Time to get a 4” APO?

[LDW1]

Just now, Mr Spock said:

I'm sure the focuser comes off - but I'm not going to try it 

 

Does it screw on / off ?

[Littleguy80]

2 minutes ago, Paz said:

I think a 4" would be a good idea. I've had a ed102r for a few years and use it for all kinds of targets including solar with a quark chromosphere, it's a great eneral purpose scope.

My main scopes are a 72mm f6 refractor for travel, 102mm f7 for grab and go, and 14" reflector for epic sessions. These 3 work well as they don't compete each each other.

Nice. Very similar line up to what I’m considering. How do you find the quark? Do you use it with both refractors? 

[Mr Spock]

1 minute ago, LDW1 said:

Does it screw on / off ?

No idea, and I'm not going to try! It would be better asking FLO, they will know for sure.

[Stu]

1 hour ago, LDW1 said:

Does it screw on / off ?

The key thing is how long is the scope with it removed. Needs to be able to fit in a 55 or 56cm length case, some are shorter depending on airline.

[Stu]

https://www.astrobuysell.com/uk/propview.php?view=196257
 

😗😗😗😉

Nowt to do with me, just sayin’ 🤣

[Stu]

20 hours ago, Littleguy80 said:

It’s a really tricky one. I think I mostly feel guilty that the Equinox 80 will likely see a lot less use once a 4” APO arrives. It’s given me a lot of joy as a travel scope so it’s a keeper unless I can find a 4” APO that’s the right size. Initial feeling is I’d rather have a 80mm and 100m than compromise on a 90mm

I have found that the unmentionable FC100 does make quite a range of scopes redundant, 80mm scopes because it’s so compact, and 120mm because the performance gains don’t seem to justify the larger size and mounting requirements. It just gets used a lot.

Of course that means I struggle to justify the 60 and 76mm! I could do without them but just enjoy them so they stay.

[Sunshine]

Are you any closer to making a decision? or have we done what we do best which is to cause more confusion. 😅

Edited February 4, 2023 by Sunshine

[Littleguy80]

7 minutes ago, Stu said:

https://www.astrobuysell.com/uk/propview.php?view=196257
 

😗😗😗😉

Nowt to do with me, just sayin’ 🤣

Oh man. This is getting serious now 😂

 

3 minutes ago, Stu said:

I have found that the unmentionable FC100 does make quite a range of scopes redundant, 80mm scopes because it’s so compact, and 120mm because the performance gains don’t seem t justify the larger size and mounting requirements. It just gets used a lot.

Of course that means I struggle to justify the 60 and 76mm! I could do without them but just enjoy them so they stay.

I’d kind of written off a Tak due to the price but you look at the secondhand price and consider it replacing multiple other scopes and it starts to look better value. Now whether my wife sees it that way is an entirely different question 😂

[Littleguy80]

2 minutes ago, Sunshine said:

Are you any closer to making a decision? or have we done what we do best which is to cause more confusion. 😅

Definitely more confusion but that was the point of starting the thread. There’s always something I hadn’t considered which inevitably leads me down other routes. Better to end up with the right scope first time!

[Sunshine]

On 02/02/2023 at 22:28, Glenbo said:

Nice piece of art! i just bought a TS Optics Photo line 102 APO, same scope as the Starfield.

Just a heads up on something I see in your photo, no, its not a ghost 👻 It's your mount fully loaded with no counterweight and bar, this can stress your mount unevenly. Imagine if you unlocked one of the axis knobs without realizing, your gear would come crashing to one side.

[Sunshine]

10 minutes ago, Littleguy80 said:

Oh man. This is getting serious now 😂

 

I’d kind of written off a Tak due to the price but you look at the secondhand price and consider it replacing multiple other scopes and it starts to look better value. Now whether my wife sees it that way is an entirely different question 😂

It is tempting isn't it? that FC100DC  is a supreme example of everything a 4" refractor can hope to be, don't let us pressure you as you know what your budget is but if it is remotely within your reach, I suggest a sit down with your better half and maybe some flowers, roses, a dozen, with a card.

Edited February 5, 2023 by Sunshine

[mikeDnight]

2 hours ago, Littleguy80 said:

Looks pretty sweet with the binoviewers! The obvious follow up question to that is should I try binoviewers with the Equinox 80 before getting a 4” APO?

 Well it transformed my Equinox ED80. At that time I had a fabulous Equinox 120ED in my observatory, but the little 80mm really had me spell bound with the binoviewer. I found myself grabbing the little scope at every opportunity. Often if it was clear and I didn't feel like doing a long session, I'd take the 80mm out for a five minute look at the moon, and find myself still sitting on a frozen garden bench an hour later. I used a 2X barlow on the binoviewer nose and a pair of cheap 16.8mm orthoscopic eyepieces, so nothing fancy or expensive. The views of the Moon were glorious!

 The experience with the 80mm got me thinking I'd really love a high quality scope between the 80mm and the 120mm, and so came the FC100DC in 2015. It was the best decision I could have made. Almost as easy to handle as the 80mm but with much more punch, the FC100DC soon became my most used scope and I soon sold the 120ED not long after getting the 100mm. Today, after 8 years using a 100mm refractor  (now a DZ), I'm still totally content. 

 

[Glenbo]

29 minutes ago, Sunshine said:

Just a heads up on something I see in your photo, no, its not a ghost 👻 It's your mount fully loaded with no counterweight and bar, this can stress your mount unevenly. Imagine if you unlocked one of the axis knobs without realizing, your gear would come crashing to one side.

