Astro-Physics Traveler 105 EDFS

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Astro-Physics Traveler 105 EDFS
Very versatile, extremely high quality scope. Short focal length (f5.8) makes for an outstanding wide field photographic intrument. Scope collapses to 19" long, meets airline carry-on baggage requirements (fits in samsonite carryon). f4 field flattener/reducer also available, recommended for photography. Scope holds value remarkably well. Be prepared for long wait if you order new, or pay a premium for one in dealer's stock.

Recommended eyepieces: Televue PanOptic 35mm (17x, 3.8degree... see the entire Veil neb at once!), Nagler 9mm, Vixen LV 4mm, 2.5mm.

Recommended mount: Vixen Super/Great Polaris for planets/starparties, Televue Gibraltar for general viewing.

General note: Small apature is not as limiting as one might think under really dark skies, but this scope is not capable of deep sky under suburban streetlights.

Overall Rating: 10
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
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Astro-Physics Traveler 105 EDFS
The AP Traveler is a wonderful small scope and the planetary images
are nothing short of amazing. It's a bit heavy (about 11 pounds) but
built like a bomb shelter! I use it on the AP 400 mount.

Overall Rating: 10
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Astro-Physics Traveler 105 EDFS

Terrific scope! Stunning planetary images - details in Jupiter bands, can see bright moons in transit against planet disk; moons resolve into tiny disks. Lots of detail on 10" diameter Mars. Resolves M13. See entire Veil Nebula with 35mm Panoptic + OIII filter. In dark skies can easily see nebulosity in Pleiades. Superb optical bench results. Excellent contrast. Mechanical jewel. Very portable; easily "carry-on" airplane with tripod.

Wrinkles: slight field curvature noticable with some low-power eyepieces and in wide-field photography, even with 0.75x accessory lens. In bad seeing conditions my 4" F/15 achromat tends to give better images; a curious result perhaps generic to APOs. Sometimes wished for more focal length on planets.

Overall Rating: 10
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
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Astro-Physics Traveler 105 EDFS
Terrific scope. Easy to carry on plane in its case,
along with a few lenses. Worth every cent.
I prefer views with 40 meade superwide, 22 panoptic, and 9 nagler.
I just got the 7 nagler, and first light on the moon was also good.
The 35 panoptic would give a nicer view but would upset the balance
on my gilbralter mount. A Rigel quickfinder is all one needs.
No finder is really needed, but finding is quicker with the Rigel.

Overall Rating: 10
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Astro-Physics Traveler 105 EDFS
Prestazioni eccezionali soprattutto con cieli scuri.
Realizzazione superba sotto tutti gli aspetti,ottica e meccanica perfette. Non ho visto di meglio a parità di apertura.

Overall Rating: 10
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
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Astro-Physics Traveler 105 EDFS
As others comment, this is a marvelous scope with incredible performance for the size. No problems on airplanes, despite recent severe restrictions on carry-on size. Spectacular daytime performance with A/P binocular viewer and a pair of TV PAN 19s.

Compared to the TeleVue APOs, this is more an astrograph than a visual instrument by design. Hard to use in popular alt-az mounts, which you'll probably need of you actually do fly somewhere special to use this scope. I dock it a point for excessive weight, the fact that it rides high in TV alt-az mounts, making balancing tough, and that OTA will not slide in the AP rings. (I got around this using the Vixen alt-az head, but it's bulky and not as smooth as the Gibraltar.) A unit finder will attach on the dovetail mounting on the top, but be aware that large eyepieces will block the finder. (You can get around this by pushing the finder forward and viewing from ahead of the eyepiece. It's awkward, but it works. If you're seated, you'll need to stand up to do so, though.)

Overall Rating: 9
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
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Astro-Physics Traveler 105 EDFS
Great optics. A little too heavy to be fully portable since you need a substantial mount to do the scope justice. Can't move the mount ring like on Televue or Takahashi scopes to adjust balance, which further adds to stability problems.

