16 replies to this topic

[asaint]

GPU 127/1200 APO

[Ron B[ee]]

That was an excellent and sort of a very different review, Andrea . Your review gave us a very fine glimpse into a new company starting up with a product.

I hope you'll consider updating your review with some pictures of the lens and the OTA even if they are not actually production version.

Finally best wishes on the final APO refractor you'll receive and I look forward to another update when this happens.

Ron the 5-inch Tall Evangelist B[ee]

[IanMWatson]

That was a very interesting review, it will be fantastic to see the photographs of the scope.
Ian.

[Mike Clemens]

Very interesting, the more lens producers, the merrier. I wish them good luck and success. Thanks for your article.

[DCS]

Really enjoyed reading this one. Thanks for sharing that.



I'll second the beforementioned suggestion about posting pictures if/when you can get some.

-Pete

[Refractor6]

Yes very good review. A few pictures of your new relatively rare scope by a new apo lens and OTA maker would be much appreciated by several inquiring and curious readers here on Cloudy Nights.



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Stan

Antares 152 f/8 prototype
Antares 152 f/6.5
Antares 127 f/6.45 prototype
Orion 9x63 mini giants
Pentax 20x60 PCF WP

[Refractor6]

Hi Andrea,

Recieved some info from Mr. Pal from GPU Optical in regards to some questions I had about their scopes. Very interesting product indeed once the production run is ready for the market.

Do post a pic when you recieve the finished OTA.


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Stan

Antares 152 f/8 prototype
Antares 152 f/6.5
Antares 127 f/6.45 prototype
Orion 9x63 mini giants
Pentax 20x60 PCF WP

[Psycho_pup]

I visited the creators of GPU scopes on Wed night (1 Feb 2006). I couldn't have picked a worst time: the temperature was sub-zero (high: -2 deg C, low: -10 deg C), the completed lens was still sitting in the coating chamber and cannot be removed, and the sky was clouded out. Nevertheless, Mr Pal Gyulai was kind enough to offer me an alternative - to view the other works by Mr Pal Sari, the mechanical engineer and a visit to his personal observatory, and to view a test lens to access the coating. So off I go in Pal Gyulai's 15-year old car on a 45-minute journey to the suburbs of Budapest.

GPU Optical is run by:
1. Pal Gyulai - the lens and scope designer, MD and PR Manager.
2. Csaba Almasi - the optics enginner who grinds the glass (he grinds optics for military and manufacture uses).
3. Pal Sari - the mechanical engineer, who manufactures the OTA and Focuser (more about that later!)

Here they are in the picture. From left to right - Pal Sari, Csaba Almasi & Pal Gyulai (notice the OTA behind - they are *part* of a huge refractor waiting to be assembled!):

[To be continued next post]

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[Psycho_pup]

After picking up Csaba from his home, we drove over to Mr Pal Sari's home to view his personal observatory. You would forgive me for not taking any pictures as I was shaking in my knees despite having 5 layers of clothing on! Nonetheless, I viewed his work, as the OTAs in there (a huge reflector, and a TMB lens refractor), including the Crayford focusers and tube rings, were made by him. He inherited his mechanical talents from his father, who set up the large workshop which Pal now works in (just 200 meters from his home, actually). The crayford focuser was smooth, and although it felt a bit tight, it was probably due to the tension which can be loosened (and I also had a tough time feeling it through my leather gloves and numbed fingers). Little did I realize then that Mr Pal Sari's talents are far more than I anticipated!

We next drove over to his workshop, and I was stunned by the size of it, consisting of many interconnected rooms (I had expected it to be a small one-man workshop). Below you can see the CNC milling machine in one of the rooms. But wait! What's that at the end of the room?

[To be continued next post]

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[Psycho_pup]

Mr Pal Sari not only makes Equatorial mounts, he exports them to Germany (monthly) and even to Observatories in Arizona, Hawaii (yes at Mauna Kea, he showed me a picture of his mount with the Subaru telescope in the background), etc. Words cannot do justice, and I will let the pictures speak for themselves:

Me standing next to the mounts. For reference, I am 1.72m tall (5 ft 8 in).

[To be continued next post]

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[Psycho_pup]

Here is a close-up side view of the mount:

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[Psycho_pup]

Ok. Enough of the mount. What about the lens cell? Mr Pal Sari made a sample and I am impressed with the quality:

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[Psycho_pup]

And the coating? The sample coating was done on a defective lens (with a bubble) on one side. In the picture you can see the difference between the reflection from a non-coated side vs the coated side:

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[Psycho_pup]

Well, I'm sorry I do not have pictures of the scope or even the triplet lens. But I hope you have more information on the people behind the scope and their capabilities. Of course, this cannot be inferred to mean that the scope will be excellent, but I'm impressed enough to place my order for one.

Cheers!

[Another picture of the mount - I could not resist!]

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[Refractor6]

Thanks so much for posting all the info and pics. These guys are "definetly" interested in producing quality products. Good quality products in the future in the larger market from this new company I predict.



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Stan

Skywatcher ED100
Skywatcher ED80
Antares 152 f/8 prototype
Antares 152 f/6.5
Antares 127 f/6.45 prototype
Orion 9x63 mini giants
Pentax 20x60 PCF WP

[kfred]

Very informative - thank you!

Fred