Upgraded Mewlons Underway

[Sunshine]

Apparently Tak is releasing new mewlon versions with upgraded focusers and who knows what else. A scope shop informed me the current versions are not available as Tak is introducing these new versions sometime soon. 

[JeremyS]

49 minutes ago, Sunshine said:

Apparently Tak is releasing new mewlon versions with upgraded focusers and who knows what else. A scope shop informed me the current versions are not available as Tak is introducing these new versions sometime soon. 

Of course they are. I’ve only recently got one. This often happens when I get new kit🤣

Edited January 16, 2023 by JeremyS

[Sunshine]

4 minutes ago, JeremyS said:

Of course they are. I’ve only recently got one. This often happens when. Get new kit🤣

I was just wondering, what’s wrong with the current focusser? does it beg for improvement? maybe they’ll also omit the finder scope in keeping with Tak tradition. Just when I was gonna pull the trigger on one, I was let down, now the new ones for SURE will be more expensive.

Edited January 16, 2023 by Sunshine

[JeremyS]

3 minutes ago, Sunshine said:

I was just wondering, what’s wrong with the current focusser? does it beg for improvement? maybe they’ll also omit the finder scope in keeping with Tak tradition.

Well, currently focusing is achieved by moving the main mirror. In some cases this can result in image shift. Not in mine though. Some people consequently add a focuser unit. But this can result in other issues.

I think it would be a retrograde step to omit the finder, which,in the case of the M180 and M210 at least, doubles as a carry HANDLE 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

I wonder if they’ll add correction lenses that the larger Mewlons have.

[Sunshine]

2 minutes ago, JeremyS said:

Well, currently focusing is achieved by moving the main mirror. In some cases this can result in image shift. Not in mine though. Some people consequently add a focuser unit. But this can result in other issues.

I think it would be a retrograde step to omit the finder, which,in the case of the M180 and M210 at least, doubles as a carry HANDLE 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

I wonder if they’ll add correction lenses that the larger Mewlons have.

Well I don’t want to speculate too much, the merchant only mentioned a focuser upgrade but then again you never know what they’ll do.  Hopefully it won’t Jack the price up too much, who am I kidding it’s Tak we’re talking about, I’m afraid.

Edited January 16, 2023 by Sunshine

[MalcolmM]

I don't get it! How can one improve on perfection 

Malcolm 

[JeremyS]

4 minutes ago, Sunshine said:

Well I don’t want to speculate too much, the merchant only mentioned a focuser upgrade but then again you never know what they’ll do.  Hopefully it won’t Jack the price up too much, who am I kidding it’s Tak we’re talking about, I’m afraid.

Whatever they do, we are in safe hands with Takahashi’s attention to detail and quality.

I wonder if they might come out with versions that have plane optical windows and not spiders. Unlikely.

[JeremyS]

19 minutes ago, MalcolmM said:

I don't get it! How can one improve on perfection 

Malcolm 

Love your style, Malcolm 🤣👍🏻

Edited January 16, 2023 by JeremyS

[Sunshine]

After all this speculation it’d be funny if it just had a regular Tak focuser added on. 😂

Edited January 16, 2023 by Sunshine

[Sunshine]

I’m a bit irked, I was dying to see one next to my 102 on the empty saddle of my alt az mount, now who knows how long I’ll be waiting. if I jump on a used one I may be kicking myself when the new one is released, arrgh. Maybe I should drop astronomy and take up knitting, much less drama.

Edited January 16, 2023 by Sunshine

[Space Hopper]

Anything else in the pipeline I wonder ??

I'd like to see them resurrect the TSA-102.

[Sunshine]

34 minutes ago, Space Hopper said:

I'd like to see them resurrect the TSA-102.

This will never happen as the FC series are so great at a lower price and easier to manufacture, I would love for them to introduce a 120mm doublet like the FS series. If you can manufacture and perfect a doublet to such a high standard, is a triplet really necessary? maybe for imaging only, if so.

Edited January 16, 2023 by Sunshine

[Voxish]

11 hours ago, JeremyS said:

Whatever they do, we are in safe hands with Takahashi’s.attention to detail and  quality

Didn't Olly, long ago on this very forum talk about Takahasi's appalling quality control?

I think he had a lot of anecdotal evidence and said he was happy to discuss it

The paint is reputed to chip very easy, I have heard people grumbling about their focusers too. 

I might be wrong here, and perhaps I am, but wasn't one of their scopes withdrawn recently due to collamation problems?

I had a Tak, an FC, honestly, it was alright, but it was just a Telescope and not very different from any of the other apo's I have owned. I sold it and bought a bigger scope, an ED 120, which was the right discussion at the time and bought a couple of eyepieces with the change. I sold that one too and bought a big dob.

 

 

Edited January 17, 2023 by Voxish

[Cleetus]

That's very interesting news as I'm very close to buying a 210 and very nearly bought on recently. I have already bought the mount but decided to wait for a house move to complete before ordering.

Now, depending on what we get, I may change my plans. However, assuming we get the usual Tak quality and the new models are an improvement, I cannot see that happening to be honest. I'll just have to make do with my DF in the meantime.

