Show us your Frac

[Piero]

What a super gem John! Hopefully you have clear skies soon so that you can try it on the three planets out there! 

Looking forward to reading your first light report!

[John]

Thanks folks - it's clear tonight as it happens. I must have been a good boy today !

[DRT]

Very nice, John. Very nice indeed!

Clear skies

 

[spaceboy]

Whallop John!! Very nice!

So what's that view from the dining room chair again

[John]

One more "rocket" in the room

 

[t0nedude]

4 hours ago, John said:

Usually I introduce scopes that have come into my possession as "new to me". In this case though, this one is literally brand new and fresh from Japan. Takahashi FC-100-DL

 

Absolutely gorgeous scope John, can't wait to read about First Light. 

On another Tak related note, my FC-60 has finally been assembled and recently had Second First Light - see Observing Reports for the report. More pics below:

Tony.

Edited May 24, 2016 by t0nedude

[GavStar]

Lovely scope John - I might be a little bit biased though...?

[Stu]

14 hours ago, John said:

Usually I introduce scopes that have come into my possession as "new to me". In this case though, this one is literally brand new and fresh from Japan. Takahashi FC-100-DL

 

Hubba hubba John! Looks gorgeous ??

[Telescope40]

Very, very nice John. Looking forward to your first light report.  Comparison please re your previous / current refractors. The Vixen and ED120 if you still have it. 

ENJOY 

Regards. John 

[John]

3 hours ago, Telescope40 said:

Very, very nice John. Looking forward to your first light report.  Comparison please re your previous / current refractors. The Vixen and ED120 if you still have it. 

ENJOY 

Regards. John 

Thanks John.

I will do some reports on the scope and how it compares to my other ones but I'm going to have a few sessions with it to become familliar with it before I set down any thoughts.

 

[Moonshane]

For your sake I hope it's sharper than the 120Ed and for my sake, I hope not by much!

Either way, you cannot lose!

[Mark at Beaufort]

John that looks a fabulous scope and I look forward to your first light report. I am currently on my canal boat (10th day) so don't have good wi-fi so have not been on SGL that much. I assume you will say goodbye to your Vixen after so many years???

Hopefully one day I will have chance to view this lovely Frac but I am worried I will to buy one!!

[John]

21 minutes ago, Mark at Beaufort said:

John that looks a fabulous scope and I look forward to your first light report. I am currently on my canal boat (10th day) so don't have good wi-fi so have not been on SGL that much. I assume you will say goodbye to your Vixen after so many years???

Hopefully one day I will have chance to view this lovely Frac but I am worried I will to buy one!!

Thanks Mark - hope you have a nice boat trip

I expect I'll keep the Vixen. It does widefield better than any of my scopes and it's just a lovely and rare scope.

 

Edited May 25, 2016 by John

[DRT]

The blurb on Ian King's website says "The FC100 DL is only available via a one off small production run. We are limited to only a small batch and once sold the telescope will be discontinued."

Did you get any indication of what that means in terms of numbers, John?

[John]

3 minutes ago, DRT said:

The blurb on Ian King's website says "The FC100 DL is only available via a one off small production run. We are limited to only a small batch and once sold the telescope will be discontinued."

Did you get any indication of what that means in terms of numbers, John?

The total production run was 100. I think Ian might have got around 5 ?. I've read that Australia got a total of 3 of them !

 

 

[iPeace]

8 minutes ago, John said:

The total production run was 100. I think Ian might have got around 5 ?. I've read that Australia got a total of 3 of them !

 

 

One may own any number of scopes; one will learn something from each of them. But there will be only one scope which owns you.

I can't help but hope this will be the one for you.

[GavStar]

Taking into account the scopes that Nick at TruTek sold, I think there may be 9 in the UK which I think is pretty good out of a total worldwide allocation of 100. The DL sold out very quickly in the US.

Edited May 25, 2016 by Gavster

[Special K]

That Tak looks sweet for sure, John.  Many happy hours to you with it!  

I'm curious how your 6" achro fix-up project went with the Evostar. If you get many more tubes you might have to move house!!

[YKSE]

Congratulations John.

15 hours ago, Moonshane said:

For your sake I hope it's sharper than the 120Ed and for my sake, I hope not by much!

Either way, you cannot lose!

I'm quite sure the Tak will be sharper than 120ED, by simple reasons as

1. It's floruite, better than FPL53

2. it's 4", not 4.7",. easier for better colour correction.

3. it's f9, better than f7.5, also easier for better colour correction

4. and it's a Tak.

[DRT]

On 24 May 2016 at 18:34, John said:

Usually I introduce scopes that have come into my possession as "new to me". In this case though, this one is literally brand new and fresh from Japan. Takahashi FC-100-DL

 

I have been drooling over this beast all week and have been reading about Flourite scopes. One thing I'm confused about is the statement in the blurb about this one that the Flourite element is "at the back of the tube". Does that mean there is a glass element near the focuser? If so, does that mean these can't be used for solar viewing where the filtration happens behind the diagonal?

Edited May 28, 2016 by DRT

[Stu]

14 minutes ago, DRT said:

I have been drooling over this beast all week and have been reading about Flourite scopes. One thing I'm confused about is the statement in the blurb about this one that the Flourite element is "at the back of the tube". Does that mean there is a glass element near the focuser? If so, does that mean these can't be used for solar viewing where the filtration happens behind the diagonal?

Derek, it just means that the fluorite element is not the front element of the doublet. These are 'just' doublets so there are no rear elements and they are fine (actually pretty brilliant!) for solar viewing.

I believe the fluorite element used to be too vulnerable to put at the front  but as I understand it modern coatings now allow that choice by the designer if desired. I thought my FC-100 had the fluorite element at the front but perhaps not?

EDIT Just checked and no, it's at the rear of the objective.

Utilizing the Steinheil design with the fluorite element at the rear and an eco-glass front element, the Takahashi FC-100DF delivers superb color and contrast.

[DRT]

Thanks Stu. My bank manager will have a stroke when he reads this as it was a major factor in whether or not to aim at acquiring a Tak F at some point

[mikeDnight]

41 minutes ago, DRT said:

Thanks Stu. My bank manager will have a stroke when he reads this as it was a major factor in whether or not to aim at acquiring a Tak F at some point

Just a further comment after Stu's clarification regarding the FC design; In the older FS fluorite refractors the fluorite element was at the front, and the lens was hard multicoated. The FS was a Fraunhofer refractor and for some reason could not be made in F ratios below F8, otherwise the colour correction would have suffered. The new FC however gives wonderfully colour free images at F7.4. Either scope is superb and you may find a second-hand  FS quite reasonably priced on AB&S from time to time. Alternatively,  you could always try plying Gavster with a large bottle of Glenmorangie and then get him to sign one of his beautiful FC's over to you. Not sure it would work though!

Mike

[Stu]

Thanks Mike, I was nearly there ??

Derek, I think there is a certain inevitability about it ??

[DRT]

18 minutes ago, Stu said:

Derek, I think there is a certain inevitability about it ??

Are you doubting my legendary willpower, Stu?