Show us your LZOS Scope

[JeremyS]

On 13/11/2021 at 23:54, tooth_dr said:

Doubled up 

 

Impressive 👍🏻

I hope you will be trying as bino viewing, not just for imaging?

[tooth_dr]

38 minutes ago, JeremyS said:

Impressive 👍🏻

I hope you will be trying as bino viewing, not just for imaging?

Unfortunately not, I havent actually looked through any of my imaging scopes.  I'm using a colour camera on one and mono on the other.

Edited November 19, 2021 by tooth_dr

[Space Hopper]

For the binoviewer enthusiasts.....

Optic is 105/650  F6.2   No. 509

Strehl is .979  if i remember correctly.

APM supplied it with tube rings that felt like they were made of lead,

so i had Orion Optics custom make me some lightweight lower profile ones.

It has a Losmandy rail, but i've not managed to source a suitable handle for her yet.

I was half thinking of selling it as its not seen a whole lot of use this year, and i generally prefer my larger refractor 

if i'm having a visual session on Lunar / planets etc. I must post some more pics and did out the interferometry report.

 

[tooth_dr]

20 minutes ago, Space Hopper said:

Optic is 105/650  F6.2   No. 509

Cool! I have 502 and 504.

[John]

3 hours ago, tooth_dr said:

Cool! I have 502 and 504.

We can have a "show us your LZOS serial number" as well now !

Mine is #020 from 2006:

 

 

[Deadlake]

No 406

[Deadlake]

6 hours ago, Space Hopper said:

It has a Losmandy rail, but i've not managed to source a suitable handle for her yet.

You might be able to use the KUO handle, ask APM if they have any spare.

Edited November 19, 2021 by Deadlake

[Space Hopper]

16 hours ago, Deadlake said:

You might be able to use the KUO handle, ask APM if they have any spare.

Thanks for the tip ; i'll get in touch with Marcus.

Its always a difficult thing to get right : so many different sized mounting rails and tube rings and thread sizes that getting one to fit is near on impossible.

I've no idea where my original tube rings for my 105 came from : possibly the scrap pile.

They were so big and heavy, and bizarrely they only had 'Whitworth threads'. No metric sized holes at all. Where did they come from ? Certainly not Germany.

Although having a new pair custom made was expensive, i bet they've removed nearly a kilo of weight off the scope setup.

I really like the 'More Blue' rings that FLO sell, but unfortunately non of their range would fit my tube.

 

[Deadlake]

2 hours ago, Space Hopper said:

Thanks for the tip ; i'll get in touch with Marcus.

Its always a difficult thing to get right : so many different sized mounting rails and tube rings and thread sizes that getting one to fit is near on impossible.

I've no idea where my original tube rings for my 105 came from : possibly the scrap pile.

They were so big and heavy, and bizarrely they only had 'Whitworth threads'. No metric sized holes at all. Where did they come from ? Certainly not Germany.

Although having a new pair custom made was expensive, i bet they've removed nearly a kilo of weight off the scope setup.

I really like the 'More Blue' rings that FLO sell, but unfortunately non of their range would fit my tube.

 

The 130 I have are star light, Rupert wanted them to match the anodising of the FT focuser. However the weight is more, I’m sure I could get lighter, but finding them is hard… 

 

[DirkSteele]

I missed this thread come back to life as I was busy finding my feet as a dad (hopefully to a future astronomer). Nice to see a few more wonderful LZOS scopes appear. I wonder if any other SGL members have acquired one since it went cold again?

[The60mmKid]

On 12/08/2018 at 18:30, DirkSteele said:

I am not a member of CloudyNights (perhaps I should consider it, as there are a lot of knowledgeable members, though it can get a bit emotional sometimes…) but I do find that threads sometimes appear in Google searches I run.  I recently came across a thread which I am going to borrow as I thought it was a great idea, “Show us your LZOS scope.”

