Superb!!! Gives Push-To users all the bells and whistles of top end GoTo systems (just add a Servo-Cat if you want Go-To). The TPAS is a little bit of a learning curve but well worth the effort. With TPAS activated and 10 stars sampled, Argo Navis can routinely center objects in a 200x eyepiece (much better accuracy than my Sky Commander). The only reason I didn't give it a 10 is because on my smaller scopes I still use the Sky Commander because the Argo Navis is too big.

Overall Rating: 9
Performance:10 Value:10
Weight: 5
Date: 06/19/2007 10:38:23 am PST

Replies: 0

I too *THOUGHT* the NP101 was too expensive so last year I bought a competitor's 4.1" triplet Apo and lost money returning it. I have now had my NP101 for a year and here's why I like the NP101 better:

4” Apo’s aren’t cheap, so make sure you'll be happy with what you get. I made the mistake of thinking a $2800 Apo would be just as good. Then I needed a 2” dielectric diagonal, so now I was within $500 of the NP101.

The competitor’s mounting rings rubbed the tube putting a scratch on it. They claimed it was powder coat, but it scratched awfully easy. I fixed the rubbing, but now my scope was scratched and I knew the finish would scratch easily if I bumped it while mounting it in the dark. In comparison, the NP101’s powder coat is tough and does not scratch from those little bumps in the dark. It may not be as pretty as the finish on some scopes, but if you wish to keep your scope looking new for years to come, the TV finish is the better choice. TV quality means all the bugs have been worked out, you aren’t likely to have to fix problems.

The competitor was very heavy, about 14 pounds with rings, and most of the weight was in the triplet’s massive lens cell. The mounting rings had to be almost up against the dew shield to balance the scope. This not only looks funny, but makes the scope much less comfortable to use. The NP101 on the other hand is solid but not too heavy. It balances nicely with the clamshell about 2/3 of the way toward the eyepiece end making the scope a joy to use on a Gibraltar.

One area that no one pays much attention to is adding a dew heater. The NP101 does it right, with dew shield extended the heater strap is warming the lens cell directly. This requires less heat because you are applying warmth directly to the lens. The competitor, like many other refractors, had the dew shield covering the lens cell with a layer of felt in between, so it is difficult to warm the lens. The only options are to put the heater on the aluminum tube (about 6” away from the front lens) or around the dew shield (creates heat currents in front the lens). If dew is a problem in your area like it is in mine, the TeleVue design is far superior.

I mounted the competitor on my G-11 while shopping for an alt-az mount. I really loved the Gibraltar, but the competitor would not fit. After getting the NP101 I put it on the Gibraltar and love the combination. You really have to appreciate the way TV products work so well together.

The competitor was f/6.2 so it had almost as wide a field and the optics were superb. The NP101 is its equal in every way. I’m not going to make claims of seeing something in one that the other couldn’t because they were EQUAL and I never had the two side by side. With premium optics, seeing conditions will affect performance far more than differences in optical quality. The optics were not the reason I returned the competitor, but they were the reason I did not send it back the first day when the rings scratched the tube.

The competitor had a FeatherTouch 2-speed focuser, the best there is. At low to medium power the NP101 focuser is fine, but when trying to detect a difficult double star's faint companion or count craterlets in Plato, you’re never quite sure if you have perfect focus. I bought the TV focus lever but later found the Clear Skys Helical Fine Focus Adapter works much better and can focus the NP101 perfectly. The new FocusMate is probably the best solution, but I haven’t tried it yet.

In summary, the competitor’s scope fell short of my expectations and every day I noticed more little things that were poorly thought out. Fortunately I realized my mistake and returned the scope losing $200 for the scratched tube and another $200 in round trip shipping. So with an equivalent diagonal, my bargain Apo really ended up costing just as much as an NP101.

Did I spend another month doing research? No, I ordered the NP101 and have not regretted it one bit. You may not get it on sale, but with the NP101 you get a flawless telescope that will be a pleasant experience from day one and last a lifetime.

Overall Rating: 10
Optics:10 Ease of Use:10 Value:10
Weight: 5
Date: 07/17/2005 12:44:11 pm PST

Replies: 0