HollyHound

Now that looks like a nice little scope, interested to hear how it performs... very occasionally I miss the little Mak 102 I had when I started out all those long months ago at Christmas, but it's gone to a good home 😁

I have the same filter (ordered from FLO back in March), has exactly the same "Astronomik" and "UHC0010066070" (which is also printed on the case as a serial number). No sign of anything saying "Profil" 🤔

Love this, it's my favourite sky chart. I got mine just before Christmas, but noticed that it went out of stock earlier this year and (as you say), very difficult to find anywhere 😬

Nice mod John, makes all the difference having some reference like that, especially for a lightweight tripod, I’ve reset the legs a few times whilst using mine 👍

I have the same, lovely little scope and super sharp for both lunar and planets. I’ve recently got a Mak 150, and whilst it does make for a slightly brighter view on DSOs and a tiny bit more detail on lunar, the difference is not massive. So bang for buck the Mak 127 is superb 😊 Maybe I’ve been lucky, but both are also really very collimated too 👍

Oh no, don't say that... I've just had the opportunity to use my new Pentax XW 40mm last night and loved it, but I didn't realise it came with a "buy more" warning 😬 They really are very nice thought, aren't they 👍

Nice one 👍

Lovely book... I bought this last month, at the same time as getting Luna Cognita (which is also a fantastic book BTW). Just for information, I got mine from Amazon for £12.99, but the Royal Observatory Shop is indeed a tad cheaper, and direct of course 👍

Hi Robert, Welcome to the forum, it’s a very friendly and informative place 🙂 Cheers Gary

I did notice that the Report 2x2 and 1x2 models have no markings, whereas they are present on the 3x2 and 4x2 models. Seems like a strange omission as like you, I find them incredibly useful. Glad you have a potential solution 🤞

ScopeTech looking good on the Report tripod 👍 You'd think with such a long scope that it would need a really massive tripod (Uni 28 etc), but I've found the little Report to be remarkably sturdy too 🙂

It is possible that this counterweight bar (from the Star Adventurer, but also used on the AZ EQ Avant), might work... if required 🤔 https://www.firstlightoptics.com/skywatcher-star-adventurer/skywatcher-star-adventurer-counterweight-kit.html

You're right, it actually looks a little bit like my very first mount... the Skywatcher AZ EQ Avant (https://www.firstlightoptics.com/sky-watcher-az-eq-avant/sky-watcher-skyhawk-1145ps-az-eq-avant.html), when operating in AZ mode. Nice, but very low payload (3kg) and swapped between EQ and AZ, but even with the supplied Mak 102, I found it needed the provided counterweight when used in AZ mode, otherwise it tended to bind a little bit.

+1 on the Report tripod range, I have the 372 Report and it’s a lovely lightweight and stable tripod. Like @johninderby, I can also carry the tripod, ScopeTech Zero mount and C5 around with one hand 😊 The ScopeTech is also a mount worth considering... more information here.

You'll enjoy this 😀... I have the 35mm version, which works really well in my StellaMira 80mm f/10 👍 I am putting it up against my latest acquisition... Pentax 40mm XW... if I find the Pentax vastly superior, then the 35mm maybe heading towards the sale section...

Very nice indeed, they do complement each other well 👍 I love that having both gives options, most of the time the lighter weight Report is absolutely fine, but the Uni 28 is there to support the heavy stuff when needed 😀

No idea what these could possibly be 🤔🤣 At least yours came together, mine arrived on separate days 😮

No pressure then 🤣

Agreed. I've come close to damaging a thread too, trying to fit 3/8 and M10 together, so do very careful 🤞

FWIW, I've noticed APM has some of these on eBay, but they may be subject to the same holiday issue, as they're possibly coming from Germany too.

You will love the Report, I've got the C5 with 8-24mm zoom and mounted on the ScopeTech permanently ready to go just inside the back patio door now, and it's made it so much easier to pick it all up and wander anywhere around the farm I want to get a good view 👍 I can also very quickly swap out to the StellaMira too when required. The Mak 150 and ST80 now stay on the SkyTee, which remains on the Uni 28. I do love these Berlebach tripods 😀

I'm guessing they cleared their order backlog before they went on holiday, but didn't push through their own dispatch email. I've found that suppliers that use DPD (which I love BTW!), tend to have "personalised" dispatch emails coming from them followed by a DPD only one 🤔 At least it's arriving... which model did you get in the end, or shall we wait for the big reveal on "What did the postman bring today ?" 😀

With the screw thread though, it would imply that it's reusable... gotta love the efficiency 😬

Welcome to the forum Ross, those are fantastic photos 😀 Cheers Gary

Just to clarify... the ScopeTech does have clutches, but they can be tightened easily to the point where it is still possible to freely move the scope around normally and also use the slow motion controls, without having to tighten/loosen the clutches. I've found that even when moderately tight, free motion and slow motion are free and easy, so I just keep it like this and don't touch the clutches again 👍 I believe they use a ball bearing based clutch ?