Lens Stock inbound! Please contact us for details
The APM-LZOS 152mm Triplet is probably the best 6” refractive optic in the world. Featuring a superb 152mm lens cell crafted for us by APM-LZOS. Each lens cell has been produced in its entirety at LZOS from provision of rare earth minerals, to glass production, coating and final assembley and testing. LZOS expertise extends to a thermally optimised lens cell and military grade broadband coating. LZOS lenses are manufactured to a minimum performance level of 0.95 strehl at 532nm which is documented. Typically an LZOS optic will exceed this and offer similar performance across the visible spectrum.
To extract the best from this superb objective it is offered here with a custom built tube specified by Astrograph. A tube is often overlooked when considering optical performance but it plays an important part. The 'AG' tube offers the following benefits;
- It is constructed from a Phenolic compound. In simple terms this is known as hard paper. It is commonly used to make missile casings! The benefit of a phenolic tube is that its thermal characteristics are much better matched to a lens cell than a metal like aluminium. As such focus shift is very minimal resulting in more consistant performance when used for imaging. A second benefit of this material is that it is much more resiliant to dew. It does not get cold like a metal tube and so dew takes a lot longer to form.
- Our tube is oversized. Rather than make the tube as small as it could be to accept the lens, we use a larger diamter tube to give it room to 'breathe'. This significantly reduces tube currents thereby improving apparent seeing.
- Fully baffled. Knife edge baffles are important to stop internal reflections reducing contrast. Out tube features a baffle system that is optimised for use with the Starlight FT3545 focuser and extends all the way to the end of the dew shield. In addition th walls of the tube and dew shield are flocked to minimise all reflections and maximise contrast. This results in an inky black background that objects stand out from.
- Rear facing collimation adjustment. We have introduced an external collimation system to allow the alignment of the lens to be easily adjusted without adding the bulk of a front facing system. We can thus keep the dew shield proportional in size to the main tube
- CNC tube rings and Losmandy DUP14 Saddle Plate. The CNC machined tube rings mount to the supplied 14" Losmandy dovetail to offer a very rigid and stable mounting for the tube.
- 220mm of back focus. To allow use with large Binoviewers like the Baader MkV (without glass path correctors) or photographic reducers, the scope has a generous 220mm of back focus.
- Luxurious paint finish. In keeping with a product of this quality the tube is hand finished with features a deep gloss finish. It is simply beautiful.
- Starlight Instruments FT3545 Focuser. A legendary optic deserves a legendary focuser. The Starlight FT3545 3.5" focuser is silky smooth and able to deal with the heaviest of visual or imaging loads. It will remain perfectly collimated at all times.
- An ABS case with foam cut internals is also supplied with this scope.
Delivery of the APM-LZOS 152 with AG tube is dictated by lens availability. We keep tubes in stock and order lens cells on demand. After matching to the tube we carefully collimate and test each build to ensure it delivers the outstanding performance expected.
Overview
Triplet Super ED Apochromatic Refractor
LZOS OK-4 Super ED / OK-1 Elements. Multicoated
Astrograph Specified Phenolic Tube. Internally flocked with baffles optimised for FT3545
Starlight Instruments FT3545 Focuser with 2" visual back
Retractable Dew-Shield with internal flocking and baffle
CNC Tube Rings with Central, Losmandy and Astro Physics hole patterns with 1/4" UNC threads
14" Losmandy Dovertail
ABS Case with custom cut internals
LZOS Optical Test Report
Specifications
Aperture 152mm
Focal Length 1200mm
Focal Ratio f7.9
Resolution 0.76” Arc Seconds
Limit Value 12.7 Magnitude
Max Magnification 300x
