Takahashi FCT-65D Triplet Refractor

[Stuart1971]

4 minutes ago, CraigT82 said:

They would look half the size wouldn’t they

Yea, probably, I was looking at it the wrong way round, I just wish that they performed as well as they advertise they do…☹️

well I wish mine had anyway….

[Richard]

2 hours ago, Stuart1971 said:

I’m just not a fan of Taks, I have owned 2, and neither of them were that great for  imaging, old design optics, work poorly with modern small pixel cameras, poor sloppy focusers that people end up ditching for Feathertouch ones as a great extra cost, really expensive accessories, even a simple tak extension tube, which you need to buy because of the odd size threads that they use….should I go on…

I really hope that they have brought the optical design of these new ones into the 21st century, and not just boosted the old doublets with an extra piece of glass and called them a triplet…which is exactly what they did with the FSQ85 which I owned, it was originally an f11 doublet, then they added a doublet reducer / flattener inside at the rear and called it a Quad, and my god mine was poor, and then to top it all they bought out a second flattener to stick on the back to try and help it with modern cameras, so now it’s the only scope in the world that uses 2 flatteners…. Absolute joke….

Rant over…😂

 

Nothing wrong with a good rant, my life would be very much duller without ranting about my various pet hates!

I’m a little biased re Taks, my first decent refractor was an FS102NSV about 25 years ago. Wish I’d kept it.

Fair comment re FSQ85 though. My imaging is confined to messing around with a DSLR, processing is at most some stacking and whatever my ipad will let me do with photos, and it’s fine for that. For visual, mine’s superb, but again only once an extra is added, in this case the Extender 1.5x. The need for the 1.01x flattener on what is sold as an astrograph has always seemed to be a bit much. I hadn’t expected QC to be a problem with Taks, but your comments re the 85 suggests otherwise?

Likewise the 106, it’s great for visual with a (different!) Extender, the 1.6x, and more than good enough for my basic imaging efforts. I wouldn’t have bought it if it were not for its ‘carry-on’ compactness for trips away, but it easily fits into a 56cm bag and I’ve taken it away many times. I really enjoy being able to use it at f/5 to binoview in the Sco/Sgr region from southerly latitudes and then switch to higher powers with the Extender.

Both my TSAs, 102 and 120, have superb planetary performance, I haven’t tried imaging with either though. I think Roland Christen was quoted on CN as having said that in his opinion they are the best production scopes. Wolfgang Rohr’s tests support this, on a test bench at least. I’ll be hanging onto my 102 anyway, can’t buy one new, it’s the equal of LZOS triplets of similar calibre and prettier.

I think what’s highlighted here is that dedicated imagers and visual observers have different needs and expectations (but that doesn’t excuse lousy QC!).

Still looking forward to finding a (used!) FCT65.

 

 

 

 

[Stuart1971]

6 minutes ago, Richard said:

Nothing wrong with a good rant, my life would be very much duller without ranting about my various pet hates!

I’m a little biased re Taks, my first decent refractor was an FS102NSV about 25 years ago. Wish I’d kept it.

Fair comment re FSQ85 though. My imaging is confined to messing around with a DSLR, processing is at most some stacking and whatever my ipad will let me do with photos, and it’s fine for that. For visual, mine’s superb, but again only once an extra is added, in this case the Extender 1.5x. The need for the 1.01x flattener on what is sold as an astrograph has always seemed to be a bit much. I hadn’t expected QC to be a problem with Taks, but your comments re the 85 suggests otherwise?

Likewise the 106, it’s great for visual with a (different!) Extender, the 1.6x, and more than good enough for my basic imaging efforts. I wouldn’t have bought it if it were not for its ‘carry-on’ compactness for trips away, but it easily fits into a 56cm bag and I’ve taken it away many times. I really enjoy being able to use it at f/5 to binoview in the Sco/Sgr region from southerly latitudes and then switch to higher powers with the Extender.

Both my TSAs, 102 and 120, have superb planetary performance, I haven’t tried imaging with either though. I think Roland Christen was quoted on CN as having said that in his opinion they are the best production scopes. Wolfgang Rohr’s tests support this, on a test bench at least. I’ll be hanging onto my 102 anyway, can’t buy one new, it’s the equal of LZOS triplets of similar calibre and prettier.

I think what’s highlighted here is that dedicated imagers and visual observers have different needs and expectations (but that doesn’t excuse lousy QC!).

Still looking forward to finding a (used!) FCT65.

 

 

 

 

Totally agree on what you say, especilly re the needs for visual me imagers being totally different…👍🏻

[FLO]

On 29/08/2024 at 15:57, FLO said:

We will receive a Takahashi FCT-65D OTA next week to play with assess, and it will be with us at the International Astronomy Show. 

It has arrived 😛

Here's a quick photo made using a mobile phone and cropped in Photoshop. We'll make more, better, photos soon. 

 

[Elp]

I wonder how fine you can focus manually the single stage focuser, as an imaging scope it should have a two stage focuser as standard, unless if it does come with one, in this day it should.

[geeklee]

23 minutes ago, Elp said:

as an imaging scope it should have a two stage focuser as standard

Do you mean a coarse and fine focusing knob?  Every EAF I've used on scopes from F2.8 to F9 have all used the coarse focusing knob for connection.  I've seen a very small amount of EAFs out there that use the fine focusing (perhaps via a belt too) but I wouldn't say your statement is true at all.

[Elp]

33 minutes ago, geeklee said:

Do you mean a coarse and fine focusing knob?  Every EAF I've used on scopes from F2.8 to F9 have all used the coarse focusing knob for connection.  I've seen a very small amount of EAFs out there that use the fine focusing (perhaps via a belt too) but I wouldn't say your statement is true at all.

