Review of the Astro Tech AT115EDT apochromatic refractor
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- Опубліковано 28 лис 2020
- $1399 from Astro Tech, includes the optical tube, rings, plate, and aluminum case.
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I picked one of these(Orion EON 115mm APO) up on marketplace for $400 with rings diagonal,case & vintage Orion 35mm Ultrascopic eyepiece,needless to say I was beyond happy to drive the 6 hours round trip to get it,the views of Jupiter are outstanding what an amazing scope,my first apo and I couldn't be happier!
Back in the early 2000's I was one of those beginners that contacted you and consumed your website like fresh meat. Went from a Pronto to a NS11GPS to a 16" dob and now I tend to use a C8 and little Sky Watcher 100mm - because they are so much easier to drag out quickly. You do tend to wonder if the Ring Nebula is what you are really looking at when you are used to seeing it in a 16" scope! LOL It's a special treat to see you on youtube now!
Hi Ed-I bought an AT115EDT based on your down to Earth evaluation. I could have gone with the AT130EDT but that also meant a bigger mount and more weight to lug around to dark sky observing sites. This is the 4th APO Triplet I have owned, and sadly had to sell lots of Astro equipment because of a move to the city from my ranch location. I've only used it a few times, but the initial impression is very, very good. I bought a TOA 130 back in 2003, but other than the superb optics--the focuser left a lot to be desired and I stepped up to a TMB 175 f/8 that was personally assembled from the LZOS optics and an APM tube by Tom himself, using a Feathertouch focuser. Strehl:0.985.
So--I know good optics pretty well, and this AT115EDT has a great focuser and is excellent on double/multiple stars: (Mizar, Albireo, Mintaka, Sigma Orionis). I live in a terribly light polluted environment and haven't done much with DSO's. Jupiter was excellent.
It would be very difficult to better this telescope at the price point.
Decades ago I bought my first telescope. Knowing almost nothing about telescopes I wanted MORE. So I bought a used 10" SCT (because I couldn't afford a 12"). I still have that scope and have recently upgraded to an EQ6-R mount for it. But the list of things it does well is very short. It's great for planets if the seeing is good. Small bright dsos like the Ring are good. And globular clusters are where it shines. The view I get with Omega Centauri is almost heart-stopping. It's worth the effort of getting to a sight where I can see it. But for general observing I find an 8" newt far superior, and for photography a simple 80mm apo does everything I need.
I bought an 80mm Astro-Tech EDT apochromatic refractor, and for a small telescope it packs an impressive punch for deep sky objects. The build quality is excellent, and so are the optics. Based on my experiences so far, I wouldn't be disappointed with the 115EDT.
I just discovered Ed's UA-cam Channel... how did I not know about this? Great review and information, thanks very much!
me too, just now.
@@davidborger1808 Ed is the man as they say. :)
Both of you have cool channels
I have an AT115EDT coming in two days. I've been watching and re-watching this video and updating the tracking status for the last day.
Ah, I've been there myself and know what you're feeling.
That was a great video with lots of helpful recommendations. Thank you very much!
Love your easygoing, approachable style. That said, you load you videos with tons of useful advice novices and intermediates crave.
You reviews are very helpful. Thank you. Subscribed.
The low price and high quality of some modern telescopes is astounding.
Excellent videos Ed! Thank you.
I'm new to this great hobby and my first/current refractor is the Astro Tech AT65EDQ Quad that I have learned a lot with and imaged some very cool DSO's. I just love it.. Thanks Ed...
Thank you for commitment. I am a first time buyer and your review along with a couple more veterans of this industry have been instrumental providing the information needed to make an informed decision. My goal is not to have a collection of scopes and to purchase ONE intermediate level scope I can put in the car and enjoy. Thanks for all your hard work.
Awesome. That answered a few questions for me.
Thank you for that awesome review. I was actually in the process of looking for the AT115EDT, one finally became available and I jumped on it. I don't even care if it doesn't have the latest and greatest FPL-53 glass. I value craftsmanship and build quality. I had my first project completed with it and no one would know this doesn't use said great FPL-53. This is an amazing telescope. I am absolutely enjoying my time with it.
Thanks for sharing your knowledge and experience
thank you so much for making theses video your the best
Awesome. I am considering the Orion EON 130 version, but dont want to pull the trigger until i get your take on it.
