Olly made me do it

[Jose Auger]

I have contacted Yuri, of TEC, to discuss the 140APO, although I want to discuss the 160 as well ($$$$$). I have been reading reviews by owners, magazines, advocates, etc., and it seems that this is one of the finest telescopes out there. I considered AP, but I may be dead by the time they notify that my turn has arrived, and the CFF, but they are more expensive. Thanks Olly for your advice several months ago (yes it takes that long for a decision like this one). Wii keep you all posted of the final decision.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Very interesting. I have looked through Olly's TEC, and it is a very fine scope indeed. You can't go far wrong whatever TEC you choose, I would think.

[StuartJPP]

Olly should be on commission!

[Jose Auger]

Update: Wrote to Yuri and got his quote. This week I will place the order for the 140. I am going to call him and discuss the telescope. What surprises me is the price of this telescope. The Takahashi TOA 150 is $11,000 in the USA, and, although it is a very fine telescope, it is a commercial telescope. Yuri's are hand made and cost a little over half what the Tak costs. Anyway, this makes me happy because I can buy a Tak FSQ-106 Imaging Edition for a little over $5,000. So, for the price of a Tak TOA 150, I can get a TEC 140 and a Tak FSQ-106 Imaging Edition.

[nicoscy]

I don't think you will "miss" the 10mm aperture difference, although I cannot comment on the possible difference in views.

But if you have the budget for the TOA150 and choose to buy the TEC 140 and a Tak FSQ-106, I call that a really smart move.

Both scopes are "lifetime" scopes and will provide you with endless joy. 

What's the plan for mounting these scopes? Eyepieces to be used?

[ollypenrice]

Olly should be on commission!

A remarkably sound opinion but not, alas, one based on the facts of the matter!

To be fair, I'm not the only TEC enthusiast out there. I bought mine because I'd seen two others, those of Frans Kroon and Ton Couperus, in action here. You have to love a scope which can handle Alnitak like this:

I could tell you it was my fancy processing but I'd be lying!

Olly

[triton1]

Incredible Olly just incredible

[kirkster501]

Join the queue.... My $1200 deposit was wired to Yuri start of September! [emoji1] "late spring" is the delivery date. His order book fills very quickly for each production run.. I considered a 160 as well but costs rapidly become incredible in quality refractor world!

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[michael8554]

Jose, I felt a great disturbance in The Force

Did you reply

"Olly made me do it"

when your wife asked

"you've spent how much ?"

Michael

[ollypenrice]

Jose, I felt a great disturbance in The Force

Did you reply

"Olly made me do it"

when your wife asked

"you've spent how much ?"

Michael

I hope not! I can imagine being beseiged by a battalion of furious wives...

lly

[Mr Spock]

I'm not an imager, visual only - a lotto win would make the 180 very tempting

[ollypenrice]

I'm not an imager, visual only - a lotto win would make the 180 very tempting

Yes indeed. And it looks like a telescope...

Olly

[mcolbert]

Yes indeed. And it looks like a telescope...

Olly

uh oh... I'm now glad I'm in another hemisphere!

michael

[Jose Auger]

Olly: No I did not tell my wife that. I reached an agreement that is costing me almost twice what I am paying for the telescope. As U2 says: "She moves in mysterious ways". Anyway, tomorrow I am mailing Yuri the check for the downpayment. As kirkster501 mentioned, Yuri told me around mid spring. This week I'm for gallbladder surgery, which they tell me could affect my Glenfiddich 21 and 25 years consumption, which could be a disaster (LOL). I told the doctor that as long it does  not affect the "viewing" it would be OK. (But I shall NOT abandon my taste and consumption of the "water of life").

That photo is superb. I have never seen a photo of the region as clear and sharp as this one. What camera was used? I already have an SBIG STT 4300, but I want later to move to a full frame. I have a Canon 5D Mark III modified for astrophotography, but I would like to get a full frame CCD later.

I am glad there are others that have and use the TEC. Future plans? An observatory. I am looking right now for several locations in the South of Puerto Rico (where I live) as the conditions for astrophotography there are much better than in the North, where I live. By December I plan to get the Tak FSQ 106 (and another gift $$$ to my wife).

Will keep you all posted on the developments.

[kirkster501]

I'm not an imager, visual only - a lotto win would make the 180 very tempting

+1   I did consider it, albeit briefly.  Now THAT really would be a good planetary scope!  Small matter of finding $20000 though........

[ollypenrice]

Olly: No I did not tell my wife that. I reached an agreement that is costing me almost twice what I am paying for the telescope. As U2 says: "She moves in mysterious ways". Anyway, tomorrow I am mailing Yuri the check for the downpayment. As kirkster501 mentioned, Yuri told me around mid spring. This week I'm for gallbladder surgery, which they tell me could affect my Glenfiddich 21 and 25 years consumption, which could be a disaster (LOL). I told the doctor that as long it does  not affect the "viewing" it would be OK. (But I shall NOT abandon my taste and consumption of the "water of life").

