Tak owners - finders?

[A McEwan]

Hi all.

I'm in a quandary. I love my Tak FC100Df and enjoy using it. But... for finding, I have my Telrad mounted onto the top of the tube cradle. It's an ugly and slightly cumbersome setup and one that, while functional, does not fill me with the joy that an elegant solution would.

I obviously can get either the 6x30 size or 7x50 size finder mount for the Tak, and insert an optical finder, but I would rather not pay the asking price of Tak finderscopes, good as they may be. I'm wondering what finder solutions you other Tak users emply? I'm happy with RACI Style optics, or straight-through normal styly, but would probably want to use a small RDF in addition to the optical one.

So, just curious really: what do you use and why do you love it?

Ant   

[dweller25]

I use standard skywatcher 9x50 RACI’s on both of mine.

Edited August 16, 2019 by dweller25

[Stu]

I have a couple of different shoes fitted to the rings on my Tak and can fit an RDF with either a 6x30 or 9x50 RACI depending on what I'm viewing. Both work well. Often the RDF is all I need though.

[DirkSteele]

I just use the Tak finder, as unhelpful as that is.  They are amazing.   If I bought a scope of that aperture and optics were that good, I would be a satisfied purchaser.

[A McEwan]

9 minutes ago, DirkSteele said:

I just use the Tak finder, as unhelpful as that is.  They are amazing.   If I bought a scope of that aperture and optics were that good, I would be a satisfied purchaser.

Would you say that it was "better" than a standard Skywatcher/TS/etc finder? Does it show more? Is it the 30mm or 50mm?

[DirkSteele]

6 minutes ago, A McEwan said:

Would you say that it was "better" than a standard Skywatcher/TS/etc finder? Does it show more? Is it the 30mm or 50mm?

I really think they are well above the standard finders you quote.  I use the 30mm and I am not exaggerating when I say it shows as much, if not more than the typical 50mm finders in my collection (Meade, Celestron, TS etc).  I have also used the 50mm, and was also very impressed.  I am actually considering buying a 50mm Tak finder to use with my larger scopes, but I star hop a lot and a bright, clear image is valuable to me.  But they are expensive for sure.

[Peter Drew]

The Tak and Tal finders are the best ones I've used as far as optics are concerned but what's a good finder? Provided that it has adequate aperture for the purpose, a visible xhair, angled if you need it and a positive and easy to use alignment adjustments, then it's pretty much perfect. The Skywatcher types fall into this category for me.   😀

[dweller25]

I sold my 50mm Tak finder as I found the cross hairs were so fine they were impossible to see.

I could have bought an illuminator that would have sorted the problem but it was more expensive than the standard Skywatcher finder !!

[ollypenrice]

I've never had much luck with red dot finders and prefer the Telrad any day. Maybe I've been unlucky but the red dot finders I've tried have been fiddly and unreliable. The latest (quite expensive) one now produces two dots. Great.

Olly

Edited August 16, 2019 by ollypenrice

[JeremyS]

Not what you were wanting to hear, but I have the Tak 6 x 30 on the FC76DCU and the illuminated 7 x 50 on the FS102. They really are superb. I have used other 50mm finders from a variety of suppliers (currently have Celestron, Vixen, TS) and they are  all fine, but not the same as the Tak ones.

They are expensive, but you will use them for many years, so perhaps you can discount the cost in your mind over all those years 🙂. At least that's what I tell myself 🙂

 

 

[John]

I didn't get on with the Tak 6x30 finder that came with my FC-100DL package. It was straight through and the cross hairs were indistinct. It was very nicely made and sold quickly so no harm done !.

I now use a Skywatcher 6x30 RACI in the Tak finder bracket and attached to the scope via an ADM quick release mount. I'm very happy with this arrangement and it does everything that I want it to do

[Rusted]

My finder has a finder. 90mm f/11 Vixen 90M with original Vixen finder. Nice.

Now what was the question again?

[A McEwan]

26 minutes ago, John said:

I didn't get on with the Tak 6x30 finder that came with my FC-100DL package. It was straight through and the cross hairs were indistinct. It was very nicely made and sold quickly so no harm done !.

I now use a Skywatcher 6x30 RACI in the Tak finder bracket and attached to the scope via an ADM quick release mount. I'm very happy with this arrangement and it does everything that I want it to do

John, this is what I decided to go for. I've ordered a SW 6x30 RACI and a Tak bracket for it to go in. I notice your bracket is black - is this because it is the DL model's version?

[John]

4 minutes ago, A McEwan said:

John, this is what I decided to go for. I've ordered a SW 6x30 RACI and a Tak bracket for it to go in. I notice your bracket is black - is this because it is the DL model's version?

Mine was the last of the 1st run of DL's available in the UK. They had a black focuser so I went for the ADM Tak quick release bracket which I thought suited the scope better and it was half the price of the Tak quick release finder bracket:

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/finders/adm-takahashi-quick-release-finder-bracket.html

The 2nd run of DL's used the new Tak duck egg blue colour for the focuser.

 

[fireballxl5]

How about a used Tak 11*70mm?

 

😁

[A McEwan]

4 minutes ago, fireballxl5 said:

How about a used Tak 11*70mm?

 

😁

Oooo where's that?

 

[dweller25]

Probably weighs the same as your scope 🤔

[jock1958]

I had same issue as you with my 100DL, the Tak 6 x 30 finder that came with the package is excellent but I struggled to get on with it. Also ty wrapping the Telrad to the Tak looked unsightly. 

After advice from @John I opted for the Skywatcher 6 x 30 RACI finder and re- located my Telrad on my Skytee 2, location of the Telrad might not be to everyone’s taste but works for me just now. 

[A McEwan]

I've hit a snag. I ordered the Tak bracket but was told it would be the newer blue colour. Not good. Is anyone still selling the Tak green ones?

 

[dweller25]

Another option....

Here is a Black Skywatcher 6x30 on a Standard Skywatcher bracket - the base has been flattened to fit the silver Tak quick release.

As John says ADM do a black quick release for a lot less......

Edited August 16, 2019 by dweller25

[Rusted]

Oh, you mean Vixen green? 

 

[A McEwan]

Tak green. To match the FC100Df.

[Rusted]

2 minutes ago, A McEwan said:

Tak green. To match the FC100Df.

Just use it at night?

[Dr_Ju_ju]

4 hours ago, ollypenrice said:

The latest (quite expensive) one now produces two dots. Great.

But isn't that just the wine.....

[jock1958]

20 minutes ago, A McEwan said:

Tak green. To match the FC100Df.

Strange and very frustrating they changed the colour from green to blue. Looked on the Tak America website and it shows a 100DF with a green clamp,  green finder bracket and and blue focuser fitting?  If you've ordered it off FLO / Ian King they might have a spare green one knocking around?

Failing that maybe you could experiment with some colour match spray paint from Halfords?