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Post by borispider on Feb 17, 2014 13:58:22 GMT -5
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rgm
Full Member
Posts: 65
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Post by rgm on Feb 17, 2014 17:04:21 GMT -5
I just saw it today and posted to the review thread. Maybe things are not that bad over at CN. I was happy to see they did not stop the review. I have the 127 f12 R30, and the 204 WFT would be my next purchase if my Significant Other would allow it. Unfortunately I would have to sell the 127.
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Post by borispider on Feb 17, 2014 19:16:01 GMT -5
Yeah I read that thread too. 1 guy complaining about CA.
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Post by Viktor Z. on Feb 17, 2014 20:28:04 GMT -5
Great and truthful review, and I am happy for the photos that gave a realistic idea about the size of the scope itself, and as it relates to its mount.
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Post by Mike on Feb 17, 2014 22:13:52 GMT -5
Doug did a great job on that write up. An honest real life assessment of that scope. I have two lenses and two OTAs on the way and they're both sold already  One for a guy here in the US and one for Australia. Mike |
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Post by kevinbarker on Feb 18, 2014 3:22:48 GMT -5
Doug did a great job on that write up. An honest real life assessment of that scope. I have two lenses and two OTAs on the way and they're both sold already One for a guy here in the US and one for Australia. Mike I enjoyed the review of the big Comet hunter. It sounds like a nice scope. Yes a fair bit of CA but it's intended use is for deep sky , nebulosity etc. I be it delivers great images of open clusters and planetary nebula etc As you may know i recently completed an ota for my 180 f-8 R30 lens. I have used it half a dozen times over the past week. There is a thread on ATM forum about it with pictures. There is a bit of CA in this big lens but a heck of a lot less than i expected. The images to date have been simply stunning. It delivers remarkable views of open clusters and bright doubles from my city skies. It also shows pretty good planetary images. I have split Sirius and other tight doubles with this lens and really enjoyed great lunar and planetary views. Much to my surprise it shows fainter stars than an excellent 8 inch f-6 newtonian i also own. A 7 inch refractor has only been a pipe dream until this type of lens came along. It has allowed me to make a useable portable ota (wooden part only 1.2 m) The f-12 versions of these achromats must deliver stunning planetary images. Tis morning i viewed Saturn and Mars at relatively high magnifications in very steady seeing. Despite it's small size of around 9-10" Mars revealed the north pole and quite a bit of detail on the disk. Saturn was georgeous at powers up to 240 X. I have pretty good collimation and it seems to maintain it. My hexagon is pretty darn solid. Getting it off and on the Zeiss 1b mount i am using is also straight forward. I am very happy with the lenses performance to date. Kevin |
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Post by astromanuk on Feb 18, 2014 6:42:28 GMT -5
Kevin, I have enjoyed following your build here and over on the other place. The thing that your observing reports and those of the 204 have in common is realism. Those of us who have grown up with CA staring us in the face KNOW what to expect, beginners need balanced reports like these to set their expectations.
My 204 project is progressing apace. I have purchased a Meade giant field tripod second hand. It is the version sold with 12/14" SCT' s so had a vast footprint and insufficient height. I am modifying it by reducing the length of the spreader bars and the clamp casting. I have taken delivery of an APM Max Load mount from Markus and am now waiting on the Losmandy mounting hardware to connect the two.
I will post pictures when I have everything here.
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Post by kevinbarker on Feb 18, 2014 19:35:19 GMT -5
Hi Ian thank you for your comments. Is the ota a home made one? And are you using wood if it is?? I look forward to seeing the pictures Kevin Boy the 204 will be great on deep sky. Kevin, I have enjoyed following your build here and over on the other place. The thing that your observing reports and those of the 204 have in common is realism. Those of us who have grown up with CA staring us in the face KNOW what to expect, beginners need balanced reports like these to set their expectations. My 204 project is progressing apace. I have purchased a Meade giant field tripod second hand. It is the version sold with 12/14" SCT' s so had a vast footprint and insufficient height. I am modifying it by reducing the length of the spreader bars and the clamp casting. I have taken delivery of an APM Max Load mount from Markus and am now waiting on the Losmandy mounting hardware to connect the two. I will post pictures when I have everything here. |
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Post by astromanuk on Feb 19, 2014 2:20:29 GMT -5
Hi Kevin,
I purchased the complete OTA from Mike. It is an excellent piece of engineering. My primary use for the telescope will be deep sky and comets. This is the largest telescope I could manage to transport and set up at a dark sky site myself. Refractors have always been my instrument of choice and the thought of having this much clear aperture available as a portable was too much to resist.