Was just going to beg you to review, but here you are with the smaller AT version.
Great videos! Very informative and instructive. This novice really appreciate its them.
I bought this scope after watching your review. I use my AT115 EDT for astrophotography and it’s great, especially with the new dedicated reducer. Thanks!
I bought a At115EDT last spring to use specifically for astrophotography. Coming for using a Newt and SCT for imaging this triplet refractor is an absolute dream. When I started in astronomy 20 years ago an APO scope like this would have been far and away out of reach.
Ed got the TS 115 version Mars was incredible above, here in Sydney..all the Major features and Olympus Mons albedo easy ..had the 130 version too but sold it was a bit more incredible had a kind of Clarity that I've never seen before..Only sold as I can put this on light mounts at 6kg visual..likes a PRISM diagonal rather than a dielectric and its OBVIOUS at the eyepiece Ed..cheers and thanks for the comparo only you are doing this..more please and Happy Xmas.
I used to read your reviews and be fascinated years ago! Scopes I have TMB 92, Intes mk67, Rubinar 100mm mak. Music Transcriptors Transcriber, ESL57s, Mini Magnaplanars. Thanks ED!
I have this scope for my astrophotography rig and absolutely love it. The focuser is buttery smooth (and has a locking screw) along with the various adapter screws. Everything feels such nice quality. No CA. Pristine, pinpoint stars. It has considerable back focus so there's plenty of room to add filter wheels, extension tubes, etc. My one tiny, minuscule complaint would be that dust seems to still find its way onto the first lens despite leaving the large lens cap on. All that means is that I have to properly clean it every once in a while.
I’ve enjoyed my Astrotech AT80EDT for a number of years now, excellent build quality and more recently a new AT115EDT. Besides great optics in each the one favorite feature is the rotatable focuser assembly which allows positioning the imaging DSLR or eye piece/diagonal in more convenient positions depending when the optical tube is in a difficult angle. Two inch Explore Scientific eye pieces of 18 & 5.5 mm wide angle are used. Contrast is excellent and there are no false colors.
Hi Ed, Great review, I recently did a review of it as well but I came at it from an astrophotography point of view since that is my main focus (ha). I have used it only once for visual stuff and was quite impressed. I have the AT 0.8 reducer/flattener combo that is designed for the scope and it works for most of the FOV but it is not perfect in the corners. I do have the HoTech self centering Field Flattener and that works amazingly well with this scope. It is perfect corner to corner. - Cheers Kurt
Very nice video. I have one of these on order for the last 4 months and hope to try it out soon. I have been using a RedCat51 and Orion ED80. This AT115 will give me more aperture and focal length for astrophotography. Thanks for the review.
Finally got my AT115 after 5 months wait. Beautiful scope, dripping with quality. With field flattener/focal reducer, its near the 600 focal length of my ED80 but much brighter. Just transitioning from DSLR to ASI294MC Pro camera. Yes, I am on a learning curve and trying to figure out backspacing and other new to me factors.
Got mine used for $900. It's the original version with the thicker heavier OTA. Awesome views with no chromatic aberration. It's also on a CG-5 mount.
Finding out that you have a youtube channel Ed, is like running into an old friend you haven't seen in awhile. Great videos, and subscribed.
yes me too, I suspect I know Ed from some time in the past....cant be sure
but really top notch astro info here
I just bought the AT125EDL refractor. It's awesome, and not too heavy.
I can't be happier with the AT115EDT. Its a wonderful scope and works great with the ASI294MC Pro camera. I've used it now on numerous targets since my Nevada skies are seldom cloudy. With the flattener/reducer 0.8x for nebulae and without for galaxies. Paired with an ASIAir Pro, and Orion Sirius mount, it slews to and plate solves on any selected target. One of my favorite things to do is to designate the guide scope as the main scope, replace the camera with a diagonal and eye piece and goto objects. Stars, and particularly Albireo, are breath taking.
Ed, thank you, for not only this video, but for an impressive body of work! In the early '90s I was a member of the North Jersey Astronomical Society and owned a Celestron C8 (a twin forked affair) that I was rendered useless by, as I recall, my inability to keep the motor drive locked. It began to slip badly and I lost interest in fussing with this, apparently, inferiorly manufactured mechanism.
