Tak Micro

[Gary Beal]

Any of you Tak owners (and I know there are a few of you here) use the Starlight Instruments Takahashi Micro?
I have one for my FC100, and love it. After using a F/T on my homebrew newt I knew I had to try one. It IS good, and makes an already great focuser even better.
Plus dealing with the Schmidts is an all round pleasure, they really are nice folk.

[PJ Anway]

Hi Gary,

I have contacted Starlight Instruments about making a Takahashi Micro for my FC76 and they say they are looking at it, but haven't made one yet; wish they would. :^(
I had an FT installed on my Showa and really like it.

[BT Technologies]

Hello Gary.. We stock the Feathertouch focuser for the Takahashi FS series scopes that use the 2.7" focuser. They are indeed superb!! Typical Feathertouch quality and makes focusing, especially super fine focusing a pleasure.

Originally Posted by Gary Beal

Any of you Tak owners (and I know there are a few of you here) use the Starlight Instruments Takahashi Micro?
I have one for my FC100, and love it. After using a F/T on my homebrew newt I knew I had to try one. It IS good, and makes an already great focuser even better.
Plus dealing with the Schmidts is an all round pleasure, they really are nice folk.

[PJ Anway]

Brian,

Could you encourage Starlight Instruments to make one for the smaller Taks?....

[BT Technologies]

I have spoken to them about this a few times so I believe it will happen, its just a matter of time until it DOES happen..

Originally Posted by PJ Anway

Brian,

Could you encourage Starlight Instruments to make one for the smaller Taks?....

[Adirondack Astronomy]

Gary,
I can highly recommend the Starlight Instruments Microfocusers. I have a Tak TSA102 and I installed one of their focusers. I use my scope for imaging and this focuser was a great enhancement. It is also very nice to look at and is much sturdier than the one from Tak and they are both the same price. I now recommend these to our customers as the best fine focuser.
Thanks!!!

[Gary Beal]

Just to add to this thread, or maybe I should start a new one??
I sold the FC100, and as you know ended up with an E130 (thanks again Brian).
I felt the focusers were "similar", and so tried the Micro on the E130. It fitted perfectly, and I have been using it like this for a few weeks. Maybe try them, or see if the one you have fits your next scope. Mine did.

[richwood]

I do not have a Tak micro but do have both the 3.5" and 2" FT focusers on refractors and I personally feel they are superb. The 2" FT design is the only Crayford focuser I know of that is designed so that bearing and drive pinion contact points are all steel to steel contact rather than steel to aluminum. In my opinion this cannot help but extend the life of the focuser and make it less sensitive to dirt and dust caused wear.

The larger FT focuser is a R&P design and is again truly excellent IMO. I have it on my TEC 140 and the combination is superb.

I also have Moonlite focusers on two scopes and a Long Perng refractor two speed focuser on one scope. Both are good but IMO neither compares with the quality of the FT focusers.

Rich Wood

[Gary Beal]

Hi Rich,
in a round about sort of way, it is what I have known for a while. There are good focusers out there, but the F/T is just that much better. Longevity is a hard thing to quantify, and even harder to sell, but like you I believe my F/T's will be around long after the others have failed.
Mind you the only other focusers I have (apart from the Micro and the 2020BCR) are a pair of helical Zeiss ones, and these are superb as well.
Gary