87 replies to this topic

[Jon Isaacs]

I doubt the used price has much to do with collimation. Collimating an NP-101 is about like collimating an SCT once you build a jig.

 

Center a star at high magnifications and adjust it until the diffraction rings are symmetric. 

 

Jon

[Jeff Morgan]

The NP scopes are comparable to ANY other scopes. No need to resort to trite fanboi BS.

 

Fair enough, people get passionate about their equipment. Having owned two Taks and an A-P, I was not quite as passionate about my NP101"is". Good unit but not Top.

 

Regardless of opinion and more inline with the topic, the marketing problem still remains for Tele Vue. In eyepieces, they can set the tone and agenda. In refractors, not so much. They are boxed in.

[Jon Isaacs]

Fair enough, people get passionate about their equipment. Having owned two Taks and an A-P, I was not quite as passionate about my NP101"is". Good unit but not Top.

 

Regardless of opinion and more inline with the topic, the marketing problem still remains for Tele Vue. In eyepieces, they can set the tone and agenda. In refractors, not so much. They are boxed in.

 

For a number of years my dream refractor was an A-P Traveler. Along the way, I acquired my NP-101. After a few years I realized that for me, the way I observe, the NP-101 is a better fit.

 

As to the used prices: the TV-60, TV-76 and TV-85 retain their value. The NP IS series, they seem to retain their value.  

 

The non-IS NP series, not so much. They're more of a visual only scope and for most of us, $2000 is a lot of cash. A quality 4 inch new can be had for not much more than $1000. 

 

What you're buying with an NP-101 is that wide, flat-flat field of view. For someone who observes a 100 plus nights a year from dark skies, who has the requisite 31 mm Nagler and 41 mm Panoptic, it's a wonderful experience.

 

For others, maybe not so much.

 

Jon

Edited by Jon Isaacs, 29 May 2025 - 04:08 AM.

[scotsman328i]

Meh, it’s hardly worth arguing about. Some swear by Televue, others Takahashi and others A-P. All are fine refractors and I’ve looked through all of these brands. Folks get opinionated at what they own for the most part. Definitely not worth the energy to argue what is the best when everyone has their own different experiences and eyeballs. Enjoy what you have. You yourselves have your own personal reasons why you bought what brand you preferred in the first place. 

Edited by scotsman328i, 29 May 2025 - 09:22 AM.

[George N]

What I've read says that the NP127is has a 2.4 inch focuser like the NP101is, but I don't know for certain.

 

The Agena Astro website says the FSQ106 has Generous 178 mm back focus allows the user to attach a variety of imaging cameras and accessories, 2 inch diagonals, and many other visual devices including bino viewers.

 

I honestly don't know if that's enough back focus for a 3" diagonal and eyepiece.

 

Gary

Just checked the TV website (https://www.televue....d=199&Tab=_spec) - the 127is focuser is "Enlarged focuser with 3" entrance aperture and 2.4" exit aperture.,...."

 

While I've very limited experience with the 127is (looked thru a few - daytime solar and deep sky) I have used a borrowed FSQ106 - with FLI ProLine 16803 CCD, 10 filter double wheel, ATLAS auto focuser - and got perhaps my best images ever - but - it took over 100 lb of Walmart lifting weights added to mount the thing on the side of an OGS 20" F/8 on a GEM (with 15-inch Byres gears and 90mm solid steel axis). It be a *heavy* beast. I've also used the 101is Adirondack Sky Center has on an iOptron GEM - used it both visually and with my Canon Ra mod full frame. << Al Nagler donated that 101 and 6 Nagler eyepieces in honor of his deceased sister, who was a long-time resident of Tupper Lake, NY - the scope is used for imaging about 95% of the time, but also for visual with 'the public' for Milky Way sweeping under their wonderful SQM=21.8 sky - some of the 2024 Solar Eclipse live-feed by NASA came via that telescope (maybe because it was one of the few places with clear skies.>>

Edited by George N, 29 May 2025 - 10:55 AM.