For the past month or so, I've been toying with the idea of getting a new (or used) telescope, especially because my wife has shown an interest in it as well! I think the way forward for us is to see if there is an astronomy club in Central Florida ( I live 5 miles from Disney). I haven't looked into it yet but am eager, I just don't know if the humidity or the climate here is conducive telescopy. Please keep up the the passion and the good work!
P.S. I was VERY HAPPY to hear that you are also an audiophile!! Audio has been a passion of mine since my teens.
Just saw your review. I heartedly agree. I started with a tracked DSLR and lenses. The I goy an AT60ED, which I am still happy with. Because I wanted more reach, I got the 115EDT. Other than focus drifting a tiny bit between sessions, I have no issues and am very happy. I use this exclusively for photography. Paired with an ASI533MC Pro, the field of view is almost too narrow for some objects.
Awesome advice 🪐
gracias master, es un gran OTA, me encanta por precio y prestaciones !!
9:42 this is a thing in the audiophile world as well - when you have to look for the differences in equipment it takes you out of the moment of enjoyment. Right brain/Left brain. I'm a recovering audiophile much more focused on the enjoyment of music and now getting into the enjoyment of astronomy. And your videos are super helpful to that end!
Watching to the end I had to laugh. I'm listening to this on a set of Omega full range speakers which have almost no bass and I love them. :)
I always found that a 5" is no more difficult to handle and mount than a 4", and not much more expensive, but gets over a certain hump on the sky, e.g. resolving the outer part of M13. I would like to see a review of the 127mm scope in this series. e.g. Explore ES127. I came close to buying a triplet a while back, but the performance of my 127mm ED doublet is so good, I didn't see the point.
Got the TS version there fabulous.even resolves a lot of Tuc 47
After watching your videos I'm going to break out my old Unitron 75mm refractor. Thank you
i own the AA115MM F7 EDT and it was 2,895.00$ CAD retail at purchase .. its the very same as the APM 115MM F7 EDT . love it.
At 3:40 “...in his Telescope Room...” Hmm. I like the idea of a Telescope Room! 🤓
It turned into telescope *rooms* until his wife said something about it...
I love your ending analogy with audio, as I am also into audio recording and reproduction. I think Astro and photography are all part of the same affliction! While I do admire small mini-monitor speakers, I have large speakers with full range bass. When you tire of making astro videos, I'd love to hear you talk about audio.
Hi Ed I have watched several vids from you and even made a few comments but i have yet to sub to you until today. I also have an astro channel but i mostly do visual astronomy & alot reviews of telescopes. This scope seems like a rebranded meade version. I have the 130mm meade 6000 triplet and i really like it. It perfect for size and weight.
I love your channel and appreciate your astro knowledge. As a senior returning to astronomy after cataract surgeries, and wanting a more manageable scope package, I've purchased a 6" Celestron Evolution. The 6" SCT is a good compromised optical system, but after watching one of your videos, I'm thinking of buying a small APO refractor for the Evolution mount. Astro-tech has a 4" ED F/7 ($650) that should provide higher contrast images, but I'm guessing it would be too long at zenith. A short 80mm APO should fit better, but might not be much of an improvement over the 6" SCT. What experience have you had with the Evolution mount and short refractors AND would I maybe be better off with a good 6" Maksutov optical tube instead for higher contrast? Thanks so much for your thoughts if you can find time to consider my best solution.
DIAMONDS on VELVET!!! I love that comment...
Merry Christmas Waldoboro Maine USA
FYI these are on sale at Astronomics for $1149 right now. 12-11-23. A absolute steal.
Makes a good imager. Maybe I should try an eyepiece on it. I really never have in having it over a year so far. I also image the sun with a quark chromosphere and the images are amazing.
I took delivery of my AT115 last month. I've only been able to do some star tests on the back porch, and one night of imaging on M42 (picked an easy one on account of the nearly full moon). I can report that the scope is a winner. Pinpoint stars with no discernible chromatic aberration, even after rather violent stretching in Pixinsight. I can't speak to the flattener/reducer performance as its still on backorder, and I'm trying my best to be patient.
Is the one you have the older model Ed? Mine has a silver body on the focuser.
Ed we would love to hear audio reviews too!
Excellent
How's about a review of the Wiliam Optic FLT132 that would be an interesting review.