That photo is superb. I have never seen a photo of the region as clear and sharp as this one. What camera was used? I already have an SBIG STT 4300, but I want later to move to a full frame. I have a Canon 5D Mark III modified for astrophotography, but I would like to get a full frame CCD later.

I am glad there are others that have and use the TEC. Future plans? An observatory. I am looking right now for several locations in the South of Puerto Rico (where I live) as the conditions for astrophotography there are much better than in the North, where I live. By December I plan to get the Tak FSQ 106 (and another gift $$$ to my wife).

Will keep you all posted on the developments.

The camera was an Atik 11000 for that image.  I have the TEC flattener as well.

Olly

[cs1cjc]

TEC 140mm F/7 is very very attractive other than price...  For visual only, I am waiting to see the reports on the  much cheaper APM 140 F/7 Chinese doublet with S-FPL53 and Lanthanum crown, see: http://www.apm-telescopes.de/en/telescopes/refracting-telescopes-ota/apochromates/apm-doublet-ed-apo-140-f-7-fpl53-ota.html.  Other possibilities include the CFF oiled triplet 132mm F6.9: http://www.cfftelescopes.eu/132mm.html  or the Astro-Theke German 130mm F/9.23 S-FPL51 N-ZK7 doublet: http://astro-theke.de/astro-optik-manufaktur/produkte/

[cs1cjc]

But the cheapest option may well be an Astrophysics.  I could just put my name on the (almost) infinite queue and continue to use my Equinox 120ED in the meantime...

[Jose Auger]

Well. Sent the check to Yuri. Now to wait... BTW, I understand that the telescope comes with a Feather Touch focuser, although some people mention that it now includes TEC's own focuser. It this so? I would prefer the Feather Touch, but I do not know if TEC's own focuser is good or not. By good I mean suitable for imaging for whole weekends with a train of camera, auto guider, filter wheel (probably 8 to 9 pounds of equipment). I need to know so that I can tell Yuri mi preference if he is still using his own focuser.

I do not know if it is a harbinger of things to come, but from the moment I sent the check by mail today, it has been raining non-stop with strong winds. I think it is the Takahashi curse on me for not buying the TOA 150 (LOL), although in a few days I am buying the FSQ 106.     

[Jose Auger]

Forgot to mention. I was going to buy a 10Micron mount BUT their mounts are useable only from 20 degrees to 70 degrees and I live on 18 degrees. I am planning on a Software Bisque Paramount MX+ since their mounts can go down to 15 degrees. I really wanted the 10 Micron, but this simply makes it unusable for me.

[Balok]

Hi from Canada, I sent some gold bars to reserve a 140 with Yuri too.

Everything I have read is outstanding, it will be my first feathertouch.

Plan is to use it for the heavy AP lifting, it still needs a mount - EM 10 is too small.

Thinking Giro II or AYO for a double ALT/AZ set up. can't wait  to hit a summer sky with it.

[cs1cjc]

I had thought about an oiled triplet, “lifetime”  instrument or perhaps a longer planetary doublet, but in the end I decided to move quickly to buy something that is available, affordable, lightweight and easy to handle.  The very new APM 140mm F/7 doublet seems to fit the bill.  Mine has got to Germany and should be with me in the next few days.  It should be fine on my AOKswiss AYO on a Berlebach Uni-28 tripod and it  should make my 200mm Newtonian completely redundant. 

Markus of APM and Rupert of APM, UK have been very helpful. 

[stevepeverall]

I had thought about an oiled triplet, “lifetime” instrument or perhaps a longer planetary doublet, but in the end I decided to move quickly to buy something that is available, affordable, lightweight and easy to handle.

 I've been through exactly the same thought process Chris. The TEC was just a little more than I was willing to spend and for visual only the APM ticked all the boxes. Apparently they've been very popular and the company making the lens cells have run out of glass hence mine will arrive around the end of February.

[ollypenrice]

I don't know the present TEC prices. I bought mine (in absolutely 100% as new condition) with TEC rings and Scopeguard flight case for £3,800. The thing about the TEC, apart from its quality, was its very reasonable price given that it took on the very unreasonably priced competition! Where it stands now, in the market, I don't know. One big thing about TEC - and this applies to AP and TeleVue but not to Takahashi - is that one named person will stand up and be counted if you are not happy. It's well known that I'm a Tak user and a happy one, but there are examples of people not being happy and having seriously inept responses from retailers. (You should use 9 micron pixels in the Baby Q. Ahem, no you should not.)

Mine has the FT focuser. I host a robotic TEC as well which has the new TEC focuser. Both have their pros and cons, which might be better expressed as their Pros and Cons. They are very good.

Olly

[cs1cjc]

Current price for a TEC 140 ED at Robtics is 7.250,00 EUR  (so about £5220) + plus rings, carriage, etc.  Second hand ones come up rarely and the price asked ist more than you paid, I think. The APM is £2199 with rings, but no case or dovetail.  I have paid for testing which I would not have done with the TEC.  I hope that for visual it is 90% of the TEC..