64 replies to this topic

[Cbaxter]

Congrats on the scope!

Yes TS really packs it well...this week i finaly got rid of those tons of green chips from my last purchase. I had to drive all the way to our 'container park' in my home town to get rid of them...

Thanks! Yeah, every package I've received from TS has been superbly packed and arrived undamaged inside.

I managed to get the CF-APO 102 out under dark skies at the Nebraska Star Party. Unfortunately though, not feeling well I only used it to get a few short exposures of the things I was observing through the eyepiece of the ES ed127 mounted next to it. Just couldn't bring myself to give up any visual apature under those skies so I left the 102 with the reducer flattener and Canon RP attached the whole time.

[Gazstro]

I have their TS50 FPL53 Triplet with 2.5 R&P focuser & love it! Most of my images here were taken with it:-    https://www.astrobin...users/GaryPlum/

Just bought a new to me (second hand) Tak EM200 2M from a lucky guy that bought himself an AP1600! I'm not jealous at all! 

I am so impressed with my TS80-Triplet that I've decided to pull the pin and get their TS-CF-APO-102-F/7-FPL55-Triplet too. Mostly because I can't afford a Tak FSQ106

 to match my mount and believe I'll still get 99%+ image quality from TS. Their service is great even though I live in Australia! They were very helpful, responsive and patient when I first ventured into Astro Imaging, thanks Wolfi  . I believe they actually care about their product and customers. And they've been in business for quite some time.

Looking forward to making my purchase and joining the TS-CF-102-FPL-55-Triplet club soon. See you on AstroBin! 

[Gazstro]

Finally got the CFAPO102 and 0.8x reducer, had a terrible experience with DHL, paid them for express shipment but the service was far from that, anyhow, the first impression is promising when unboxing, the R&P focuser looks great and seemed to be very stable, In TS website  section "in the box" it says that they supply Losmandy style dovetail but I got a Vixen style, I sent them a note about that and TS offered to send me a free Losmandy dovetail, I skipped on this offer and only request them to correct it.

I haven`t yet imaged with this scope because the setup is incomplete, I still need to attach a motor focuser.

Wanted to ask "Cbaxter" is if you installed a motor focus. Works perfectly with er? If so, what brand did you install?

 

This is what they told me in TS about the installation of a motor focuser:

 

"Please take a look into the attachments. You will probably try it like in the picture, but from the fast speed side i think. I don't really see another option, no matter, if we're talking about the Pegasus or EAF."

I have  Rigel USB NSTEP Stepper Motor Focuser on my TS-80-Triplet & will likely get another for my TS-102-CF-FPL55. Superb focusers, not the prettiest but definitely best bang for $$$  Message them with your scope & they'll fabricate a mount for their focuser. Easy to disconnect for coarse manual focus. Works perfectly with EQMOD, SGP and I'd imagine any other ASCOM compatible software.

Edited by Gazstro, 10 August 2022 - 05:51 AM.

[Cbaxter]

I have their TS50 FPL53 Triplet with 2.5 R&P focuser & love it! Most of my images here were taken with it:- https://www.astrobin...users/GaryPlum/
Just bought a new to me (second hand) Tak EM200 2M from a lucky guy that bought himself an AP1600! I'm not jealous at all!
I am so impressed with my TS80-Triplet that I've decided to pull the pin and get their TS-CF-APO-102-F/7-FPL55-Triplet too. Mostly because I can't afford a Tak FSQ106
to match my mount and believe I'll still get 99%+ image quality from TS. Their service is great even though I live in Australia! They were very helpful, responsive and patient when I first ventured into Astro Imaging, thanks Wolfi . I believe they actually care about their product and customers. And they've been in business for quite some time.
Looking forward to making my purchase and joining the TS-CF-102-FPL-55-Triplet club soon. See you on AstroBin!

Congrats and hopefully clear skies follow your order! If you like the TS 80 triplet then you will definitely like their Color Free (CF) line. The CF APO 102 is a very fine instrument with excellent optics. I doubt anyone looking through one of these scopes next to say a Stellarvue svx 102, Tak, or AP, would be able to see a physical difference in the image, even under the best seeing. Anyone who claims they can either has one defective scope or it is purely psychological.

[Space_Race_T.J.]

I doubt anyone looking through one of these scopes next to say a Stellarvue svx 102, Tak, or AP, would be able to see a physical difference in the image, even under the best seeing. Anyone who claims they can either has one defective scope or it is purely psychological.

https://www.cloudyni...0-side-by-side/

 

Check out this thread. Clearly if you actually have 2 scopes side by side, and switch back and forth between them, there are differences that can be seen.

 

Neither scope was defective, and if you have more than 1 person doing the comparison, the psychological aspect or bias you refer to is also taken into account.

 

Clear skies,

 

T.J.

