HollyHound

No matter how much force I use, even (carefully) tried a pipe wrench, I can’t remove that blue extension... so unfortunately (for now) it will have to stay 😬 Fortunately, my binoviewer comes easily to focus with the Hyperion 2.2x Barlow (albeit giving x5) and I’ve just received a WO 2x binoviewer Barlow nosepiece. This should be enough for my needs, as I didn’t plan on binoviewing anything other than the moon or planets. Strange though that mine seems to be so tight, almost like it’s had glue or paint applied in the screw threads 🤔

Prior to lockdown, I was working away from home a lot, so had a pair of Nikon 8x56 binoculars which I used when away and before I really got back into astronomy. I couldn’t even begin to list what has been purchased since lockdown. Just before lockdown I had an ST80, ST120, Mak102 on a Skywatcher Avant mount and Hyperion Zoom eyepiece. The Mak and mount were given to a friend and the ST120 was sold, so everything else in my signature (plus countless finders, adaptors, widgets, books and accessories) has been purchased since lockdown began 😮 I haven’t added it all up, and some items have been bought then sold and likely a few more will be too, but pretty much everything has been (and will be) enjoyed over many years 👍 I think lockdown has allowed us more time to look up, and indeed look into more equipment, as we’ve all had a lot more time on our hands 🤣

This just arrived for either the FC-100 or FS-60CB 🤔 A Takahashi MEF-3 Fine Focuser 👍

Thanks. It is indeed. I easily unscrewed the focuser itself from that extension tube and the extension tube plus silver ring from the OTA, but when I tried unscrewing the extension tube from that ring, it just wouldn’t budge. I’ll try again tomorrow, didn’t want to force it before checking that I wasn’t missing something (e.g. it’s glued or there’s a locking screw etc), so good to know it’s just really tight 👍 As it happens, I was able to test some eyepieces last night on the moon and also able to use my binoviewers anyway, using the Hyperion Zoom Barlow (2.25), which came into focus and had 25mm of inward focus travel left. However, I have a camera rotator and T2 adaptor which I want to use and have worked out that I can use those in combination with the supplied adaptor extension in the same configuration or remove completely and use the binoviewers natively (no Barlow). It also provides flexibility to use the 1.04x field flattener I have too for some imaging. There is also a weight and storage/travel advantage losing that extension tube 👍

The adapter has arrived from @FLOand fits perfectly to both ScopeTech Zero (as expected) and the Report tripod. It came with two M8 bolts and these make a super solid connection to the base of the mount, and the M10 bolt of the tripod is screwed solidly into it 👍 This should be really secure now and as a bonus, the adapter is significantly smaller and lighter too 😀

After a recent thread highlighting the (potential) weakness of the 3/8th connection into the ScopeTech Zero, I ordered this from @FLO... ScopeTech Mount Adapter. This connects with two supplied M8 bolts and then the M10 bolt from the tripod connects securely to that 👍

I’m attempting to do the same thing, as I’d like to use extensions, camera rotator and T2 adaptor to allow me to use mine for binoviewing. However, the blue extension ahead of the focuser seems remarkably tight and no amount of turning can separate it from that silver ring that attaches it to the main OTA. I can remove the focuser easily enough, but not that bit 😬 Do I just need to be more forceful, or are these glued in anyway... I guess not, as yours came off and it looks like it’s just screwed in, but maybe it is just really tight🤔

To complete the Tak Trio... just arrived from @FLO(thanks👍)... a Takahashi FC-100DC. Love that it comes with its inspection certificate that includes the company President 😃 I can’t believe how lightweight this is for a 100 APO scope 😮

They can indeed... however at least with the Tak 76, both it and I would still be in good enough shape to actually do some observing when we got there 🤣

I would second what John says here... for super impressive views of DSOs and indeed the moon, my 10" dob (at a 1/3rd of the price) outclasses all of them. However, I can't carry this across the farm or take it on holiday, and it does need a little while to cool 👍