[Stuart1971]

1 hour ago, Voxish said:

Didn't Olly, long ago on this very forum talk about Takahasi's appalling quality control?

I think he had a lot of anecdotal evidence and said he was happy to discuss it

The paint is reputed to chip very easy, I have heard people grumbling about their focusers too. 

I might be wrong here, and perhaps I am, but wasn't one of their scopes withdrawn recently due to collamation problems?

I had a Tak, an FC, honestly, it was alright, but it was just a Telescope and not very different from any of the other apo's I have owned. I sold it and bought a bigger scope, an ED 120, which was the right discussion at the time and bought a couple of eyepieces with the change. I sold that one too and bought a big dob.

 

 

Very true, I have a TakFSQ85 and the astigmatism is not good, it’s a 4 element quadruplet scope with built in flattener and with modern small pixel cameras the astigmatism is awful, to the point that Tak had to bring out another flattener to add to this scope to correct the issue, so yes, it not needs two flatteners, it’s now a sextuplet, and it’s still not perfect…the new flattener is now shipped with the scope as standard….I would not buy another one…☹️

[GalaxyGael]

My guess is a new type of r&P focuser option, removing the moving mirror capability and the potential for image shift etc. sharpstars hommage to this scope, the SCA260 uses a beefy focuser with corrector installed, not the same optical setup of course. Maybe Tak are on the verge or a modernization of focusers and the optical design of refractors given the small pixel cameras at relatively high sampling rate, that in some cases require a user to use a flattener with backfocus to respect for scope designed as a petzval. That is pure conjecture on my part of course.

Maybe they might be changing the three-pronged spider vanes on the 180, although with the advent of JWST iamge with 6 spikes, that was an missed advertising campaign right there

Or, while the on axis capability of the big mewlons is stunning, there is 'scope' for a modification of the Dall-Kirkham design with a reducer to possible allow for DSO imaging....even more speculation on my part.

[JeremyS]

4 hours ago, Voxish said:

Didn't Olly, long ago on this very forum talk about Takahasi's appalling quality control?

I think he had a lot of anecdotal evidence and said he was happy to discuss it

The paint is reputed to chip very easy, I have heard people grumbling about their focusers too. 

I might be wrong here, and perhaps I am, but wasn't one of their scopes withdrawn recently due to collamation problems?

I had a Tak, an FC, honestly, it was alright, but it was just a Telescope and not very different from any of the other apo's I have owned. I sold it and bought a bigger scope, an ED 120, which was the right discussion at the time and bought a couple of eyepieces with the change. I sold that one too and bought a big dob.

 

 

Probably best avoided then 😊

[Craney]

16 hours ago, MalcolmM said:

I don't get it! How can one improve on perfection 

Malcolm 

 

 

[Voxish]

4 hours ago, JeremyS said:

Probably best avoided then 😊

Well you pays your money and you take your chances.I suppose...

[MalcolmM]

5 hours ago, Craney said:

 

 

Ok, I was wrong, you can improve on perfection 😂

Malcolm 

[Sunshine]

23 hours ago, JeremyS said:

Of course they are. I’ve only recently got one. This often happens when I get new kit🤣

UPDATE: I was somewhat misled regarding this upgrade, i spoke to the horses mouth (Tak america) they did confirm a focuser workaround for the 250 and up models as they are having trouble sourcing the usual parts. They inform me that they spoke to the factory regarding my inquiry about details surrounding said upgrades to the 180 and they confirmed the 180 is not a part of the current issues with the 250 and up. Unfortunately, the merchant who advised me to wait on the 180 didn't get the full details before he spoke to me. What I should have done was carry out my little investigation before posting here, now I have passed on incorrect information, don't I look like a fool, now.

No need to worry, Jeremy. Even if a major upgrade was made to the 180, no force in the universe can stop the man of many Tak's from purchasing another 🤣

Edited January 17, 2023 by Sunshine

[dweller25]

5 minutes ago, Sunshine said:

UPDATE: I was somewhat misled regarding this upgrade, i spoke to the horses mouth (Tak america) they did confirm a focuser workaround for the 250 and up models as they are having trouble sourcing the usual parts. They inform me that they spoke to the factory regarding my inquiry about details surrounding said upgrades to the 180 and they confirmed the 180 is not a part of the current issues with the 250 and up. Unfortunately, the merchant who advised me to wait on the 180 didn't get the full details before he spoke to me. 

No need to worry, Jeremy.

So………

Now you can order the M180. 😈

Edited January 17, 2023 by dweller25

[Sunshine]

2 minutes ago, dweller25 said:

So,  

Now you can order the M180……….. 😈

It seems so, you are squeezing my arm 😆

[dweller25]

1 minute ago, Sunshine said:

It seems so, you are squeezing my arm 😆

If I hadn’t I know someone who would have handled the situation 😁

[Sunshine]

Looking at my original post, the first word is "apparently" this leaves me relieved a bit about having misled everyone, sorry. 🤣

Edited January 17, 2023 by Sunshine