heliumstar

1 hour ago, Ags said:

This thread has veered far over to the refractor side of things, which I think is very unfair. My setup (C6, AZ-GTi, ash tripod) can be picked up and carried with with one hand into the garden. There is no way I could do that with a 5-inch apo! I can swap the AZ-GTi for a Castor head, add a refractor alongside and it is still an easy carry. And... with the difference in price between the 5-inch apo and the C6, I can buy a perfectly nice 4-inch apo!

How is AZ GTi handling the C6? I presume you have a sturdier tripod?

2 hours ago, JeremyS said:

Now the report, with a couple of different mounts.

 

 

There's a possibility I already asked but how are you finding the Report and which model it is?

1 hour ago, MarkAR said:

Looks pretty capable until you compare it with a 16" Pro which is twice the price but twice the power or more. Rather go whole hog than leave myself a little short.

If you are willing to live with much bigger machine then it's no brainer. The new Air should still be capable for what you need though.

Why not new Macbook Air? It looks like very capable machine.

All ready for some wide fields and Venus with a little extra ooomph as well. (went 140x yesterday with Tak fs-60Q - didn't break a sweat).

The little Tak is just amazing. Double stars are always on the menu with nice airy discs. Just beautiful. Looks like we'll be lucky in the next few days. Clear skies!

I do cringe every time when I use Bresser though. I paid £137 on Amazon for it in January (less than I paid and then sold the previous one). The focuser on this 10x less priced telescope is an order of magnitude better than Tak.

31 minutes ago, John said:

I would get the book first

 

Exactly. After I read it I decided I will wait with imaging for awhile. Very, very good book (Making every photon count) for anyone interested in imaging. I do quick EAA sessions now though.

Thanks @Don Pensack for a comprehensive answer. Those Pentax XF look very slim and I have had my eye on them for quite some time now! I would go all Delites but posts on CN about Delites giving washed out star colours in comparison to other eyepieces in small scopes (and my main visual now is 60mm) made me look into other direction.

I realise now that I may be a little too quick to just throw out the idea of eyepieces with less than 20mm eye relief. Looks like under 15mm it should be perfectly fine but I was told astigmatism will get worse so maybe plan for that as well.

Thanks for this Louis. Yep, meant more than 2.5mm exit pupil.

Thanks for posts everyone. I own or owned XW, SLV, Morpheus and liked them all. Time to try Delite?

My prescription for astigmatism is Cyl Right -1.25, Cyl Left -1.5 and Axis Right 170, Axis Left 5. Realistically do I need glasses when observing> I don't use eyepieces with more than 2.5mm exit pupil at the moment as I am mostly after double stars and planets and observe deep space with camera.

So, astigmatism got a little worse and I got new prescription for glasses. I am thinking of going full 20mm+ eye relief with all eyepieces and just wear glasses when observing.

So far I found Pentax XW (had them and they are great but oh my the size), Baader Morpheus (size is again an issue but great eyepieces) and TV Delite.

Is there anything out there in the range of 15-5mm with small form factor and eye relief ok with glasses that I am missing?

I follow this with interest since I have a few blanks myself. I made 6" f5.33 20 years ago. There's something to be said for convenience of glass tool

I am all for bumping after a week or so. Better than new thread I guess. And there was a time when I bumped it and it got sold immediately after so I don't think no one buying it the first day reflects the need. I don't see 'a message' there. Let's be realistic, after a day the ad is on the second page and it's all about visibility. I was at both ends. I bumped it but I also bought from a bumped thread.

I don't see an issue with this on SGL and I am pretty sure most of us who sold multiple items here bumped a thread here and there

Up to 5kg it kind of works. If you tighten the legs to tripod base it's better. The steel tripod linked above is a monster in comparison but much more stable of course.

I have Thinkpad P52 and the battery holds for 5 hrs. Macbook AIR is even better at 11 hrs but I use that one only for browsing and email. The work computer I use is Thinkpad P52s (slimmer version but due to 2x batteries a little bulky at the back) which holds for 7 hrs. I recommend Thinkpad. You won't be dissapointed.

2 hours ago, GavStar said:

.
 

No compromise there haha. Incredible. Like this very much!

10 hours ago, pete_gamby said:

Optics Planet's website is not a particularly reliable source of information about whether something is discontinued - they "discontinued" nearly all Opticron models by accident at one point last year!

We have had no notification that the SLV or SSW eyepieces will be discontinued. There is usually a "last chance" offer made by Vixen Japan when they discontinue a range of eyepieces.

The offers that FLO have are for the last of our stock which we wanted to clear in the most efficient manner.

HTH

Cheers, Pete

Sales and Marketing Manager - Opticron

Ok. So this leaves me with one source that says SLVs are being discontinued. Might just be a little miscommunication between importers and retailers? I have first hand info from a retailer that asked about SLVs and it was confirmed (by importer) that they are being discontinued but like I said might be miscommunication and it's just that importer will not have them anymore. If they go and there is no replacement it'll be bad. There is no comparable 50 deg premium eyepiece that is comfortable (eye relief) and has wide range of fl. At least I don't know of any.

I just checked the prices on FLO. They went down across the range. So if you want them now is the time. As far as being discontinued. We now have information from multiple sources that SLVs are being discontinued.

@FLO any chance of asking Vixen UK about the replacement, if any?

Signed up

I was looking at projectors recently but couldn't actually decide due to just huge amount of options and just let it for some other time. Can you link to the one you bought please.

1 hour ago, MarsG76 said:

Soon enough there will be one telescope manufacturer and, due to no competition, scope prices will quadruple. 

Once that happens many competitors will pop out with cheaper equipment and the cycle can start again

4 hours ago, BabyPepper said:

Now,   I have some contracts, with "certain" optical companies that if I  were to post and share here, there is a good chance you would never purchase goods from that company ever again. 

 

I went through this Orion vs Meade on the other forum and got some info from the 'Internet' as well and am kind of dissapointed by Synta 'modus operandi' and will think twice next time I buy something from them. With these things I usually go all the way and just don't buy anything from companies I don't like even if it costs me more. So I would like to hear what you have to say and am kindly asking you to extend a little around your hint here.

HA! Damn. Why didn't I take the 24 Pan when it was under 200 I have one from David Hardie sale but the smell of new is attractive still

Perfect. Thanks for the effort Lockie. Will watch it tonight.

It's a BEHEMOTH I have 5mm and 7mm and those are huge. I didn't expect them to be soo big when I bought them. Still, the image and comfort they provide at night are superb. Don't like them much for white light but I need to try more.

All in all. I don't see how 10g would be an issue. If you can live with 5mm I am sure 3.5mm will be fine.

Here you go: https://www.firstlightoptics.com/adm-replacement-saddles/adm-dual-dovetail-adaptor-for-az-gti.html

This is a great upgrade.

As for counterweight. Some other users use Star adventurer weight with an M8 to M12 adaptor.