Given I have recently compared my StellaMira 80mm f/10 side by side with my Tak FC-76DCU, I can make some comment on this, at least with regard to the moon (my now favourite viewing activity)... The StellaMira is excellent, it provides superb, crisp, contrasty views and barely discernible CA at the edge of the moon. Having 800mm of focal length also means you can use lower power eyepieces to get the same magnification too. It also has a lovely rack and pinion long draw focuser with fine focus adjustment as standard. However, it is also almost 3x the weight of the FC-76DCU and significantly longer, so whilst it can be used on a lightweight mount (such as my ScopeTech Zero and Report tripod) and I have done so, it is nowhere near as convenient or usable. Previously I would have to carry the OTA and mount/tripod separately, but with the FC-76DCU, I leave the two as one unit and carry it out in one go. I've also been able to carry it around 1/4 mile into another field, with relative ease. The Takahashi FC-76DCU does everything the StellaMira does, but it really does (to my eyes) provide just that extra edge in contrast on the moon (at the same magnification, so higher power eyepiece of course)... it's slight, but it is there. Couple that with the fact that it is just amazingly light and rebalancing (mainly when switching to 2" eyepieces) seems simpler and safer. Plus being f/7.4, you do get brighter and wider views when you need them. Against... it's more expensive, even as the basic OTA... factor in the extra for tube cradle (ignore the finder cost because it is optional and you can use others), fine focuser (either the Tak, FT or More Blue) and myriad of adaptors that you can purchase (however these are all optional if you use T2/Baader stuff) and it's almost twice the price! Is the view twice as good... nope, but it is better, noticeably better and that along the lightweight usability, makes it worthwhile to me 😀 I do also have the FS-60CBU, which isn't as good as the StellaMira, on the moon, but then it's focal length is 355mm and it's 60mm of aperture... what it does do is give fantastic wide field views (mounted side by side with any other scope), or of course act as a super compact, ultra portable scope that can be packed and taken on almost any trip, without second thought. Push it's magnification and to be honest, it's getting pretty close to the StellaMira too. I have the FC-100DC arriving tomorrow, ordered purely based on the quality increase and lightweight usability of the FC-76DCU, this I intend now to be my primary (non grab and go) scope on the AZ100, and barring some further testing and a (potential) change of heart, these three will now be replacing my StellaMira 80mm f/10, Mak 127, ST80 and (possibly) the StellaLyra CC6" (although not sure about this one, as it does have a significant aperture/focal length advantage). Are these scopes bad... no way, I've used and loved them all, but the StellaMira now gives me nothing extra (and is heavy), the Mak 127 I expect will be no better than the FC100 (plus takes a good while to cool down and dews up easily). I haven't used other refractors (other than the ST80 and ST120), but I expect them to give superb views and do it for much better value, but (again for me), the slightly increased contrast/sharpness and lightweight usability just works 👍 Appearance wise (if it matters, though when they live mounted in your house/office, it may do), there is very little in it (see photos), but arguably white is a little easier to see in the dark, although the StellaMira does have a menacing, military look too 🤣 As they say though... YMMV 😀

I’ve had a DeLite 13mm and 18.2mm, both were exceptionally good. I only sold them as I have the range of Pentax XWs now. The BCO 6mm is a superb eyepiece, seems cheap and cheerful, but it’s brilliant. It’s only downside is quite minimal eye relief, but I keep it in my main set to use on the moon or planets 👍

Don’t forget the FS-60CB, which I adore as a complementary scope for wide field views on the AZ100, but will also be going on trips where I need to pack super light 👍 These will be more than enough for a good while yet 🤣

Not yet, I ordered the FC-100DC this morning and @FLO will deliver on Monday 😀 It does mean, that I now need to consider the future of my Mak, CC6”, C5 and (possibly) the StellaMira... I likely don’t need to have all these scopes now as I anticipate they’ll be used less than before... I’m sold on refractors (particularly these fluorite ones) 🤔

It does indeed look very good and seems to have the edge for imaging as well as superb for visual, according to reviews, but it’s also heavier and takes longer to cool than the FC-100DC. Besides, like you, I (currently) don’t need another 100mm Tak... as of this morning 😬🤣

Thank you so much for spotting this potential weakness... I've had my ScopeTech Zero mounted on a Berlebach Report 372, which is similar to the 312 etc, but has interchangeable heads. Mine has an EQ5/AZ5 head, which has an M10 bolt and the north alignment pin for those mounts (see photo). In order to use my ScopeTech, I got one of these adaptors... https://www.firstlightoptics.com/skywatcher-star-adventurer/astro-essentials-3-8-photo-adapter-for-heq5-az5-tripod.html However, this appears to suffer the same problem you've highlighted... whilst the connection of the adaptor to the tripod head is super solid, it's got the same short(er) 3/8 threaded bolt on top to engage with the ScopeTech 😬 I remembered seeing that ScopeTech have their own adaptors (which weren't available when I got mine) and they have one that fits the EQ5/AZ5 M10 head... https://www.firstlightoptics.com/all-mounts-motors/scopetech_trip_adptr_v60.html Now this one uses two bolts (M6 or M8 I'm not sure) to connect to the base of the ScopeTech and then that connects more solidly to the M10 bolt on the tripod mount head (there is no chamfer). So not only is the connection more secure, but there are two bolts not just one now, which has got to be better! Anyway, I've ordered one from @FLO just now and will report back on how well it works. Of course, none of us hope ever to have to test the strength of these connections in the worst case, but I think I'd be more re-assured now. I wonder whether you could just get the replacement EQ5/AZ5 M10 mount head insert from Berlebach for your Report and then use this ScopeTech adaptor 🤔 https://www.berlebach.de/en/?bereich=details&id=179 Thanks for the heads up and look forward to seeing your own engineering fix for this too. Gary

