New TAL 100RS unboxing

[F15Rules]

After following an interesting thread about the best achromats for the price (originally it was Evostar 120 vs 150), the ubiquitous Tal 100RS inevitably came up..and, having owned several in the past and now learning that they have apparently been discontinued, I decided to try and find a new one online. I have always rated these scopes very highly and I believe I was one of the first owners of the crayford equipped version back in 2009-a scope that later found a home with Astro Baby..she still has it to this day and loves it to bits..

It actually proved quite easy to find one, and the source I decided to buy from (as their site said it was in stock) was 2020 Optics in Surrey (just Google 2020 Optics Tal100RS). I've never bought from them before and this was a truly impulse purchase with the order being placed late on Sunday night. (BTW, the site is still showing the scope as being in stock:-)

I wasn't even sure it would arrive but I paid by Paypal which gave me more confidence and I have to say I can't fault 2020's service: I received email confirmation of shipping via FEDEX yesterday on a 24 hour service and it arrived at my work this morning at 9am! I have to say that in Christmas week that is amazing service..

I was asked to add some unboxing snaps so I hope this works via my mobile...

Interestingly, the scope manufacturing/quality approved date is April 2011 which means that this scope has been in stock for three and a half years- not that that is an issue for me..it arrived in great condition with all its parts..2 eps (the 25mm is as good or better than Tele Vue), an excellent diagonal and finder and a very useful crosshair reticule.

Of course, no TAL scope ever arrives without ANY minor issue..with this one there is a tiny split on the plastic finder dewshield but that's it. Am chuffed to bits with it, the lens looks superb and Christmas has come early to this happy camper!

If you too are tempted I suggest you go for it whilst they are still to be found!

Hope you like the pictures and I will post a first light report if we ever get a clear sky again.

Merry Christmas to all!

Dave

[Tinker1947]

Very nice, hope you get some clear sky's to use it with........

[Jim Steele]

She looks like a good one and incidently has the same manufacturing date as mine (which is a peach).

 Lets hope you keep it this time!

Ben

[nightfisher]

Bagsey first shout when you sell it Dave...........just teasing

Good to see you come to your sense and get a superb frac again Dave, i have to admit i am tempted with a new one as mine has a tiny bit of mold between the lens! my fault for storing it in the wrong place, but i am about to perform the necessary surgery and open her up for a deep clean, i will document and photograph this as its not been done before.

Lets hope you got a real peach mate, they are superb fracs 

[Blazar]

Nice! nothing like a new TAL.....or are we all just a wee bit biased ;-)

[F15Rules]

Cheers guys:-). I'm just chuffed to have found a new one and cosmetically I have to say this is the best I've seen since the first one that Astro Baby bought from me..the paint job is very nice.

Can someone remind me of the tensioning for thee crayford?(its quite loose at the moment). Thanks.

Dave

[Jim Steele]

Cheers guys:-). I'm just chuffed to have found a new one and cosmetically I have to say this is the best I've seen since the first one that Astro Baby bought from me..the paint job is very nice.

Can someone remind me of the tensioning for thee crayford?(its quite loose at the moment). Thanks.

Dave

Hi Dave, mine was loose when it arrived. The one nearest the objective is the 'lock' and the one nearest the eyepiece the friction adjustment.. It needs to be a little over thumb tight

PS. Welcome (back) to the Tal Owners Club

[John]

Very nice Dave - happy early Xmas to you !

I guess they stopped using the ash wood "coffins" that my early version TAL 100RT came in a long while back ?.

I'm sure 1st light will be very enjoyable. The TAL makes an excellent "classic" companion to the D&G 5"

[Gas_mantle]

Hi,

Thanks for posting this thread, I'm the guy who started the other thread about the Evostar 120 and 150 but having read other peoples comments about the Tal100 I'm considering buying one.

Any chance you could make a posting of how it performs once you've had chance to use it ? I'm sure I'm not the only one who would be interested to read a review of it

Thanks

Peter.

[Jim Steele]

Hi,

Thanks for posting this thread, I'm the guy who started the other thread about the Evostar 120 and 150 but having read other peoples comments about the Tal100 I'm considering buying one.

Any chance you could make a posting of how it performs once you've had chance to use it ? I'm sure I'm not the only one who would be interested to read a review of it

Thanks

Peter.

