Telescope Reviews: Williams 132 vs. TEC 140 (a first s scope purchase

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Equipment Discussions >> Refractors

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jrbarnett
Eyepiece Hooligan

Reged: 02/28/06

Loc: Petaluma, CA

Re: Williams 132 vs. TEC 140 (a first s scope purchase new

new

[Re: Rachel W]
#5347968 - 08/01/12 11:58 PM

Hi Rachel.

I'd put a bino-viewer way down my list.

Instead I'd invest in a quality 2" star diagonal (Astro-Physics Maxbright, Televue Everbrite, etc.), the TEC finder for the scope or other nice finder (but if non-TEC, you'll need ti figure out how you'll mount it to the OTA), a decent EQ mount (I think the CGEM for purely visual would be okay, but the DX version would be even better; though the tripod on the DX is a monster), and then a nice set of 3 or 4 nice eyepieces.

Ah, eyepieces. The "jewelry" of astronomy.

You can spend as much as you want on eyepieces. There are examples in every price range. I think you first have to have an idea of what kind(s) of observing you most enjoy. If you're a doublet star and planetary purist you might like different eyepieces than if you're a generalist.

My observing diet for the TEC varies based where geographically I am using the scope. At a very dark site, I am a generalist and lean toward super wide and ultra wide eyepieces (Naglers, Panoptics, XWs, LVWs, Ethoses, ES 82s and 100s, etc.), for contextual framing around extended targets. Here at home, though I do a lot more double star and planetary observing due to the greater amount of light pollution. Here I tend towards decent simple eyepieces (Brandons, TMB Supermonos, CZJ Orthos, XOs, SMC Orthos, etc.).

You could go "exotic" on eyepieces, such as by picking up a set of 3 or 4 Nikons. Nikon NAV-SWs in 5mm, 7mm and 10mm (72s), and then the 17.5mm NAV-HW (102) (which comes with a thread on amplifier giving you also 14mm). Spendy though. The NAV-HWs are over $1000 each.

One of my favorite eyepieces in the TEC is the 27mm Panoptic. It's not too expensive, gives a wonderful, wide, well-corrected true field, but not such a large exit pupil that skies wash out under light polluted conditions. That and a 13mm Ethos, 10mm XW, 7mm XW and 5mm XW, would set you up for life for general purpose use.

Happy shopping,

Jim

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blueman
Vendor Blue Sky Accessories

Reged: 07/20/07

Loc: California

Re: Williams 132 vs. TEC 140 (a first s scope purchase new

new

[Re: Rachel W]
#5347974 - 08/02/12 12:06 AM

It will be worth the wait, maybe it will come sooner than expected?

Blueman

Quote:

Hi All:

Executed the funds xfer today for the TEC-140 . . . it'll be awhile before I have it as the scope is in Japan, but it should here late Aug/early Sep. It will hopefully see first light here in SoCal sometime in Sep.

The mount still worries me a bit, though I thought about the DX mount/tripod as Jim has noted. I'm also considering:

- binoviewer (and a nice pair of eye pieces). This is an area I'm still really unfamiliar with, but the reviews and comments suggest that a bino with the TEC-140 is simply a must!
- nice finder and mount (large field and one that could later serve as a guide scope)
- eye pieces (probably 3-4 to start: 3-4, 7-8, 12-18, 30ish
- mercury, hydrogen and sodium light filters + lunar and solar
- aluminized diagonal
- ???

It seems like quite load to purchase but my 3 eye pieces for the C80 just don't seem worthy of the TEC. Any thoughts here on this stuff are really appreciated. The first round of accessorization looks nearly as expensive as the scope - yikes. Oh well, no debt no credit score. :-)

Thanks to everyone for your comments, very helpful and enjoyable to read.

Great skies,

Rachel

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johnnyha
Postmaster

Reged: 11/12/06

Loc: Sherman Oaks, CA

Re: Williams 132 vs. TEC 140 (a first s scope purchase new

new

[Re: blueman]
#5347984 - 08/02/12 12:15 AM

Congrats! Yes I highly recommend if nothing else getting the Pentax 5XW for the TEC140, at 196X and .7mm exit pupil it's perfect for planetary, lunar and double star viewing.