Regards Mick over the pond in the UK.
Great review on the AT 115 APO. How would you compare it straight up to the SW 100 ED ? Other than a bit less app. The weight of the skywatcher fits the AVX
Ed is just sheer knowledge and common sense. If we could all get back to this classy and honest way of communicating with one another the world ie this country would be a much better place. Sorry to drop in off topic comment, but this guy is just terrific.
Thank you so much for your kind comment, Mark.
Hi Ed, thanks for all your great videos.
I am considering getting an Astro-Tech AT115. I live in the city now, but have a good unobstructed view of the ecliptic.
As it will be used 100% for visual astronomy I was thinking a GOTO alt-Az mount would be fine for me.
What are your thoughts on this, and can you recommend a mount in this category? Or better overall to get an equatorial mount, even for visual?
I have a home-built 12 1/2" f/6 Dob, so have some experience with telescopes. Thanks for any advice!
Thanks Ed! Always great info and well presented. Can you do a review of one of these "Binoculars on Steriods" you see at star parties? They look to be about the size of the 115 but two of them together. I was amazed because it seemed to be 3d. Thanks and fine work you are doing for all of us. Best, Tod from Las Vegas.
I would love to see any giant binos. The problem is getting hold of a set. They seem to be relatively rare, at least around here.
@@edting Hi Ed, I love your channel. Yes I had the pleasure to look through a giant Bino up at the top of the Grapevine in Southern Cal. Not that high really but away from city lights. I took my 8 in. LX200 out but never set it up at the top of the pass because there was a star party happening and I was hopelessly outclassed. Everyone was so friendly (we turned off our lights as we entered the parking lot. WOW such great scopes. I will never forget that night. The giant bino was amazing to look through. You are something else Ed thanks for all you do. Tod.
Looking forward to your opinion on Orion’s CC 6 and CC 8.
Other than being F/12 the image and build quality is really good.
Would love to see a focal reducer, if that’s even optically possible.
I can tell I'm going to spend a lot of time on this site.
Hi Ed
So I hear you on the deep sky viewing with refractors /cost/apperature/light . However let me ask you , most websites Ive been to recommend a refractor for lessing a blurred astro picture. Is the a type telescope I can use to have the lessing effect while still getting great deep space objects?
Ed's website got me started several years ago.
I agree that you can get Reflectors with much larger Aperture, but I've also heard that Reflectors suffer from Center of Obstruction due to secondary mirror. Also, why people prefer Refractors over Reflectors for Astrophotography, especially of DSOs?
Stunning pictures, Ed. Where were you when imaging? Viewers, I suspect, would like to know details of your imaging rig/technique.
Hi astrodad, I took those from my driveway. Imaging is a complex topic, let me think about how I might go about addressing it.
I wanted to get a 72 but ended up with a 60mm. Decent enough for a beginner like me
I liked your analogy. As you well know accuracy does not necessarily equate to enjoyment. I tend to tell people that bigger speakers sound bigger. I’m not exactly sure how this equates to telescopes as I am a noob. But my 8” dob has impressed me when looking at Jupiter and Saturn. But if I had the money, I’m pretty sure that I would enjoy the scope in this review. There is just something about having something in the optical light path that has never seemed right to me.
Well the image is the Fourier transform of the aperture, no matter what its shape. As long as the central obstruction is small enough it will not degrade the image. The problem with reflectors almost all originate in the air currents in the open tube, and clinging layers of air on the mirrors which distort the image.
@@ultrametric9317 Yes, once the central obstruction becomes less than 20% (by diameter) the loss of contrast due to that obstruction becomes difficult to perceive for all but the most experienced observers. Furthermore, there are ways to make tube currents less of a factor.
However, with all telescopes, there are a number of other variables that significantly contribute to loss in contrast, and these variables tend to be more impactful and/or more challenging to control & minimize with reflectors (Newtonians, Cassegrains...) than refractors. So even an excellent 6 or 8-inch Newtonian that has been optimized for high contrast views of solar system & deep sky objects will require more effort to guarantee 'refractor-like' views every time is is set up for an evening's enjoyment. Those who are willing & able to maintain a precisely optimized Newtonian & live where atmospheric 'seeing' is frequently good to excellent will be rewarded for their efforts, however I would suggest that this does not represent the majority of amateur astronomers...hence one of several reasons why moderate to large aperture apos continue to be popular. ☺
There is one of these for sale in seattle for 11 hundered dollars and its tempting to get because planets are my favorite object to view and my orion xt10 newtonian gets great views but lacks contrast and the fine detail of a top end refractor. But for all around viewing I don't think you can beat the Orion skyquest xt series. What I really want is a lightbridge 16 inch dobsonian. Wish you would do a video on them.
