Skywatcher Esprit 100ED vs William Optics GT102

[ollypenrice]

1 hour ago, swag72 said:

For me the question would be..... will the Tak 106 increase the quality of your images over the Esprit? Personally I would suggest not. The big thing going for the 106 of course is it's massive imaging circle. You'd never have to worry about not being able to get a bigger chipped camera..... but with that change invokes new BIG filters and that's a pretty expensive pill to swallow.

If you want to waste money then a Tak 106 (the new kind!) ... if you want value for money then the Esprit range. If I didn't have the FSQ85's then I'd be buying the Esprit for sure. It makes so much sense.

 

1 hour ago, PhotoGav said:

 

@swag72 - absolutely, that is why I had eliminated the Tak, until the French Devil re-opened that argument!!

 

 Awe, I'm only advocating a second hand 106N and agree with Sara that the only reason for going for a new FSQ would be for the big chip it can cover! Tak have also blotted their QC copybook rather badly of late.

I, too, like the Esprits and would be happy to have one.

Olly

[Jkulin]

Might be a good shout there Ray, I'm also changing over from APT to SGP because of the autofocuser regime seems a lot more advanced, might need to tap your knowledge if I get stuck (If that is OK?)

[PhotoGav]

23 minutes ago, Jkulin said:

Might be a good shout there Ray, I'm also changing over from APT to SGP because of the autofocuser regime seems a lot more advanced, might need to tap your knowledge if I get stuck (If that is OK?)

+1 for SGP! Plenty of users on here, so plenty of help available.

@RayD & @LightBucket - no need to apologise, that is a useful discussion and I am happy to have catalysed it!

Thank you all for your responses so far. Choosing how to spend the limited astro budget is always challenging, but fun too!

The next curve ball is that there is a second hand WO FLT98 for sale on Astro Buy & Sell which might just fit the bill at the optimum quality / price point!

As for yielding to temptation - the Tak it is then....!!!

[RayD]

8 minutes ago, PhotoGav said:

The next curve ball is that there is a second hand WO FLT98 for sale on Astro Buy & Sell which might just fit the bill at the optimum quality / price point!

Is a curve ball Gav, particularly as he is selling it due to upgrading to a Tak 106 

[PhotoGav]

1 minute ago, RayD said:

Is a curve ball Gav, particularly as he is selling it due to upgrading to a Tak 106 

Quite.

[alexbb]

Have you read this CN thread? https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/480805-tak-fsq106-vs-sw-esprit-100/

[PhotoGav]

30 minutes ago, moise212 said:

Have you read this CN thread? https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/480805-tak-fsq106-vs-sw-esprit-100/

Very interesting - thank you for sharing.

[LightBucket]

4 hours ago, RayD said:

Yes it works great.  You have to make a lead up as the focuser socket on the Pegasus is RJ12, but it is really easy as Pegasus give you the pin outs on their web site.  I just bought a standard RJ12 flat lead 2m long, cut one end off and soldered on a D sub socket.  The 2m lead was enough to make 2 leads.

Took 20 minutes and focuser works a treat.  

Apologies @PhotoGav

Is the lead the same one as used with the Hub and there own motor assembly, as I already have one of those.. just wondered if the wiring in the DB9 plug would be the same..

[RayD]

6 minutes ago, LightBucket said:

Is the lead the same one as used with the Hub and there own motor assembly, as I already have one of those.. just wondered if the wiring in the DB9 plug would be the same..

Yes I suspect it would be as it is Robofocus/Moonlite compatible, so the pinouts would be the same.  The only thing is you won't have the temperature sensor working on the Lakeside, so you need to tell SGP or other acquisition software to use the environmental sensor on the hub for the focus temperature.

Edited January 29, 2018 by RayD

[laowhoo]

On 1/29/2018 at 04:34, alan potts said:

Sending button pressing thoughts to you from afar. Oscar Wilde, the only way to deal with temptation is to yeild to it.

Alan.

"Suffice to say, what we behold is censored by our eyes. To be possessed is the best reason for possessing." Lord Peter Wimsey

[PhotoGav]

“Want that one...” Andy Pipkin, Little Britain.

Still tormenting myself over which one to order. It’s the pleasure of the chase though!

[PhotoGav]

Well, folks, I finally made a decision...

