2" Clicklock Visual Back
Baader
$115

After 13 years of use, my Meade Visual Back no longer held the 2" star diagonal securely. As the telescope slewed to some orientations, the diagonal would rotate in the visual back and the eyepiece would end up pointing towards the floor of the observatory. Not good. I began looking for a replacement visual back. I went to Starizona in Oro Valley, Arizona, and was shown two visual backs: one with a compression ring and screws, and the other a Baader Clicklock Visual Back. The Baader back was more expensive, but as I tested it in the store I really liked how it was used and securely held the diagonal. I purchased the Baader visual back in-store (apparently not listed on their web site).

The visual back comes in a small box with instructions and a small Allen-Wrench-Key.

NOTE: The box says "Celestron SCT" but it also fits a Meade SCT.
MINOR NIT: The Visual Back is labeled "Clicklock" but the box, instructions, and the Baader product page calls it a "ClickLock".

Of course, cloudy skies prevailed for several nights before I was able to test it.

Once the sky cleared I used the Baader Clicklock Visual Back with my 2" star diagonal, DSLR with prime focus adapter, and DSLR with focal reducer.

Visual Back on the Meade 12" f/8 telescope

Star diagonal & 24mm Ultra Wide Angle eyepiece

Star diagonal & 14mm 100° eyepiece

DSLR prime focus

DSLR focal reducer

The Clicklock has six setscrews that allow adjusting the orientation of the visual back locking lever when attached to the telescope. I made a slight change to the orientation. Besides the lever, the back has a large rubber grip surface to allow better gripping of your fingers to rotate the compression ring 60° between the Lock and Release positions. I found that holding the rubber surface to lock/release the compression ring was easier than using the lever when the visual back was on the telescope. The visual back held all my accessories tightly without any concerns that they might fall from the telescope.

Once the sky was clear and I was in the observatory, I slewed the telescope to orientations that would stress the visual back while holding my two largest and heaviest 2" eyepieces, as seen in the photos above: 24mm Ultra Wide Angle and 14mm 100°. The Visual Back held both eyepieces properly with no slippage.

Removing or re-orienting the star star diagonal or the camera was easy by grasping the large rubber grip surface to release and lock the back.

I had always removed the Meade Visual Back at the end of a session at the telescope since I did not have a cover for the opening. I do have a cover for the SCT port on the telescope. The Baader Clicklock Visual Back includes a cover for the 2" port so I decided I would leave it attached to the telescope at the end of each session.

Summary

I am very pleased with the high quality and function of the Baader Clicklock Visual Back. The lock holds heavy eyepieces in a star diagonal securely, yet is easy to lock and unlock. It costs more than simple visual backs, but the cost is worth it for the ease of use and security it provides. Many thanks to the Starizona sales associate for recommending it.

The Baader Clicklock Visual Back web page has a lot of good information about the visual back, including versions for different size ports and eyepieces.

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