When 2 Tals go to war

[nightfisher]

An interesting discovery, the older Tal 100r has an Aluminium tube, with the objective end "machined" true, where as the newer 100RS has a thinner steel tube

[Seafury]

for anyone looking

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Tal-100RS-Refractor-Telescope-EQ5-Mount-accessories-Celestron-Skywatcher-/161600311820?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item25a021120c

[moriniboy]

An interesting discovery, the older Tal 100r has an Aluminium tube

It also varies in thickness along its length as I found out when fitting a new focuser collar for my PST mod.

[philj]

Great side by side Jules.

The tal tubes are also not circular either due to them being rolled and seamed, a right pain if trying to fit a custom focuser. I think the tubes a rolled tractor mudguards :-) Only joking, they are T34 side armour plates :-)

[John]

Great side by side Jules.

The tal tubes are also not circular either due to them being rolled and seamed, a right pain if trying to fit a custom focuser. I think the tubes a rolled tractor mudguards :-) Only joking, they are T34 side armour plates :-)

This is very true !.

One of the TAL Apolar 125 refractors I was sent to test had a tube that was actually egg shaped. The second one was nearly round but the welded seam was not sanded down so stood up like an undulating ridge all the way down the tube. Stuff like that is character in a £150 scope if the optics are good but in a £1,400 scope I think folks might expect a little better.

[philj]

Try turning an adaptor that fits into and outside a Tal tube end and thats when the fun starts, I still have bad dreams over that one :-)

Agreed, I dont think that level of quality is acceptable on something costing that amount John, are the optics worth the difference, hmmm I would like to find out, Im sure they arent

[nightfisher]

Try turning an adaptor that fits into and outside a Tal tube end and thats when the fun starts, I still have bad dreams over that one :-)

Agreed, I dont think that level of quality is acceptable on something costing that amount John, are the optics worth the difference, hmmm I would like to find out, Im sure they arent

If you mean the Tal optics yes they are worth it, still one of the very best 4" f10`s about

[John]

If you mean the Tal optics yes they are worth it, still one of the very best 4" f10`s about

I think Phil was referring to the TAL 125 Apolar Jules. That had the potential of excellent optics but it was a complex design (6 elements !) and if they could not put them in a round tube it shakes your confidence a bit !

The TAL 100 is of established optical pedigree, no doubt about that.

My fault for mentioning an off topic scope ! - sorry

[Seafury]

Jules, dare one ask why you are now selling ?

Gordon

[philj]

Jules, dare one ask why you are now selling ?

Gordon

  :grin:    

Yes it was the 125 Apolar Jules I was talking about. That price level of scope should have a bit more to the build quality, such as a non seamed tube

[nightfisher]

I think Phil was referring to the TAL 125 Apolar Jules. That had the potential of excellent optics but it was a complex design (6 elements !) and if they could not put them in a round tube it shakes your confidence a bit !

The TAL 100 is of established optical pedigree, no doubt about that.

My fault for mentioning an off topic scope ! - sorry

John, no problem at all

Jules, dare one ask why you are now selling ?

Gordon

Gordon, no big secret, i felt that the optics on my original 100RS where "blemished" and indeed there is a few marks from cleaning, but it still performs top notch, i had bought the second near as new one to do a swap out on the optics but i have decided against this and i only need one 100mm f10, it was great to run a bit of a comparison and i now feel if i swapped out the optics it would be for a pristine 100r purple lens, these do seem to be slightly sharper than the newer 100rs model