Svbony sells a 122 mm F7 triplet with 1399 $.
I had an TS 115/800 Triplett and colour correction was good, but the diffraction rings were too bright so i had much more seeing problems than in my 120/1000 achromat. I spent more time on focusing than observing before i sold it. I once tried a Takahashi 100/900 doublet and the startest was perfect. I´m very sceptic about these cheap Apos, they are good for fotography but not so if you search for perfect stars at high magnification.
I've had a few of the inexpensive apos and none of them matches my Takahashi, APs I've used or TeleVue. Not saying it's a completely absolute "you get what you pay for" but like with most camera lenses, there are sample variations from one to the next with most not meeting the standards more expensive (American/Russian made) apos meet. With really small apos, (under 4 inch) it may not matter much, unless you do double-star viewing at higher powers.
Here's the tricky part: First, I agree that an Astro-Physics, Takahashi, TMB, etc., etc elite-level apo refractor will out-perform a more mass-produced apo, such as the one that Ed reviews here. Furthermore, quality control from Astro-Physics, Takahashi, TMB, etc will have been more thorough, so there is virtually no chance of purchasing a 'lemon'. On the other hand, there is always a chance that a reputable mass-produced brand could inadvertently let a 'lemon' sneak through their quality control tests.
However, when we communicate the differences between brands of telescopes, we have to be extremely careful of the words we choose. I would hate for a newcomer to the hobby or a casual observer of the heavens to feel they must significantly delay their purchase of their first moderate or large apo refractor (or end up significaantly in debt) because they were persuaded by highly experienced observers that they must save extra funds and/or go on a wait list for an elite-level apo. Realistically, it's quite likely that the differences in perceived optical quality between an elite apo & reputable mass-produced apo (e.g. an Astro-Physics GT130 apo versus a TS Optics 130 apo) would not be noticed by less-experienced amateur astronomers, and (most important) newcomers would experience the same enjoyment & skill development with a reputable non-elite apo.
Finally, telescopes from reputable manufacturers that are properly treated & maintained tend to retain their value or sell at a moderate discount, therefore a relative newcomer can purchase a telescope like the one Ed has reviewed here, use it for several years, experience enjoyment & skill development, then decide if they need/want an elite-level apo. If they do, then they can get a reasonable amount of money by selling their reputable mass-produced apo & put the funds towards purchasing their 'dream scope'. Alternatively, if they get 'aperture fever', they will not be still in debt from buying an elite apo, so they'll be in a position to keep the refractor and still purchase a light bucket, Schmidt-Cassegrain, or other 8" or larger scope. ☺
@@derekbaker3279 You give out some very good points, i would like to add that the mount is what delays me from pulling the trigger as an amateur-noobie to the sport, the fact that you "must" spill over 1000€ on a mount first before even thinking about optics!
It may vary from person to person but my way of thinking for THIS particular hobby is "The mount is KEY, I must purchase the best mount by budget can possibly handle before even looking into optics".
Great review. I am looking at a travel scope in the 4 to 5 in range. I do mostly DSO visual, though I also enjoy planets, carbon and double stars.
My thoughts are between a Mak (such as the Sky Watcher 127mm because my good gear is 2in) and an APO. I love the portability of a Mak but their slow f/stop gives me pause and makes me considers a fast APO.
What are your thoughts?
Hi, keep in mind both Maks and apos require a good stable mount. Maks have unusually long focal lengths for their apertures. You might want to make sure you have the mount situation squared away before selecting the optical tube. Other than that it's your call whether you want long or short focal ratios!
@@edting Agree about the mount. What I am curious about is which gives better contrast and views of DSOs. I fast APO with a nominal eyepiece or a slow Mak with a low power eyepiece (assuming both are at the same magnification).
