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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Ultra high end rigs... (1 Viewer)

P

PM01

Member
Not for the faint of heart or faint of pocketbook.

Astro Physics 130GT. Waited nearly 10 years to get this scope. 820mm at f/6.3, Christen Triplet design, oil spaced. Optics are extraordinary. No other 5 inch 800mm class optic can come close to touching it. Mechanics are second to NONE. Shown with the Canon 1Dx, Eotech EXPS3-0 and 3.25x magnifier, Gitzo tripod, Jobu Pro II head.

TEC 160FL refractor. 6 inch f/7. I have a Canon C300 hooked up to it for fun.

PM01
 

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A few more of my rigs.

TEC110FL, Takahashi FSQ106ED and the Astro Physics 155EDF. All exceptional performers. All better than the commercially made optics from brand "n", brand "c", brand "z", etc.

PM01
 

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Cool.

It would be interesting to have a look at some results achieved with these big guns.

I am also curious about the weight of the setups.
 
Would have to dig around for pics. I didn't photograph too much with the big guns due to their weight. The smaller ones are still quite substantial.

FSQ106ED is around 13 pounds for the tube alone.
AP130GT is around 17 pounds, tube alone.
AP155 is 23 pounds.
TEC160FL is 24 pounds.

PM01

Tord said:
Cool.

It would be interesting to have a look at some results achieved with these big guns.

I am also curious about the weight of the setups.
Click to expand...
 
Dan,

Definitely agree. I just put the GT on the scale and it clocks in a 22 pounds before camera and tripod. If it were stationed at a blind where I know there's going to be activity or where a very short hike was needed, the GT comes out to play. But if it's an all day adventure with a bit of terrain, I'd rather take the 500/4L EF IS II out. Much lighter at 7 pounds.
 
Percy,
The 500/4L EF IS II is a killer lens, for what it is!
Before I got my TS 90/600 I almost bought a Stellarvue 90/630 triplet in mint condition that weighs in at 4.7kg and .97 Strehl. In the end I decided on the carbon fiber tube TS 90/600 at 3.5kg and .94 Strehl.
 
Carbon tubes definitely help with the weight reduction! I've seen some scopes suffer from focus shift due to temperature change during the night when used for astronomy. Not an issue with terrestrial / birding as we are always changing focus.
 
I was aware of that when I bought it. Got a deal on it so it was an easy decision. CF only becomes an issue at night for astro-photography, (focus shift sometimes requiring focus adjustment between shots). Just takes it a bit longer to cool down. No, this is strictly a terrestrial rig. Got it with a nice, precise Crayford with 1:10 micro rather than the Chinese rack and pinion (ain't no Feathertouch!) that normally comes with it. Smooth as silk and fast to focus.
 
PM01 said:
A few more of my rigs.

All better than the commercially made optics from brand "n", brand "c", brand "z", etc.

PM01
Click to expand...

Nice gear porn. It's really not an apples-to-apples comparison, of course. The 'n' and 'c' lenses have things like AF, IS, etc. They are made for a different application completely, namely close-in sports, action and wildlife. That's why you don't see a lot of Takahashi, TeleVue, or Astro-Physics on the sidelines at the SuperBowl.

--just jealous. I'd like number 6, please! :) :) :),

Jim
 
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Changed my mind. I'll go with number 3, if you throw in the C300.

PM01- What do you use for storage on the C300? Onboard CF cards, or external storage?

regards,

Jim
 
Jim,

CF cards work out quite nicely. Use the fastest Sandisk or Delkin. Good stuff. As for shooting on the sidelines, I've been known to take telescopes to indoor sports events. FSQ106ED with a .73x reducer. Outstanding sharpness but limited close range focus. But yes, I still prefer the lighter weight and the fast autofocus of the "C" and "N" lenses. It's tough to argue with 22 pounds vs 7 pounds (or less depending on focal length). I'd go for the lighter weight any day!

Still, for the amount of elements that the C/N lenses have, and for their mass production, they're doing a fantastic job.
 
Hey PM01,
I need your help. I recently ordered a FSQ106EDX for astronomy but I was thinking of trying it out for terrestrial use also. What do I need to buy to make it usable for terrestrial use ? Things like plates, screws and what not . What is the closest your FSQ can focus ? I have bought the task clamshell and it has only one tripod thread at the bottom, it seems scary that 9-10kgs of stuff is supported by only one short stud.
 
On the cheaper and lighter side. I use an Orion 80ed, .08x focal reducer, or 2x tele converter and a Canon T3i. Astronomy at night, birder by day.
 

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Thanks. I have never had any luck at all with the Orion Nebula, but then I don't have an astro mount for my scope. What kind of exposure (exposures- stack?) did you use?
 
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