Buying advice - Forums

Topic starter

Jul 29, 2023

Hi everyone,

i have a Takahashi FSQ85EDX. As I live in an apartment in a Bortle 9 city, I only image when traveling.

I’m thinking about buying a Epsilon E-160ED for speed (Because when traveling, sometimes you have few cloudless hours) and for the flexibility to have a longer focal length with the extender (Because it’s not practical to travel with a heavy telescope).

But it won’t be practical to collimate when traveling, or doing any fine adjustments. Sure, I can do it at home, but when traveling I need to image as soon as possible. So I need something that can handle a car trip and some vibration when moving, without losing the collimation or any other adjustments.

So, in my case, would you recommend the Epsilon E-160ed? Or should I just use my current FSQ85EDX?

(I am using a Rst-135e and a Asi6200mm camera, by the way)

Thanks!

Torben van Hees

Jul 29, 2023

I have both these scopes and I wouldn‘t even take the FSQ on rough roads because of the hassle, costs and time of having it recollimated in Japan. The E-160ED does hold collimation very well for a Newtonian, but I would not expect it to survive any road trip. Collimation only takes a few minutes with the Tak tools, though.

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Rafael Sampaio

Topic starter

Jul 29, 2023

Torben van Hees:
I have both these scopes and I wouldn‘t even take the FSQ on rough roads because of the hassle, costs and time of having it recollimated in Japan. The E-160ED does hold collimation very well for a Newtonian, but I would not expect it to survive any road trip. Collimation only takes a few minutes with the Tak tools, though.

Thanks! And how would you compare the performance of both scopes?

Torben van Hees

Jul 29, 2023

Optically, both are perfect: „Pinpoint“ round, small stars on my IMX571-based cameras and the FSQ perfect also on an IMX410. I can‘t detect any aberrations on-axis with both. Theoretically, I’ld expect the Epsilon to have a better field correction, but that would show only on an IMX455 - I don‘t have such a camera.

I‘m no fan of the Tak focusers and the FSQ is fitted with an Esatto 3“ - a perfect pairing. The Epsilon needs frequent adjustments. Since I’ve been gathering courage for replacement of the focuser for two years now, I guess it‘s not really needed after all. All other mechanics are very, very good in both scopes.

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JohnHen

IOTD Staff

Jul 29, 2023

Rafael Sampaio:
Hi everyone,

i have a Takahashi FSQ85EDX. As I live in an apartment in a Bortle 9 city, I only image when traveling.

I’m thinking about buying a Epsilon E-160ED for speed (Because when traveling, sometimes you have few cloudless hours) and for the flexibility to have a longer focal length with the extender (Because it’s not practical to travel with a heavy telescope).

But it won’t be practical to collimate when traveling, or doing any fine adjustments. Sure, I can do it at home, but when traveling I need to image as soon as possible. So I need something that can handle a car trip and some vibration when moving, without losing the collimation or any other adjustments.

So, in my case, would you recommend the Epsilon E-160ed? Or should I just use my current FSQ85EDX?

(I am using a Rst-135e and a Asi6200mm camera, by the way)

Thanks!

I have the FSQ85EDX and i love to take it on travel. It is light and handy and fits not only easily in a car but in each mid-sized backpack even for hiking astro well suited. A georgeous field of view when attached to a full frame sensor. Along with my RST135 for me the perfect no-hassel travel setup. CS, John

Nick Grundy

Jul 29, 2023

I can’t say enough about the performance of the epsilon 160. Optically it produces the best I’ve used (as good or better than my toa-130 I think)

I don’t travel with the epsilon though, but so far it’s held collimation perfectly.

the focuser definitely leaves a bit to be desired. Structurally it’s sound enough with the zwo EAF, however there’s certainly a light leak there. I just purchased the Optec leo replacement kit (though I haven’t installed yet)

for your situation, I don’t think you can beat the smaller refractor for portability. The epsilon with camera and such might be a bit heavy for the rst-135 as well, no?

