9 replies to this topic

[Rixavatar]

I'm curious, now that Stellarvues SVX line has been out a while, what people have experienced with them.  I'm curious how the new in-house optics compare to the older SVA line, apart from the Strehl rating.  

 

I'm also curious about their new focuser.  It sounds like its an in-house model now, with all of the talk about machining at the Stellarvue plant, rather than a refined imported focuser, but I'm not certain.  I've always been very partial to Feathertouch focusers, which I see is an option on their scopes.

 

Is this new line competing with the likes of Tak, etc?  I see a few posts here and there from when the line first came out, but nothing recent, so I thought I would ping the community.  It may be something worth considering!

 

Rick

[Tim C]

I can comment on the focuser as I had Stellarvue install the new 3.5" focuser on my SVA130T.  I had the 2.5" SV on it previously.  I'm very pleased with it.  It is very solid.  My ASI1600 and FW don't come close to taxing it and I'm sure it could handle a much larger load with ease.  The rotation feature is very well executed as well, there doesn't seem to be any play at all when loosening the thumbscrew and rotating the focuser and it seems to maintain alignment very well.  The focuser is not as buttery smooth as a Feathertouch but it's smooth, especially with the fine focus knob.  I really think it's probably on par with a FT for imaging purposes but if you have to have the absolute most smoothness when using the scope visually, then the FT will be a little better there based on other FT's I've owned.

 

Also, I have one of the Optec ThirdLynx focus motors on it and I highly recommend those.  I get great results with it using SGP. 

 

I feel like my SVA130T is essentially a SVX now with the focuser upgrade and my Strehl is > .98 according to the test report.

 

Tim

 

 

I'm also curious about their new focuser.  It sounds like its an in-house model now, with all of the talk about machining at the Stellarvue plant, rather than a refined imported focuser, but I'm not certain.  I've always been very partial to Feathertouch focusers, which I see is an option on their scopes.

[Gene3]

On my SVX152T and SVX130T I use the Moonlite Nitecrawler. For my SVX080 I went with the stock focuser (-3SV) and the Optec ThirdLynx focus motor.

I have been pleasantly surprised with the performance of the -3SV and ThirdLynx they work great together and handle my QHY268C without introducing any alignment issues.

[Rixavatar]

That's good news for the focusers!  Has anyone done an evaluation on the optics?

[Jeff Bennett]

That's good news for the focusers!  Has anyone done an evaluation on the optics?

I have had an SVX102T for about nine months and have been very happy with it.  As others have indicated, the focuser (3-inch version of SV focuser) is excellent and in my opinion as smooth and solid as the Feathertouch option.  Optically, my sample is excellent and matched a very nice Takahashi TSA-102S that I owned at the same time (ie, head to head on the same nights).  Tests with an artificial star showed very similar results.  I typically only go down to about 0.5mm exit pupil for comfort and image brightness reasons, but I did find that the SV could be pushed easily to 250X or so while maintaining razor sharp, albeit somewhat dim, images.  It was good enough that I felt comfortable letting the Tak go, largely because I liked the focuser and shorter focal length of the SV compared to the Tak.

 

I would be very interested in the SVX130 if I didn’t already own a TEC140.

 

Jeff

[jeremiah2229]

Someone please post a link to the 3.5" focuser being made in house by Stellarvue. Ding dong me cannot find it.

 

Thanks...

[Tim C]

i thought the focuser was imported

[jeremiah2229]

Thanks Tim. I thought there was something I was missing here. 

 

 

Peace...

[Chuck2]

Link to Stellarvue's 2.5" focuser:

 

https://www.stellarv...focuser-fsvf25/

 

Pictures of their new 3.5" focuser installed on their 130mm APO:

 

https://www.stellarv...plet-refractor/

 

"Stellarvue's highly rated 3.5" dual speed, rack and pinion focuser with 2" and 1.25" threaded adapters. Includes our standard FBB dovetail shoe for use with our finder scope rings. Our new 3.5" dual speed rack and pinion focuser comes with draw tube rotator to provide more accurate rotation when imaging. We enhance the performance of these focusers by using bearings that have no slop when properly adjusted. The 3.5" aperture significantly reduces vignettng seen in 130's with smaller focusers".

[Rixavatar]

Thanks for all of the comments so far!  I am definitely interested in any feedback on the optical performance, especially on planets.

 

Thanks in advance!

 

R