APM 152 doublet at NWAstro yesterday - big !!

[Telescope40]

Hello all. Made a visit to the NWAstro show yesterday. Enjoyed a couple of hours in the company of like minded. Got a look thru a Solarmax for the first time. Intriguing compared to my Herschel wedge. 

Spoke to couple of Astro groups that are fairly local to me with a view to share observing time and less of the lonesome astronomer. 

Didnt buy anything but as usual my abiding memory was  kit -  a APM 152  OTA to be exact. I think it was brought along by Tring Astro.  First impressions was its size. Blimey, as I hadn't really bargained for how big these 152mm refractors are. I have a Meade 5000 127 and the 152 was a bit of a shock for sure. 

Cogs are whirring already as to what the views would be with this OTA.  I've got most bases covered at the moment with the 3 scopes I have but can't help but think of this OTA . Been reading a few reviews since getting home. Could it be a bit of all rounder. 

Regards  John 

 

[Mr Spock]

Just had a look at this. Looks a good price for a 152mm Apo. I reckon at f7.9 it's good for planets and double stars and still useful at wide field.

If I had the cash I'd be tempted.

[John]

At 6" refractors do get quite big. I owned an 6" F/12 for a while - a real monster !

I thought long and hard about getting one of the APM 6" ED doublets but I heard enough tales of troublesome objective cells to put me off a bit. There was one recently on e.bay for £1,999 I recall.

They also do a 140mm F/7 doublet which uses FPL-53 for it's ED element. CA should be even better controlled with that one.

In the end I settled on an APM / TMB / LZOS 130mm F/9.2 triplet which is around the same size and weight as the above but has no CA at all and superb lens figuring 

 

[ollypenrice]

Going from about 130 to about 150 with a refractor is not life-changing, visually. The implicit increase in focal length, depending on F ratio, is in a bit of a critical zone for DS imagers and may matter quite a lot. Far more important is the quality of the individual unit. I've ended up half way with a 140 and am entirely satisfied with the quality since the scope is a TEC. Sure, I'd like a TEC180 but when you multiply a lot of price by three you get more than a lot of price....

Olly

[DirkSteele]

52 minutes ago, ollypenrice said:

 Sure, I'd like a TEC180 but when you multiply a lot of price by three you get more than a lot of price....

Olly

Indeed you do! Speaking from experience.

 

And they get very big very quickly. My 180mm next to my 76mm.

[ollypenrice]

38 minutes ago, DirkSteele said:

Indeed you do! Speaking from experience.

 

And they get very big very quickly. My 180mm next to my 76mm.

While not generally of a religious turn of mind I find myself inclining towards worship...

Olly

[Telescope40]

Hi. Very informative replies as always.  I'm visual only so going up to a 152, from a 127, I was hoping for a bit of a "jump" in performance especially on planets,. But maybe not. 

Just ajump in price as ever  lol 

 

john 

 

[Moonshane]

Is there a subliminal message in the water bottles in the background? Reverse the name and maybe we chasers of quality all are! 

[jam1e1]

visually im really pleased with it - did a mini-review a while back, cant recall if I was the OP or added to someone else's post, either way search for apm 152 you'll find it somewhere

there is slight CA off focus but on focus its fine and not apparent. No mechanical optical cell issues as far as can tell either.

I did think at selling at one point recently, only as hadn't used in a while as tend to use other scope more recently with DSO, though when took it out got one of the best views of jupiter for a long while, along with some really nice sharp views of starfields / open clusters - this changed my mind! If do get one, recommend going for the starlight focuser model. Also would get a pier extension, I use mine on either AZEQ6 or the EQ5+skytee2+pier

[garryblueboy]

The APM is a great scope nice aperture build quality is good focuser not the best to be honest buy with feather touch option if you can on the few good clear nights the views are quite stunning just sold mine to buy a smaller OTA premium on its way now .

 

[Gfamily]

Hi John,

Not sure if I was at the Mid Cheshire's stand when you were there, but you'll always be welcome at our Club Meetings (7.30pm last Friday of the month, at the Forest Explorers cabin near Go-Ape in Delamere). 

A possible issue with these Astronomy Festival * events is that all the clubs turn up with their 'best photos', and people can go away thinking it's all about AP - but be assured, we have a definite mix of observers (with and without scopes), sketchers in pencils, chalk and pastels, and some people who indulge in AP. 

We have a 'contact us' page on our website - feel free to get in touch if you want to know more, or just turn up.

Cheers

Owen

http://www.midcheshireastro.co.uk/

* not so much at NWAF - hope you enjoyed as much as we did

[Trevor N]

I have the APM 152 and so far have been very pleased. I'm a bit of a refractor nut and use 80 upto 120 for imaging but certainly on Lunar so far the 152 leaves the others standing. It is a bit of a lump but seems to ride happily on an EQ6. It's not too heavy to lug outside and I'm sure will keep me amused for several years. Visually I haven't seen any suggestion of CA , certainly nothing for me to get exited about. I think all the cell hype related to early models and I understand that's sorted now. As normal here we can only express personal opinions but to me it's a very good scope. Trevor