Tak Prices

[UniPol]

Tak prices seems to have risen quite sharply in recent months. For example, some bare OTA prices are :

FSQ-106ED $7,700

FSQ-130ED $17,170

TOA-130NFB $10,680

TOA-150NFB $17,330

These prices don't include clamshells/tube rings or finders/brackets. I'm not sure why they have gone up so much, so boys and girls, you'd better keep hold of them if you are lucky enough to own one.

[casstony]

Could have something to do with making room for a Tak star party 10% discount ;)

[Larryp]

Aussie dollar has dropped about 10% against the Yen over the last year.

[Kunama]

Some prices have come down from the January prices while others have gone up.
The Yen has been moving around quite a bit recently. Apparently the factory raised prices on some scopes recently but not on some lower end ones.
Unfortunately I have spent this year's astro budget already so will only be able to get 10% off on very minor things ...... Insert sad smiley here!

[Kunama]

I think at one time in 2015 we could buy 102 Yen and just recently it was down at 78 so around 20% change in 15 mths!

Just have to wait for a better time. Today we're at 83.6 so at least it is heading the right way....

[Larryp]

I bought my FC-100DF in September 2014, and the exchange rate then was around 90. Looking at Claude's price now, I think he has only increased it roughly in accord with the exchange rate.
Sadly the exchange rate today is back down around 78.

[UniPol]

I bought a 4" Unitron from Japan back in 1983 when the exchange rate was around 550 Yen to our dollar. It took about 6 months to arrive by sea and in that time the exchange rate dropped to 525Y and it dropped dramatically ever since. I wouldn't mind seeing those exchange rates again!

[The Mekon]

[
Memory must be fading Steve. In 1983 the AUD had been floated for a year and had fallen well below $US parity. In 1983 $US rate to JPY was around 250 yen per dollar and as I remember about that time we were getting just over 220 yen for the Aussie dollar. I was a frequent visitor to Japan between 1973 and 1991 and the only time I remember the exchange rate being over 400 was in those very early years 1973/74.
So you see things are not so bad as everyone reckons. I know it does not help the price of Taks though.

[UniPol]

You're right John, my memory has played tricks on me, it was most likely to be around the 225 - 250 Y to the dollar.

I suppose the point of posting the most recent Tak prices is to draw attention to the fact that this hobby/interest is becoming very expensive particularly at the top end of the market. If you bought a Tak TOA-130/EM-200 there is $20,000 right there and by the time you add a few accessories plus some reasonable imaging equipment add another $5,000 to $10,000.