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Post by kevinbarker on Feb 19, 2014 3:19:07 GMT -5
Ian you got yourself a bargain!! Was it when they were reduced. 8 unobstructured inches is a serious aperture with respect to deep sky. I have always considered 7-8 inches of aperture to be where scopes get serious. Your focal length is also very useable in terms of the amount of sky you can fully illuminate. With a 35 mm panoptic you are going to get 2.0 degrees + The milky way will be wonderful through such a big aperture. Kevin Hi Kevin, I purchased the complete OTA from Mike. It is an excellent piece of engineering. My primary use for the telescope will be deep sky and comets. This is the largest telescope I could manage to transport and set up at a dark sky site myself. Refractors have always been my instrument of choice and the thought of having this much clear aperture available as a portable was too much to resist. |
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Post by astromanuk on Feb 19, 2014 8:33:26 GMT -5
Kevin, I couldn't agree more that 7-8" is where there is a significant change in what can be seen. I used an 8" f/20 folded refractor for a number of years. Although it did not live up to expectations on moon and planets due to mechanical issues it was excellent on deep sky. I well remember seeing structure in several Messier galaxies. This aperture (especially unobstructed) is where for me deep sky objects become more than fuzzy blobs.
I am really pleased that I didn't hesitate when Mike told me they still had one available in the overstock sale. Although, I still consider them extremely good value at full price. There really is nothing on the market competing with them at this price point. I am not surprised that Mike has already got customers for the two on their way to him.
I am looking forward to your observations of those by southern globulars that I don't get to see from the UK.
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Post by kevinbarker on Feb 20, 2014 2:43:01 GMT -5
Ian Yes i am hoping to esacpe one weekend soon with the scope and view under a dark sky. On the subject of globulars have you ever seen Omega Centauri or 47 Tucanae? There are also good globulars in Ara and Pavo. I recall reading somewhere Omega centauri being reclassified as a kind of galaxy?? I prefer Omega Cen to 47 Tucanae although my wife prefers 47 Tucanae. 47 Tucanae has brighter stars and is tighter. Both in large telescopes are superb. Astronomers joke about needing sunglasses to view them. Omega Cen has what we call the owls eyes which is a contrast effect when one views it with a decent aperture. Two of my favorite Globulars are in Musca. One is really hard to see and the other one easy. They are about the same magnitude. I am certainly looking forward to pointing my 7" behemoth towards them!! Kevin Kevin, I couldn't agree more that 7-8" is where there is a significant change in what can be seen. I used an 8" f/20 folded refractor for a number of years. Although it did not live up to expectations on moon and planets due to mechanical issues it was excellent on deep sky. I well remember seeing structure in several Messier galaxies. This aperture (especially unobstructed) is where for me deep sky objects become more than fuzzy blobs. I am really pleased that I didn't hesitate when Mike told me they still had one available in the overstock sale. Although, I still consider them extremely good value at full price. There really is nothing on the market competing with them at this price point. I am not surprised that Mike has already got customers for the two on their way to him. I am looking forward to your observations of those by southern globulars that I don't get to see from the UK. |
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Post by astromanuk on Feb 20, 2014 8:32:10 GMT -5
Kevin,
I haven't seen either of those globular, although a trip to a lower latitude to see omega centauri is on my wish list.
We don't get to see much of centaurus from 51° north.
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Post by Vondragonnoggin on Feb 21, 2014 10:57:20 GMT -5
That was a nice review. Looks like a fantastic scope for what it excels at.
Sorry I don't have any "serious" observing scopes to contribute reviews about. Mine are all 6" or less. I will probably still write a review after I get my 6" R35 Comet Hunter. Will include viewing, unboxing, and the whole buying experience from Istar and definitely how it performs on intended targets (low power widefield, UHC and OIII use at low powers) and not so intended targets (planetary, brighter objects), use of semi-Apo filter, use of Moon & Skyglow filters, how it performs sweeping with a 30mm, 82 degree EP, balancing, setup, cooldown, etc.
Will wait for my image intensifier I want to purchase to include in a review also.
I'm sure I'll get a bunch of "yuck" comments from the "no CA is the only acceptable CA" crowd...
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Post by astromanuk on Feb 21, 2014 13:31:34 GMT -5
That was a nice review. Looks like a fantastic scope for what it excels at. Sorry I don't have any "serious" observing scopes to contribute reviews about. Mine are all 6" or less. I will probably still write a review after I get my 6" R35 Comet Hunter. Will include viewing, unboxing, and the whole buying experience from Istar and definitely how it performs on intended targets (low power widefield, UHC and OIII use at low powers) and not so intended targets (planetary, brighter objects), use of semi-Apo filter, use of Moon & Skyglow filters, how it performs sweeping with a 30mm, 82 degree EP, balancing, setup, cooldown, etc. Will wait for my image intensifier I want to purchase to include in a review also. I'm sure I'll get a bunch of "yuck" comments from the "no CA is the only acceptable CA" crowd... Your 6" R35 comet Hunter will be of great interest to all of us here. For a 6" it will be really portable and you are obviously experienced enough to know where the instruments real strengths are. I will be really interested to know what difference the R35 formula makes to the star disks. Do you have experience with other short focus refractors? The wide true field of view of this telescope will give great views of extended objects like the veil nebulae. |
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One for a guy here in the US and one for Australia. 