It’s crazy that the meet 6000 that he listed for 1399 for the 115 is now 1339 for the 70 mill just seven months later
Well dune . Because you're so thorough on everything. What do you think of celestron Star sense Explorer xd modle.
Hi Dan, I have to get my hands on one of those and do a long term review of it!
Ed, I love the website, I'm loving the videos, but those absolutely beautiful, old-school Newts in the background were really distracting : ). I had to purposefully shut them out so that I could pay attention. By all means, keep your equipment in the background, but just know you are going to lose a couple viewers every now and then as they start daydreaming about Cave Astrolas.
Ed you mention the 115edt is not collimatable, but on a Cloudy Nights post from Jan 2019 a post from Mike (the owner of Astronomics and CN) said new 115edt models will have a collimatable lens cell. I'd imagine yours is from before that date, just an FYI for potential buyers.
Ah, excellent. A good scope gets even better!
Sir I would like to ask a question before making a purchase of my traveller telescope. I already have a 12"Dobsonian but quite heavy, although it's the price I paid for great views n it was my first. Now I want to know which would be better in just 2 EDs:
1. Explore Scientific ED APO 102 FCD100
2. Founder Optics ED APO 106.
Kindly help me choose among the 2, both are Ed triplets but the later one is with 2ED 1xFPL-53, 1xFPL-51. N based on Takahashi TOA.
Great channel how would this compare against a William optics redcat.
I am one of those speaker owners you're referring to lol. But I use mine for engineering.
I'm trying to get my hands on a RedCat for review!
Compared to the Orion XT8 would I expect to see a noticeable difference on Saturn and Jupiter and even some more detail or clarity on the DSO's if i went with the 130mm version of this scope?
Or does the 8" aperture override the better clarity of a 130 apo?
I have not put them side by side but I do own an 8" Dobsonian and several apo triplets up to 130mm. For general observing I can't praise those 8" Dobs enough. Once collimated properly, they are great on the moon and planets and they will also show you faint galaxies and nebulae under dark skies. The views will be brighter in the 8" Dob. But when you start looking at the finest detail on the moon and planets under higher magnifications, the 115 and 130 apo refractors will give you sharper and more defined image. And for astrophotography, the apo refractor is definitely my first choice: no false color and beautiful pinpoint stars.
How do 4” APOs do deep sky? On an EQ mount with a camera 😆
nice name
Great! 👏👏👏Do you think I can use It on my iOptron Gem28 to take photos? Also 102 f7 eld doublet seems good, buy this seems
... Better (Sorry, many thanks)
Great video. Ed can you give me your opinion if you have looked at the following. Meade LX85 equatorial mount. APM Doublet ED Apo 152 f/7.9 Optical Tube. It has FPL-51 glass and Lanthanum as the mating element.
All the APMs are outstanding. The 152 OTA is too heavy for the LX85 mount, which is more suited to a 4" apo (ignore the manufacturer's ridiculous weight claims). You need at least something in the Atlas/CGEM/EQ6 class. A G11 or CGX (or equivalent) is even better. Go for it!
@@edting Thank you for the reply. I know the LX85. is too light for the big refractor. I just wanted to know what is your opinion on the LX85? Have you tested it out? I have four telescopes. 80mm achromat, 8 inch Newtonian reflector, 152 APM, 10 inch Newtonian reflector. I use the 80mm and the 8 inch reflector on the LX85 and use the skywatcher EQ6R-PRO for the big refractor and 10 inch reflector. Also for two years I used the APM 152mm on the Celestron AVX mount. Balanced perfectly and handle that extremely top heavy semi Apo with ease. Tracking was great and go to. Gave it away and bought the LX85. Many people who have channels on UA-cam love the mount. Just want to know what you think of the LX85 in general. I love your videos. Many times I get in late and eat dinner and watch your videos. Very informative.
Are all the re-branded 115's the same, or is only the tube common? Stellarvue's SV115 (now discontinued) was more than twice the price of this AT, was the cost to produce significantly more then, or was the components (glass, focuser and rings) better quality?
