![]() ![]() While it may not seem like much, those couple of stops can make a huge difference when imaging. The E-130D is 1.2 – 2.1 stops faster than a similarly sized f/5 or f/7 refractor, while being more compact and lighter weight, making it a perfect travel companion. ![]() With a full-frame chip, the telescope produces a huge 4.77 x 3.18 degree field of view, enough to encompass the entirety of M42 and Barnard 33 in a single frame (see image at the end of this review). Using an offset and oversized secondary, the telescope produces a flat field on a full-frame (43mm diagonal) sensor. The E-130D, which Takahashi refers to as a "Hyperboloid Flat-Field Astrograph," operates at a blazing fast f/3.3 (and, thanks to an oversized 166mm hyperbolic primary, the system is a "true" f/3.3 - no consideration for secondary obstruction is necessary). Fortunately, Takahashi’s E-130D instruction manual explains the collimation process in great detail, and, after a little studying (and a phone call to Takahashi America to confirm), verifying collimation was simple. With its oversized and offset secondary mirror, the view through the Takahashi collimating eyepiece is a little strange. All in all, the telescope simply “feels good,” with no sign of mechanical weak points.Ĭollimation is a little different than one might be typically used to on a Newtonian. I purchased the Takahashi rings for the E-130D as well, which provide nice large knobs that are easy to tighten and loosen to secure the scope. The rotator on the focuser is solid, preserving collimation when rotating. In addition to the rigidity of the collimation mechanics, the focuser mechanism is very robust, allowing for easy manual focusing of the telescope. Anyone who has used a Newtonian can attest to how impressive that is. That bears repeating I think - I haven't touched the collimation of the Epsilon in over a year and it is still perfectly collimated. My scope arrived in perfect collimation and has continued to hold that collimation over the last year of use. It is collimated prior to leaving Takahashi America and the secondary collimation screws are locked down tight. The first thing you notice about the Epsilon coming out of the box is the mechanical quality of the scope. The scope was triple boxed and secured with purpose-built foam to protect it during transport. Like any newtonian, tube orientation relative to the sky must be considered in order to keep the diffraction spikes in the same orientation from night to nightĪs with any Takahashi telescope, the Epsilon is packaged very well. ![]()
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