Hey Vlad, Great video and thank you for the nice comments. One slight correction - we've never powder-coated a scope. Your 130EDF (like all of our newer scopes) are painted with a pebble finish. Congrats on your new 155EDF! Karen Christen (yes, he's my Dad) Astro-Physics
Hi Karen, thanks a million for the reply! I appreciate the correction on the scopes finish. I will update the video description with the info. I'm a huge fan of the brand!!! I hope you guys make many more scopes for people to enjoy! The AP 155EDF has been a blast so far!
Thanks! I can't say that I'm not truly blessed in life, but don't get the impression that I have a lot of these scopes at any one time. I just love trying new astro toys and always forced to sell gear to buy the next thing that I have not owned yet.
Hey Vlad, how you doing. Loving the tubes, and very jealous. Seems like it’s been a slower Astro year for us in France, but I think it’s cos the fun stuff in the sky has been arriving a couple of hours later…. In local banter we might call ourselves “southern softy lightweights” 😃 But the sky here is looking nice just lately so we’re warming up for winter skies. So please keep talking to us 👍👍
Yeah even though the 152 is only 1" larger objective wise the longer f/9 focal ratio makes it a way huger instrument. One of the advantages of the newer glass. They can make the scopes much more compact!
wow... those are beautiful... I would totally buy one if I could... I wish the list wasn't so full... but Roland is getting on in years and these are going to be a fortune.... Im happy with my Tak TSA120 its more than I should reasonably be able to afford and its probably pretty close to what an AP is. but if I get a chance to buy an AP its happening no matter what.
So I had a TSA-102 and the AP 130GT at the same time. Compared them many times. Your really not missing out on the optics at all. The TSA is excellent. It's the mechanics that are a world of diffrance especially if your running a tak focuser.
I remember I could buy one of these AP 6 inches used like 10 years ago. It's wasn't an APO (the reason I didn't buy it), so I guess it was similar to this one. It was 3000$ CAD with a wooden mount. After some years I realized I should have buy it.
Well that's the thing. It is an APO. That was the learning experience for me. You don't need fancy glass to have a visually well performing scope. As an example a few years ago I had a William Optics FLT-110 with the TEC optics. It was a triplet with ED glass. On paper it should have blown this older AP out of the water. In reality the color correction on that scope was borderline terrible with easily seen secondary color on any bright object.
Can you do a video on binoscopes vs larger aperture singular scopes? I've read about the logistics of using two telescopes of a smaller aperture over a single telescope with larger aperture. I'd like to hear what you think of it.
Hey, I have already covered this topic here: ruclips.net/video/XDw4WkltgCA/видео.html To sum up, the 16" Binoscope that I had was the equivalent of about a 18-20" dob. It was weird, but some objects benefited more from the two scopes more then others. I now own a 24" Dob and that EASILY shows a better image of anything compared to the 16" Bino.
Im using an older TeleVue NP101 with 2“ Feathertouch focusser, adjustet by Austrian optic specialist Alois Ortner. So, this APO Refractor produces visually a very clean picture with no color. Perfect rings around a star intra and extrafocal with my 3,5mm Nagler Eyepice. The question is: Is there advantage using a astrophysics scope?
It's been about 20 years since I owned and looked through an NP-101. What I will say it that the NP is more of a wide field scope. I'm pretty sure if we set you scope up to something like a AP Traveler you would get better wide field views, and the Traveler would get better Planetary views. The Build quality on TV scopes is excellent so pretty comparable to the AP.
Also interesting that both scopes don't have that characteristic green colored tint that you see in other apo's. The objectives on these have a purple kind of tint. Vlad can you please explain why that is? Or perhaps I am mistaken. I'd love to look through these some day :)
The color just depends on what coatings are used. That's actualy one thing that I did forget to mention in the video. The newer scopes will have better anti-reflection coatings.
This is a bit of a BMW VS Mercades discussion.... Both are excellent! The TEC does have the better focuser, but the optics on the newer AP scopes are a step above!
@@AVTAstro Interesting. I have ordered TEC, but it will come at the beginning of 2025. I have really second thought about it. New TOA 130 is supposed to be killer. Best there is; with newly designed flattener. 1um star test. Unprecedented really. What do you think? I just don’t like their f7.7 configuration. Their reducer is also expensive and not powerful enough. I just wonder if Starizona 0.63 APEX will work with TOA. What do you think? By the way, there is no contest between Mercedes and BMW. Mercedes is for old rich people or politicians, BMW is for driving enthusiasts. I own m240 AWD. It is a piece of art.
