Novosibirsk/Sovietski Tal-2m

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Brand and Model:Novosibirsk/Sovietski Tal-2m
Price ($USD):749
Type:Newtonian
Attributes: un-checked Go-To un-checked PEC
Aperture:150mm (5.9")
f Ratio:f/8
Focal Length:1200mm
Finder:8 x 50
Electric Power:120 V ac
Mount:equatorial
Tripod:Pier
Weight (lbs):40 kg lbs.
Dimensions (w/h/d):1.7m x .915m x1.16m
Description:
3 eyepieces , 4x barlow , filters

Vote Highlights Vote
Novosibirsk/Sovietski Tal-2m
This is one fine telescope--the optics, construction and features are superb. I have had this scope now for a little over one year and have no complaints--it is a joy to spend the nights with an instrument that is this well made. It is wonderful for lunar, planetary, global and galactic cluster viewing, and for splitting doubles. I have no trouble seeing to 13 magnitude and on good transparency nights have seen to 14 magnitude. Obviously, if your main interest is faint fuzzy galaxies, the 6 inch aperature is probably not going to be enough. But, other than that, this is a telescope to keep and use for a life-time. It holds collimation extreemly well, I collimated once (and it didn't take very much tweeking) and have not had to adjust it since. My star test results are the same as the prior comment--as close to perfect as one could expect. And I would not worry about the spherical primary--if a spherical primary gives these results I'll take it any day. The only problem with this scope is that I don't think it is available in the U.S. any more.

Overall Rating: 10
Weight: 3 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=39349

Novosibirsk/Sovietski Tal-2m
The glare was terrible inside my Tal 2 when I first tried it
but a coat of really matt black paint / flock in the right places
and carefully adjusting the collimation of the optics after reassembling
has given me a scope to be proud of. I just love this reflector and its
sturdy mount. A Great deal of thought has gone into the great design,
it just needs a little bit of `Tweaking`. The Finder is really good, it`s a
telescope for observering in it`s own right.Despite what some people are
saying about the spherical main mirror 'my Tal performs the Star Test
almost perfectly inside and outside of focus . Do not hesitate,Super
Telescope to own and Enjoy! Brian

Overall Rating: 10
Weight: 3 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=39348

Novosibirsk/Sovietski Tal-2m
Have got this fine scope (TAL2M No. 2779/1999 assembled 02-2000) since end of november 2000, and I love it from first-light. Performs real fine planetary views with shortfocus-orthos (6mm, 5mm), but also shows me fine sights of deep-sky objects, e.g. planetary-nebulas and esp. open clusters and binaries. On moon the TAL would make more than 300x. Pinpoint-stars after a bit of collimation even in the inner field of the lovely 25mm TAL Plossl, a winner-type with 56° AFOV. I heard from Markus Ludes that's in realitas a Konig-concept. The genuine 42mm TAL Kellner is not a keeper -my 40mm Superplössl does it much better-, and the 15mm one could just be accepted, though eyerelief is quite short for a 15mm. The 4x TAL-Barlow is a heavy thing and its extension-factor of 4 is to much...I don't like it. Beware of these plastic-filters and destroy the black one -the sun-filter- immidiately, otherwise it could cost your eyesight!!!!
The motor tracks quite good, for this simple concept and the mount is rather stable, manipulating the RA could become just a hard work..
Besides that, I call the optics very good, though I lately heard of tests in Germany which revealed the main-mirror is pure spherical but well polished and smooth (strehl 0.97)..

Overall Rating: 10
Weight: 3 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=39347

Novosibirsk/Sovietski Tal-2m
This is a nearly perfect implementation of the classic 6" Newtonian. Rugged, all metal, all stainless steel captive screws and it comes with plenty of accessories including a great 25mm Plössl and a solar projection screen. The mount can carry much bigger/heavier scopes. One could not find a better beginners scope except that its quality is hard to match and any kind of replacement costing less than 5 times the price will be a dissapointment. Highly recommend.

Overall Rating: 10
Weight: 3 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=39345

Novosibirsk/Sovietski Tal-2m
I have recently bought my TAL-2M at APM-telescopes in Saarbrucken, Germany. The complete scope weighs about 70 kg ! The construction is very simple and robust, and very easy to handle. I have performed the star test and it came out almost identical in/out focus and quite conform the output of the abberator program for this type of scope. Compared to the result of a much more expensive Dynamax the TAL performs great. In practice the 8x50 finder is very handy. Overall I am *very* satisfied with my the TAL-2M, nr. 0725 of 04-2001 (the 4x barlow really sucks!).
If you compare the quality you get with the price you pay, the TAL-2M seems one of the best buys you can do in this price range.

Overall Rating: 9
Optics:8 Mount:9 Ease of Use:8 Value:9
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=78087

Novosibirsk/Sovietski Tal-2m
I have owned my Tal 2m Since 1997/96? ( Blue Paint-no soviestki). The accesories where ok( barlow is awful), but I have upgraded, purchasing a 1.5" ep adapter when I bought it. I have since replaced all the accesories with better pieces. This scope has a long life. The veiws have been awsome! I have seen polar caps/surface detail on Mars the last several oppositions. Jupter Always shows detail( 5 bands+). Saturn shows rings w. divisions plus some banding. Deep Sky is Good as well. The view finder is a example to all manufactures, how can you not find things? Sometimes I just view (rich field) the sky with it for a few minutes. Everything still works ( I have a 60hz russian motor). The mount could handle some much hefter scopes. I could have bought a 8" Meade. but I"m glad I didn't. I also own a Meade ETX. When I set up my ETX for a quickie. I always windup going and spending the exta time to set up my TAL. The TAL is joy to use.
(Can't stand my ETX after using mt TAL)

Rate 9/10

Overall Rating: 9
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=39350

Novosibirsk/Sovietski Tal-2m
Does the job at a very good price. Optics could do with a coating to stop reflections but in a dark environment this is not a problem. Very sharp images of the planets after 10 minutes cooling (before this shimmering is noticeable)

I have also used the Tal 120MT (4.7") which offers nearly as good performance.

I would recomend this scope to any new starter.

Well worth the money

hodgettsd@hotmail.com

Overall Rating: 8
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=41115

Novosibirsk/Sovietski Tal-2m
yes i agree wih the above superb optics at a low price
amazing you won`t go far wrong with this scope
9/10
g7syj
icq No 26006458

Overall Rating: 9
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=39346

Novosibirsk/Sovietski Tal-2m
Really a great deal. I purchased thru the American re-seller, Sovietski Collection. While, it's a bear to set up and break down, it's very well made, rock solid mount, great finder and it produces extraordinary visual images for the price. I do use the scope w. premium ep's though. Motor tracks really well.

Overall Rating: 9
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=39344

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