Overall Rating: 8
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
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Astro-Physics Traveler 105 EDFS
There are three things I value in my life. My wife, my daughter and my Traveler. There are times when the Traveler is clearly number one! It is as rugged and well made scope as you could possibly purchase. When it arrived from Company Seven and I took it out for a shakedown my wife thought that I had put a picture of Saturn in front of the scope! And the ability to break it down quickly and put it in that wonderful carrying case they supply is great for someone like me who has to steal moments (did I mention my daughter is three) to get out and see anything. And, it appears to have been a terrific investment to boot! All in all I could not have picked a more perfect scope.

Overall Rating: 10
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
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Astro-Physics Traveler 105 EDFS
I've had mine (EDF) for more than four years. A first-class scope in every way. Works well on a GM-8 or Gibraltar mount.

Overall Rating: 10
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
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Astro-Physics Traveler 105 EDFS
Stars are sharp points on a very black background. Contrast is excellent, lots of subtle detail visible on Jupiter and Saturn. Many close double stars are easy with this scope. Open clusters look almost three dimensional and brighter globulars are partially resolved in average light polluted skies. Use this scope on a Televue Upswing Mount on a Bogen 3258 Tripod. Very stable and easy to setup. Balance is possible if using the AP 10" slide bar and pushing the tube all the way forward in the tube rings.

Overall Rating: 10
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
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Astro-Physics Traveler 105 EDFS
the big three, AP, TMB, and takahashi. i have stated elsewhere in these reviews that anyone looking for a quality refractor would be thrilled to own a scope from one of these companies. there are reasons i chose AP over the rest. let me start by saying the differences optically among these scopes is slight at best, anyone of these companies produce what can be considered excellent optical quality (you can include tele vue). focal length and aperture are personal preferences. i like the fact that AP scopes are 100% made at their facility in illinois. their product info guide says this includes individual optics, critical gears, circuit boards and components right down to the knobs and fittings. in choosing the traveler i like the idea of a permanently aligned cell, and the scope is very portable. it is capable of low power wide field views and its planetary performance is excellent, as close as it gets to an all purpose scope. the traveler is an investment, i don't even have mine yet and i have had offers for more than what i will be paying for it myself. God forbid that anything should happen to roland, but one day when he stops making these scopes you or someone in your family will want to have one, no telling what they will be worth one day. the price is reasonable and affordable for most. the only pain in the rear is the wait, but time is a constant, it does not change and i figure 2 or 3 years will come and go and vanish like a fart in the wind, three years from now i would be saying "i sure wish i could go back in time and put my name on that list" bottom line, just do it, this scope is the best all purpose 4" APO on the planet.

Overall Rating: No Vote
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Guys, I am new in this world of sky watching and do not have the experience that you have. I have the oportunity to due to a change in life to buy a quality piece. I´ve heard all kinds of opinions about apos. My selection had now been narrowed to TMB and Televue 4 in. apo. Money is not an issue. Please help me out to choose the most versatile and best apo.

