. Keep some mm to spare just in case. Calibration is a breeze. Bottom line for me: this unit will show the mechanical shortcomings of your focuser. This is a high-precision instrument. It will take some practising during the day to figure out how sensitive this unit can be in order to reach focus. Game changer for me. No more going back and forth between the computer or the telescope. (WIFI and a tablet will solve this.) In the software, you can choose between three (3) different profiles or pre-sets of settings (speed and toque of the motor). Another great idea. Different options to move the focuser make the operation simple and effective. You can also choose the orientation of the unit in respect to the cables and connections you will use. Another great advantage over the other computerized focusers in the market using a backplate. Everything works flawlessly. It connects, opens and closes with precision. The software is stable and intuitive to use. I encourage you to go thru every step mentioned in the user’s manual. Noise? Not even an issue. Well designed. Beautifully put together. More important: it works as advertised. You get what you pay for. I have not tried it with WIFI or with any of the other available imaging software yet (SGP, APT, Sharpcap, et al.). More at a later date. I did not have a chance to try it under the stars. Right now, it is -22 C in Montreal. So, forgive me. Focusing is one major factor in collecting great data, hence great astrophotos. This piece of equipment will not only help you reaching your goal but also make this hobby more enjoyable. Respectfully, Henri-Julien Chartrand 73,39,11 W 45,30, 29 N
This temperature sensor is compatible both with ECCO, the environmental computerized controller for EAGLE, and with SESTO SENSO and ESATTO, the robotic focusing solutions for telescopes. When used with ECCO, this temperature sensor allow it to record optics temperature for automatic power management of dew heaters connected to the EAGLE. When used with...
This 33mm adapter allows you to install SESTO SENSO 2 on focusers that come with a 33mm diameter shaft, like 2,5" and 3" FeatherTouch focusers (or other focusers with a 33mm diameter shaft). Out of the box, SESTO SENSO 2 connects to focusers that come with a 25mm diameter shaft (the most common diameter on the market). In order to connect it to focusers...
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A bit loud for my taste. Louder than my M-Uno ;-) I guess, I have to adjust the settings.
Very stable and compact connection to the scope (ZWO FF130).
Works great for astrophotography. At small step sizes, you hardly see your Bahtinov spikes moving. Excellent for very precise adjustments.
My only complaint is the virtual pad. Very cumbersome to use. OK when looking at a screen for AP… For visual astronomy, not so much. When I double click on the buttons, it zooms in on the screen, but does not move. Sometimes it just keeps going depending on how long you pressed those software buttons, even at small step sizes. The buttons are very small on the phone, so you have to keep looking down onto you bright phone screen. There is no haptic feedback. I would gladly pay extra for a physical handbox/pad.
A minor issue: Yes, you can still move the focuser manually, but the resistance is very big, even when the hold current is turned off. Not usable for manually focusing IMHO.