You know I have zero added color in my 150mm reflector with the recoated mirrors and refigured primary parabolic mirror with 0.986 Strehl ratio, so .014 off perfection. I've never seen any reason why good reflectors do not have color aberration, just the spike aberration that doesn't bother me, but then my 102mm refractor's little bit of blue doesn't bother me either. Want terrible spike aberration look at the JWST, how do they see through that? I just got it and haven't used it a lot, but so far I haven't seen any false color with my new 127mm Maksutov Cassegrain Sky Watcher.
@@AVTAstro I almost said nevermind on the refigure, but at high power I could see a ripple across top of view. They told me my "anomaly" was a ripple I knew they weren't just trying to sell me something I didn't need.
Reflectors don’t suffer from any false color (chromatic aberration) as it only occurs in telescopes with lenses. This is due to the different wavelengths of light being refracted by different amounts.
Man that's shameful to see all that dust on the objective of the 130 Starfire. Still, I'm happy for you bro. I'll probably die before I get my hands on one of those though. 🤪
Not sure what this guy is saying in his beef with your talking too fast. Your languaging is just fine. Kinda sounds like Lawrence Welk. I had a 4 inch and 5 inch. AP Beauties. Then i got aperture fever. 😮
Thabks for the feedback. Video is in American English, not sure what speaking 4 languages has to do with anything. Perhaps American English is not your native language?
Hey Vlad,
Great video and thank you for the nice comments. One slight correction - we've never powder-coated a scope. Your 130EDF (like all of our newer scopes) are painted with a pebble finish.
Congrats on your new 155EDF!
Karen Christen (yes, he's my Dad)
Astro-Physics
Hi Karen, thanks a million for the reply! I appreciate the correction on the scopes finish. I will update the video description with the info. I'm a huge fan of the brand!!! I hope you guys make many more scopes for people to enjoy! The AP 155EDF has been a blast so far!
I enjoyed the video. I've owned 7 AP's. Currently have 4 AP's. Clear skies ✨️ 🌟
Wow,that's a lot of AP scopes! I just bought my 3rd one the AP 155edf.
Thank you Vlad for the video.
The AP QUADTCC is a great reducer corrector. I've taken one for my TEC APO 160FL and Roland and Yuri know who they are.
Glad you like it👍
Love the content! The true question is how do you afford these all these scopes ... You're doing good in life!
Thanks! I can't say that I'm not truly blessed in life, but don't get the impression that I have a lot of these scopes at any one time. I just love trying new astro toys and always forced to sell gear to buy the next thing that I have not owned yet.
I love my AP-Star 12 ED and it's staying in the collection!
Yeah that's a sweet scope!
Hey Vlad, how you doing.
Loving the tubes, and very jealous.
Seems like it’s been a slower Astro year for us in France, but I think it’s cos the fun stuff in the sky has been arriving a couple of hours later…. In local banter we might call ourselves “southern softy lightweights” 😃
But the sky here is looking nice just lately so we’re warming up for winter skies.
So please keep talking to us 👍👍
Glad to hear from our euro friends👍
OMG!! Look at that beast. I thought the starfire 130 was big but this one.....just wow. I envy you my friend :)
Yeah even though the 152 is only 1" larger objective wise the longer f/9 focal ratio makes it a way huger instrument. One of the advantages of the newer glass. They can make the scopes much more compact!
Great video! Proud owner of a later model AP Traveler...
Very cool, congrats on the amazing scope!
I had a WO123 that made that same noise when the 2” diagonal was removed. Wish I’d kept it!
Had one as well, at one time it was a dream scope on mine!
I used to own a 90's-era Starfire 155 EDF f/7 on a Model 800 EQ mount, and selling it is probably one of my biggest regrets.
Likely the AP scope I currently own(thought probably not your exact sample;)!
wow... those are beautiful... I would totally buy one if I could... I wish the list wasn't so full... but Roland is getting on in years and these are going to be a fortune....
Im happy with my Tak TSA120 its more than I should reasonably be able to afford and its probably pretty close to what an AP is. but if I get a chance to buy an AP its happening no matter what.
So I had a TSA-102 and the AP 130GT at the same time. Compared them many times. Your really not missing out on the optics at all. The TSA is excellent. It's the mechanics that are a world of diffrance especially if your running a tak focuser.
I remember I could buy one of these AP 6 inches used like 10 years ago. It's wasn't an APO (the reason I didn't buy it), so I guess it was similar to this one.
It was 3000$ CAD with a wooden mount. After some years I realized I should have buy it.
Well that's the thing. It is an APO. That was the learning experience for me. You don't need fancy glass to have a visually well performing scope. As an example a few years ago I had a William Optics FLT-110 with the TEC optics. It was a triplet with ED glass. On paper it should have blown this older AP out of the water. In reality the color correction on that scope was borderline terrible with easily seen secondary color on any bright object.
