Marian M

Don, I have listened to your advice and bought a William Optics plate on the other side of the 102 APO- one Vixen plate now, one for the video head. One (maybe strong) hand can take all at once 😀 Last evening I went for a longer observation session, outside of the city, for the first time without AZEQ6/ goto. Much easier, as long as it took only one trip for all- APO, tripod and video head + eyepieces, bino. The video head handles surprisingly well the APO with binoviewer, even at 100x. It has to be blocked/ moved/ unblocked many times but as long as it is not windy and I don't touch the eyepieces, the view is super steady. Much more convenient/ faster to raise the tripod/ take it down vs an astronomical tripod. Verry happy with the Morpheus 17.5 (without eyecups), no need to touch the eyepieces 3 hours spent with another 2 friends, with my 102 APO, with SW 150ED and C8, great time!

Hi friends again! Some further updates on the topic- just a small upgrade on the setup, just acquired the new red plate to accommodate the focuser blocking screw. Original plate is now on the opposite side, as handle. Also I have removed the original M63 to 2" adapter with a M63 to M68 + Baader M68 diagonal together with short M68 to T2 adapter for T2/ binoviewer. All are rotating exactly on the right place with some small spacers. The telescope is working now with binoviewer with 1.7 GPC only but I think will get in focus with 1.25 GPC, which is on the shopping list. Following the small APO acquisition I have started to spend much more time for observations, either with binoviewer or with single eyepieces. There are 30min max observation sessions almost all evening with clear sky for bigger/ brighter DSO, Moon or planets During the day the small APO with binoviewer and Morpheus 17.5 works as an absolutely phenomenal spotting scope Very happy with the output and many thanks to all of you for your thoughts!

The sky was cloudy all these days but one more round of observations last evening. Target- double double in Lyra and M57 again. Setup 1- same 72 APO, with MB2, GPC 2.6, Morpheus 17.5 and 9 (magnification 62x and 120x). Double double was split moderate easy with Morpheus 17.5. 2 of the 4 stars were split easy, while the other 2 were difficult to see, but yet visible. Moving to Morpheus 9, the split was easier but the image wasn't so sharp/ clear/ defined like with the Morpheus 17.5. Unfortunately, no hint at all for M57. Same polluted sky, Lyra about 35 degrees above horizon, only peripheral vision Setup 2- the 72 with Baader GPC 2.6 left in the prism, APM XWA 13 mm (magnification probably around 70x). Double double was lesser visible than through bino, but- surprise- some trace of M57. I was visually recording the position of the nearby stars from Stellarium, and with peripheral vision only it was there, like a very fade shadow. Next target was the Albireo double, easily split, with the nice yellowish and blue star. Some further upgrades of the scope are to come, I will keep you posted

Last evening it was the first clear sky after a while, without Moon, and I was able to look for some DSOs. The 72 aperture does not allow too much from a Bortle 7 sky but yet there are objects to look for. From a video head is easy to find and track a very bright object, like Moon. I was afraid about finding less brighter objects like DSO but wasn't so difficult. The 30mm Lacerta ED gave a too wash sky. The winner was APM 13mm/ 100 degrees, with about 33x magnification, 3 degrees on the sky and 2.2 exit pupil. Didn't test higher magnification but I have found a good combination of field of view, magnification and dark sky. For the next round of observations for sure I have to look with other eyepieces as well. The 3 DSOs seen were M92, M5 and M13. With Stellarium and some brighter stars as reference, using same eyepiece and somehow learning the correlation between what I see and the app map, each of the 3 DSO was pretty easy to find. With the 33 magnification no details within the DSO but easy seen as object, with a very pleasing view. What was surprising, was the fact that M57 Ring nebula didn't show up. It was very low on the sky (30 degrees only above a very polluted sky), but no trace of anything, even if I spent a lot of time or using peripheral vision. All in all a joy for one hour from the balcony. The Clear Outside app doesn't encourage with the next day prognosis, hence these days I will be using it mostly as spotting scope 😀