Never used an EAF, never seen the need as I always focus manually, even camera lenses which are notoriously more difficult to focus than telescopes. So a fine focus mechanism is essential, even visually it helps to have one. If solar imaging it is also critical to have one, though a triplet isn't needed for solar. Planetary also benefits from fine focusing to get the best surface detail focus. Focusing manually at such a level with a refractor requires the most miniscule amount of movement of the fine focusing knob to the point where you wonder if you even moved it at all, don't know how you'd get that level of control with just a coarse focuser. An SCT you can get away with it as they have very very long focus travel (I also image with my SCT at F2 so have hands on experience extremely fine focusing with it by hand).

Edited September 6 by Elp

[fireballxl5]

3 hours ago, FLO said:

Here's a quick photo made using a mobile phone and cropped in Photoshop. We'll make more, better, photos soon

So this is now an item that has been opened for product photos and available with 10% discount? I'll take it! 🙃

[geeklee]

3 minutes ago, Elp said:

So a fine focus mechanism is essential

For you.

5 minutes ago, Elp said:

Never used an EAF, never seen the need as I always focus manually, even camera lenses which are notoriously more difficult to focus than telescopes.

OK.

4 minutes ago, Elp said:

even visually it helps to have one.

It could, but you stated an imaging scope should have one as standard.

4 minutes ago, Elp said:

Planetary also benefits from fine focusing to get the best surface detail focus.

Very true, but I don't think this one will be doing much planetary

[Elp]

Even cheaper apo telescopes come with two stage focusers so at this price there is no excuse.

[DaveS]

The Primaluce Labs Sesto Senso II units that I have on my TS apo 130 and ODK 12 connect through the fine focus knob.

[Stuart1971]

We spend loads of money on nice scopes with good solid rack and pinion non slip focusers, only to put a pretty powerful stepper motor on the delicate friction driven fine focus side of the focuser, worst idea ever invented, motors IMHO should only ever be fitted to the coarse side of the focuser…but that’s just me…

[Travelman]

On 05/09/2024 at 17:27, Stuart1971 said:

I’m just not a fan of Taks, I have owned 2, and neither of them were that great for  imaging, old design optics, work poorly with modern small pixel cameras, poor sloppy focusers that people end up ditching for Feathertouch ones as a great extra cost, really expensive accessories, even a simple tak extension tube, which you need to buy because of the odd size threads that they use….should I go on…

I really hope that they have brought the optical design of these new ones into the 21st century, and not just boosted the old doublets with an extra piece of glass and called them a triplet…which is exactly what they did with the FSQ85 which I owned, it was originally an f11 doublet, then they added a doublet reducer / flattener inside at the rear and called it a Quad, and my god mine was poor, and then to top it all they bought out a second flattener to stick on the back to try and help it with modern cameras, so now it’s the only scope in the world that uses 2 flatteners…. Absolute joke….

Rant over…😂

 

Hi Stuart

I agree, to a point.

You are correct that generally, most TAK´s are not "ready" for Astrophotography unless you add the appropriate field flattener, but in fairrness, that actually apply to most refractors.

About the focusers, I tend to agree with you a lot more....thery really should either update their focusers

 

But I still love TAK´s!

 

Clear skies

[Travelman]

On 05/09/2024 at 17:27, Stuart1971 said:

I’m just not a fan of Taks, I have owned 2, and neither of them were that great for  imaging, old design optics, work poorly with modern small pixel cameras, poor sloppy focusers that people end up ditching for Feathertouch ones as a great extra cost, really expensive accessories, even a simple tak extension tube, which you need to buy because of the odd size threads that they use….should I go on…

I really hope that they have brought the optical design of these new ones into the 21st century, and not just boosted the old doublets with an extra piece of glass and called them a triplet…which is exactly what they did with the FSQ85 which I owned, it was originally an f11 doublet, then they added a doublet reducer / flattener inside at the rear and called it a Quad, and my god mine was poor, and then to top it all they bought out a second flattener to stick on the back to try and help it with modern cameras, so now it’s the only scope in the world that uses 2 flatteners…. Absolute joke….

Rant over…😂

 

 

Edited September 16 by Travelman
Post came op twice by mistake

[Travelman]

On 06/09/2024 at 17:22, FLO said:

It has arrived 😛

Here's a quick photo made using a mobile phone and cropped in Photoshop. We'll make more, better, photos soon. 

 

Do you have, at present, at any information as to whether an "upgrade-kit" to the FS-60 (upgrading to FC-60CP) is planned? (Just as Extender-Q, or even the 76mm lens are avaible seperately)?

Kind regardss

Torben

Edited September 16 by Travelman
Corrected spellng errors

[FLO]

1 hour ago, Travelman said:

Do you have, at present, at any information as to whether an "upgrade-kit" to the FS-60 (upgrading to FC-60CP) is planned? (Just as Extender-Q, or even the 76mm lens are avaible seperately)?

Kind regardss

Torben

We've not heard or seen anything to suggest there will be, but will let you know if that changes. 

[Travelman]

On 16/09/2024 at 13:08, FLO said:

We've not heard or seen anything to suggest there will be, but will let you know if that changes. 

Rumours in Japan are the the central (fat tube) is going to be sold separately (but I admit - just rumours)

[FLO]

A number have already sold, and our first stock delivery should arrive around early October. So, perhaps we'll hear reports from owners soon after. 

Steve

[JeremyS]

News summary from Takahashi: https://takahashijapan.jp/2024/09/18/newfct-65dfc-76fs-60cp/

[Travelman]

Hi Jeremy - thanks.

In the attached they write "The long-selling two-element fluorite apochromatic telescope "FS-60CB" is now compatible with the new high-performance reducer.", but to me it still look as the focuser need to be upgraded to a bigger dia focucer.....would you agree?