Does anyone have a Stellarvue SVQ100? Or purchased from them?

Manav (Yugant) · #1 02-09-2016, 02:54 PM

Hi people,

I like the stats on SVQ100 its just too bad its so damn expensive. Anyone have this scope and think its worth the cash?

Or any recommendations on similar scope?

Please help me.....:/

barx1963 (Malcolm) · #2 02-09-2016, 03:34 PM

I have the SVR102T with 3" Feathertouch focuser and the matched reducer flattener. Went that way as it was in carbon graphite and gave me a choice of focal lengths.
Love the scope and very happy with it. Like you said it is a bit expensive but the build quality is great. Optically it appear excellent, my skills are not up to the standard of the scope ATM, but I think I should start to get some results soon.
One thing that may trip you up is that the online store that SV have is not setup for overseas orders. I found it was best in the end to ring them up and organise. As a consequence of the issue with the webstore I nearly ended up with ordering 2 scopes.
They do have a "Allstars" club that costs $18 to join but gives a 5% discount so make sure you join that before pulling the trigger.

I was very happy with the service and product once I worked out what was happening with their webstore!!

Malcolm

Manav (Yugant) · #3 02-09-2016, 05:16 PM

Hi Malcolm! Thanks for the advice! I joined that club a while ago when I originally wanted SV80ST.

The custom duty will be huge is there any way to avoid it?

barx1963 (Malcolm) · #4 02-09-2016, 05:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Manav

Hi Malcolm! Thanks for the advice! I joined that club a while ago when I originally wanted SV80ST.

The custom duty will be huge is there any way to avoid it?

Not legally!!

Malcolm

Manav (Yugant) · #5 02-09-2016, 07:42 PM

lol love that response! I reckon I might have to give Vic a call and see what he says.

On a separate note does anyone know if William Optics have a similar scope to SVQ100? Any suggestions would be good

troypiggo (Troy) · #6 02-09-2016, 07:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Manav

Hi Malcolm! Thanks for the advice! I joined that club a while ago when I originally wanted SV80ST.

The custom duty will be huge is there any way to avoid it?

Have a look into http://priceusa.com.au
Haven't used it for astro but they did help with a product I needed that wouldn't ship to Aus directly once.

Camelopardalis (Dunk) · #7 02-09-2016, 07:49 PM

My question is why it is a quadruplet and still needs a matched flattner

MortonH · #8 02-09-2016, 07:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Camelopardalis

My question is why it is a quadruplet and still needs a matched flattner

The SVQ doesn't need a flattener - just plug and play, supposedly.

MortonH · #9 02-09-2016, 07:55 PM

Depending on what you read and/or believe, the Stellarvue Quad is the "same" as this:

http://www.astronomyalive.com.au/tel...telescope.html

It's known that Stellarvue have sourced their scopes/components from SharpStar in the past so there is probably not much difference, if any, between them. There was exhaustive (and exhausting) debate on CloudyNights about this some time ago.

Camelopardalis (Dunk) · #10 02-09-2016, 07:56 PM

That'll teach me to skim instead of read

For US$2995 I'd want it to be rimmed with gold though too

ab1963 (Andrew) · #11 02-09-2016, 08:05 PM

As you already know i have the SVR 102T with 3'' FTF and is as good as it gets in a 4'' Apo IMO and if the budget can stretch to one you have a good balance of a visual and imaging scope

Camelopardalis (Dunk) · #12 02-09-2016, 08:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MortonH

Depending on what you read and/or believe, the Stellarvue Quad is the "same" as this:

http://www.astronomyalive.com.au/tel...telescope.html

It's known that Stellarvue have sourced their scopes/components from SharpStar in the past so there is probably not much difference, if any, between them. There was exhaustive (and exhausting) debate on CloudyNights about this some time ago.

Toasted cheese sandwiches, Batman! That's $700 more than the Esprit 100

barx1963 (Malcolm) · #13 02-09-2016, 08:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ab1963

As you already know i have the SVR 102T with 3'' FTF and is as good as it gets in a 4'' Apo IMO and if the budget can stretch to one you have a good balance of a visual and imaging scope

Glad to know there is another one in the country!!

Malcolm

LewisM · #14 02-09-2016, 08:18 PM

The SVQ100 is just a rebadged Sharpstar 100Q, which is also rebadged as a Teleskop Express 100Q (http://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/...-Objektiv.html) - price comes out as 2159 Euro (when you log in and remove the Euro VAT), which is $3199 AUD, add about $100 shipping and then import duty. T-E do offer the Feathertouch option too.

Astronomy Alive's Sharpstar is $3699.

Direct from Sharpstar, with limited QC (reports of dirt and filth on objective and between elements) is around $2900 AUD not inc. post and duty.

You need to decide for yourself if SV's "quality control" is worth the extra cash ($3968 AUD, WITHOUT post).