Well they certainly do need their adaptors... I have a small box of them already now 🤣

Hi Mike, That’s really great to know thank you. I had a feeling I’d read somewhere that removing that section would allow binoviewers to work and I have a short light path Baader 1.25” T2 prism for that purpose. Am thinking of adding the BBHS T2 prism diagonal as well, but not for binoviewing, as I’ve been very impressed with the mirror version but want to reserve that for wide field views. I’ve got them setup right now with appropriate T2 extensions so I can swap them between the FS-60CB and FC-76DCU easily (both have 2” ClickLock on the OTAs). I do love my Mak 127 and the StellaMira 80 f/10 last night on the moon (which has been my favourite object to observe for a while now). Also had the FC76 nearby and to be honest, the view from that beat the StellaMira slightly (including a few double stars) and was really only slightly less detailed than the Mak 127. It also reminded me of the hassle setting up the AZ100 and two scopes, then having to wait for the Mak to cool 😬 I’m really starting to move towards a preference for refractors now, with the big dob for DSO sessions and I think my Mak127, C5 and (possibly) the CC6” might be moving on, in favour of the Taks... no rush, I have time to find out what works best🤔 The FC-100DC would easily fulfil the role of the Mak127 (and C5) and possibly come close to the CC6” as well (that is a big old heavy thing!). But yes, the day of owning an FC-100DC is not that far off, and knowing I can binoview with it, is very useful 👍 Thanks Gary

@mikeDnight, I think you may have discussed this elsewhere before, but can’t locate the thread... As previous owner of an FC-100DC (and binoviewer observer), were you able to get it to focus with binoviewers and 1.25” prism, natively on this scope, or did you end up removing the small extension attached to the focuser to achieve this ? The FC-76DCU doesn’t have a removable section and remains a lovely lightweight grab and go scope, so thinking specifically of an FC-100DC to replace my Mak 127, which is my lunar binoviewing scope currently... it’s lovely but takes a while to cool down before it’s sharp and usable. These doublet refractors, seem to be fully usable almost immediately 👍 Thanks Gary

Yes, it’s a good (and cheaper option). The FS-60CB does benefit even more from a fine focuser, as it has a very shallow “snap” focus point and shows some CA if not precisely on that 👍

I would agree that the stock focusers on both mine are very good and I don’t think it’s in any way essential to change them 👍 I do like fine focusers though, so have replaced that on my FC-76DCU with the FeatherTouch Pinion, which works well indeed and super smooth. It is relatively expensive though but does retain the Takahashi look. You may consider going all the way to the full FeatherTouch focuser.... once your wallet stops weeping 🤣 I’ve also added the More Blue fine focuser to my FS-60CB, which also works well, is a little bit stiffer to operate, but still very smooth. The only minor issue is that it does stick out quite a bit from the side, but I guess on the (wider) FC-100, that would be less of an issue 🤔

I’ve found that for a longer session, I like to have the choice, hence the setup in the photo... but this is overkill most of the time 😬

Lovely combo there 👍

I can attest that the FC-76DCU is superb on doubles. Previously that job was reserved for the StellaMira 80mm f/10, but the Tak does it as well, and importantly, it’s just so lightweight by comparison. I’m now able to move around on the farm and get some observing positions I wouldn’t normally get to, which has been great 😃 Plus the FC-76DCU can be upgraded with the 1.7x extender and that would make a superb double/ lunar scope at 970mm f/12.75 🤔

FLO shopping cart doesn’t work that way, you can put stuff in their all day long and won’t affect stock levels... Only when you purchase... I’ve done it enough times 😮 I’m also not totally convinced there are stock shortages of FC100 and FC76... both these have show as “special order 7-10 days” recently, and there have been people buying both models over the last few weeks/months. However, some others (e.g. FC-100DZ and FS-60CB) show as “out of stock” 30-60 days. So I think those are genuinely just not available from Takahashi, whereas some others models are... pure speculation of course and hopefully the stock situation will improve again once the world (slowly) opens up. Of course all of this is very much a first world problem 😬