Hi friends! I have updated the original thread, hence for those interested how it ends up, please visit this one, very end: I've ended up with Benro S8PRO, a little heavier than others but handling exceptionally well the 72 APO, let us say decent the 102 APO and yet handling the 120ED with bino. The last 2 were the bonus, because the plan was for 72 only 😀

Hi friends! The 3 pieces are all together 😍: TS 72 FPL53, Benro TMA47AXL tripod and Benro S8PRO fluid video head. The small scope is a little overmounted 😀 Weights: the telescope (2.2kg) + bino/ eyepieces (1.8kg) + tripod (3kg) + video head (2.7 kg), leads to 9kg cyclop mode/ 10 kg bino mode. Not that easy but can be very easy handled with a single hand. I did some tests last evening and the tripod and fluid head are handling extremely easy the 72. Video heads movement and astro dedicated mounts is something not comparable at all, but there are advantages and disadvantages on both, both for spotting during the day or astro during the night. I have tested 102 APO with bino and, surprise, was handled with ease as well. The fluid head wasn't reaching the max counterweight, just 5 out of 8. The balance position is critical, but after that the scope was remaining steady in any position left. Last, we tested the 120ED with heavy bino and, shock, the video head was yet keeping decently the scope. Disclaimer- for 102/ 120, after focusing, there is 1 second / 2 seconds of wobbling; the day was windy, both 102 and 120 were wobbling again but aside this the image was rock steady, without the face touching the eyepieces. Still need to optimize the setup with some shorter adapters and longer plates, hence will revert again with updates after much more testing. All in all, extremely happy with the new acquisition. There is a big difference between 72 and 102, but there is a lot of fun just to take it outside in one hand and come back 10 minutes later, if time does not allow

It look gorgeous 😀 I acknowledge, sometimes it is important the outside look, aside the view through 🤣

Thanks a lot Philip for your answer! Reading some reviews, forums, usually people recomand a video head twice the weight of the setup and a tripod 3 times the setup weight. I cannot tell from my own experience, aside the tripod story above. On the other hand, 128RC seems a little too small for the weight you have described, and probably this has been the issue

Many thanks Peter for your answer! I can share my experience- I have compared in the showroom the Benro carbon tripod TMA37C (was on discounting) with Manfrotto 55XPRO and the latest one was more stable, and which I bought. At a later stage, I have compared Manfrotto with Benro metal TMA47AXL, which was much stable, hence returned Manfrotto and bought the TMA47AXL. The setup was a 72ED with MB bino and heavy eyepieces If there are any thought, experience on fluid heads, please... Thank you!

For some of the video heads I have read reviews with people putting the handle the other way around to compensate the lack of vertical position For Manfrotto 502 is working, for Benro S8PRO not very sure, may interfere with the locking buttons. I am thinking of manufacturing DIY a kind of wedge from 2 swiss arca plate, joined at an angle to compensate the gap of the fluid head to 90 degrees. In between really curious if someone here has used this Benro S8PRO, or similar fluid heads

Many thanks @Elp, will look for reviews and give a chance to this choice as well. Looking on net, I just found out that this mount is larger than I thought, in my mind was similar with TS AZ6

Thanks a lot for the quick revert! What scope do you mount on it, how is the friction while changing eyepieces?

Following below thread, I took in consideration the advices coming from you and already ordered the TS 72 FPL53 (to come) together with a monster tripod- Benro TMA47AXL (received). I had the chance to test this tripod with a friend and is rock solid for small refractors, but I will post a new thread after some real field utilization Now, the big question, what head to use for this tripod. Already owning a Skytee and an AZEQ6, the new one should be a grab & go. I am more towards a video fluid head because I am planning to use the new 72 scope as spotting scope as well, kind of all around day & night. The scope itself, with large eyepieces or bino will be around 3.5 Kg, the tripod is already 3 kg, so I am looking for a tripod head in the same range, all together to be up to 10 kg. Overall, max 10 kg, to be able to take it in one hand. Maybe a little above grab & go but still decent My budy is deeply in video heads, even on 120ED with bino/ heavy eyepieces., hence the call is done- I want to go with a fluid head, no astro heads for the 72. For longer observations, I already have the other 2 mounts, very good for astro. On a limited budget, I found 3 options- Fancier 717, Manfrotto 502 and Benro S8PRO. The very first one seems being a value for money head. Manfrotto has an integrated non-adjustable counterweight of 2.4 kg, which is below my scope with heavy eyepieces, while Benro seems checking all points, just a little heavier (2.5 kg). I was wondering which is your experience on any of these fluid heads, or other Many thanks, wish you clear sky!

