Takahashi FSQ 130ed no more!

[Wilso]

Just checked the Takahashijapan website and looks like the Tak FSQ 130ed is now discontinued !!
Wonder why :question:
They don’t give any reason on their site.

[Slawomir]

Never heard of FSQ 130 microscope ;)

But more seriously, I believe it it just natural selection in action - too much effort (read:cost) and consequently few buyers. IMHO FSQ 130 is really a wide-field astrograph and as such FSQ 106 provides a wider field while still catering for the largest available sensors. If one is after high resolution astro-imaging then larger aperture is required.

[Ukastronomer]

Why pay $14,000 when scopes are available, for way way way less these days and the quality is there now

[Hans Tucker]

If you have never owned a Takahashi scope you will never understand. Having owned a few Takahashi scopes (FS,FSQ's Refractors and Mewlon) the quality is still above the competition which sells for less. Plus the FSQ's are a four element scope with two ED elements so you can't compare the price against a triplet which only have one ED element except for the Takahashi TOA's which have two.

[Atmos]

I believe the FSQ130 is a 5 element with 2ED which certainly puts the price up again :)

[Wilso]

“Microscope” you have to love google translate!

Probably the popularity and lower cost of the Fsq106 was the decider ?
I did read that the Fsq106 had a lead time of 12 months back in September 2018 also. Competition, manufacturing costs ...

[Hans Tucker]

The FSQ-130ED is the same design as the smaller FSQ-106ED …Both and the FSQ-85ED are Petzval design .. 4 Elements (2 up front, one centre and one rear)

[gregbradley]

Per Tak website FSQ130 has 5 elements.

Greg.

[Atmos]

https://www.astronomy-electronics-centre.com.au/info_fsq130ed.htm

Here it is stated as a 5 element with 3 EDs :shrug:

[Hans Tucker]

I think, well actually I was wrong about the FSQ-130ED ...Information about this scope doesn't describe it as Petzval. Looking at the AEC website description the FSQ-106ED is a quadruplet optical design where as you correctly pointed out that the FSQ-130ED is a five element design which further justifies the price. Learned something new.

[Ukastronomer]

I don't necessarily disagree but, most people want a good scope and they are available for a few thousand now, and it is supply and demand

[ab1963]

100% correct there is just something about views through a Tak

[Peter Ward]

There is no doubting the image quality of a Taka, but at $14k the price tag was a little too eye-watering...particularly when you consider the AP130 with Quad compressor is a little over half that price...and I dare say as good as if not better optically (though not as fast). If they were selling like hotcakes, I'm sure Taka would still be making them.

[Hans Tucker]

Well I have a AP 130GTX and am now a convert and devotee, just need to accessorise with the Prime Focus Field Flattener and Quad Telecompressor Corrector. Sold the FSQ-106ED to acquire this scope … and have never regretted the purchase.

[gregbradley]

Sweet.

I agree the AP130GTX would give a Taka 130ED a run for its money.

I wonder if they had technical problems as well. Its probably a difficult scope to make and have perfectly collimated etc.

Greg.

[Exfso]

Correct me if I am wrong here, but isn't the waiting time for the AP refractors ridiculous.:question:
I have no doubt about the quality of the AP scopes, they are legendary, but most people would not like waiting for years for an order. I once put my name down on a waiting list for one of their refractors, never heard a thing after 10 years, and that was 20years ago. Never did hear anything.!!

[Slawomir]

There are a few options in 130-140mm quality refractor department capable of catering for KAF-16803 and similar chips for much less dosh and with a relatively short delivery time, like TEC, APM, CFF to name a few. On top of that, cheaper still offerings from TS and similar are being praised by many. Clearly there are few people on this planet who really had to get exquisite and very expensive 130mm f/5 astrograph with a massive corrected circle.

[gregbradley]

Very true but I believe there has been a lot of production on the latest 92mm F6 Stowaway.

Greg.

[skysurfer]

Well, if you have a Canon or Sony A7 dslr, a Canon 600mm f/4L (same price) will to the job. Excellent quality.

[DavidTrap]

Won’t be parting with my AP130 and quad thingy. One day I’ll get a sensor that befits the imaging circle it produces (and a mountain top on which to site it)

DT

[SkyWatch]

Apparently they have been contacting people on their list with their second production run of this beast. CN has a number of threads devoted to it, with people saying things like "I put my name down at 7pm EST on April 6th" (or whatever), and others "But I put mine down at 6.58pm..."

It is a fascinating marketing strategy, with even AP themselves calling people who are notified "The lucky ones" (translation: "How lucky are you that you get to give us $US3500 for a 92mm scope!"...), and people being prepared to wait for years. It is a good gig if you can do it!!! As for their 130GTX: you can't even put your name on their list. I think they have put all production on halt while they wind up the Stowaway production. So it is used or nothing.

WRT to the comments about Takahashi: I guess it is a bit like Harley Davidson bikes: "If you have to ask "why", then you just don't get it!" ;)

Mind you, with a listed price of $A21,160 at Claude's, vs $8280 for the TOA 130NS (which BTW is also quite a bit cheaper than the listed price of $US6900 for the AP130GTX) you would have to be a very keen AP'er to fork out the extra $13000! - and have a very difficult time convincing the finance department why!

In fact I suspect that is a major reason why the FSQ 130ED is finishing up.

- Dean

[FrancoRodriguez]

Aww crap! This was going to be my 'forever' scope :(

[gregbradley]

Good point. The TOA series are spectacular scopes and have flatteners and reducers available.

A TOA 110 would be nice but it also may compete too much with the FSQ106ED. Perhaps a TOA 115.

130mm is a slightly awkward aperture. Not really wide enough for many galaxies and fainter targets yet not really widefield either.

Greg.

[Peter Ward]

I don't think it's a "gig" at all. AP are a boutique manufacturer and simply can't churn out a uncompromised product any faster with half a dozen or so employees.

I have both the AP92 and 130GTX. Sure they weren't cheap, but if there is such a thing as a perfect optic, then likely it has an AP badge on the side.

There are simply no OOUK epic AND expensive failures from the AP factory...and that is precisely why demand far out-strips supply for their product.

[gregbradley]

There's no question AP and Tak lead the pack at this stage. Probably a common argument about which is better but the truth is they are both superb.

I also prefer AP as they are super practical, overengineered (sometimes Tak is not engineered strongly enough). Optics are both superb. AP may go that step further.

My AP140 for example had a stainless steel drawtube that was quite thick and I think I could park my car on it before it would flex. Tak persists with all aluminium and its just too weak a metal for a super strong no flex focuser.
So often they are fine and occasionally they fail.

I am hoping CFF is the new AP. Time will tell.

Greg.