Can you do a video on binoscopes vs larger aperture singular scopes? I've read about the logistics of using two telescopes of a smaller aperture over a single telescope with larger aperture. I'd like to hear what you think of it.
Hey, I have already covered this topic here: ruclips.net/video/XDw4WkltgCA/видео.html
To sum up, the 16" Binoscope that I had was the equivalent of about a 18-20" dob. It was weird, but some objects benefited more from the two scopes more then others. I now own a 24" Dob and that EASILY shows a better image of anything compared to the 16" Bino.
Im using an older TeleVue NP101 with 2“ Feathertouch focusser, adjustet by Austrian optic specialist Alois Ortner. So, this APO Refractor produces visually a very clean picture with no color. Perfect rings around a star intra and extrafocal with my 3,5mm Nagler Eyepice.
The question is: Is there advantage using a astrophysics scope?
It's been about 20 years since I owned and looked through an NP-101. What I will say it that the NP is more of a wide field scope. I'm pretty sure if we set you scope up to something like a AP Traveler you would get better wide field views, and the Traveler would get better Planetary views. The Build quality on TV scopes is excellent so pretty comparable to the AP.
Nice video, great scopes! Please take that 30-cent finder scope off that beautiful telescope! 😂😂😂
Lol, that's my signature finder! I have them on all my scopes;)
Also interesting that both scopes don't have that characteristic green colored tint that you see in other apo's. The objectives on these have a purple kind of tint. Vlad can you please explain why that is? Or perhaps I am mistaken. I'd love to look through these some day :)
The color just depends on what coatings are used. That's actualy one thing that I did forget to mention in the video. The newer scopes will have better anti-reflection coatings.
Do you still have TEC140? If yes, how will you compare TEC140mm to this?
This is a bit of a BMW VS Mercades discussion.... Both are excellent! The TEC does have the better focuser, but the optics on the newer AP scopes are a step above!
@@AVTAstro Interesting. I have ordered TEC, but it will come at the beginning of 2025. I have really second thought about it. New TOA 130 is supposed to be killer. Best there is; with newly designed flattener. 1um star test. Unprecedented really.
What do you think?
I just don’t like their f7.7 configuration. Their reducer is also expensive and not powerful enough. I just wonder if Starizona 0.63 APEX will work with TOA. What do you think?
By the way, there is no contest between Mercedes and BMW. Mercedes is for old rich people or politicians, BMW is for driving enthusiasts. I own m240 AWD. It is a piece of art.
@@anata5127I had a TEC 140. An excellent performer visually. A beefy scope.Only sold it because a 130GT became available.
My eyes have immediately turned very green .
You must be a Takahashi fan, and all that green paint has got the better of ya;) J/k. LOL
You know I have zero added color in my 150mm reflector with the recoated mirrors and refigured primary parabolic mirror with 0.986 Strehl ratio, so .014 off perfection. I've never seen any reason why good reflectors do not have color aberration, just the spike aberration that doesn't bother me, but then my 102mm refractor's little bit of blue doesn't bother me either. Want terrible spike aberration look at the JWST, how do they see through that?
I just got it and haven't used it a lot, but so far I haven't seen any false color with my new 127mm Maksutov Cassegrain Sky Watcher.
Yeah reflectors will not show any secondary color. Sounds like you have an amazing mirror on your hands!
@@AVTAstro I almost said nevermind on the refigure, but at high power I could see a ripple across top of view. They told me my "anomaly" was a ripple I knew they weren't just trying to sell me something I didn't need.
Reflectors don’t suffer from any false color (chromatic aberration) as it only occurs in telescopes with lenses. This is due to the different wavelengths of light being refracted by different amounts.
Wow, that telescope is insanely large.
Lol, yes its not small. The 7" Meade APO I have is bigger though... LOL
AP 160 mm APO on the table?
AP152!
@@AVTAstro awesome lens!😲
I have a Sky Rover 155 Apo Pro lens, it is a beast!
Man that's shameful to see all that dust on the objective of the 130 Starfire. Still, I'm happy for you bro. I'll probably die before I get my hands on one of those though. 🤪
It's the sign of a well-used scope, my friend!
@@AVTAstro Is that what it is?
Not sure what this guy is saying in his beef with your talking too fast. Your languaging is just fine. Kinda sounds like Lawrence Welk.
I had a 4 inch and 5 inch. AP Beauties. Then i got aperture fever. 😮
Side by Side with a Takahashi... most people would say NO difference.
Can't disagree with that at all both excellent scopes!
Apochromat, not apromat :)
Well known fact that I'm vocabulary challenged. 😅
im sure you mean well...and I speak 4 languages...but you need to slow down in speech...you are very hard to understand
Thabks for the feedback. Video is in American English, not sure what speaking 4 languages has to do with anything. Perhaps American English is not your native language?