>the big three, AP, TMB, and takahashi. i have stated elsewhere in these reviews that anyone looking for a quality refractor would be thrilled to own a scope from one of these companies. there are reasons i chose AP over the rest. let me start by saying the differences optically among these scopes is slight at best, anyone of these companies produce what can be considered excellent optical quality (you can include tele vue). focal length and aperture are personal preferences. i like the fact that AP scopes are 100% made at their facility in illinois. their product info guide says this includes individual optics, critical gears, circuit boards and components right down to the knobs and fittings. in choosing the traveler i like the idea of a permanently aligned cell, and the scope is very portable. it is capable of low power wide field views and its planetary performance is excellent, as close as it gets to an all purpose scope. the traveler is an investment, i don't even have mine yet and i have had offers for more than what i will be paying for it myself. God forbid that anything should happen to roland, but one day when he stops making these scopes you or someone in your family will want to have one, no telling what they will be worth one day. the price is reasonable and affordable for most. the only pain in the rear is the wait, but time is a constant, it does not change and i figure 2 or 3 years will come and go and vanish like a fart in the wind, three years from now i would be saying "i sure wish i could go back in time and put my name on that list" bottom line, just do it, this scope is the best all purpose 4" APO on the planet.
>the big three, AP, TMB, and takahashi. i have stated elsewhere in these reviews that anyone looking for a quality refractor would be thrilled to own a scope from one of these companies. there are reasons i chose AP over the rest. let me start by saying the differences optically among these scopes is slight at best, anyone of these companies produce what can be considered excellent optical quality (you can include tele vue). focal length and aperture are personal preferences. i like the fact that AP scopes are 100% made at their facility in illinois. their product info guide says this includes individual optics, critical gears, circuit boards and components right down to the knobs and fittings. in choosing the traveler i like the idea of a permanently aligned cell, and the scope is very portable. it is capable of low power wide field views and its planetary performance is excellent, as close as it gets to an all purpose scope. the traveler is an investment, i don't even have mine yet and i have had offers for more than what i will be paying for it myself. God forbid that anything should happen to roland, but one day when he stops making these scopes you or someone in your family will want to have one, no telling what they will be worth one day. the price is reasonable and affordable for most. the only pain in the rear is the wait, but time is a constant, it does not change and i figure 2 or 3 years will come and go and vanish like a fart in the wind, three years from now i would be saying "i sure wish i could go back in time and put my name on that list" bottom line, just do it, this scope is the best all purpose 4" APO on the planet.
>

APs are no longer entirely made in America. Some of the optics are now made in Russia. Still good, but not American. This was relayed to me by Mike Palermitti, optical designer. Buy the way, he is the tester who recently failed about half of 20 Travelers for not coming to optical spec........
Astro-Physics Traveler 105 EDFS
I have nothing against Takahashi or TV but the APs and TMBs are the the best scopes in this aperture range. Let Takahashi make a whole line of FSQs and FCTs then rate the scope. The Traveler can outperform the FSQ. It, along with the TMB100 and TMB105 and the former FCT100 are the best 4in. scopes there are.

Overall Rating: No Vote
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Astro-Physics Traveler 105 EDFS
No other single instrument can combine the portability, planetary
performance, wide field views, and versatility of wide-field
astrophotography. The price is a bargain for what you get.

Overall Rating: 10
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
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Astro-Physics Traveler 105 EDFS
I have owned TeleVue and TMB. I have used the Taks and now I have the best. The Traveler is without question the best 4" APO on the market. The contrast is better than either the TeleVue or the TMB. It shows absolutely zero color on the limb of the moon, Vega and Jupiter. To be fair, neither did my TMB. The size and weight make it much more versatile and easier to haul around than any other "premium" 4" APO. The focuser on the AP is the most precise and smooth focuser made bar none. My quest for the best 4" APO is over.

Overall Rating: 10
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
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Astro-Physics Traveler 105 EDFS
Superb telescope. Optics are, of course, first rate. This has got to be one of the most versatile scopes out there. From wide angle stellar views to closeups of saturn... You can't go wrong with this scope. I've yet to find its magnification limit. I suspect the atmosphere will generally limit magnification before the optics will. Another reason I purchased this scope was for its breathtaking photographic capabilities. In summary...I totally agree w/ the previous post... If you haven't gotten on the 1-2 yr waiting list, do it! Otherwise you'll be kicking yourself two years down the road when you get
an opportunity to look through a friends! This is one of those scopes you don't
need to 'try before you buy'.

