I would presume, telescope weighs as OTA, perhaps I am wrong.
Anyway, it is too heavy and it seldom gets taken out nowadays, except on a really good evening.
'Telescope' here means tube and fork mount as they are connected .Only the tripod is listed seperately.
All I am suggesting is that you look at the weight of what you what components you will be carting out as an alternative to the EL8. Minimum of an HEQ5Pro EQ head plus counterweights - under 14kg ? I'm not sure.
And you may carry out the case that the UTA comes in to the point of the setup because generally you have to remove diagonals and finders etc to get the tube into its spot in the case and you want it all there for setup.
For example my Orion EON 120ED tube and basic fittings weighs 13.5 KG in its case... losing 250% extra light for the sake of what may be a couple of kg may not make so much sense ultimately.
I have had this ED127 from VTI for just a short while now and I cannot fault it in any way.
This is a very good triplet. The finish, I would say is good to very good.
I used it visually and optically, it performs very well with just a very slight hint of CA at very high power.
I was a bit concern initially prior to my purchase about the focuser but having the scope now and using it, I would say, it is definitely up to the job.
Would it performs against a tak costing six grands or more?
That would be like comparing a Subaru WRX with a Merc AMG sports.
With all this discussion, and many positive comments, I could not resist and placed an order with VTI Optics for this scope yesterday (the "WRX" HiOptic ED127).
I'm sure the scope will get here fast, but I still have to get a mount (either Skywatcher AZEQ6GT or IOptron IEQ45 etc.), so it will be a while untill I get a chance to use it.
In the meantime, I'm finding some eyepieces, so I have them ready to go (so far Vixen LVs 5mm, 6mm, 20mm, and University Optics old (Japan) Konig 2" 25mm, 32mm and 40mm, and a University optics old style (Japan) 2" X2 Barlow). In buying eyepieces, I'm also trying to preempt future telescope purchases that they may be used with, not just the ED127.
All indications are that you have made a very wise choice - The WRX is a fantastic car all things considered - it isn't a Merc but then it was never intended to compete in the same market niche either.
Thanks the Lesbehrens I have acquired a barely used by its looks north group version of this scope. It is huge! I noticed collimation marks but has anyone got any idea how these can be collimated? It probably does not need it but the knowledge is always good to have.
It's cloudy in Melbourne btw so this should a be a frustrating experience.
Nikolas...ES have manuals on their ES127 scopes here. This has some info on collimation but IMHO don't touch it unless you really have to then if you need to...stop...research how to do it....get the right tools have someone to help.
But 1stly don't touch a triplet collimation....unless you really really have to. I have same scope...just a few Klms away from you! You welcome to chew the cud any-time with me on the scope or whatever.
Nettie...those images are real nice indeed. You have done a pretty damn good job and are pulling some good data and images, well done. Your M104 is starting to show dust lanes details....just a bit more data.....you will have images almost as good as I have seen by anyone using similar aperture scopes.
The 127ED is a damn fine instrument for price, some users are producing very good images with it, Gary Honis and many more are proof in the pudding.
Yes - With one of the blue incarnations I mentioned. My impression was it was very good but the TV was better. The crunch is trying to quantify whether the 'degree' of better view is worth .....
Yep totally agree. How much is better worth? and how much better?
Nikolas...ES have manuals on their ES127 scopes here. This has some info on collimation but IMHO don't touch it unless you really have to then if you need to...stop...research how to do it....get the right tools have someone to help.
But 1stly don't touch a triplet collimation....unless you really really have to. I have same scope...just a few Klms away from you! You welcome to chew the cud any-time with me on the scope or whatever.
Nettie...those images are real nice indeed. You have done a pretty damn good job and are pulling some good data and images, well done. Your M104 is starting to show dust lanes details....just a bit more data.....you will have images almost as good as I have seen by anyone using similar aperture scopes.
The 127ED is a damn fine instrument for price, some users are producing very good images with it, Gary Honis and many more are proof in the pudding.
Cheers Brendan, thanks for the link and the advice.
The CN thread makes for very very interesting reading - its amazing how much and how little actually gets made by the various manufacturers. A quality operation like Pentax are being shut down presumably because their new owners can make more money in cameras and the great new Eastern European entrant of Istar turns out to merely be mainland China glass.