[Mike W]

Fair enough, people get passionate about their equipment. Having owned two Taks and an A-P, I was not quite as passionate about my NP101"is". Good unit but not Top.

 

Regardless of opinion and more inline with the topic, the marketing problem still remains for Tele Vue. In eyepieces, they can set the tone and agenda. In refractors, not so much. They are boxed in.

How did more triplets turn into "Good unit but not top" anyway. What makes people act this way? 

[Jeff Morgan]

How did more triplets turn into "Good unit but not top" anyway. What makes people act this way? 

 

Because the question is "should Tele Vue make a business decision to do more triplet refractors".

 

To make a good decision they would evaluate the competitive environment, their strengths, and what position in the market they would stake out.

 

Does anyone here really think they can design and then hire a 3rd party to produce something like a 130 GTX or 130 TOA?

 

I suppose it is possible. Twenty years ago Thomas Back - another designer with no in-house manufacturing - pulled that off. Maybe LZOS can produce lens sets for Tele Vue to assemble?

 

Failing that, they have a different positioning and set of competitors. What advantages would they have over William Optics or the other Asian scopes? If they can find a good answer, they have a chance. 

 

We are all entitled to our opinions. Mine is their low risk high reward play is to stick to eyepieces and allied products. Bringing out new triplets would be much higher business risk.

 

But who knows, maybe they have a big pile of money to capitalize the project?

[25585]

Meh, it’s hardly worth arguing about. Some swear by Televue, others Takahashi and others A-P. All are fine refractors and I’ve looked through all of these brands. Folks get opinionated at what they own for the most part. Definitely not worth the energy to argue what is the best when everyone has their own different experiences and eyeballs. Enjoy what you have. You yourselves have your own personal reasons why you bought what brand you preferred in the first place. 

What I want, and what I bought (once knowledable) were air spaced triplets, in sturdy cels, with no reputation of becoming mis-collimated. I have two Takahashis and an APM LZOS - a 120 & two 130s. My most delicate scope is a TV Petzval.

[scotsman328i]

What I want, and what I bought (once knowledable) were air spaced triplets, in sturdy cels, with no reputation of becoming mis-collimated. I have two Takahashis and an APM LZOS - a 120 & two 130s. My most delicate scope is a TV Petzval.

That’s cool. All my telescopes are my most delicate telescopes. I very rarely throw them off roof tops or dry the dew off them in the dryer. Haven’t had any misalignment issues yet.  

[Jon Isaacs]

Does anyone here really think they can design and then hire a 3rd party to produce something like a 130 GTX or 130 TOA?

 

 

I think they could certainly design a high quality triplet.  And their Japanese optical house seems to be able to produce high quality optics.  

 

The real questions is, why would they want to? 

 

The NP-127 is a scope more inline with Al Nagler's vision.   TeleVue has a different vision of amateur astronomy.  Their eyepieces and scopes are complementary.  If you want the widest, sharpest field in 5 inch refractor, that is going to be an NP-127 with a TeleVue eyepiece.  And if you want the widest, sharpest field in an 130 GTX or a 130 TOA, that is going to be with a TeleVue eyepiece. 

 

Jon

[Mr.Jim]

But when the 140 was collimated it was wonderful, I can still remember the two times I got to look through one. Al said about 40 were made and the tech threatened to quit because they were so hard to align.

[photoracer18]

We had a TV140 at Hands On Optics once. Gary brought it back from NEAF one year. Bought it used for something like $5K. I seem to remember he sold it to a guy in FL for about $8K.

[photoracer18]

Meh, it’s hardly worth arguing about. Some swear by Televue, others Takahashi and others A-P. All are fine refractors and I’ve looked through all of these brands. Folks get opinionated at what they own for the most part. Definitely not worth the energy to argue what is the best when everyone has their own different experiences and eyeballs. Enjoy what you have. You yourselves have your own personal reasons why you bought what brand you preferred in the first place. 

Correct its not worth arguing about.