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TMB Optical APM 105/f6.2 LZOS APO

dannybgoode

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dannybgoode

dannybgoode

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How did I get here from starting with a secondhand SW 150P? At first I wanted more aperture and greater focal length and acquired a rather nice Meade LX200 10” SCT and whilst due to various reasons it has not been used much it has shown me some astonishing views of Jupiter and the moon and has teased me with some DSO’s. It has also given my little boy a taste for the wonders of astronomy. 

But, a) because I’ve wanted a frac in the arsenal and more recently b) as I am really getting into the astrophotography side of things it was inevitable that I’d end up with an APO if some sort.

I thought most probably an SW ED or maybe a lower end WO or Explore Scientific. Actually I really wanted a Tak but was mindful of the budget. I love quality engineering and craftsmanship and having come from a photography background understand the difference quality glass can make and a really nice Tak was where I ultimately wanted to be.

Then I saw this on the RVO website and realised it was something special, promptly decided you only live once and placed the order yesterday. I just had to have it. Usual prompt service from Ian & Adam and here she is. 

Even after reading all the reviews and looking at the many photos I don’t think anything can prepare you for the sheer mass of the thing. With the due shield retracted and the extension tube detached it’s barely 16” long but then you try and lift it out of the case and you realise just what a piece of engineering it is. I can quite believe it tips the scales at a shade over 10kg. 

And the CNC’d focuser. An absolute work of art - pure function AND form. Delicate, smooth, precise yet along with the cockroaches will be one of the few things to survive a nuclear war. Just such a massively over-engineered device, almost unnecessarily so, but then that’s what this scope is all about. If the HST had a manual focuser this would be it!

As for the tube. I’ve read it’s some exotic paper impregnated with a resin to form a plastic type material - it certainly feels like nothing I’ve handled before. Shiny, flawlessly smooth but also quite warm to touch. Apparently the material prevents the optics from ever dewing up - I’ll certainly put that to the test as soon as I can.

As for the optics. They need no introduction - just a sublime chunk of glass. The coating such that at the right angle the objective becomes invisible. Clearly crafted rather than merely manufactured. 

The rest of the scope - the milled knobs, the tube rings, the finderscope holder etc all compliment and add to the function and aesthetics. The impression of a scope designed to be the very best it can be and to hell with the cost. I doubt with the amount of machining the metalwork must have taken on these early scopes they could ever turn a profit.

Should I have bought it? Probably not. Are there better value scopes out there? I’m sure there are. But you only live once and this is a thing of beauty. I almost feel a weight of responsibility caring for such an instrument and I cannot wait for first light. I’ll be sure to post a report accordingly. 

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dannybgoode

dannybgoode

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1 minute ago, Victor Boesen said:

@dannybgoode You're right! Thank you, but instead you made my decide to visit the US next autumn to buy a Televue 85!!! Should be cheaper in the long run....(if you don't account for the tickets and the stay):rolleyes2:

Why travel to the US to get one out of interest? FLO stock them don’t they? 

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John

John

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Lovely looking scope - congratulations !

I recall drooling over one many years back in a dealers window and being amazed to find that it was "just" a 105mm - it looked a larger aperture scope. Unbelieveable that yours is actually heavier than my TMB/LZOS 130mm F/9.2 triplet :shocked:

If the tube is made of the same stuff that my TMB/LZOS is then it's Kruppax 50 which was used on the lightweight versions of these scopes. One of it's properties is that its practically immune from dewing.

Even the objective cells on these scopes are a work of engineering art with precisely positioned spacers and pressure points on the inner and outer lens retaining rings.

Enjoy the views  - they should be superb !

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dannybgoode

dannybgoode

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8 minutes ago, John said:

Unbelieveable that yours is actually heavier than my TMB/LZOS 130mm F/9.2 triplet :shocked:

 

I certainly wouldn’t want to drop it on my foot! It would be both costly and painful. Very painful. It is about the same weight as my 10” Meade SCT OTA!

9 minutes ago, John said:

Enjoy the views  - they should be superb !

I’ve actually never even looked through a frac - this will be a first. May as well make it a good one eh :)?

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John

John

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4 minutes ago, dannybgoode said:

..I’ve actually never even looked through a frac - this will be a first. May as well make it a good one eh :)?

Remember to give it some cool down time before upping the magnification - it's a triplet so they need to equalise properly before they give their best.

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John

John

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I don't know if you have the original paperwork and optical test sheet with the scope. If not, and they are of interest, Markus Ludes at APM Telescopes might be able to supply you with a copy of the original test sheet. He was able to find mine, which is a 2006 model, in his files. Yours seems to be an APM / LZOS objective so it will have been through Markus's hands at some point.

All the LZOS triplets are at least .95 strehl.

 

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Victor Boesen

Victor Boesen

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12 minutes ago, John said:

Won't you have to pay import duties though ?

Or is that included in your calculated savings ?

It's a little risky because if I get pulled aside going through security I'll have to pay duties off it, but this has never happened to me before on any of my trips including the three previous times to the states.

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KP82

KP82

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1 hour ago, Rush said:

You might need one of this if its not in the box, and u intend to do AP.

William TMB designed Flattener for Refractors - 68 mm Aperture

9978_1.jpg 9978_2.jpg 9978_3.jpg

Isn't that the 3 inch 1.0x FF Altair and TS have been selling?

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swag72

swag72

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Ooooo...... I've enjoyed reading this as 2 years ago I had the privilege of getting hold of an original TMB/LZOS 152/1200...... everything you say about the build , focuser etc is bang on the money..... it is a scope I will never ever part with ?? Enjoy yours ????

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Rush

Rush

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8 hours ago, KP82 said:

Isn't that the 3 inch 1.0x FF Altair and TS have been selling?

The 3 Inch i was using on a 115 mm Triplet Photoline from TS was Riccardi.

Im not sure about the Altair versions. APM sells William TMB designed models.

https://www.apm-telescopes.net/apm-lzos-telescope-apo-refractor-105-650-3-Zollzta_i1_0_3301_2.html

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John

John

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I'd probably consult Markus at APM regarding getting a properly matched corrector / reducer. This one lists your scope optics in it's compatibility list:

https://www.apm-telescopes.de/en/optical-accessories/flattener-reducer-correctors/apm-riccardi-universal-apo-flattner-1.0x-model-1-apo-telescopes.html

Remember that the LZOS objectives use special glass types melted by LZOS themselves rather than Ohara or Schott products.

 

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KP82

KP82

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1 minute ago, John said:

If dannybegoode is not going to image then I'd have thought the native focal ratio of F/6.2 would be fast enough for versatile visual observing ?

 

 

I agree. Anything between f/6 and f/7 are good for both wide field and high power planet observation.

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dannybgoode

dannybgoode

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31 minutes ago, John said:

If dannybegoode is not going to image then I'd have thought the native focal ratio of F/6.2 would be fast enough for versatile visual observing ?

 

 

I’ll definitely be imaging. One of the reasons I bought it but that said I am very much looking forward to just looking through it for now. 

But yes, I have already dropped Markus a line to see if he has any test data on the lens and will ask about a proper corrector as well. 

I may be totally reckless and see what the images look like uncorrected too :D

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