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TAL125R - First Impressions


Marki

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Well, she's finally here. All the way from Novosibirsk, via Italy!

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The substantial crate required a delicate opening procedure... . I can always use the crate as a canoe if we get more of the rain we had yesterday!

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Inside, upon careful excavation of the polystyrene chips, assorted treasures were revealed.

Gifts from Tecnosky...

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The scope, sheathed in green plastic

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The standard TAL fare: 6x30 Finder and a 25mm and 6.3mm plossl, and the reticule.

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Next, the tube rings (which secured the tube to a plank within the box) and a manual (for 100rs and 125r) in english.

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The serial number is 0055, displayed in the finder bracket and in the manual - date of manufacture apparently June 2011.

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The dew shield is plastic, with a similar cover to the 100rs (with the smaller cap in the bigger cap, if that makes sense). The objective looks good, with a goldish/slighly purplish coating (my wife and me bothe see the colour slightly differently). Baffling looks good, and no extraneous light when looking from the other side.

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Diagonal (1.25") is as for the 100rs, and came already attached

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The scope is quite a bit bigger than her little sister, with a lovely waisted flare to the tube. I've included a side by side to show the difference.

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The build quality is robust, and typically TAL. If anything, its better finished than my 100RS. The EQ5 mount I got with my 100rs is satisfactory, but wouldn't fancy mounting on anything smaller.

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Obviously it'll be cloudy for ages now, but a very quick test by looking at distant houses across the valley (c. 1.5km) seems to indicate its capable of taking a reasonable amount of magnification - used my TAL x3 Barlow with a 25mm easily (x135) , and the supplied 6.3mm (giving x178.5) on its own seemed ok as well. The Crayford focusser is 2" with a 1.25" fitting and is lovely and smooth, and seems better finished and smoother than the one that came with my 100RS, but is otherwise the same. Hope to post some more thoughts tomorrow, when I get a bit more of a chance to look the scope over. No idea when we'll get any clear skies here, so first light may be some time off!

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Marki, congratulations, you have the very first 125 rs in the country! a unique telescope. With a scope like this you should expect total cloud cover for... :grin: ........the rest of the year! I wish you all the best for a first light, and look forward to a sneaky peep through it myself.

Great unboxing report

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Could the following be the saddest post of all time ??

Regarding the sticker..........

авиационная безопасность - Aviation security

Novosibirsk International Airport, Tolmachevo - Situated in the town of Ob, 16 km from center of Novosibirsk, it's the largest air hub in the Asian part of Russia.

досмотрено - Inspected

серия тлч - Serial #

не отрывать - Do not tear off

до окончания перевозки - before the termination of transportation

I'll get my coat.............. :(

:grin:

Andy

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Hehe - thanks for the translation Andy, that was on my list of things to do today :-). It had a second security check sticker in Italian and a third in English from DHL. I'm pretty sure it had been opened between leaving Tecnosky and arriving in Sheffield -I know Giuliano had to open it to check and collimate it for me, so the vicious metal straps Steve referred to were already broken (although I managed to scrape my arm on one nonetheless :)), as there are at least three different types of tacks and nails in the covering board, and tecnocky's tape had been pulled and restuck down. I guess it did look a bit like a heavy weapons crate!

Something I'm curious about is the serial numbering sequence TAL use - mine shows 0055 dated 2011, but Neil English's is 1427 dated 2004. Any ideas how to find out how many they've made?

I have to say Giuliano at tecnosky was pretty helpful, sending me a photo of the objective and testing the scope on his optical bench, and ensuring it was sound and collimated. He also checked with SDA to ensure the delivery was on course. I'll post something regarding his service and buying from Italy in the suppliers review forum.

Anyway, gotta scoot - unfortunately weather forecast is rubbish for the next week at least, so lord alone knows when I'll get a first light. Thanks for your interest and support all - hope to get the scope out at PSP, if I don't link up with some of you sooner!

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The serial numbering system is one that I've long thought about.

I've had various theories, but they all come up a bit short.

I first thought that individual scope types had a running sequential number from the start of production. - Nope.

Then I thought okay, perhaps it's that individual scope types running sequential number from the start of the stated year. - impossible surely, as I've seen scopes with numbers well into the 1000's.

All scopes types included together from the start of the year - Again surely no? Taking your scope, Mark. Can Tal have only produced 55 scopes by June? Or is that just when the document was signed.

I suppose I could always send a question to NPZ, but that spoils the mystery ;)

If anyone does know, do tell !

Cheers,

Andy.

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My serial #'s

Alcor - yr 1993 #6533

M - yr 1994 #0136

1 - yr 1999 #4878

2M - yr 2000 #2893 - yet mirror cell has #0056 ! Could Barry Watts(Beacon Hill) have swapped over the cell? Probably as mine came with a centre ringed primary. I do know he took damaged Tal scopes and refurbed them.

200K yr 2001 #0152

(sold) 100RS - yr 2001 #0856

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Interestingly, i see Tecknosky sell BST explorers badged under their own label!

I am wrestling with my conscience about getting a 125r from them, but it would mean selling the 100rs and the 180 pro skymax, i feel i have all base`s covered with these 2 scopes, so much as my heart relly wants one, i think i will have to stay with my present set up

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I recognised that green bag immediately! Ay, what a brilliant scope it's going to be. Thanks for sharing this with us, Mark. Great photos and nice descriptions and I look forward to hearing your opinion on the 125r, especially with how it performs in comparison with the 100rs and the other OTAs you own.

With regard to the curious numbering system, if it helps my own Tal 100rs is #1368 - 2011. If this indicates pure batch quantity, then it looks like, on average, a single Tal100rs is being built every week.

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I've meant to ask this before, regarding these crayfords.

In the pic of the focuser, I can see threads. Are these on the 2"-1.25" adapter or on the focuser drawtube itself?

Andy.

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Hi Andy

At work now, so will check this evening (and do some tests with eps and 2" diagonals), but from memory the threads are on the adaptor.

Mind you, my memory is atrocious!

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Awwwww, awesome, a 125R..its so nice to see a new one. Congrats on

your new scope and thanks for posting Marki, I hope your first

light lives up to expectations.

Yeah I've wondered re the production numbers for Tals before as

well, I always figured the production date and serial number were seperate,

i.e. serial number was a rolling counter for the year for the lens cell/mirror

and production date was the completion date for the scope.

Kathleen

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