I feel like a kid who has just been told that Santa doesn't really exist
The CN thread makes for very very interesting reading - its amazing how much and how little actually gets made by the various manufacturers. A quality operation like Pentax are being shut down presumably because their new owners can make more money in cameras and the great new Eastern European entrant of Istar turns out to merely be mainland China glass.
I feel like a kid who has just been told that Santa doesn't really exist
Sorry Profiler, Santa doesn't exist anymore, it is now Synta.......bringing you the finest in optics for Xmas
The spider-webs in my memory are something of a problem but I do seem to recall about 3 years ago one of the more senior folks in Bintel telling me that Televue's refractor glass comes from Japan (akin to their plossls, T6Nags, Nag zooms etc) and is made to their very particular specs in line with some of their specific designs (NP-101 etc)
My general interpretation of the postings is that a Triplet APO ED127 sized refractor for $1300 is excellent value and a good buy provided you go into it with your eyes wide open as to what you should and should not expect.
This being you are going to get a functional, generally good 127mm sized refractor - but don't expect it to be on par or even close to any of the big name brands which typically cost about 6 to 7 times as much for roughly the same sized refractor.
If you have never had a 127mm APO refractor and/or fairly new to astronomy and want this particular type of telescope they are are a great buy.
Visually, not many people could differentiate the optics of a "cheap" but decent Chinese made instrument and those from the likes of even Takahashi. It's not until you start using them for astrophotography that the difference even becomes discernible.
Obviously a Tak is going to excel in such a comparison, but then again it damn well better considering the massive price difference.
For instance, the Synta 120 doublet glass (in my case inside a Sky-Watcher Equinox 120) is superb, especially considering just how much more you have to spend on a premium brand name to better it. These 127 mm triplets may not be the top-of-the-line TOAs or FSQs, but a competent APer can produce results that make you think otherwise.
And replacing the admittedly sometimes lesser quality focusers with a MoonLite or FT is well worth the expense, because even then the total is still much less than a premium brand, while the capability increases even more.
Yep - that is a good summary and in line with my previous comment on how exactly do you go about and quantify the 'better' dimension versus the extra amount you have to spend to obtain that extra degree of 'better'.
A few other factors however to also keep in mind are consistency in the purchased product (i.e. quality control etc), extent and most importantly 'bona fides' of the warranty that comes with the product and re-sale value.
As a real life allegory two months ago I purchased a pair of no-name brand sneakers from Big W for an amazing $15! They were fantastic for exactly 3 weeks but now the soles have collapsed and the cheap plastic inside cuts into my foot and they are generally falling apart. I purchased a pair of Addidas sneakers 9 years ago for $240. I don't go jogging in them everyday and realistically wear them on average once every 2 weeks or so. Naturally, after 9 years they show some wear and are a little dirty with age but they are still very good and in better general condition than my $15 pair of sneakers.
Yep - that is a good summary and in line with my previous comment on how exactly do you go about and quantify the 'better' dimension versus the extra amount you have to spend to obtain that extra degree of 'better'.
A few other factors however to also keep in mind are consistency in the purchased product (i.e. quality control etx), extent and most importantly 'bona fides' of the warranty that comes with the product and re-sale value.
I agree Profiler. Whenever I read comments about price vs. quality I am always reminded by what John Ruskin (1819 -1900), an art critic and philanthropist, said:
“It’s unwise to pay too much, but it’s unwise to pay too little. When you pay too much you lose a little money, that is all. When you pay too little you sometimes lose everything, because the thing you bought was incapable of doing the thing you bought it to do. The common law of business balance prohibits paying a little and getting a lot. It can’t be done! If you deal with the lowest bidder it’s well to add something for the risk you run. And if you do that, you will have enough to pay for something better.”
Furthermore, he went onto to say:
“There is hardly anything in the world that some man can not make a little worse and sell a little cheaper and the people who consider price alone are this man’s lawful prey.”
Sums it up, to a fair degree, I think. I know I am always mindful of this. I would always rather pay more knowing, with reasonable certainty, that I will get what I pay for. Certainly minimises any 'post purchase dissonance', as I am usually well satisfied, in my own mind, at least.
Cheers Peter
Last edited by Stardrifter_WA; 24-03-2013 at 09:34 PM.