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SteveC
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 06/15/06

Loc: The Garden State & Ocean State

Re: Williams 132 vs. TEC 140 (a first s scope purchase new

new

[Re: Rachel W]
#5348002 - 08/02/12 12:33 AM

Quote:

Hi All:

Executed the funds xfer today for the TEC-140 . . . it'll be awhile before I have it as the scope is in Japan, but it should here late Aug/early Sep. It will hopefully see first light here in SoCal sometime in Sep.

Jeesh, is the scope floating in on the tides? That's a long time frame for shipping.

Quote:

The mount still worries me a bit, though I thought about the DX mount/tripod as Jim has noted. I'm also considering:

I've paired my TEC140 with a DM-6 and it worked well, but if you're going to spend a lot of money on a mount anyway, invest in a driven mount and get it over with, your only putting off the inevitable by purchasing the DM-6. The DM-6 is great as a second more portable mount - that's what I used it for.

The scope didn't come with the TEC finder and mounting bracket?? That's unusual, is the owner keeping it?

I'd recommend the Denk Powerswitch diagonal, money invested there should save a few $$$ in the eyepiece department.................though you can't judge that from my signature.

Quote:

- binoviewer (and a nice pair of eye pieces). This is an area I'm still really unfamiliar with, but the reviews and comments suggest that a bino with the TEC-140 is simply a must!

Not a must, but nice to have. If the choice is between a driven mount and a bino/non-driven mount, I'd still invest in the driven mount first.

Quote:

- eye pieces (probably 3-4 to start: 3-4, 7-8, 12-18, 30ish

That's a question worthy of its own thread. Which eyepieces are you leaning towards?

Quote:

- mercury, hydrogen and sodium light filters + lunar and solar

I never use them with the TEC140. I have a SolarMax if I want to view the sun.

Quote:

- ???

Wheels!!!

I use a Scopebuggy. It's easy to roll the whole set up from my garage and I'm ready to start observing in 60 seconds, or less. It's such a pleasure to have wheels

Wheels, wheels, wheels - you gotta have them, if you can store your scope & mount in a garage.

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Brian L
professor emeritus

Reged: 11/17/08

Loc: The garden paradise of Pittsbu...

Re: Williams 132 vs. TEC 140 (a first s scope purchase [Re: jrbarnett]
#5349506 - 08/02/12 11:12 PM

Quote:

For your waiting pleasure, here's some "TECage".

- Jim

A persian observing rug for under your CGE? Now that's class.... Or maybe that's a magic carpet?

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Brian L
professor emeritus

Reged: 11/17/08

Loc: The garden paradise of Pittsbu...

Re: Williams 132 vs. TEC 140 (a first s scope purchase [Re: Rachel W]
#5349550 - 08/02/12 11:48 PM

i just thought I'd add my $0.02...

I have had five WO refractors in the last 10 years: FLT-110, Megrez 90, ZS66, ZS80, and a Megrez 88. In consideration for what I paid for them, all have met or exceeded my expectations. It is true that WO is a rebrander...but I don't think that necessarily means William Yang isn't capable of putting out a good product. He has a range of products for various price points, and I think that some of his premium offerings compete favorably with any other scope in his class. Some other offerings have been geared more towards the value consumer...but compared to comparatively priced scopes I think his product is generally superior. I think most anybody with even a little bit of knowledge on the matter would, with all things being equal, choose the TEC 140 over the FLT-132. I wouldn't hesitate for a microsecond to choose the TEC. One would reasonably expect that the TEC, costing 2 times the price of the FLT132, to be superior optically and mechanically. Without question, that's the case. However, the FLT-132 is no slouch and when you consider the relative cost you have to at least concede that is a victory for the value conscious consumer. There aren't many 5" class apos costing circa $3k to compare it with....just the ES127 and AT130 come to mind. If you've got the dime to drop on the TEC and the mount to handle it, that is the right choice. You will never have regrets and will soon forget about the cost.

What concerns me most about WO is that their future in the marketplace seems uncertain. They have really scaled back production and inventory, cut distributor relations. In my limited experience, I think customer relations and technical support have suffered also. On the other side of the coin, master opticians like Yuri and Roland won't be practicing their trade forever. Others like Thomas Back are already sadly departed. Are there worthy apprentices skilled and able to continue their tradition of unsurpassed quality? Who knows? A TEC140 in hand is worth two in the bush....I think you made the right decision for sure.

