TS scopes

[Layor]

Hi all,

Does or has, anyone used the TS range of scopes? If so are they good?

Being from Germany I'm presuming the build quality should be excellent. But what of the optics?

Cheers, Layor.

[riklaunim]

Which scope? They don't make them (well, most of them), they brand them.

[Layor]

The TSapo115 flat.

Is that any help?

Layor.

[John]

TS (Telescope Services) scopes are made by manufacturers in China and Taiwan. The "TS" bit is a branding exercise. That said their scopes generally get good reviews from those that have tried them. These scopes can be found under other branding too so it can get quite confusing !

[Layor]

Okay, John. That is helpful, thank you.

Layor

[Capricorn]

TS purchase their equipment from China and Taiwan, they have "TS" branded on them. Before I go further I will say that a lot of "manufacturers" do the same. If you search you will find Vixen scopes and a fair bit of Meade stuff coming from the same sources:

Have a look at:

http://www.longperng.com.tw/

http://www.united-optics.com/

http://www.gs-telescope.com/

The Ikharos scopes from Ian King are sourced from China as are the Altair Astro scopes.

TS seem to have gone down this approach and if the quality is right then they will do well, have noticed that no retailer in the UK has really done the same.

[alan potts]

I have seen and used a lot of TS gear, it's not top quality but it is by no means bad, it's good value for the cost. Many of scopes are made in China, they are not on their own. They can also be seen with other badges. I would have no reason not to recommend a TS scope as long as you understand it is not going to be up there with top class kit .

Alan.

[ollypenrice]

Beware of assuming that what looks like the same scope is the same scope. The factories that make optics can grade their output and the top of the pile costs the re-branders more than the bottom of the pile.

TS scopes can be perfectly good or utterly abominable, a case of the latter being the first run of 60mm quadruplets, a couple of which I saw here. They were useless beyond description with severely pinched optics.

Olly

[alan potts]

Beware of assuming that what looks like the same scope is the same scope. The factories that make optics can grade their output and the top of the pile costs the re-branders more than the bottom of the pile.

TS scopes can be perfectly good or utterly abominable, a case of the latter being the first run of 60mm quadruplets, a couple of which I saw here. They were useless beyond description with severely pinched optics.

Olly

Points taken Olly, Food for thought. Maybe I have been lucky.

Alan.

[sologuitarist61]

The Ikharos scopes from Ian King are sourced from China as are the Altair Astro scopes.

TS seem to have gone down this approach and if the quality is right then they will do well, have noticed that no retailer in the UK has really done the same.

The Star Wave 80 from Altair Astro is the same as the appropriate one from Telescope Services, as are a few others. Same scopes different branding as mention above.

[alan potts]

Sologuitarist 61

TS were doing this a long time ago, I think it is the other 2 , Ian King and Altair that have copied. I used a 115mm TS scope 18 months before I saw it advertised in Engalnd, I could be wrong.

Alan.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

My APM 80mm F=480mm is essentially the same as the TS (even came with a TS flattener). It is a very good little scope. I hope to do some DSO imaging with it in the future, but visually it is a cracker. Olly liked the view through it when I visited his beautiful place last summer (or maybe he was just being polite )