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Post by Mike on Oct 27, 2014 23:44:01 GMT -5
I tested a 204-8 R35 TCR tonight for shipment this week. The lens tested exceptionally well. As you can see there is no visible CA on the moon's limb. The image of M31 is the result of 10 - 30 second subs and darks with a Hap Griffin modified Canon 600D stacked in DSS with no processing. The only star that showed a purple halo was Vega. This lens performs like a semi-APO. Stars are pinpoint to the edge of the field in a 35mm Televue Panoptic and the image of M31 shows this. Congrats to Jason on a great scope coming his way.
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Post by Ales - iStar Optical on Oct 28, 2014 11:37:47 GMT -5
All of our R35 SLIM, R50 SLIM and even original R30 lenses are superbly designed and produced. Any other manufacturer would not be ashamed to call them Semi APO or Visual APO, we rather stick with the R35, R50, etc.. which is more technical approach. Im so sure that most people who are paying thousands or tens of thousands more for their APOs would be absolutely satisfied and happy with one of these Rx iStar lenses. I hope that more people will buy and test these lenses to realize its true potential. I believe that we offer the best deal in doublets, both standard Achromats and R35 SLIM and R50 SLIM. Im happy to hear that another batch of lenses has been successfully tested and is going to new proud owners in South Korea and Great Britain. I sure hope to hear from our customers with their first light reports soon,
Ales
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jaymocha
Full Member
Bought me the Asteria 204-8 R35...
Posts: 46
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Post by jaymocha on Oct 28, 2014 12:18:32 GMT -5
Great pictures Mike! Can't wait to get the telescope. Ales, I promise more pictures to come once it arrives.
I ended up ordering the Losmandy G11 for this telescope. I was originally going to get a higher weight capacity mount, but unfortunately getting something that big and heavy (such as the Orion HDX-110) shipped to Korea was prohibitively expensive. Over $1000 for shipping via UPS, and then I would have to pay taxes when the beast arrive at Korean Customs. So, decided against all the additional charges and bought the Losmandy.
I just received the tripod in the mail today. I am expecting the mount head to arrive in the mail in the next day or two. I also ordered the QHY-5 II monochrome planetary and guiding camera with the Orion off-axis guider. All this to say, looking forward to taking those first pics and posting them here for you all to see.
Jason
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Post by Ales - iStar Optical on Oct 28, 2014 21:56:45 GMT -5
Hello Jason,
thank you for your quick reply. Well, you ordered one very odd looking, but technically quite sophisticated instrument which will give you lots of visual observing pleasure with some very decent photo capabilities. So far only one other person took photos via one of our doublets, namely Jean Pierre Brahic from France, he used his 228 F9 Ha lens which also works beautifully for imaging of DSOs, Moon and planets. He shot some absolutely incredible pictures of Jupiter, Moon, and the Orion Nebula in monochrome was simply outstanding. Im very excited to hear that you will be using this R35 SLIM doublet for photography as well. Good luck and possibly talk to JP, Im sure he can give you some useful hints about which filters to use, which exposure combinations to use, etc.. Keep us all posted and thank you again for your purchase!!
best regards,
Ales
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jaymocha
Full Member
Bought me the Asteria 204-8 R35...
Posts: 46
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Post by jaymocha on Oct 29, 2014 9:38:12 GMT -5
Thanks Ales, I will do my best. But I am fairly new to astrophotography, my first pics will likely not be as nice as JP's (I have seen his and they are pretty impressive). I have my mount setup now, I have a QHY5-II guide camera and an off-axis-guider. So I think I am in a pretty good position starting off. Just need to send in my Canon 1000D to have it astro-modified. I'm not rushing that right now. Just want to get some pics out of the way so I can start sharing with everyone.
Thanks again Ales.
Jason
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Post by Ales - iStar Optical on Oct 30, 2014 13:19:39 GMT -5
Sweet, this mount won't have the slightest problem moving your 8" TCR scope even with the fairly heavy dew shield attached. Keep in mind that under dry climate, you don't need the dew shield at all. If these TCR scopes sell in little higher numbers, we will redesign the dew shield, make it longer and substantially lighter. if we do that, you will get a new one from us free of charge, just pay for shipping. But so far, people simply don't trust open tube refractors, most people are simply too conservative. They will look thru a truss reflector at any time, no problem. But when it comes to a semi open refractor, most people have a big problem with that. Well, we tested this design thru and thru, it performs as good as the fully closed version, actually, it is so much better in so many aspects as I explained in my detailed comparison table few months ago. Stay in touch with Mike about delivery, I told Mike to get you plastic screws to attach the dew shield, the metal ones were there just for prototype making. I don't want you to scratch the lens cell, the nylon screws will take care of this possible problem.
Have a great day, stay in touch, best regards, Ales
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jaymocha
Full Member
Bought me the Asteria 204-8 R35...
Posts: 46
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Post by jaymocha on Oct 31, 2014 11:42:25 GMT -5
Thanks Ales... I will keep in touch with Mike. I think he is just waiting on the Moonlite focuser to arrive prior to shipping. I will follow up with him on Monday to check the status.
