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Old 28-11-2017, 07:50 AM
glend (Glen)
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Skywatcher ED150/1200 APO. Is this real or fake news?

Just noticed that Andrews has a note posted concerning the arrival of a Skywatcher ED150, 1200mm (f8) fl APO due in late January. Of course, Skywatcher has had an old 150/1200 Achtomat for many years, but the Andrews website says its an Apochromatic. An internet search fails to uncover any news concerning this type of scope, and the Esprit 150 APO is a f7 triplet using FPL-53 glass.
Is this simply an advertising mistake in describing the Esprit or is there actually a 150 m f8 APO coming as well (maybe a Doublet version)?

Last edited by glend; 28-11-2017 at 08:45 AM.
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Old 28-11-2017, 08:26 AM
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Well, the APM 150 doublet is made in China, so who knows. Could be.

I'd be tempted by it. Reports from the APM ones are fairly positive.
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Old 28-11-2017, 08:34 AM
Tropo-Bob (Bob)
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... and just when I thought I had all the equipment that I wanted...
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Old 28-11-2017, 08:40 AM
glend (Glen)
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Just spoke to Luke, he confirms it is a Doublet APO but cannot tell me what kind of glass but thinks its from Schott. Seems to be the big brother to the ED120 Black Diamond version. Definitely not in the Esprit line. He says the price will be around the $3000 mark, or just under.

Now by coincidence (?), Astronomics is releasing its 152mm Doublet APO in January and is accepting pre-orders. There is a thread running on a beta test on CN. The Astronomics 152mm Doublet APO is priced at $3999 USD, but it may have better Abbe numbers and build quality, too soon to tell.

Big difference between the $3000 AUD (landed and GST inc) and $3999 USD without delivery or import charges. I assume the Skywatcher would need a focuser upgrade, but not the Astronomic.

The APM 150 Doublet does look good, and its on sale right now for 2998 euro, or $4690 Aud (without shipping or import charges). Astronomics specs look very similiar but the $5260 AUD price give a big advantage to the APM sale price.

Its good to see more competition in this sector.

Last edited by glend; 28-11-2017 at 08:57 AM.
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Old 28-11-2017, 08:56 AM
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Andrews' website now confirms the price as $2999. That's remarkably cheap if it's FPL-53. Makes me wonder if it's using FPL-51 instead.
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Old 28-11-2017, 09:00 AM
glend (Glen)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MortonH View Post
Andrews' website now confirms the price as $2999. That's remarkably cheap if it's FPL-53. Makes me wonder if it's using FPL-51 instead.
I will be surprised if its FPL-53.
The APM 152mm Doublet is using FPL-51 plus Lanthanum in its objective.

The APM 140 Doublet uses FPL-53, current price is circa $4200 AUD not including shipping and import charges.
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Old 28-11-2017, 09:15 AM
casstony
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The US Skywatcher rep who posts on CN has stated that he doesn't want to sell a scope which doesn't meet previous Skywatcher standards, so it might be fpl55 or 53. Time will tell.
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Old 28-11-2017, 09:33 AM
casstony
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On the Skywatcher Australia website you can download the 2018 catalogue with Australian pricing.
The SWBDED150, a larger version of the ED120, is listed at $2899 and the specs state fpl53 doublet.

http://skywatcheraustralia.com.au/wp...compressed.pdf
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Old 28-11-2017, 09:42 AM
glend (Glen)
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Originally Posted by casstony View Post
On the Skywatcher Australia website you can download the 2018 catalogue with Australian pricing.
The SWBDED150, a larger version of the ED120, is listed at $2899 and the specs state fpl53 doublet.
Well, there you go. That seems excellent value for the price, even if you have to replace the focuser.
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Old 28-11-2017, 10:09 AM
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That's pretty amazing.
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Old 28-11-2017, 10:55 AM
Saturnine (Jeff)
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An 150mm ED for less than &3k, Skywatcher, please stop torturing me.
If it is the same glass as the APM / Lunt 150 ED, which is a good possibility, they have good reviews. So very, very tempting, but that's a lot of pension cheques.
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Old 28-11-2017, 11:10 AM
bigjoe (JOSEPH)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MortonH View Post
Andrews' website now confirms the price as $2999. That's remarkably cheap if it's FPL-53. Makes me wonder if it's using FPL-51 instead.
Morton ..Hope it is FPL53 and good mating element (just as important )as this would be terrific for doubles and planetary Dsos and some imaging...I'll be in line if it is .already have 4ed and 6inch Fraunhofer doublet from SW..So it would be a big step up!
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Old 28-11-2017, 11:14 AM
bigjoe (JOSEPH)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by glend View Post
I will be surprised if its FPL-53.
The APM 152mm Doublet is using FPL-51 plus Lanthanum in its objective.