[Cbaxter]

https://www.cloudyni...0-side-by-side/

Check out this thread. Clearly if you actually have 2 scopes side by side, and switch back and forth between them, there are differences that can be seen.

Neither scope was defective, and if you have more than 1 person doing the comparison, the psychological aspect or bias you refer to is also taken into account.

Clear skies,

T.J.

Hello and thank you for linking to such a fun read.

I retract my statement, clearly physical differences can be seen even among the best scopes. What I clearly did not say but really did mean was that the image quality between them would probably be a toss up and choice would come down to personal preferences.

Edited by Cbaxter, 10 August 2022 - 02:13 PM.

[TareqPhoto]

Hello and thank you for linking to such a fun read.

I retract my statement, clearly physical differences can be seen even among the best scopes. What I clearly did not say but really did mean was that the image quality between them would probably be a toss up and choice would come down to personal preferences.

And i am about to buy my second TS Optics 90mm FPL55, that is better than just one TEC or one Tak, i have two cameras APS-C, i bought 90mm by end of 2020 and got it first quarter of 2021 and i gave it a try and it is amazing optically really, i don't think that if i have all high end scopes i really will care much about the difference in image quality, if the image is delivered then that is all what matter, and really i can see that the body design is also amazing and no complain, and with many scopes around then i do'nt think i will die if i didn't have a TEC or AP/Tak scope any soon or at all, so i have to trust my TS scopes and keep going.

[liors]

Finally got the EAF and been installed on my new CFAPO102.

This is how the screws been connected the bracket to focuser.

Been tested and every thing works well.

Attached Thumbnails

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[Mcloud]

That's a really nice looking telescope!

[Gazstro]

I have  Rigel USB NSTEP Stepper Motor Focuser on my TS-80-Triplet & will likely get another for my TS-102-CF-FPL55. Superb focusers, not the prettiest but definitely best bang for $$$  Message them with your scope & they'll fabricate a mount for their focuser. Easy to disconnect for coarse manual focus. Works perfectly with EQMOD, SGP and I'd imagine any other ASCOM compatible software.

I just ordered another USB-NSTEP focuser from Leon (Dr. Leon Palmer) at Rigel as I'm going to run my TS-80-Triplet side by side with the new 102-FLP55-F7-Triplet I'm ordering this week. Leon has the brackets for the TS-102-FPL55-Triplet already fabricated as it's identical to a couple of other well known scopes with the same spec's and he's sold a few for the TS-102.

All that remains is for me to configure my I7-NUC with SGP,PHD-2, SharpCap & my Polemaster software to sit between the 2 scopes. So it'll be 100% remotely conntrolled once I get my meridian flips sorted on the EM200 Mount.

Once my cloud gods payment is made I should enjoy some awesome imaging! 

[Hans Joakim]

Here is a recent video by TS on their CF class of APO refractors with some nice example photos acquired with the 102 f7 model: https://youtu.be/1Ii-LdWAub8.

Edited by Hans Joakim, 19 August 2022 - 02:52 AM.

[Gazstro]

Finally got a clear night with it!

 

https://www.teleskop...ertificate.html

 

This is 50 x 3 minute unguided exposures Hydrogen Alpha (Ha) capturing 3.5Nm bandwidth centered at 656.3 Nm wavelength. This is ionized gas emitting its own energy.
  The Target is the Tarantula Nebula (NGC-2070) inside the Large Magellanic Cloud dwarf galaxy around 160,000 light years from us.
   I hope you like it..

Edited by Gazstro, 31 December 2022 - 01:24 AM.

[Adluginb]

Very nice

[schiz0phr3ne]

Hi guys,

I'm very interested by this apo, to replace my venerable 150 f/5 Newton (which I love, but I want to build a fully automated setup, for future remote).

Can someone could take some measurements for me, please ?

I need 3 measurements, in millimeters :
- overall length of the TSCFRED102, threads (M92 and M48) taken in account
- length of the M92 thread
- length of the M48 thread (4.5mm from datasheet)

This is because I would like to replace the original focuser by a Prodigy microfocuser, which only have a 25mm focus course.

CS,

Lucas

Edited by schiz0phr3ne, 26 July 2024 - 03:33 AM.

[AstroFromHome]

I also afforded the TS CF102 still in 2024.

I have chosen this one over others as I have a TS CF70 for a couple of years and I have bee super happy with it.

The 102 is even sharper and since I have it my favorite telescope.

 

I use it with the Rlattner and the Reducer for the 130 Photoline Apo. Those are about 150 Euro cheaper and attach to the M63 threads on the 102. Stars are very nice in the corners with an APS-C size IMX571 sensor camera.

 

I also think about to afford an Apo in the 120-140mm aperture range. Most likely it is going to be another TS CF or one front the Photoline series.