Received an email yesterday...

[Nakedgun]

...from Agema Optics in Colorado that the SD-120 fluorite doublet I have ordered, #003, is just a week or two away from shipping.

Former TEC Mak-builder Eduard Trygubova is the creator, here (I have a TEC MC-150 and can attest to its build quality), so I'm optimistic.

 

 

 

 

 

I've owned triplets in the past, but now only doublets. They provide me with the satisfying views I desire as I do no imaging. 

 

 

. 

[Stu]

Looks and sounds very promising @Nakedgun, I look forward to hearing how it performs. I love fluorite doublets too!

[John]

That looks a lovely scope !

Interesting that they seem to manufacture the objectives themselves. Not many manufacturers actually working with fluorite these days. Takahashi and Vixen have replied on Canon Optron for their fluorites.

A comparison between the Agema 120 and the Tak TSA 120 would be very interesting - I wonder if anyone has done one yet ?

[Stu]

Wonder if they will make a 130mm version? Would love one of those!

[Stu]

😱😱

https://www.astroshop.de/teleskope/agema-optics-apochromatischer-refraktor-ap-130-1040-sd-130-f8-ota/p,52871

[John]

6 hours ago, Stu said:

😱😱

https://www.astroshop.de/teleskope/agema-optics-apochromatischer-refraktor-ap-130-1040-sd-130-f8-ota/p,52871

That's about £1K more than the APM/LZOS 130 F/9.2 triplet I think.

 

[Stu]

2 hours ago, John said:

That's about £1K more than the APM/LZOS 130 F/9.2 triplet I think.

 

Yes, that was part of the 😱😱! 🤣

In many ways I would prefer a fluorite doublet 130mm to a triplet due to weight and cooling but not for that price gap!

[Nakedgun]

17 hours ago, John said:

That looks a lovely scope !

Interesting that they seem to manufacture the objectives themselves. Not many manufacturers actually working with fluorite these days. Takahashi and Vixen have replied on Canon Optron for their fluorites.

A comparison between the Agema 120 and the Tak TSA 120 would be very interesting - I wonder if anyone has done one yet ?

 

This is their first production run for the 120, so, no comparisons, yet.

 

 

.

[Nakedgun]

9 hours ago, Stu said:

Yes, that was part of the 😱😱! 🤣

In many ways I would prefer a fluorite doublet 130mm to a triplet due to weight and cooling but not for that price gap!

 

Here is the price for the 130, on their webpage.

 

[Nakedgun]

18 hours ago, Stu said:

Wonder if they will make a 130mm version? Would love one of those!

 

And, here is someone's review of the 130.

 

 

.

[Deadlake]

On 13/07/2021 at 19:07, Stu said:

Yes, that was part of the 😱😱! 🤣

In many ways I would prefer a fluorite doublet 130mm to a triplet due to weight and cooling but not for that price gap!

I sometimes wonder if you’d notice the difference between a 130 mm from Tecnosky, e.g.

https://astrograph.net/epages/www_astrograph_net.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/www_astrograph_net/Products/AGTEC130-7

with a minimum Strehl of 0.95 and a more premium make with maybe a smoother lens, better PV…

Once you are at Strehl 0.95 you would need to move to get more out of the scope, better seeing…

 

 

[Nakedgun]

Delivered today, just in time for the New Moon weekend.

Clear skies forecast.

Tonight, the planets will be mine!

 

 

 

[callisto]

Very nice 👍

 

Mark

[John]

Lovely looking scope - congratulations

[JeremyS]

Beautiful 👍🏻

[Nakedgun]

Last night - first light.

The gas giants were impressive - sharp and detailed.

Happy camper, here.

 

 

 

[Andrew_B]

That is a gorgeous looking telescope and reminds me of Astro-Physics, being almost over-engineered with every component custom made in-house right down to the focuser. Is it heavy relative to other scopes that size? It looks so solidly made that I'd expect it to weigh a lot.

Great to see another company making fluorite refractors and especially that they're offering large doublets which seemed to have gone out of fashion since Takahashi stopped selling the FS-128 and FS-152. The longer focal ratio is a nice change too in a world full of fast scopes aimed at imagers and let's hope they do well enough to encourage other manufacturers to offer similar products of their own.

[F15Rules]

4 hours ago, Andrew_B said:

Is it heavy relative to other scopes that size? It looks so solidly made that I'd expect it to weigh a lot

Andrew, my FS128 weighs 7.5kg, about 2kg less than the Agema I think?

The Tak has a large tube, about 165mm at the dewshield and c 145mm for the OTA IIRC, but is actually very pleasantly lightweight, but solid.

And of course the other big difference optically is that my FS128 has the fluorite element at the front of the doublet, hence the FS (Front Surface) moniker.

The Agema looks like a lovely, high end scope and I wish them all success with it👍..but my FS128 will not be going anywhere 🤗😊.

Dave

[RT65CB-SWL]

That is a nice looking 'scope. The red highlights look stunning too!

Edited August 10, 2021 by Philip R

[Nakedgun]

7 hours ago, Andrew_B said:

That is a gorgeous looking telescope and reminds me of Astro-Physics, being almost over-engineered with every component custom made in-house right down to the focuser. Is it heavy relative to other scopes that size? It looks so solidly made that I'd expect it to weigh a lot.

Great to see another company making fluorite refractors and especially that they're offering large doublets which seemed to have gone out of fashion since Takahashi stopped selling the FS-128 and FS-152. The longer focal ratio is a nice change too in a world full of fast scopes aimed at imagers and let's hope they do well enough to encourage other manufacturers to offer similar products of their own.

 

Andrew B,

It's right at 19lbs. without diagonal/ep, and my GM-8 with Losmandy 8lb. counterweight handles it without issue.

Your thoughts regarding doublets resonates with me. I sold my triplets some years ago.

[Nakedgun]

3 hours ago, F15Rules said:

Andrew, my FS128 weighs 7.5kg, about 2kg less than the Agema I think?

The Tak has a large tube, about 165mm at the dewshield and c 145mm for the OTA IIRC, but is actually very pleasantly lightweight, but solid.

And of course the other big difference optically is that my FS128 has the fluorite element at the front of the doublet, hence the FS (Front Surface) moniker.

The Agema looks like a lovely, high end scope and I wish them all success with it👍..but my FS128 will not be going anywhere 🤗😊.

Dave

F15Rules,

When I "downsized" some years ago, selling my 18" newt, two triplet refractors and G-11 mount, I also, quite foolishly, included my FS-128 with that group, regretting the decision to this day. Not wanting to buy used,  Agema has come to my rescue.

Sometimes, one must learn the hard way.

 

.

[F15Rules]

4 hours ago, Nakedgun said:

F15Rules,

When I "downsized" some years ago, selling my 18" newt, two triplet refractors and G-11 mount, I also, quite foolishly, included my FS-128 with that group, regretting the decision to this day. Not wanting to buy used,  Agema has come to my rescue.

Sometimes, one must learn the hard way.

 

.

I totally get that, NG..there don't seem to have ever been many FS128s in the UK - I'm aware of 3 people who have owned one and sold one, and each of them said they bitterly regretted selling them.

I was lucky to find mine 4.5 years ago, a 1999 model in like new condition and hardly used, complete with a lovely '98 Tak EM2 mount. For me, it was hoped to be an all round scope, for the rest of my life. 

In these days of, it seems, reducing interest in visual and more in AP Astronomy, it's great to see a manufacturer believing so much in the value of excellent high end, visually targeted doublets, that they will bring a new model like yours to the market - and made in the US, too!

Many thanks for sharing your lovely new instrument with us.

Dave