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All quiet on the Astro Physics front ?


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Over the past 5 years Takahashi scopes have been more and more frequently discussed on SGL and I've seen more mention of LZOS optics over the past couple of years as well. Very little discussion of Astro Physics scopes though.

On the CN forum, unsurprisingly as AP are a US manufacturer, we see much discussion of their scopes but very rarely do they get a mention on here.

Is this because the brand is rarely encountered on this side of the pond I wonder :icon_scratch:

Over the years that I've been in the hobby, Astro Physics is certainly a name that has been prominent and that has always piqued my interest.  I've read, rather enviously it has to be said, the very enthusiastic reports from owners elsewhere and also, less enviously, of the long waiting lists for potential owners of the new scopes they produce.

I'm sure that Takahashi and LZOS are in a similar league to AP but I'm curious as to whether there are simply not many of the US brands instruments over here or whether they are around but their owners are "quieter types" maybe ?

I've never owned an Astro Physics scope but I do have one item of AP equipment - one of their 2 inch "Maxbright" diagonals which does seem a superbly made piece of kit with performance to match.

I think I might have observed through a 130mm AP refractor at one of the SGL star parties but it was dark so I could not be sure ! :rolleyes2:

Astro Physics also produce very highly regarded mounts and I think there are a few of those around. They even come up for sale, occasionally.

 

 

 

 

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I'm sure its availability, as you say John. The waiting lists coupled with export/import costs for us here in the UK probably really have a limiting effect. I'd love to look through one though!

Edited by Marki
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Don’t think I’ve ever come across and AP scope in the flesh, John. They do sound good. People always talk about the multi year wait lists. Taks are readily available (in non COVID times!)

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I’ve had the pleasure of looking through @GavStars AP 130GTX, and it was wonderful I must say. Pretty sure I preferred it to his TEC140 for undefinable reasons, just something about the purity of the views. I seem to recall having a wonderful view of the Trapezium with all six stars better presented than I’ve ever seen before, or since. There’s always a chance that I’m confusing that memory with the views through Gavin’s TEC160 but I don’t think so 🤔

Anyway, an AP130GTX is certainly high up on my wish list, highly portable for its aperture. I do have a constant (though currently totally hypothetical) argument in my head as to whether I would go f6 or f9 for ‘my’ 130mm premium apo when my number come up finally. I suspect f6 due to my love of widefield and for the improved portability, so the GTX is still up there.

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I've been on the list since 2015 and I was told in an email they had reached customers from 2013 recently.  So two more years going by those dates?? I've had chance to purchase a TEC 140 a couple of times but im holding out. 

Exciting !  

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When I very first started out in this hobby after only a little reading around I put myself on the waiting list for an AP 130. I got a reply saying essentially “you’re on the waiting list”. I’ve heard nothing yet; that was June 2017.

My reasoning was that although at that time I was a total novice, by the time it came up I MIGHT be able to afford it, and I would certainly be more experienced.

Here I am now, less of a novice and I probably could stump up, but still waiting...

Cheers, Magnus

 

 

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@StuF/6 is quite a bit easier to mount steadily I think. The Rowan AZ100 should handle either focal ratio quite easily though.

I was strongly considering buying a used Astro Physics Star 120 ED (doublet) a few years ago. It was good nick and priced around £800 I recall. I had recently bought my Skywatcher ED120 though so I was a bit skint and let my "head rule my heart" on that one. It's one of those "I wonder ......" things that I look back on occasionally. My guess is that a used Star ED would now set me back at least twice that amount.

 

 

Edited by John
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1 minute ago, Captain Magenta said:

When I very first started out in this hobby after only a little reading around I put myself on the waiting list for an AP 130. I got a reply saying essentially “you’re on the waiting list”. I’ve heard nothing yet; that was June 2017.

My reasoning was that although at that time I was a total novice, by the time it came up I MIGHT be able to afford it, and I would certainly be more experienced.

Here I am now, less of a novice and I probably could stump up, but still waiting...

Cheers, Magnus

 

 

Haha, same here! I took a chance back in 2015 although I could have afforded it getting it past the wife is another matter! 