I personally think your designs are a nice change to the ordinary refractor. I like ordinary refractors, but I wanted something a bit different, and you're the only company offering different. So thank you for that!
I'll take some more pics of the whole setup once the scope arrives.
Respectfully, Jason
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Post by Mike on Oct 31, 2014 15:42:07 GMT -5
I live in south Florida. I don't think there is any place in the US that has more humidity than us. Even though it's cool here now and we are at the beginning of our dry season the humidity is about 70% at night (and that's low). I did not use the dew shield because I had to order nylon screws. I just wrapped a Kendrick dew strap around the cell. I used the scope for several hours and no dew formed. The dew shield will add an even greater measure of dew protection. Most times I use the combination and never have any problem. Moonlite should be here today sometime.
Mike
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Post by Ales - iStar Optical on Oct 31, 2014 19:16:54 GMT -5
Hello Jason,
thank you very much for your words of appreciation. Yes, iStar is definitely offering lenses and mechanical design different or superior to any competition. This is why most people are still hesitant to buy from us. But people like yourself are the key to our future success and Im glad to say that you are not the only person with this new TCR scope. In the future, I will design both, the TCR and the standard fully enclosed tube refractors. But personally, I like the TCR better, strictly because it has so many advantages over standard models. If you can join some local group of astronomers, please do so, show this TCR scope to others, watch their reactions. First when they see it for the first time... secondly when they look into the eyepiece. it is very interesting indeed! Josef Ladra, well known and highly experienced astronomer in Czech Republic played with one of these for about one month and he did not find a single flaw on this TCR design. He is actually thinking about getting one for himself sometimes in the future. I sure hope he does. Have a great weekend Jason and thank you for staying in touch,
best regards,
Ales
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Post by Ales - iStar Optical on Oct 31, 2014 19:24:46 GMT -5
In reaction to Mikes reply... we have a pleasant 70-80 degrees after sunset, moisture in Southern Arizona is around 30 percent, reasonably high elevation... I could not wish for anything better. Well, you have to watch your steps. This is also a rattlesnake infested territory.... also with many scorpions crawling around in the dark. But now, after I experienced few nights outside Tucson, I would not change it for anything. What a huge difference to Central Europe with its woful, nasty weather, cold, heavy dew fall and 300 days of overcast annually. Arizona is THE place to be, at least for me. And hopefully, in time, for Mike too. cheers, Ales
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jaymocha
Full Member
Bought me the Asteria 204-8 R35...
Posts: 46
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Post by jaymocha on Nov 2, 2014 11:34:41 GMT -5
Arizona sounds like an Astronomer's dream location. In Seoul the light pollution is pretty bad and I don't think there is anywhere in Korea where one can find "truly" dark sites. I've been to a couple places that aren't bad, but i will certainly keep my eyes open for better spots. I would certainly prefer more clear skies and darker skies that what we can find here. Perhaps a ranch in Arizona is in my future.
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Post by mikey cee on Nov 2, 2014 17:30:57 GMT -5
Jay these R35 lenses are definitely better than a standard achro. I just can't put my finger on it because I don't have the replaced achro mounted and side by side to compare. But when I replaced my 8" F/13.3 with a 10" F/11 wouldn't you think that the CA would stand out glaringly more?? Everyone would say emphatically a big YES! But it didn't. It is at worst case scenario identical. I just can't be 100% certain if it is indeed better but it definitely is not more....that I can assure everyone! By the way don't forget to let a few snobs over on Cloudy Nights get their noses rubbed in it too if you get my drift! Mike
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Post by boomboom on Nov 3, 2014 3:22:27 GMT -5
You know my next and possibly last refractor is going to be an 8" f8 R35 or R50? when I get around to it....in around 5 years time! That's after the kids have finished school. The Istar Achros are fantastic enough, can only imagine what the R35's are like. Have started saving for an objective Matt
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jaymocha
Full Member
Bought me the Asteria 204-8 R35...
Posts: 46
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Post by jaymocha on Nov 3, 2014 11:43:55 GMT -5
Mikey, thanks for the info. I have read all about your 10" iStar, and I can only imagine the image you get through that thing. I'm pretty excited about mine. I am currently building my "astrophotography" rig right now and learning how to use the guiding software (PHD) and trying out some different image processing programs. Tried Nebulosity tonight on a few quick images I obtained through my Celestron XLT 150R and my Canon 1000D. I figure in a couple months I will have an "inkling" of what I am doing. Once I get my 8" scope and mount I will start posting some pics on Cloudy Nights as well. I want to do some side-by-side comparisons with my Celestron achro which is 150mm, F/5 and shows a fair amount of CA. I usually stop it down to about 4" aperture when photographing the moon. I think what I will do is take some photos of the moon stopped to 4" and at the normal 6" aperture and compare those images to the 8" F/8, R35 when I get that. It will be interesting to see the differences in CA between the two scopes. So... pics to come. Jason
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