I have the same Oklop for my 120/600 achro, very nice and useful For the 102 F7 I bought the TS bag, keeping the original protection foam of the telescope

I have the same version FPL53 102 F7 from TS, with M68 focuser of 2.5" There is a Baader M63 to M68 adapter, which allows to buy directly the M68 Baader ClickLock mirror diagonal. I find it more solid than using intermediary Clicklock, with no fear that something is not lock down well. Here I am using screwing methods only 😀 One more point, by removing the standard M68 (or 63) to 2" adapter, you gain some cm very helpful for binoviewer, aside the bothering standard twistlock. With M68 to T2 adapter, you don't need any GPC for binoviewer, at least with TS refractor. This configuration + some M68 spacers to get it screwed in the right position (focuser parallel with the ground for normal function) will work on the other hand with Alt-Az mounts only... These thousands of adapters, mostly the Baader one, are probably the eight wonders of the world :)))))

Many thanks to all of you! Once will acquire the setup, will post here with the final call 😀 + first feedback

Hi! Below my eyepiece set for TS 102 F7 which I presume is similar. The red column eyepieces are missing today but planned for acquisition in the upcoming future. Aside this I use the APM 2.7 ED barlow The wides for DSO, the narrows for Moon and planets For binoviewer, highly recommended, the Morpheus and SLV set + 1.7 and 2.6 GPCs 1.71 1.29 0.86

Highly recommend Maxbright 2 as well, huge difference vs the 2 Lacerta binoviewers I owned in the past. The clamping mechanism in old binoviewer was odd, allowing the eyepiece movement after screwing it. MB2 is vastly superior in mechanics, allowing usage for the widest 1.25 eyepieces. My setup is also 102 TS f/7 with MB2. I use for planets and Moon the 25mm/ 12mm SLVs with the Baader GPCs or APM 1.25 ED 2.7x barlow, or combinations. Without accurate measurements, I can say that the 102 APO can take easily for my eyes 200x, with a much relaxed view than the similar cyclop use

Hi! For which scope would you need it? The whole ensemble can be kept below 1 kg- you can use the shortest possible adapters from the very first unscrewable piece of the focuser (I am using M68 to T2 adapter for my 102 TS APO), T2 Baader prism and Maxbright 2- highly recommended If the target are the planets and moon, I am very happy with SLV 25 and 12 + the 2 GPCs from Baader for more flexibility on choosing right magnification For wide fields, I prefer Morpheus 17.5 but these are heavier

I can talk about Morpheus 17.5 only- great optics and incredible immersive view (mostly with binoviewer), after removing the eyecup It was the eyepiece where I have learned to look through without touching it, from some distance. Once you get used with this, you will like it

Dear Paz, Thanks a lot for your thoughts! My observational behavior is probably similar: Once in a month most likely outside the city, with the whole arsenal Few times in a month on the balcony (east oriented), when planets, moon or big DSO are there. Even if the current setup allows as weight one single trip, as logistics seems a little dangerous to carry all at once, apo, binoviewer + another bag with adaptors and eyepieces etc, hence 2 trips There are moments when the fun part is on other directions, most of the moments with limited time (after the job). To get there should get outside the building, go between buildings and go on the 10th floor on an open car parking (by walk around 10- 15 min walk/ elevators). Also there are the moments of traveling, holidays when a small companion scope can be a joy, hence the idea of an ultra-grab & go setup I would appreciate to share few more thought on the AZT6, as the SGL don’t have so many threads on this. Is it acceptable as stability and manual tracking for a scope up to 3-4 kg? The benchmark after reading here is that can handle decently a 72ED but is too much for an 80ED. Last, I am planning below budget tripod aside the AZT6, would you have any suggestion around it- this one from specs seems taking 10 kg. Attaching a picture with current setup. Thanks a lot! Mach3 AL Series 2 Tripod, 3 Section, Twist Lock, Monopod Conversion. | Benro (benrousa.com)