You are so right. When the scope arrived since I don't have a case yet  (but is on order) I felt the safest place was on my mount, & then I added everything else to get the promo shot, except the counterweight & shaft lol in all my excitement. I added it on the next day when I realized something was missing lol.

[JeremyS]

14 hours ago, Littleguy80 said:

Definitely more confusion but that was the point of starting the thread. There’s always something I hadn’t considered which inevitably leads me down other routes. Better to end up with the right scope first time!

If there is any way to stretch to a Tak 100 (any model) I’d go for it. I wish I’d got one much earlier than I did. And you’d always be wondering what you missed.

😊

[HollyHound]

22 minutes ago, JeremyS said:

If there is any way to stretch to a Tak 100 (any model) I’d go for it. I wish I’d got one much earlier than I did. And you’d always be wondering what you missed.

😊

I'd second this... my FC-76DCU is wonderful and makes the perfect grab and go scope (and a great travel scope as @Nicola Fletcher pointed out earlier), but the FC-100 (any model) really steps the view up a gear. If it was just the one refractor (and not just for travelling), I'd go for the 100mm aperture, if you can 🙂

[LDW1]

The Starfield is a pretty nice scope, don't overlook it !

[CraigT82]

45 minutes ago, LDW1 said:

The Starfield is a pretty nice scope, don't overlook it !

Definitely not!

Doing a bit more daylight playing with mine, taking phone pics and hunting for any visible CA. 

This shot is at 310x magnification (3mm ep and 1.3x barlow - in Baader Zeiss T2 prism). Can’t see any chromatic aberration at all on the in focus part (some on the out of focus parts), and sharp as a tack… fab little scope! 
 

 

[LDW1]

4 minutes ago, CraigT82 said:

Definitely not!

Doing a bit more daylight playing with mine, taking phone pics and hunting for any visible CA. 

This shot is at 310x magnification (3mm ep and 1.3x barlow - in Baader Zeiss T2 prism). Can’t see any chromatic aberration at all on the in focus part (some on the out of focus parts), and sharp as a tack… fab little scope! 
 

 

What more could you want for the price ?  Nice testing !

[IB20]

I have the Tak FC-76Q, it gives me incredible lunar, solar, planetary and double star views. If the Tak FC-100DC/DZs give brighter, larger and higher resolution images than the 3”, then the 4” will be astounding. I know they are really expensive but if you can afford it then I’d say go for it, we only live once. The Starfields also look brilliant and would be my choice had I not looked through a Tak already! 🤣

[Paz]

On 04/02/2023 at 22:22, Littleguy80 said:

Nice. Very similar line up to what I’m considering. How do you find the quark? Do you use it with both refractors? 

Yes I use it with both, I'll use the 72mm if the seeing is not so good to keep the magnification down. I think I get comparable views to the observing write ups and descriptions I read from others and I'm happy with it but it's the only Ha set up I've looked through myself so I can't compare it to anything else directly.

[badhex]

Another vote here for the Starfield, assuming your budget does not stretch to a Tak. You definitely will not be disappointed. 

Obviously you are also unlikely to ever regret buying a Tak though! I don't own a Tak (though I am soon going to be in Japan for a couple of months so that might change 😂) so I obviously can't speak for it first hand, but something that might be worth considering outside of optical quality is that Tak accessories may be a slippery slope to an empty wallet. Quite a lot of the bits and bobs are Tak specific and generally are not cheap. 

One thing I love about these 4" scopes is that you can drop in a 40mm 2" EP and get 4 degrees of sky, and the Starfield comes with an excellent 2" focuser right out of the box.

I am not sure what accessories the FC100 comes with so you might need to spend a bit more to get the correct visual back for 2". Again though, I don't own one so maybe @Stu or @JeremyS could chime in with some real world examples of additional costs? 

Edited February 6, 2023 by badhex

[Littleguy80]

@FLO Do you guys know if the Focuser and Dew Shield can be removed from the Starfield 102, similar to the Tak FC100DC? This is to shorten it for airport travel rather any sort of telescope vandalism. 

[LDW1]

By 

Edited February 7, 2023 by LDW1

[Stu]

1 hour ago, Littleguy80 said:

@FLO Do you guys know if the Focuser and Dew Shield can be removed from the Starfield 102, similar to the Tak FC100DC? This is to shorten it for airport travel rather any sort of telescope vandalism. 

As mentioned you also need to understand the length of the OTA with focuser removed. Should be ok but do check. Also weight, the Tak is very light which leaves more room for accessories. I can pack scope, all eyepieces and the mount in carry on baggage, tripod goes in the hood baggage.

Regardless of what people may think, I’m never trying to push anyone into a Tak purchase. The Starfield is a great scope, but the question was asked about air travel and I would rather travel with an FC100 than a heavier 4” apo.

[Littleguy80]

6 minutes ago, Stu said:

As mentioned you also need to understand the length of the OTA with focuser removed. Should be ok but do check. Also weight, the Tak is very light which leaves more room for accessories. I can pack scope, all eyepieces and the mount in carry on baggage, tripod goes in the hood baggage.

Regardless of what people may think, I’m never trying to push anyone into a Tak purchase. The Starfield is a great scope, but the question was asked about air travel and I would rather travel with an FC100 than a heavier 4” apo.

Good point on weight and, yes, forgot to ask for length.

I certainly don’t feel like I’m being pushed down the Tak route. It’s a good suggestion based on my comments about having a single 4” scope suitable for airport travel. Based on some research since, I’ve not seen any other 4” scopes mentioned as having that capability. It’s all good food for thought