I very nearly scraped together every penny I have to buy a Takahashi FSQ106ED, but then I realised that I still don't have enough pennies for it. So, I have ordered a.........

......

dramtic gameshow-stylee pause.....

......

Skywatcher Esprit 100ED. [cue rapturous applause...]. Apologies for the ensuing cloud in the South of England.

Thank you all for your input and help. If the Esprit is disappointing I will be coming round to each and every one of you to lament!!!!

Clear skies!

Gav.

[Jkulin]

You won't regret the Esprit at all Gav, I was so impressed that I also bought the Esprit 80 as well.

I have a moonlite motorised focuser on the 100 and a lakeside motor on the 80, the later using the original focuser and if I am honest the actual focusers are very comparable, the moonlite has the edge on looks but the handset controller of the lakeside is better.

HTH

[PhotoGav]

2 minutes ago, Jkulin said:

You won't regret the Esprit at all Gav, I was so impressed that I also bought the Esprit 80 as well.

I have a moonlite motorised focuser on the 100 and a lakeside motor on the 80, the later using the original focuser and if I am honest the actual focusers are very comparable, the moonlite has the edge on looks but the handset controller of the lakeside is better.

HTH

Thanks John. I will be attaching a Lakeside motor to it. Can't wait for it to arrive now! Ooooh, new toys!

[Jkulin]

Did you manage to get a FF for it?

I've also been messing with my focal distance to get it to as close to 55mm as possible, just waiting for clear nights now to test it out.

[PhotoGav]

Just now, Jkulin said:

Did you manage to get a FF for it?

I've also been messing with my focal distance to get it to as close to 55mm as possible, just waiting for clear nights now to test it out.

Yes, I also ordered the flattener and a 6mm adapter, which by my reckoning will give me 55.47mm with my QSI and Baader filters. Hopefully there are some clear nights on their way - Friday and Sunday look promising. Though the Esprit won't be going on my mount until after this New Moon - I have the Beehive to complete with my current set-up!

[RayD]

3 hours ago, PhotoGav said:

Well, folks, I finally made a decision...

I very nearly scraped together every penny I have to buy a Takahashi FSQ106ED, but then I realised that I still don't have enough pennies for it. So, I have ordered a.........

......

dramtic gameshow-stylee pause.....

......

Skywatcher Esprit 100ED. [cue rapturous applause...]. Apologies for the ensuing cloud in the South of England.

Thank you all for your input and help. If the Esprit is disappointing I will be coming round to each and every one of you to lament!!!!

Clear skies!

Gav.

Great stuff Gav.  I am certain that will definitely not be disappointed, it's a really lovely telescope 

[Davey-T]

Too late now but Vixen have introduced a new range of ED refractors with large imaging circle.

Dave

[RayD]

4 minutes ago, Davey-T said:

Too late now but Vixen have introduced a new range of ED refractors with large imaging circle.

Dave

Good job swearing is filtered on here 

[PhotoGav]

1 hour ago, Davey-T said:

Too late now but Vixen have introduced a new range of ED refractors with large imaging circle.

Dave

Thanks for that Dave! Luckily I don’t need the larger imaging circle and by the time I do, a Takahashi FSQ106EDX4 will be providing it for me...! Perhaps...

[Jkulin]

Had confirmation from Peter at Lakeside that the Moonlite and the Lakeside pin outs are the same, so no reason to think either temp control won't work with either.

[PhotoGav]

The Esprit 100 arrived earlier this week and yesterday I was able to put it on the mount. The sky last night was very hazy, but was sufficiently thin overhead to warrant trying out the new scope. Here is the first light, a single unguided 60s luminance exposure:

The stars look nice and tidy into the corners, so I am happy with things so far. In fact, depsite the scope not being as well finished as some other scopes I have or have seen, the optics look as though they are going to perform nicely and the focuser seems to be sufficiently chunky. I look forward to some decent clear and dark skies to start imaging properly with it.

 

[melsmore]

Looking good!! Where's the piccy of scope on mount??

[PhotoGav]

17 hours ago, melsmore said:

Looking good!! Where's the piccy of scope on mount??

Poised, just waiting for clear skies...!

[RayD]

Ooh it's a new model with new livery. Be interesting to know if it differs in any other ways.