Posts Made By: sanders chai

Hi Folks, it's been a while
(excuses:
1. out of country - sheesh, highlander prominars down under in e. africa, AMAZING!!
2. transition to another obsession - rc gliders, but now I go out into woods/mountains to throw planes off cliffs and camp out so I drag my 14.5" out with me!)

question: is it worth transitioning??...
14.5" f4.5 zambuto with mirror and cooldown fans
TO
18" f4.5 galaxy with no fans

for purely visual experience ONLY
stats say i go up 0.5mag
QUALITATIVELY is it worth it?

I did a very cursory review on the zeiss. do a search for details. basically, theyre great. i've managed to compare to the canon is 15x50's recently - images are crisper with zeiss although i wasnt sure if the actual stabilizing mechanism on the canon might've been better (my bias was not to pick up on such an improvement, after all i want my toy to be the best). my test image was the n american nebula - in terms of image quailty, no contest, period. i had to "imagine" it with the canons whereas with zeiss's, it STILL knocks me out.
good luck in finding used pair as that's the only reasonable way to get one unless you have deep pockets.

dont know if this is price range you want to deal with, but the TMB 105 has a collapsong dewshield. I get it into a large tamrak camera bag WITH giro mount AND ep's including 31nagler PLUS extra padding (the bag already has paddding as well). with a backpack sling, this setup although heavey is airline portable, i've done it on 3 occassions, 2x after 911. again, though it is very dense. do some conditioning before hand (im serious - i swimm 2-3 times a week and feel fit, and it aint easy wrestling the pack around) and when you stroll past checkin, wipe the sweat off your brow and you'll be fine.

there is one that intes makes for 2" ep's.
I use it on my tmb105 with giro mount and bogen tripod loaded with even a 31nagler et al. and all is needed is recentering, otherwise stable.
be extremely leary for loose ep's - i once dropped one fortunately onto grass. wouldve been very bad on tarmack.

sanders

Thanks Guys for responses.
Sheesh, you're suppose to help me JUSTIFY this possible purchase! appears overwhelming counsel is DONT!

the 14.5" is a teleport. What i have come to really appreciate (besides the zambuto) are ergonomics and accessories incl 2ndary heater, integreated counterbalance and tools for collimation and the fans. I hvae used fans both on and off and it is really amazing, a fuddydud like me can see the difference. the only gripe i have is that the feathertouch doesnt have enough travel for some eps.

the 18" would be the new obsession 18 UC as reviewed on cloudynights just recently. i think it comes wth either OMI or galaxy.

i am 5'3" and dont use a block or ladder with the 14.5" (i hate tracking at zenith to begin with)

Yup Floyd, out focus and that is just what i do, shim out. it sometimes bottoms out (in?) too, esp with a big barlow in place and 31nagler (i think), at that point fortunately it does snap right into focus (i thnk?)

George, that is a great quote, and i totallyagree.
you know the only time ive been able to pickout the N.Am neb was with my zeiss 20x60s binos and trust me, ive tried! with TMB, prominars, tleport - no go!

This telescope will be for darkskies only. in town or anywhere near, i pull out the prominars

and no, i will keep BOTH toys if i do commit to the 18". you'll be prying the zambuto out of my cold dead hands!