The APM 140 Doublet uses FPL-53, current price is circa $4200 AUD not including shipping and import charges.
Thanks for the info Glen.. the APM was my first choice..maybe not now
Cheers bigjoe.
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Old 28-11-2017, 11:17 AM
bigjoe (JOSEPH)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by casstony View Post
The US Skywatcher rep who posts on CN has stated that he doesn't want to sell a scope which doesn't meet previous Skywatcher standards, so it might be fpl55 or 53. Time will tell.
Tony.. sounds as if they dont want to make the mistakes they did years ago with their first lot of triplets
bigjoe.
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Old 28-11-2017, 11:38 AM
casstony
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I wonder if the mass producers use fpl55 to help keep costs down and just call it fpl53 for marketing purposes?

I note fpl55 has a higher melt frequency and is about 15% cheaper but has almost identical optical properties.

The lighter weight of an ED150 would be a big advantage over the Esprit, even if the Esprit is optically better.
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Old 28-11-2017, 01:55 PM
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The Skywatcher guy on CN says the glass is not FPL-53:


"The glass they list is incorrect. We are using a proprietary glass combo to make these. Optics were designed by the same optical engineer that designed our Esprit triplets.

Now don’t let this whole glass thing scare you off. The color correction diagrams looks very good. It is my main concern to make sure the scope performs well and well corrected. I will know more once my samples arrived to me. "
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Old 28-11-2017, 02:01 PM
bigjoe (JOSEPH)
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FPL-53 is not just used to improve the chromatic aberration in an objective over that of FLP-51 , but really also to reduce the focal ratio requirements so a shorter F ratio can be used. F/8 Is quite ok and can get by with Fpl51 Fcd 1etc ...esp in triplets, as in Astrotech 115mm, a cracking scope! Its just FPL53 AND Flourite have more bragging rites.
bigjoe.
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Old 28-11-2017, 03:11 PM
casstony
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The 115mm triplet is a much smaller aperture and the extra element makes using fpl51 (or equivalent) easier. Apart from better possible colour correction with an fpl53 doublet the curves on the glass can be less steep and collimation/centering less critical, so there are good reasons to use fpl53/fpl55 in a doublet.
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Old 29-11-2017, 06:45 AM
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This one at TS?
But it costs EUR 5200, a lot more, about A$7500. But this one is FPL-53.
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Old 29-11-2017, 07:20 AM
glend (Glen)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bigjoe View Post
FPL-53 is not just used to improve the chromatic aberration in an objective over that of FLP-51 , but really also to reduce the focal ratio requirements so a shorter F ratio can be used. F/8 Is quite ok and can get by with Fpl51 Fcd 1etc ...esp in triplets, as in Astrotech 115mm, a cracking scope! Its just FPL53 AND Flourite have more bragging rites.
bigjoe.
That Astrotech 115 is probably the same scope as the TS115, but they are Triplets, and using FPL-51 & Lanthanum elements in the objective, at f7, certainly does produce nice results. Those scopes are price leaders as well. The design trend seems to be, for Imaging Triplet f7 and faster, is to go to FPL-53 for at least one element, or to FPL-51 and Lanthanum combos. As you say, life gets easier at f8, but the Skywatcher 152mm is a Doublet, so the devil is in that objective details.

Last edited by glend; 29-11-2017 at 07:48 AM.
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