Yes, the quality of the focuser, number of baffles, how well the cell & objective are aligned with the central axis of the tube & focuser, how well the system stays collimated after being handled, how well the design avoids pinching of optics in cold weather, and other issues. Also, it MAY be that some manufacturers will reject optics that are sub-standard, which costs them money & raises the price of the telescope...but one should not assume that quality control is always better with the more expensive brands...the proof is in the pudding & it is worth asking around the astronomy community regarding the reputation of various manufacturers. Realistically, with some manufacturers, it is the buyer who ends up doing the quality control, but with other mannufacturers, the buyer is pretty well guaranteed to get a superb instrument. Of course, it is up to the individualto determine how 'picky' he/she wants to be with the optical & mechanical quality of telescopes. I hope this has been helpful...
Ed, when you took the photos through these refractors (Astro Tech and Evostar) what camera do you use? CCD or a DSLR? Did you do stacking on these?
Andre, I normally use a HuTech modded EOS 5D Mk3. I've been trying to avoid going down the rabbit hole of talking too much about astrophotography! What a huge topic! I normally use PixInsight for processing.
@@edting Thanks Ed. I had read your online reviews years ago. But one of the members of our astronomy club, West Hawaii Astronomy Club pointed us to your UA-cams. I watched a bunch yesterday, and loved them. Great humor, and great content. Thank you. PS I stayed away from Astrophotography for decades as it was too frustrating. But recently got the Unistellar and have been having a blast taking photos of nebulas and galaxies, with post processing in Lightroom.
I had one of these scopes if you were closer I would let you review my AT 152EDT
What do you think of the 152 ? I’m seriously considering one. Thanks
Awesome advice sir, I have some questions to ask:
1. The first telescope of mine is the C90 Mak (celestron). Best scope for those who study in the foreign country like me. However, it comes with addition tripod (celestron 93606) and I believe that the tripod is not so "friendly". Can you give me some advices for upgrading the tripod in the future?
2. C90 also comes with only 1 eyepiece (Plossl 32 mm)? Should I buy another one with high magnification? Or should I choose the barlow instead? Or the different 32 mm?
C90 is a great scope, not only for astronomical but also day time observation!
If I understand you correctly during your review you used a 5mm, 6mm, 7mm, and 13mm eyepieces. What brand of eyepiece and size should someone buy for this set up that would best compliment the 115mm if that was their only telescope. Thank you in advance.
Hi there. I use TeleVue eyepieces, but they are expensive so be careful before spending your hard-earned money. Eyepieces are a highly personal decision; that is why I often hesitate to say "use this brand/design".
@@edting thank you Sir. I respect your opinion and you are obviously well known in the community as knowledgeable and reputable. If I was only to buy three eyepieces plus a Barlow could you please recommend what size eyepieces I should buy for this telescope.
@@edting hi ed! Im a new subscriber who has just purchase my first scope of ebay in fine order! Ita meade 102rafractor wirh navi & 25mm len & 15mm! I purchased myself a barlow x2! Please ed can you give me any more advice for moon obs with this scope!( next year i will be wanting a cassegrain)
is this scope too zoomed in to see all of pleiades?
No, I can see all 7 in the larger 125EDL
I have heard that a triplet might have less contrast over a doublet due to the added third glass element. In your opinion is there any truth to this??
Hi lornaz1975. Of course, you are waiting for Ed's expert advice, however, in the meantime, I will share my observations regarding this issue. In the past, there may have been some truth to the belief that a doublet will produce a better level of contrast & the improvement could be detected by experienced observers. For example, the Takahashi FS128 was a doublet that earned very high praise for its sharp, contrasty views.
However, there are other factors that affect contrast, such as the degree of colour correction, the smoothness of the polishing of the optics at every surface, the accuracy of the figure of each surface, the homogeneity & type of the glass used to make each lens, the anti-reflaction coatings at each lens surface, suppression of stray light & internal reflections (size & inner surface of dewcap, design & number of baffles), plus the dust & dew/dew spots on the objective. Furthermore, similar issues apply for the star diagonal, barlow & eyepieces that are used.
In the case of the Takahashi FS128, all of these many factors were expertly handled by the designer & manufacturer, which contributed to the telescope's reputation for exceptionally sharp, contrasty views. Nevertheless, because there are so many variables, purchasing a doublet refractor will not guarantee a visibly higher-contrast image than a triplet will provide. Realistically, one must become an experienced observer & test the telescope(s) you are thinking about buying.