 

For those who do not know, LZOS (Lytkarino Zavod Optychisovo Sticklo – translates as Lytkarino Optical Glass Works is based in Lytkarino in Russia), was founded in the Soviet-era to manufacture high end optics for military and research use, and also operated as a Zeiss subcontractor.  In the late 90’s / early 2000s, a tie-up between TMB in the US and APM in Germany allowed the skill of their opticians to be experienced by the amateur astronomy community.

 

Unlike virtually all other telescope companies, LZOS manufacture the optical glass used in their telescope lenses as well as fabricating the lens cells.  LZOS produce their own extra-low dispersion glass, OK-4, which has very similar optical properties as the well-known O’Hara produced FPL-53, though they are able to produce blanks in far larger sizes which allows LZOS to offer triplet refractors of up to 20” diameter.  I would love to have a go with one of those!

 

The late Thomas M Back (sadly passing away aged only 50 in 2007) had a lifelong passion for amateur astronomy and a particular interest in optics which saw him become a prolific designer of telescope optics and eyepieces.  He started the TMB Optical business selling high-end refractors of his design, sourcing lenses made to his design and specification by LZOS in Russia, optical tubes from APM in Germany and focusers from Starlight Instruments in the US.

 

APM have been in business since 1990 offering a range of reflecting and refracting scopes including large research grade instruments to a variety of observatories around the world.  They became the exclusive world-wide agent for LZOS made TMB designed lenses in 1998.  After Thomas Back suddenly passed away, APM retained the rights to his designs and continued to offer them in APM branded scopes.

 

APM and TMB scopes are not the only brands to have featured LZOS made lenses over the years.  I know that some have appeared in Stellarvue, Officina Stellare, William Optics and possibly more besides.

 

I have also been left wondering about the serial numbers, and the fact there may be more of certain models out in the wild under the stars than the serial numbers might suggest.  When the lenses first rolled out of Russia, the lens cell would often state “Made for T.M.B” or “TMB Design” or similar but I have also seen in older scopes (if I recall correctly), Fluorstar, and more recently, “LZOS Made” “LZOS for APM” and perhaps some other variations as well.  Given some serial numbers I have seen compared to those on my own scopes and comparing year of manufacture, had led to believe that some serial numbers may have “reset” when the inscription on the lens cell changed.  In particular, I am sure I have seen an 180mm LZOS lens with a higher serial number than mine, but produced many years earlier.

 

So, if you are lucky enough to have one (or have had one and still have photos), why not share them here. Just like the Cloudynights thread, include your interferometry certificate if you have it.

 

We could probably start a whole active thread about the usefulness of those certificates, with some suggesting they tell you little and are a bit of marketing.  I take a slightly more pragmatic approach.  While it is true that a mono-chromatic strehl measurement tells you only a little about an optic (an achromat could have a high mono-strehl), my view is that if the strehl is high in the measured wavelength (532nm for LZOS), it means the optical figure is smooth and given the skill and reputation of the LZOS opticians, a decent degree of confidence can be taken that the optic has been manufactured close to its design parameters which means its poly-strehl should be good (within the confines of the original design limitation of course).  For example, the 130mm f/9 triplet Apo, has a design poly-strehl of 0.984, which means that a perfectly executed example, when focused on a central wavelength, would measure a strehl ratio of at least that value across the visible spectrum.

 

Enough with the history lesson.

 

So, to get the ball rolling, here is my APM LZOS 180mm f/7 triplet Apo.  Lens cell number 22.  It has featured in an episode of The Sky at Night.  I am 180cm (5’ 11”) tall for reference.  Certificate below:

I will do whatever it takes to become your friend and get invited over.

[stuy]

228 F9 lzos big heavy and long but visually stunning!! 

[DirkSteele]

53 minutes ago, stuy said:

228 F9 lzos big heavy and long but visually stunning!! 

Just picking my jaw up off the ground.

[John]

Now that is one amazing and beautiful refractor 😁

[Mr Spock]

I have GOT to have one of those!!!

