9 replies to this topic

[Faber]

Dear all,

 

I introduce myself briefly.

I'm amateur astronomer and I love to observe sky (night and day) and sometimes I like to buy some ancient classic scopes. I found first a Takahashi CN212 and now I was able to buy an used, but in pristine condition, Japan Special Optics Telescope. I searched a lot to find an instrument of this brand.

Finally I found in Japan a LS-16 scope, unfortunately without manual and original label.

I found an ancient catalogue and talked with some people owning this type of instrument.

It's a Väisälä Wright Newton, mainly used to photograph the sky.

Supplied equipment are original small ( but very heavy!)  focuser for 0.925" eyepieces and helical focuser for DSLR.

I hadn't chase to use the scope due to a relocation and very bad weather.

It's beautiful and I hope will perform well.

I kindly ask if someone has a manual or some other info.

I want to use with DSLR and perhaps with a ccd; I'm not sure I'll have enough back focus to use 1.25" eyepieces.

The focuser weight is like small scope ( ah, ancient technician, without hesitation to use iron )  

The obstruction is big as we can expect from the scope of the configuration.

I attach some photo of the scope.

Best regards

 

 

 

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[Astrojensen]

WOW! Those are like, super ultra rare. If you have enough back focus to use a DSLR, you also have enough back focus to use 1.25" eyepieces, but you may need a custom focuser. 

 

What's the aperture and f/ratio?

 

 

Clear skies!

Thomas, Denmark

[Faber]

Dear Thomas,
The focal ratio is around 3.8. I suppose the dslr Will work, but I need to try.
Wow, a lot of iron in each component, very heavy. I think will hold very well the collimation, considering it’s a sort of bullet proof! I liked the smallest brother LS 127, but it’s so difficult to find one...

[GoodAsh]

That’s great! JSO made very special scopes. I still use the 125 SCT.

Al

[Stellar1]

Gotta love those rare finds.

[RichA]

Dear Thomas,
The focal ratio is around 3.8. I suppose the dslr Will work, but I need to try.
Wow, a lot of iron in each component, very heavy. I think will hold very well the collimation, considering it’s a sort of bullet proof! I liked the smallest brother LS 127, but it’s so difficult to find one...

A mirrorless camera would probably be easier to adapt if a DSLR has too long a light-path.

[Bowlerhat]

Hi, congratulations on acquiring such scopes! It does turns up time to time, but the real rarity is finding one in pristine condition. I'm not familiar with designations JSO used for the schmidt camera series like this, there's only few member had this scope.

Here's a thread on other JSO schmidt camera

and a vendor here who sold one 

https://www.cloudyni...rice-reduction/

[ccwemyss]

We sold a few of the JSO 125 SCTs in the telescope shop where I worked in the early 80's. The owner knew a local importer, who got them for him. He was always looking for something unique to sell. I was very impressed with the build quality, but I never had a chance to do any stargazing with one - just some terrestrial, from the store, so it was hard to really judge. 

 

Chip W. 

[Eric P]

Very nice and very rare.  I own it's cousin the NTP-16 and like yours it's built like a tank!  The LS-16 is capable of medium format so you will have no issues with a full frame DSLR. 

 

P.S.  If you can find an original 7x50 finder then pounce on it as they are every bit as good as the Takahashi 7x50 finders.  

[Faber]

Also the small finder you can see in the photo is of very high quality, once you wash off the previous years of use .