TeleVue Genesis SDF

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Brand and Model:TeleVue Genesis SDF
Price ($USD):?
Type:Apochromatic Refractor
Attributes: un-checked Go-To un-checked PEC
Aperture:102mm (4")
f Ratio:f/5.4
Focal Length:540mm
Finder:
Electric Power:
Mount:
Tripod:
Weight (lbs):11
Dimensions (w/h/d):33" inches in length
Description:This Televue 4" scope replaced the Genesis before it and was then replaced by the Televue 101. It included a clam shell ring, 2" diagonal, r&p focuser, and built in sliding dew shield. Optically it is a 4 lens system in two doublets, the rear one contains a fluorite element the front contains "Special Dispersion" glass.

Vote Highlights Vote
TeleVue Genesis SDF
I got this scope used in mint condition and recently returned from a TeleVue servicing. I previously had a TeleVue Genesis non-sdf scope and will use that to base my comparison.
Compared to the orignal Genesis the sdf is a little longer and heavier but makes up for it in optical quality. The color correction in the non-sdf was good the sdf is even better, with very, very little fringing on the brightest objects. Under ideal conditions I notice no color. Contrast is better in the sdf, though this may also be attributed to the fact that I am using a new Everbright diag with the sdf. Build quailty is excellent and robust. The focuser is probably one of the best rack and pinion focusers out there. A very nice scope. A great bargain on the used market.

Overall Rating: 8
Optics:9 Ease of Use:8 Value:7
Weight: 10 (Trustworthy Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=81847

TeleVue Genesis SDF
I have had my scope for nearly ten years and it performs beautifully each time I go out with it. All who see through it agrees, it's sharp views, good contrast, portability and ease of observing makes this one of the best scopes period. For the $ it is the best scope. Truly a keeper.

Overall Rating: 10
Optics:10 Ease of Use:10 Value:9
Weight: 5 (Veritable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=577308

TeleVue Genesis SDF
I recently purchased a tenderly used TV Genesis SDf with TV fine focuser, 2" Everbrite diagonal, excellent TV red dot flip mirror finder and Gibralter Mount with TV digital setting circles - for less than $2K. A wonderful combination which is enjoyed whenever the clouds part over Long Island. I owned many achromats, ED apos, and all kinds of different telescopes, but this one is special! When using UO Orthos, Naglers or Panoptic ep's the views are stunning. Saturn, the other night, jumped out at me with my 4mm Ortho and the banding looked almost 3-D to my eyes. When I dropped that eyepiece in my TV 2x barlow the view was still very nice. I installed my Binoviewer with 20mm ep's and over the next 2 hours I just panned around the Big Dipper and Orion enjoying the colorful stars and sharp-contrasty images which this fine scope provides. Compared to the others I've used, in this aperture range, this is at the top of the heap. When fine focused on bright objects with my 13mm Nagler type6, I don't see any color viewing Sirius or the Moon. Saturn looks great also. This scope is indeed a "keeper" along with my 10" Teleport. It doesn't get any better than this in my world of astronomy. Thank you, Al, for building my dream scope!

Overall Rating: 10
Optics:10 Value:10
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=576381

TeleVue Genesis SDF
Purchased a "tenderly used" Genesis SDF with Paramount and computer and the stars are pinpoint sharp and colorful. Focuser is surperb with the additional fine focuser from TV. Flip mirror Finder ia great with the oversized dot, which is a unique feature along with the flip mirror.
A wonderful scope to enjoy the heavens with. Well worth the investment. Highly recommended scope and mount system.

