William Optics FLT152

[matt]

No doubt all you refractor lovers would be aware the new WO FLT152 will be available in July/August from Andrews?

I wonder what price these 'little' beauties?

[TrevorW]

$6000 at a guess hope less though

[g__day]

From the WO Yahoo Group the special intro price is US $7,500 down from above $8K once special is over.

[anj026]

APM Markus Ludes is selling the LZOS 152mm f8 lens in cell for 3775 Euros which works out to about $6200 AUD not including postage and import duties. The WO FLT152 is using the same lens so I would expect a price over $10000 AUD including GST for the complete OTA with tube rings etc.

[toyos]

You can import a Takahashi TOA-150, F/7.33 Ortho Apochromat OTA for USD$8700.

Takahashi vs William Optics? It's no brainer which one you should choose if the prices are similar. I'd still take the Tak even if the WO was 2k cheaper. I've got a couple of wide-angle WO ep's and sometimes I feel like taking them together with my golf balls and give them a good swing.

[Stephen65]

The list price for the WO FLT152 is supposedly US$8500, with one of the preproduction models having been sold for US$7500 recently. At US$8500 the price in Australia once you add shipping and GST will be likely to be about A$10,000. There's a thread at CN by the person who bought the $7500 scope, he seems very pleased with the performance but notes its a heavy scope that will need a substantial mount.

Much as I like WO scopes (I have an FLT132 that has great optics) if I were going to spend that sort of money I would find it hard to go past the Tak TOA150 or the TEC 160ED. The WO 152 does have an LZOS lens but Tak has the established track record with big APOs that WO does not yet have.

There is also supposed to be a WO FLT158 f/7 in the works.

[netwolf]

There is a similar thread on CN with pictures (on page 3) of the new scope.

http://www.cloudynights.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/2416788/page/0/view/collapsed/sb/5/o/all/fpart/1/vc/1

I think for the price the TAK is better. The TEC has the ED version for similar price but there Fluorite version is $12000

Regards
Fahim

[anj026]

I am having second thoughts on this. The William Optics website has the scope page now. They say lens by famous Russian designer. I think the LZOS lens sold by APM was designed by TMB (American). In any case it looks like being the most affordable 6" apo available.