Overall Rating: 10
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
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Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=37518

Astro-Physics Traveler 105 EDFS
I've owned 2 Travelers over the past 2 years or so. The second one was superb optically (about 1/7th wave), the first one was only about 1/3 wave. Even with that the images were superb for a 4" scope. Colorfree on all the brightest stars and planets. In comparision to my previous Tak 102, and FSQ, I would say that the overall image quality was extremely close...When you throw in a Vixen C4.5 reflector, the order of image quality was from worst to best, C4.5, FS102, Traveler, and then FSQ. Believe it or not..the reflector image held it's own when compared to the refractors, on both planets and deep sky...it was last, but did not lose by much. In fact careful side by side comparisions with premium UO abbe orthos and Vixen widefields were needed to see a difference at all. I'd say the 4.5 was a major value in comparision to the refractors.
The major advantages of the Traveler are: compact enough for airline travel, ease of use and maintainence, and widefield capability. It's good for planets, excellent for widefield deep sky viewing, and really excels for double stars. As any good refractor it produces an asthetically pleasing image that is hard to deny.
It's light enough to use on a variety of mounts, and can even be used on a heavy duty photo tripod to increase it's portability.
Ease of setup with an equatorial mount is no better than many other scopes, including 8" equatorially mounted SCTs, and 6-7" MacCassegrains. Of which the larger apertures are prefered in most instances. Both Travelers performed at the level of a good 6" reflector, SCT or MacCass on planets and almost as good on deep sky objects. This became much more apparent at higher magnifications (>175x). Images were not as bright and less detailed due to the aperture difference. When compared to even larger instruments the differences became much greater, with aperture being the victor in each instance. An EL11, and a C9.25 beat both travelers handily on planets and deepsky. No matter what scope was used. An increase in image detail and contrast allways followed the order of aperture increase. With rare exceptions. The 4" was always last.
In my opinion, the Traveler is a niche type scope...it fills specific observer needs, and would rarely be a primary go to instrument. I feel a scope in the 6-10" range is more appropriate. As a final conclusion: The Traveler is very well made...like all premium instruments it gives a "pride of ownership" that is hard to beat (at least at first). This does tend to wear off over time, and I found myself using larger aperture instruments for general viewing. It is expensive and I feel if you must have a refractor then a Vixen 102ED (which I still own) is a better value. It gives about 95% of the performance without the high price tag. For the $2900 and the $2000 or more for the mount, you could easily get 2 scopes that would give you much more versitility. This is unless you have a specific need for this scope and/or deep pockets...

Overall Rating: 6
Optics:9 Ease of Use:9 Value:4
Weight: 6 (Veritable Vote)
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Astro-Physics Traveler 105 EDFS
The Traveler is superb in every respect. Bulletproof construction, great optics, highly portable...it defines quality. It's also expensive and hard to get. Nevertheless, it's a great scope, almost as much fun to look at as look through. For purely visual use, the Tak FS 102 is probably just as good optically, and the Tak is much less expensive...and available! But it lacks the Traveler "mystique". If you care about such things, then the Traveler is worth the price.
RM

Overall Rating: 9
Optics:10 Ease of Use:9 Value:7
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
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Astro-Physics Traveler 105 EDFS
I've spent a lifetime on the Traveler notification list, with no end in sight. Well, life is short, and I've found a used Traveler of 1999 vintage. The long cold winter has not provided a single night of relaxed observing. The Traveler has been used mostly for wildlife observing, and I've taken memorable pictures to record the experience. The Traveler is not built up from a 'small' design, with compromises to compactness and light weight -- AP has carefully downsized a full-blown 4" refractor. Everything is there -- triplet objective, 2.7" focuser, baffling, dew shield, etc. Accessories fit the Traveler just as well as the larger scopes. These components add up to a beefy scope, but everything has a sense of purpose. I don't perform special tests to evaluate optics. Having been around EDFs for a number of years, I know the real thing when I see it.

Overall Rating: 10
Optics:10 Ease of Use:9 Value:8
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
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Astro-Physics Traveler 105 EDFS
Excellent wide field portable refractor that handles high magnification very well.

Overall Rating: 10
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
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