jetstream

17 hours ago, Moonlit Knight said:

We ALL choose to believe what we want to believe 

Sorry you dont speak for "All" and with respect to optics the DPAC testing has sure taken this "bias" issue out of the equation, unless you dont believe in the science of it.

8 hours ago, John said:

Interesting report 🙂

Of course it was mostly confirmation or expectation bias that you were seeing, apparently 😜

Lol, I report it as I see it and dont care what others think. All this talk about bias is just a distraction from acknowlegement regarding differences in optical quality. I just laugh when I report about how good our H130 is and there is no mention of bias then- and it is a good, diffraction limited telescope.

Its hard to believe that some appear so fragile that an issue like optical quality could upset them.IMHO.

8 hours ago, Space Hopper said:

Will you be going to NEAF as well ? I don't think its too far from you....?
Only a couple of weeks away.......

Is that in New York? if so its over a thousand miles. Id like to but... Im to busy observing and snowmobiling.

3 minutes ago, Sunshine said:

Those are awesome, lucky you have such a clear sky up there in the deep sticks, Gerry.

Thank you- that evening had a great sequence of events. The moon had just set, the sky was clear and the sky darkness (-the aurora) is about 21.6 right now, adding vg contrast. It was a stunning sight and the images at ISO 2500 or less looked the same visually as the images but really dynamic.

19 minutes ago, Highburymark said:

125mm DZ could challenge Agema for best 5” fluorite doublet,

If things work out we are going for a Florida vacation next winter and hope to attend the winter star party. I also hope to look through TECs, Taks, Agema and A-P. Should be a great comparison under Florida seeing.

24 minutes ago, Louis D said:

Maybe Apple is keeping Canada behind the technology curve and they've only released up to 12 there. 😉

Yes! Thats it! and its the reason I thought it was the new one, couldnt be me and lack of knowledge thats for sure 🙄😂

9 minutes ago, Littleguy80 said:

We’re all the way up to an iPhone 14 now with the 15 coming later this year.

Lol I didnt know this 😄 I'm not into phones and thought the 12 was the new one

Im really happy with my I Phone 11 performance on the aurora the other night. Up to ISO 3200 the phone has pretty low noise and after that it falls apart. I heard the new I Phone 12 has an even better camera- is this true?

Heres the noise comparison:

19 hours ago, ukskies said:

Yes, my thoughts exactly and another clear night will be needed before I can make any conclusions, if then.

False colour can also happen at times with certain eyepieces when looking through them at extreme angles.IMHO.

I was really really excited because of the extra 5mm of aperture over my TSA120- it is after all an extra 5mm of Takahashi aperture! and this could be a game changer visually.

Just now, mikeDnight said:

Just thought I'd post it with it being April 1st. The jokes on me though as I should have done it this morning. Never mind,  at least it cot your heart racing, and you know deep inside that Takahashi will eventually hit us with a 5" fluorite just when we're at our weakest.

Sorry Gerry, I feel mean now! 

Oh man!! I was ready to buy one! Got me lol I really want another Tak to go with the TAk tattoo I'm getting!

Yes, this was mean.😐

Whats goin on Mike?!!

7 minutes ago, John said:

One way around this on forums is when a forward thinking supplier such as FLO provides equipment on a loan basis to members to try out and report back on. When I used to do comparative eyepiece reports on this forum, the eyepieces that I discussed had been loaned to me by FLO so I had no vested interest in them.

I wonder what kind of bias this introduces !

22 minutes ago, John said:

I don't know how much effort goes into the manufacture of these scopes

Rumour around the campfire is the Chinese optics are well figured, but possibly rushed a bit in the polishing process, affecting smoothness potentially. Opticians will slowly take the optic to a point where improvements either stop or go backwards. If it inadvertently goes far enough backwards they have to start all over. I'm not so sure they ^^ do that- or just release it if it meets their minimum standard whatever that is. IMHO.

8 minutes ago, John said:

Blimey !!! - and I used to think that I was an "occularholic" 🙄

Hi, my name is Gerry and I'm an... 😁

Just having fun is the way I look at it and its been a process to get good views and good views we are getting now!  I have obs 5 out of 6 night now and the VX10 and TSA120 are cooling, ready for the moon.  The Leica is better suited for the dob so in it goes and I'll just move it back and forth to compare scopes.

When comparing I really dont like to use more than one eyepiece, and these zooms tick all the boxes.

12 minutes ago, Highburymark said:

Gerry - if you put that Zeiss zoom up for auction you might be able to justify a 180mm TEC to your better half. I tried buying one a couple of years ago and there were none for sale globally - new or used - over a six month period. Just lots of people trying to track one down.

Im sorry you cant find one, they are stunning, right up there with the HR/XO and barlow superbly. I can keep my eye out here for you as there are some smallish stores in Canada and you never know what they might have squirelled away.

It is sharper than the Leica

@Littleguy80 In order to get the eye illumiation we need at the mag we need a 180mm f8 TEC is required. On advice @Captain Scarlet I ran it by the wife from the investment perspective and had all my numbers and stats laid out- a great performance if I say so myself.

After all that she said: Absolutely Not  😔

2 minutes ago, Littleguy80 said:

It’s like a who’s who of great eyepieces there 😁

Btw, you would love the Nikon 17 HW/14 EIC...  Leave the Doc barlowed, use the 14mm 100 for galaxies then throw the Doc in for a better look.

Now I have to put all my toys back 😬

😂

Just now, Littleguy80 said:

I have mine permanently setup like that and mostly use it with the Docter. Works brilliantly!

The Docter barlows very well as you know and I leave Baader #2408151 on it permanently too, just screw on the barlow and rings. I think you use the same adapter.

1 minute ago, Littleguy80 said:

Without the VIP I had to use a 1.25” diagonal to get enough in focus. With the VIP it was fine with one 15mm T2. It got too dark and cloudy by the time I added the other two 15mm extension tubes. Will check on focussing with those tomorrow 

Perfect- we could always add another 15mm ring to the set up for more barlow effect, these 2 EPs love the barlow. Your going to need more than 250x in tour Tak...

Will be using mine on the moon in a few hours. Very easy to catch the seeing with these.

I can do like you and have more up top but I prefer to have more in the diag for reduced height if possible. I also have a 2" filter thread to T2 adapter so I can barlow any 2" eyepiece. Heres the 20mm Lunt with it.

I use APM's 2" adapter for the Leica and Baaders Diascope adapter for the Zeiss.Whats your overall length for max mag? Can you reach focus like that?