IMHO, given the high quality of coatings today, the difference in the amount of amount of scattering of light & light loss between doublets & triplets is likely to be negligible. FWIW, I own, have owned & have used a number of fantastic doublet & triplet refractors (Astro-Physics, TMB, Takahashi, TeleVue, and others...), and I have never felt that any well-designed, well-made triplet refractor has been at a disadvantage when it comes to contrast.
@@derekbaker3279 Thank you. That was very helpful. It makes sense that other factors would contribute to the optics.
There are excellent examples of both doublet and triplet apos out there and as long as they are well executed, I wouldn't let that be the deciding factor for me. As Derek has pointed out, many Taks are doublets and are outstanding. AP's are triplets and are also outstanding. Thanks for writing!
@@edting Thank you for responding. So it seems that really it would be more of an issue with weight between a doublet vs a triplet. I have an Evostar 100ED and it is very much color corrected.
@@lornaz1975 Ha! I have an Evostar 100ED in for review right now!
For planetary, how does this compare to a 6 inch or 8 inch dob?
For planetary, you want a C8 at 2032mm.
@@MikeLikesChannel Whilst the C8 is an excellent scope, it can't compete on price with a similarly sized dob. Check my profile pic, I know how to take planetary pics with dobs.
@@ishanr8697 depends how you structure the deal. I got my Evo C8 lightly used for $1200 from a guy leaving the hobby due to health reasons, I think he went with a much lighter refractor setup. These days, a brand new 8” Dob is $700-900. No argument a Dob is cheaper for the same or more aperture, but if someone isn’t opposed to shopping the used market, there’s deals out there where you can be in the 2000mm+ range, which is absolutely ideal for planetary. I’ve seen 9.25 tubes go for $1000 on CloudyNights, of course the problem is you need a mount beefy enough to handle it.
Visually astronomy….people still do that? I use my binoculars when I’m sitting in my hot tube, guess that counts?
Would you recommend this as a beginner scope?
For visual? Sure.
If you are talking astrophotography, imo the best begginer scope is an 80mm f/6 triplet.
One club member bought one as his first scope and is happy with it. It's a bit on the pricey side, so if you're not sure if astronomy is right for you, I'd still steer you towards an 8" Dob or one of the other scopes in my Top 3 video. Hope this helps!
@@edting Thank you so much for your reply! I just bought a Orion StarBlast 6i IntelliScope Reflector Telescope for over half of that price haha.
hey, just wanted to chime in and say you've made a good choice. My first scope was a 6in newtonian, and I still use it 13 years later
The Takahashi field flattener price made me gasp. Then Mr Ting said the price is breathtaking. Yes, it literally took my breath away.
Do you need a field flattener even for planets?
Hi, no the field flattener is only for photographic use on deep sky. A planet only takes up a tiny portion of the field of view, usually in the middle, where things are sharpest anyway. Field flatteners usually negate the use of the telescope visually since they normally terminate in camera threads or a dedicated bayonet mount. Hope this helps!
@@edting It does indeed help! Thank you.
Just a small question, do you really think this Astro-Tech should be compared to a Tak? On price alone, the Tak models, regardless of which you chose, are still outside the average novice's checkbook. If you compare the image quality between the two, it is extremely hard to rationalize paying the price differences. To the average novice, Astro-Tech would consider their 115 to be the top shelf scope in their collection and have only good reasons to make that decision. And those reasons are the $1 bill difference between the two scopes. With the price of ED glass coming down, becoming finally reasonable, the only thing that should be a deal-breaker becomes the quality of manufacturing in both the glass and the tube. There just doesn't seem to be a need to spend so much more to gain such a minuscule difference based on the final image through the eyepiece.
Hi, this question of value comes up quite a bit and there is no set answer. I chose to pay more for a Tak (five of them actually, yikes!) but if I only had these Astro-Techs at my disposal, could I live with it? Probably, yes. One thing about these Taks is their incredibly tight QC. I get messages from people who got questionable Chinese-sourced telescopes - not many, but it does happen. I have never heard of this happening with a Takahashi. Most people, especially beginners, either cannot tell the difference, or don't care. The rub is that refractor lovers are not normal people (I know; I'm one of them). If you're still conflicted, see if you can find someone with an AP/Tak/TeleVue/etc and see if it's worth the extra to you.
🔭👍🪐😁🌕🌘
Ed, if you have a day job...quit lol
Thank you for the nice comments!