MortonH · #15 02-09-2016, 08:19 PM

Going a bit off topic, it seems that Skywatcher have now released a quintuplet, the Integra 105ED

http://www.astronomyalive.com.au/tel...refractor.html

Camelopardalis (Dunk) · #16 02-09-2016, 08:29 PM

Interesting, but at f/6.5 I'd say they need to try harder next time

Manav (Yugant) · #17 02-09-2016, 08:36 PM

Lewis - The question is quality; I'm not sure what QC Teleskop Express do on their variant but here is what i dug up from Vic himself from Stellarvue Yahoo groups:

Quote:

Today we ship about half of our current inventory of SVQ100 telescopes and next week the rest of them will have gone through the process and will be sent out. Only four will remain in our inventory! This will indeed be one of the shortest periods of having something "in stock."

The reason it takes so long to ship these is our process. Here is what we have been doing over the past three weeks for these 30 instruments.

1. We machine and add a lens ring so the dew shield slides in and out without flopping around. The lens flange required for alignment is larger than the tube and so the dew shield only has one point of contact around the flange. We add a machined aluminum ring around the end of the lens cells so the dew shield slides out evenly.

2. We align the entire optical system using our autocollimator and test the system with our interferometer. This requires several hours of testing and adjustment. Not all telescopes pass the test and these that do not pass are returned to the vendor we contract with. Essentially, we are cherry picking. Our contract requires perfect alignment and freedom from on axis astigmatism caused by misalignment along with an optical specification unique to the SVQ. The vendor does a good job but without the level of testing capability we have, they just cannot consistently reach our standard. So we serve as the final check to determine if these products get a Stellarvue label or are returned for sale elsewhere. This is not a criticism of the vendor, they do a good job, I only mention this to point out that our standard is different.

3. Once aligned perfectly we add several components manufactured here including three extensions and two adapters. This allows the SVQ100's to be used with most cameras. Some cameras use slightly different threads including 2.156 and 3" threads. We have machined adapters that can be purchased that thread directly into the supplied 69 mm extensions we make and sell with every SVQ100. So our system is more complete than just an OTA and case. This can save you several hundred dollars by eliminating the need to have a custom machined adapter made.

Recently a poster on another forum suggested that American customers purchase one of the 100Q telescopes being sold by an overseas supplier since the exchange rate favors the dollar. This made us shake our heads knowing the amount of work these require on our end. I mention this for an important reason. Stellarvue WILL NOT repair, tweak, align and/or modify telescopes purchased elsewhere. For one thing we just do not have the time. The other reason is that we know they will probably not reach our specification entirely. If we offered this service and the owners then resold these telescopes, stating we were involved in making them right, our reputation could be negatively impacted. So we stick to what we do and let others do what they do. If it doesn't have a Stellarvue label, we have not messed with it.

All in all, we spend an additional $500 in time and material for every SVQ100 we sell. When posters on other forums tell you that all telescopes that look alike are the same, they are either lying to you or they are simply ignorant. It is unfortunate that a hand full of people who do not know the facts get so much air time on inadequately moderated forums. Fortunately, most people understand you cannot believe everything you read on the internet. Unfortunately, many of our current customers have wasted thousands of dollars on instruments that look good but are made for high profit. Like many of you, they went through this process before discovering that you get what you pay for. It is human nature. Hope springs eternal. But a cheaper telescope really is a cheaper telescope.

Vic Maris

What do you reckon? Worth it?

Source - Click Here

Manav (Yugant) · #18 02-09-2016, 08:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MortonH

Going a bit off topic, it seems that Skywatcher have now released a quintuplet, the Integra 105ED

http://www.astronomyalive.com.au/tel...refractor.html

Too risky with a new scope model with limited test data and information

MortonH · #19 02-09-2016, 08:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Manav

Too risky with a new scope model with limited test data and information

Fair enough. Although I'd hope they learned from the debacle of the original five-element Esprit scopes.

Manav (Yugant) · #20 02-09-2016, 09:01 PM

I think I need to investigate the TS100Q a bit more. The price is good with VAT off, didn't consider that until Lewis highlighted it!

Need to find out what they mean with the statement in red....

Quote:

An apochromat with well corrected field for astrophotography - extremely high image quality in the field and, of course, also on the axis.

♦ True apo with excellent Triplet FPL53 objective (glass from Ohara, Japan)

♦ Integrated flattener with optimized distance to the objective for optimal sharpness in the field

♦ 3" CNC Rack and Pinion Focuser - comparable with Feather Touch from Starlight - holds up to 6 kg

♦ The system is free from reflexes.

♦ Objective and corrector are adjustable, the are shipped perfectly adjusted.

♦ We check each telescope before we send it out to you.

♦ You find many photographic results through this telescopes in the net and also here in Reviews.

Edit - I just emailed Teleskop Express on the above query