Overall Rating: 10
Optics:10 Mount:10 Ease of Use:10 Value:10
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=575094

TeleVue Genesis SDF
I have a Genesis SDF and love it!
The scope will go from 25X to 250X with out flinching.
On good nights I have even pushed it up to 400X on Saturn, and Jupiter. The little SDF held it's image very, very well for such high power, still very sharp.
When compared to my friends TV102, I can say that the TV102 is a little sharper, I beleive that this is due to the fact that the TV 102 has only 2 elements and the SDF has 4.
The comparison would be like looking at Jupiter through an 8 element wide angle eyepiece, and comparing it with the view in a 4 element plossl or orthoscopic.
Still a great scope and a real bargin for an Apo.
Found mine in 2003 for about $1500 USD.

Overall Rating: 10
Optics:9 Ease of Use:10 Value:10
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=480667

TeleVue Genesis SDF
I have had a few scopes and looked thru many. By far the SDF was superior to all.
I don't have the original one I had,but I am getting another. I have regretted parting with it. What a wonderful telescope.
Originally I paid 2000.00 and sold it for same. Now on the used market you can get them for 12-1500 dollars. What a bargain. Yes, it was always the "Star" at the star parties.

Overall Rating: 10
Optics:10 Ease of Use:10 Value:10
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=336245

TeleVue Genesis SDF
This was my first serious scope, I chose this style over an SCT due to the better images it produces. The good points about this scope are: Excellent images, contrasty, short cool down / setup time, rock solid/stable Gibralter mount. The bad points: The short focal legnth makes you use very small eyepieces to get any serious magnification (i.e. 2.5mm), so you will have to buy expensive eyepieces, like Naglers, to be able to comfortably use it at high magnification with a decent FOV, at about $250 - $300 per eyepiece that gets expensive quick. Also, I am not a fan of the alt-az style mount and think that is a bad choice for this scope. I was looking at Mars with my 4mm eyepiece, and by the time I was able to focus, it was out of my FOV. An GEM mount would have been a better choice to follow Mars accross the sky. I found out how valuable a tracking mount is after this experience. I returned my scope out of frustration, and am will be looking for a MOTORIZED mounted scope next. What good is a great scope if you don't look forward to using it, hope this helps.

Overall Rating: 7
Optics:9 Mount:7 Ease of Use:4 Value:7
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=322137 

I found it noteworthy that all the TV 4" scopes had consistent ratings with the exception of the sdf. I now know why. I find the "4" rating for ease of use here misleading. The reviewer has obviously never owned an alt/az mount before, and spent most of his time condeming it. That was misplaced. This area is reserved for the scope, not the Gibraltar mount. Most TV owners love theirs anyway. Take this rating out and the numbers likely fall back into line where they should be.
TeleVue Genesis SDF
I am new the the astronomy thing. Like many it was something I always wanted to do but of course procrastinated. I went from a 75.00 (POS) refractor to newtonians up to SCT's. At anastro convention someone set up a TV101 and was doing solar viewing. I was offered a look and it ws all she wrote. That night I went home and found a Genesis SDF on a website and bought it. My Gen-SDF is simply awesome. Begs for more magnification ad pays you back with one beautiful image. I am impressed. My hats off to you Al.

Overall Rating: 9
Optics:10 Ease of Use:9 Value:9
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=137514

TeleVue Genesis SDF
Purchased second hand after saving for 3 years, mounted on a G11. My favoutite telescope, the wide field of view is awesome. I doubt there is much better for viewing clusters or scanning the milkyway. Rarely shows any colour fringing, perfect partner for Nagler/Panoptic eyepieces. IMHO a 4" APO is the best all round scope and the sdf is about as good as 4" APO`s get. Great Value second hand. You will want a like bucket to partner this scope, I use a 10" Meade Newt for DSO.

Overall Rating: 9
Optics:9 Mount:9 Ease of Use:5 Value:9
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=84827

TeleVue Genesis SDF
A true masterpiece from Nagler. I suspect it was too costly to produce over the long run hence the demise and replacement of it by the 101. Worth every penny I paid for it. I don't have it anymore , but still miss it. It was always a celebrity at Star Gazes.

Overall Rating: 9
Optics:9 Ease of Use:9 Value:9
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=69141

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