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jrbarnett
Eyepiece Hooligan

Reged: 02/28/06

Loc: Petaluma, CA

Re: Williams 132 vs. TEC 140 (a first s scope purchase [Re: Brian L]
#5349551 - 08/02/12 11:50 PM

Nah, I'm just an astronomy "rock star".

http://www.johnfarrdesign.com/images/Clapton2.jpg

But seriously, you can pick up a cheap poly tarp at Home Depot for $15 or a nicer heavy canvas drop cloth with brass grommets for $50, or hit Overstock.com for clearance area rugs and pay less than $100 for a 5.3-foot round or about $100 for a 6-foot square.

Here's my Dob on the matching round:

And the TEC also set up on the round:

I've found that the rugs cushion better than tarps, actually trap dust in a good way, and aren't all that hard to clean (a vac with a shop vac when I get back from the field, and they're good as new).

But I'd put the Persian rug down the list. I think an observing chair comes first.

Regards,

Jim

Edited by jrbarnett (08/02/12 11:52 PM)

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Brian L
professor emeritus

Reged: 11/17/08

Loc: The garden paradise of Pittsbu...

Re: Williams 132 vs. TEC 140 (a first s scope purchase [Re: jrbarnett]
#5349563 - 08/03/12 12:04 AM

Quote:

Nah, I'm just an astronomy "rock star".

http://www.johnfarrdesign.com/images/Clapton2.jpg

But seriously, you can pick up a cheap poly tarp at Home Depot for $15 or a nicer heavy canvas drop cloth with brass grommets for $50, or hit Overstock.com for clearance area rugs and pay less than $100 for a 5.3-foot round or about $100 for a 6-foot square.

Here's my Dob on the matching round:

And the TEC also set up on the round:

I've found that the rugs cushion better than tarps, actually trap dust in a good way, and aren't all that hard to clean (a vac with a shop vac when I get back from the field, and they're good as new).

But I'd put the Persian rug down the list. I think an observing chair comes first.

Regards,

Jim

I built my kids a sandbox in the backyard....secret is that it is really meant to dampen my half hitch. Nothing works better than sand for observing at high powers. Dont drop an eyepiece though

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SteveC
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 06/15/06

Loc: The Garden State & Ocean State

Re: Williams 132 vs. TEC 140 (a first s scope purchase [Re: jrbarnett]
#5349566 - 08/03/12 12:11 AM

Quote:

I've found that the rugs cushion better than tarps, actually trap dust in a good way, and aren't all that hard to clean (a vac with a shop vac when I get back from the field, and they're good as new).

But I'd put the Persian rug down the list. I think an observing chair comes first.

Regards,

Jim

The red carpet magically appears at his feet, even when he's alone..................

He's the most interesting astronomer in the universe

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jrbarnett
Eyepiece Hooligan

Reged: 02/28/06

Loc: Petaluma, CA

Re: Williams 132 vs. TEC 140 (a first s scope purchase [Re: Brian L]
#5349572 - 08/03/12 12:22 AM

Get a little rake to make the sand nice and level, then put the Persian rug down on the sand.

- Jim

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Brian L
professor emeritus

Reged: 11/17/08

Loc: The garden paradise of Pittsbu...

Re: Williams 132 vs. TEC 140 (a first s scope purchase [Re: SteveC]
#5349580 - 08/03/12 12:32 AM

I emphatically second the wheels suggestion, In fact, I think a scope buggy would be the next purchase after a mount. If it is a drag setting up your mount and scope to observe, you'll use it less frequently. Best piece of non-optical astro gear I ever purchased for sure.

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Rachel W
member

Reged: 07/10/12

Re: Williams 132 vs. TEC 140 (a first s scope purchase [Re: Brian L]
#5350326 - 08/03/12 02:46 PM

Hi All:

The TEC-140 is about to fly my way!

More to follow . . .

Rachel

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SteveC
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 06/15/06

Loc: The Garden State & Ocean State

Re: Williams 132 vs. TEC 140 (a first s scope purchase [Re: Rachel W]
#5350862 - 08/03/12 09:07 PM

Quote:

Hi All:

The TEC-140 is about to fly my way!

More to follow . . .