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I've worked on a couple of AP 6" "Super Planetary" refractors.  I shortened the one owned by the late Douglas Arnold so that he could use binoviewers on it and folded one for another owner so that it would fit into his small observatory.  The only AP refractor I've actually looked through was an early version 92mm Stowaway,  someone, can't remember who, loaned me one for a day at Kelling.  I have to say that terrestrially it was amazing, regardless of magnification it still gave a perfect image.  Sadly it was cloudy at night and I didn't get the chance to use it at night.  Would I wait years for one?   NO.        🙂 

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There are a few AP scope owners in the UK and throughout wider Europe.  I'm aware of at least two AP160's in England at one time or another.

I bought my (2nd hand, very lightly used) AP 130 EDFS f/6 in from the US in 2011. Per George at AP, its one of the very last made of this model. I have only ever used it for (light, yet larger) travel viewing when the C-14 isn't practical. 

Visually, the term I recall using the first time out was exquisite - such a finely balanced scope that throws up views of such clarity and "crispness". For sure, at f/6 I found Nagler T4s, T5s and T6s to be best paired with this scope. Normally, I chase DSOs, but have done some planetary viewing out of curiosity and found there's almost no limit to which you can push magnification on planets with this scope. 

The only scope I think provides similar (in my opinion, at least)  experience might well be the TOA130 and both are (again, in my opinion) are more appealing visually than a TEC140ED that I have a chance to compare against. That said, I am told that TEC's FL offerings are more in line with AP and Tak, but I have no experience with their FLs. 

Best.., 

bsdsgl84

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10 hours ago, Captain Magenta said:

When I very first started out in this hobby after only a little reading around I put myself on the waiting list for an AP 130. I got a reply saying essentially “you’re on the waiting list”. I’ve heard nothing yet; that was June 2017.

My reasoning was that although at that time I was a total novice, by the time it came up I MIGHT be able to afford it, and I would certainly be more experienced.

Here I am now, less of a novice and I probably could stump up, but still waiting...

Cheers, Magnus

 

 

Same, I sent my interest a few months after yours, October 2017 to be precise.

However due to the impending arrival of an Esprit 150, I’m unsure if my marriage could cope with ‘another’ telescope purchased. Hopefully my turn on the list will allow her memory to lapse, possibly!

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Stowaway owner here!

n.434 of the 3rd production run. Sold my Tak 76mm upon receipt of the Stowaway.

Had to wait 2(3?) years, and the email from Darleen telling me my number had come up was a complete surprise.

Just vary rare, and not available 'off the shelf' so less seen and talked about. For the price I paid UPS, and the £770 import duty at Stansted, there's an substantial cost on top of the $3500..

The views are wonderful, but with lockdown, the Observatory at Seething has been closed to all, I've not used mine this year...it's going with me to Devon next week though, in the (forlorn) hope of clear skies..

 

Edited by Cjg
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A friend of mine has a 152 f9 (if I remember correctly)  Starfire which I've used a few times when Ive been staying in the Midlands.  It is a very nice scope, but I haven't used it in first class seeing conditions.  The images are excellent, but for me, it hasn't given me the wow factor I've had using Tak FS128 and FS152 fluorite doublets in the past. 

Of course, unless you compare them side by side in similiar seeing conditions, its almost impossible to make any really meaningful comparison. 

Also, even if you read a side by side review done by someone else in excellent seeing conditions, found regularly in some locations,  this is not the whole story.  If your own local seeing conditions are generally inferior, then you might never see the advantages of the better scope even if you had one.  Seeing is a great leveler, a SW 150ED may be as good in your own backyard as a Tak or an AP on the vast majority of nights.

I won't even mention the ability and experience of the observer, oops, I have now!  😁.

 

 

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Availability/Waiting time. People who have the budget for refractors of this price class usually will not worry about the additional import duties.

The extremely long waiting time of the AP scopes make them more like collector items than tools for astronomy.

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19 minutes ago, KP82 said:

.... more like collector items than tools for astronomy.

That's an interesting point.