Dear Don, Many thanks for your opinion and, let me acknowledge, this was unexpected 😇 I must acknowledge that I have to change my mind setup- probably I am between the few amateurs who are buying first the mount and after that the scope. My first acquisition was the ST 120/600 + EQ5 at once (replaced after with a TS Skytee). Second, AZEQ6 at once with Mak127. The last more than enough for the 2 scopes. But with a plan to go either a C8, or Mak 180, or maybe a larger refractor in the future, after taking some time to explore it. Unfortunately, in between I got used with rock steady mounts, with over-mounted scopes, with GO TO or slow-mo. And I saw also many times scopes not touchable to avoid the view disturbance, on very poor mounts. Let me start reading here on Stellarvue M2C or similar and give a chance to the thought. Around the house probably is the best idea But, while traveling and moving around, I will still look for a small scope giving me smiles for any 5 minutes caught somewhere on the night road, independent with the lens diameter and resolution 😄 Highly appreciated your comments, everything you write about eyepieces is like the holy bible to me. Thanks for the post!

Super! I just had same feeling today; after staying away from home wit the APO about 2 months, just come back for few days and start doing some terrestrial view with the 20x80 Celestron Skymaster, in the absence of any other scope. I was wondering what is happening with the image, focus and mostly with the color fringe at 20x only 😆 The conclusion is that the 72ED could have a good, nice, clean and crisp view around 80x...

Thanks a lot Michael for the quick revert! There is a high degree of subjectivity, but would be correct to say that around 80x- 100x the view are much much closer to the FPL53 than to achro? If yes, we could have a winner 😃

Hello all! I am planning an ultra grab and go system with the following setup- 70 ED or APO, TS AZT6 without counterweight and a Manfrotto photo kind of tripod. All together max 8-10kg, ready to go in 2 min, packed in a small bag. Currently I use the TS 102 FPL53, mostly with binoviewer (awesome scope, awesome combination) and still have 120/600 SW, either on AZEQ6 or on TS AZ5 Alt-Az (Skytee). I am planning to sell my Mak127, which seems redundant after the Apo 102 acquisition, and go towards the above ultra G&G combination. Probably at a later stage, when budget will allow, a bigger apo or a C8. Sometimes it seems to me that I am a little bit lazy and miss some on spot observations. I have the feeling that is going to take too much time to pack the 102 APO, tripod, eyepieces etc and move to the car, or just to get out from the building to a better observation place. Plus the fact that I have to do minimum 2 trips for all the stuff. I have read also that a 80ED is a little too much for the TS AZT6, hence the call to stay with 70mm aperture. 70mm aperture will lead to 2.2 kg + a small Baader prism + some SLVs or Paradigms, all together up to 2.5 Kg. The 80 ED will have around 0.7-1kg more and a bigger length- 15cm more. All these seems small but i really want to stay with the most minimal configuration to say so- AZT6 + photo tripod The big question is what should I buy- the ED or the FPL53 (also in a small budget )? My only reference is the 120/600 achro, where at kind of 60x the image is becoming terrible and the 102 FPL53, which is shining up to 300x, without any image brakedown or false colors, absolutely phenomenal with Morpheus or SLV and the MB bino. Is it worth spending close to 600 EUR instead of 370 EUR for FPL53? Have you done any comparison between the 2 glasses? I am just curious if the ED only can go up to let's say 100X- 120X, whatever the 70mm diameter and exit pupil will allow, but with a pure, clean and crisp view like an APO, without false colors or lack of snap on focus. Or just to wait more time for the bigger budget to be ready and FPL53? So friends your experiences and tips are much than appreciated ... Many thanks in advance! Teleskop-Express: TS-Optics 70 mm F6 ED Travel Refractor with modern 2" RAP Focuser Teleskop-Express: TS-Optics Doublet SD Apo 72 mm f/6 - FPL53 / Lanthanum Glass Objective