Rachel

On second thought, perhaps you should have gone with the WO scope. Is it too late to cancel?

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SteveC
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 06/15/06

Loc: The Garden State & Ocean State

Re: Williams 132 vs. TEC 140 (a first s scope purchase [Re: jrbarnett]
#5351170 - 08/04/12 01:32 AM

Quote:

Get a little rake to make the sand nice and level, then put the Persian rug down on the sand.

- Jim

I'd show you the carpet I use, but the last time I mentioned it I got beat up. It's nothing more than a polyester carpet that I used outside my camper. It lets water through, never absorbs moisture, and keeps the dirt underneath. 9x12, folds up to 3 ft square and light as heck, and indestructible. The camper is history, but I still have the carpet. Good thing I did a final check before the tow truck hauled it away.

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Rachel W
member

Reged: 07/10/12

Re: Williams 132 vs. TEC 140 (a first s scope purchase [Re: SteveC]
#5351293 - 08/04/12 06:57 AM

Very funny! I may be blond but . . .

TTFN,

Rachel

P.S. Thanks, I really got a great laugh out of your rye sense humor!

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Rachel W
member

Reged: 07/10/12

Re: Williams 132 vs. TEC 140 (a first s scope purchase [Re: jrbarnett]
#5351301 - 08/04/12 07:17 AM

Hi Jim:

"Ah, eyepieces. The "jewelry" of astronomy. You can spend as much as you want on eyepieces."

OMG, jewelry! What's not to like? I like this hobby better and better! I'm sure solar system viewing will dominate due to the skies here in LA, but I also get out Palm Springs' way (NE outskirts of Sunny City actually) and the skies there are often very black. My two must haves are ~20mm of eye relief (wear glasses all the time) and the monster TV 31mm; after that it's a couple of short focal lengths (3.5 and 7.0) a low mid-range (10-12), and an upper mid-range 21 - it may take two buys and I'm going to go with TV all the way so I'm sure I'm getting high quality and great value. Oh, and the diagonal too. It's a more expensive route initially but probably not in the long run.

Rachel

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Rachel W
member

Reged: 07/10/12

Re: Williams 132 vs. TEC 140 (a first s scope purchase [Re: Brian L]
#5351303 - 08/04/12 07:19 AM

Thanks for the great pics . . . just lovely.

Rachel

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Bongo123
sage

Reged: 06/19/10

Loc: Telescope Purgatory

Re: Williams 132 vs. TEC 140 (a first s scope purchase [Re: Rachel W]
#5351800 - 08/04/12 02:26 PM

I have a CGEM-DX the mount has no problem at all with a 30 pound load and the monstrous tripod is very stable. Considering it's capabilities it's very budget friendly and it's on sale this month.

Grats on the scope, Very fine choice !

Thanks,
Don R.

Edited by Bongo123 (08/04/12 02:31 PM)

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Tom Godsey
member

Reged: 02/17/12

Re: Williams 132 vs. TEC 140 (a first s scope purchase [Re: Rachel W]
#5352439 - 08/04/12 11:17 PM

NO!!!!! It's not worth the difference. 1.5k for 8mm more aperture. I have a 132mm FLT with a F/T focuser and the optics are just as good as TEC.

Edited by Tom Godsey (08/04/12 11:25 PM)

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Brian L
professor emeritus

Reged: 11/17/08

Loc: The garden paradise of Pittsbu...

Re: Williams 132 vs. TEC 140 (a first s scope purchase [Re: Rachel W]
#5352441 - 08/04/12 11:20 PM

i went through a whole eyepiece revolution...starting with Baader Hyperions then TV panoptics, naglers, back to panoptics, and then orthoscopics. I can maybe offer you a suggestion that will save you some time and money if you think you really are going to focus (no pun) on planetary observing. Go straight to orthoscopics and forget the others. Less is better. A high quality set of orthos is going to cost you some dime, but it seems like you're all in with this so why not? Zeiss abbe orthos are out of the reach of most, but if you can find a set and afford them there is supposedly no equal. Pentax SMC orthos and TMB supermonocentrics are excellent and easier to come buy, although they are not for the budget minded observer either. I have a few old Meade research grade orthos which I find to be on par with these, but at a fraction of the cost. Although they are scarce, i think they are the best orthos available for the money.

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