I know of someone (not a member here) who purchased a couple of Takahashi scopes but very rarely uses them because of concerns that they might get damaged in some way. He has gone to the lengths of also owning Skywatcher ED scopes in the same aperture as well and those are the scopes that get used.

That's his choice of course but I think these really nice scopes are meant to be used. I certainly use mine as often as I can !

 

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2 minutes ago, John said:

That's an interesting point.

I know of someone (not a member here) who purchased a couple of Takahashi scopes but very rarely uses them because of concerns that they might get damaged in some way. He has gone to the lengths of also owning Skywatcher ED scopes in the same aperture as well and those are the scopes that get used.

That's his choice of course but I think these really nice scopes are meant to be used. I certainly use mine as often as I can !

 

That does seem sad John. I suspect I may who you are referring to but perhaps not. Scopes are to be used! Looked after and maintained well, yes of course, but definitely used. My Tak certainly shows some signs of use and is no longer ‘perfect’, but it has given me a lot of enjoyment and will continue to do that for many years. I’m a bit more ‘precious’ about my Vixen FL102S because it is older and a comparatively rare example in excellent condition, but it still gets used whenever possible.

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27 minutes ago, Stu said:

That does seem sad John. I suspect I may who you are referring to but perhaps not. Scopes are to be used! Looked after and maintained well, yes of course, but definitely used. My Tak certainly shows some signs of use and is no longer ‘perfect’, but it has given me a lot of enjoyment and will continue to do that for many years. I’m a bit more ‘precious’ about my Vixen FL102S because it is older and a comparatively rare example in excellent condition, but it still gets used whenever possible.

I wish my Taks showed more signs of use, but that’s more down to the weather than being frightened to take them out, unlike that other person we know 😬

Edited by JeremyS
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25 minutes ago, John said:

That's an interesting point.

I know of someone (not a member here) who purchased a couple of Takahashi scopes but very rarely uses them because of concerns that they might get damaged in some way. He has gone to the lengths of also owning Skywatcher ED scopes in the same aperture as well and those are the scopes that get used.

That's his choice of course but I think these really nice scopes are meant to be used. I certainly use mine as often as I can !

 

Wow, that's a bit overboard especially if these Taks are still in production. Anyway it's his choice like you said.

I certainly agree with you that these nice scopes should be used as often as possible. I'd definitely want to see the benefit of the large sum of cash I've paid for the premium scope.

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33 minutes ago, John said:

That's an interesting point.

I know of someone (not a member here) who purchased a couple of Takahashi scopes but very rarely uses them because of concerns that they might get damaged in some way. He has gone to the lengths of also owning Skywatcher ED scopes in the same aperture as well and those are the scopes that get used.

That's his choice of course but I think these really nice scopes are meant to be used. I certainly use mine as often as I can !

 

I suspect it was the same person who insisted on using multiple clamshell clamps on the OTA to protect the tube if it fell off the mount 🤔

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21 hours ago, Stu said:

I’ve had the pleasure of looking through @GavStars AP 130GTX, and it was wonderful I must say. Pretty sure I preferred it to his TEC140 for undefinable reasons, just something about the purity of the views. I seem to recall having a wonderful view of the Trapezium with all six stars better presented than I’ve ever seen before, or since. There’s always a chance that I’m confusing that memory with the views through Gavin’s TEC160 but I don’t think so 🤔

Anyway, an AP130GTX is certainly high up on my wish list, highly portable for its aperture. I do have a constant (though currently totally hypothetical) argument in my head as to whether I would go f6 or f9 for ‘my’ 130mm premium apo when my number come up finally. I suspect f6 due to my love of widefield and for the improved portability, so the GTX is still up there.

@GavStar told me he sold the TEC because he preferred the views thru the AP, backed up by club members. Nice choice to have. I’ve not asked him how he managed to get hold of the GTX and a stowaway. Original I was going to get a 130 mm/F9 LZOS. However after discussing the F6 has more utility in wide field, Bino or NV usage then the F9. As @jetstreamsays you can always Barlow the scope for high magnification. The only downside of fast scopes have a slight lower Strehl, but going from 0.99 to 0.98 is a first world problem that my young eyes will not notice.

Edited by Deadlake
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