Hi Peter,

SGL member Astro-Baby (Mel) has written a really good review here http://www.astro-baby.com/reviews/TAL%20100RS/TAL%20100RS%20Review.htm

It was her review that persuaded me to get mine.

Im hoping to write my own review of it, from a newbie perspective, once I get chance - though I have had a depressing lack of observing opportunity since I bought it.

Ben

[Bubbles82]

Remember unboxing mine and the difference in the packaging from other scopes, the scope was in a ton of styrene Chipping's and bolted to a piece of wood really had that industrial feel about it. That said the Finnish is really good on mine and with a quick tweak to the focuser I was easy for action. That was 2 years ago and I've still not looked through it [emoji50]

[Gas_mantle]

Just had another look at your photos, in the one where you show us the objective lens your reflection has a remarkable similarity to ET holding a mobile phone !   

[happy-kat]

Lovely looking, tempted myself but one for the future I think

[F15Rules]

Hi John. You are right, the scope is shipped in a double cardboard box but they do include a length of plywood to which the OTA is secured with the tube rings..it does actually hold the OTA nice and securely.

Having a TAL again does bring home how big my D&G tube is..the TAL would make a fabulous super duper finder say on top of the D&G- but would need a new mega-mount (say an EQ10??!!)

Peter, as the original poster of the other thread I guess I have you to thank/blame for this latest purchase...lol. I will of course post a first light but please be assured these are great scopes and very consistent in optical quality. I have no hesitation in recommending them. Astro Baby did the best review of the TAL 100RS I've ever read (just Google Astro Baby TAL 100RS review), and I can vouch for it's accuracy as I owned that scope before her:-).

If you decide to get one I'm sure you will be delighted.

Regards

Dave

[nightfisher]

I can only echo Dave`s comment above, the TAL performs to a very high standard, yes you will get a little false colour on Jupiter and mars, funny though i dont see any false colour when viewing Saturn, when i made my first Luna image with the TAL, i failed to notice a little yellow fringing in the image for a good many weeks, but what you do get is pin sharp stars plus the ability to use plossl`s, ortho`s and 2" ep`s like the Revelation superview ep`s, plus a simple white light filter made from Baader solar film gets you into Solar viewing and imaging.

It must be stated for the record, these TAL100rs scopes are not magical, they wont show hubble image views, they wont let you see deeper into space than any other similar scope...............they just have superb high quality very well figured edge blackened lens that perform as good as a 4" f10 achro can ever do, coupled to a robust white tube fitted to a rather nice 2" single speed crayford focuser

[Astro_Baby]

Agreed, the scope has no mythical powers to transport you to another dimension but they do have sharp optics and are a joy to use with a feel all of their own.

I always feel like ai stole mine from F15 because he only asked as I recall £200 and that included the tripod and mount.

Save you googling the review ai wrote on it is here http://www.astro-baby.com/reviews/TAL%20100RS/TAL%20100RS%20Review.htm

[F15Rules]

Agreed, the scope has no mythical powers to transport you to another dimension but they do have sharp optics and are a joy to use with a feel all of their own.

I always feel like ai stole mine from F15 because he only asked as I recall £200 and that included the tripod and mount.

Save you googling the review ai wrote on it is here http://www.astro-baby.com/reviews/TAL%20100RS/TAL%20100RS%20Review.htm

As it's Christmas Mel, do feel free to make a contribution towards my (much dearer, OTA only) new 100RS!    

[Blazar]

Plus not to mention you do get the 25mm TAL super plossl, which in my book is still quite a nice EP (not a good as the Gen 2, but very nice in its own right). The star diagonal is quite good too. I use mine on my Edge 800...much better than the cheap plastic one that came with that OTA!)

Are you convinced yet? 

[Astro_Baby]

F15.......tell you what when you sell the new one I will pay a small premium

[philj]

Nice one Dave :-)

[Chris]

Good find Dave

[F15Rules]

F15.......tell you what when you sell the new one I will pay a small premium

Don't hold your breath this time Mel!

[Dude_with_the_tube]

grats on new addition Dave and Merry X-mas to you and your family! 

[F15Rules]

Thanks Gaidis- and Merry Christmas ti you and yours too!!

[AndyH]

Can't beat a good ole unboxing thread !!

Congrats on the purchase Dave.