[John]

Here are a couple of pics of my TMB/LZOS 130mm F/9.2. My main reason for posting them is to bump this thread so that folks get a chance to have a look at @stuy's magnificent 228mm F/9 LZOS a few posts back up the page - it's well worth a look - there are very few around, anywhere 😁

Anyway, here are a couple of my scope - then scroll up for the big one with nearly 100mm more aperture 👍

Edited August 3, 2023 by John

[Stu]

10 hours ago, John said:

Here are a couple of pics of my TMB/LZOS 130mm F/9.2. My main reason for posting them is to bump this thread so that folks get a chance to have a look at @stuy's magnificent 228mm F/9 LZOS a few posts back up the page - it's well worth a look - there are very few around, anywhere 😁

Anyway, here are a couple of my scope - then scroll up for the big one with nearly 100mm more aperture 👍

Thanks John. Had already seen it but it’s always going to be worth a second, and third and…… look!! Amazing scope 👍

[Alan White]

On 27/06/2023 at 21:19, stuy said:

228 F9 lzos big heavy and long but visually stunning!! 

Only just seen this posting and my oh my, What a Biggun.
Lookng through a scope like that on a good night (if only we had those) will be amazing.
I have looked through an 8" triplet in my locality and it was super, so speak with a kimited experience.

 

[badhex]

38 minutes ago, Stu said:

Thanks John. Had already seen it but it’s always going to be worth a second, and third and…… look!! Amazing scope 👍

I second that emotion! Both beauty and the beast in one package. 

I know a lot of people say that Astro Physics make the worlds best scopes (and are willing to wait 20 years to get one) but if I were to join any waiting lists for hard-to-get refractors, I'd want an LZOS. 

[DirkSteele]

Given geo-politics as they are now, obtaining an Apo of that size is almost impossible unless you want to place an order for the Takahashi FCT which are wallet breaking compared to the LZOS.

 

Wish I had considered a bigger one at the time of my purchase but anything larger than 7” really needs a permanent home (the 7” does really as well) and I did want to be able to take it to star parties.

Edited August 4, 2023 by DirkSteele
Typo, it’s always typos!

[Steve Ward]

18 hours ago, John said:

Here are a couple of pics of my TMB/LZOS 130mm F/9.2. My main reason for posting them is to bump this thread so that folks get a chance to have a look at @stuy's magnificent 228mm F/9 LZOS a few posts back up the page - it's well worth a look - there are very few around, anywhere 😁

 

 

 

Thank you for bumping this John , a thread that had passed me by , a truly astonishing collection of glass on display throughout.

I shall remain happy with my humble new Evostar 150 Achro however , but continue to follow this thread in awe.

 

Edited August 4, 2023 by Steve Ward

[Deadlake]

1 hour ago, DirkSteele said:

Given geo-politics as they are now, obtaining an Apo of that size is almost impossible unless you want to place an order for the Takahashi FCT which are wallet braking compared to the LZOS.

 

Wish I had considered a bigger one at the time of my purchase but anything larger than 7” really needs a permanent home (the 7” does really as well) and I did want to be able to take it to star parties.

What’s wrong with a Yellow Submarine from TEC, same price range as the LZOS and Yuri’s order book is open..

Edited August 4, 2023 by Deadlake

[John]

APM have a pre-owned LZOS 180 F/7 for sale currently. It's listed at just under 24,000 Euros (excluding tax) but I expect they will negotiate, a little 😈

[DirkSteele]

1 hour ago, John said:

APM have a pre-owned LZOS 180 F/7 for sale currently. It's listed at just under 24,000 Euros (excluding tax) but I expect they will negotiate, a little 😈

I can whole-heartedly recommend it to anyone who has the money. Mine is woefully underused but one day I will build it a little house and then it can collect all the starlight it deserves.

Edited August 4, 2023 by DirkSteele
Typo

[DirkSteele]

1 hour ago, Deadlake said:

What’s wrong with a Yellow Submarine from TEC, same price range as the LZOS and Yuri’s order book is open..

Not familiar with that model. I shall look it up now.