Torben van Hees

Jul 29, 2023

I wouldn‘t hesitate to put the E-160 on an RST-135. Would need a sturdy tri-pier or tripod (Berlebach Planet), but no problem for the mount. Mine holds an 8“ f/6 without problems.

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Arun H

Frequent contributor

Jul 29, 2023

Having collimated a E-130D, which is similar to the 160, I can say that it will be very difficult to collimate in the field if you need to do that. Really need a table and chair and the Tak tools to do it.

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Rafael Sampaio

Topic starter

Jul 30, 2023

Torben van Hees:
Optically, both are perfect: „Pinpoint“ round, small stars on my IMX571-based cameras and the FSQ perfect also on an IMX410. I can‘t detect any aberrations on-axis with both. Theoretically, I’ld expect the Epsilon to have a better field correction, but that would show only on an IMX455 - I don‘t have such a camera.

I‘m no fan of the Tak focusers and the FSQ is fitted with an Esatto 3“ - a perfect pairing. The Epsilon needs frequent adjustments. Since I’ve been gathering courage for replacement of the focuser for two years now, I guess it‘s not really needed after all. All other mechanics are very, very good in both scopes.

Thanks! What kind of adjustments it needs? And in what frequency??

Wei-Hao Wang

Jul 31, 2023

I owned and used E180ED for a substantial period. Once collimated and properly tightened, it survived many road trips from sea level to Maunakea (paved road only, roughly an hour worth of very winding driving). I only needed to re-collimate it roughly once 20 such trips. The trick of collimation is to put a light panel on the floor and mount the scope to point it down for collimation. This allows the primary unit to be pushed against the tube tightly by its own heavy weight. If I forgot this "pointing downward" trick for collimation, later I always find bad corner stars on targets with low elevation and not so bad on targets that are high, suggesting that the mirror cell shifted/tilted. Once I re-collimate it when scope is pointing down, the problem went away.

When I went on a road trip, I didn't put E180ED in any box. I just place a soft cushion on the seat and place E180ED on it (pointing downward), and used a long luggage strap (plus the seat belt) to secure it. This worked very well for me.

This is E180ED though. I can't say the same for E160ED, as I had no experience wit it. And all being said, a refractor is much more trouble-free than such fast reflective astrographs. I went back and forth between Epsilon and refractors in my 30 years of astrophotography life. I can't say which one is definitely better. I think you can give it a try. If you really don't like it, you may sell it. It's not something very difficult to sell.

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Torben van Hees

Jul 31, 2023

Rafael Sampaio:
Torben van Hees:
Optically, both are perfect: „Pinpoint“ round, small stars on my IMX571-based cameras and the FSQ perfect also on an IMX410. I can‘t detect any aberrations on-axis with both. Theoretically, I’ld expect the Epsilon to have a better field correction, but that would show only on an IMX455 - I don‘t have such a camera.

I‘m no fan of the Tak focusers and the FSQ is fitted with an Esatto 3“ - a perfect pairing. The Epsilon needs frequent adjustments. Since I’ve been gathering courage for replacement of the focuser for two years now, I guess it‘s not really needed after all. All other mechanics are very, very good in both scopes.

Thanks! What kind of adjustments it needs? And in what frequency??

It needs tightening/alignment of the focuser drawtube (there‘s two small bolts for it on top of the stock focuser) every few months, mainly after big temperature shifts. I can do it on a few seconds, but it needs doing.

Rafael Sampaio

Topic starter

Jul 31, 2023

Nick Grundy:
I can’t say enough about the performance of the epsilon 160. Optically it produces the best I’ve used (as good or better than my toa-130 I think)

I don’t travel with the epsilon though, but so far it’s held collimation perfectly.

the focuser definitely leaves a bit to be desired. Structurally it’s sound enough with the zwo EAF, however there’s certainly a light leak there. I just purchased the Optec leo replacement kit (though I haven’t installed yet)

for your situation, I don’t think you can beat the smaller refractor for portability. The epsilon with camera and such might be a bit heavy for the rst-135 as well, no?

Thanks! I am planning to use ASIAIR plus, so I need to stick with zwo EAF. So, how do you deal with the light leak when using it?