Stellarvue SV5S or TEC 140 or other?

I'm looking to purchase my last telescope for many years and have decided to finance one. Tec's are priced a little less but it sells without rings, finder and case unlike the Stellarvue. I think the advantage to the tec is the aperature at 140mm's. I can't seem to find the aperature for the SV5. It says 5" but not the millimeter size. Does that mean the width is 130mm or 125mm? It will be mounted to a G11. A mount question too, if you were buying your "dream" setup, would you get goto? It would add an extra k. I have plenty of time to figure this out. I won't purchase until next spring but it's fun to start investigating.

I plan to use it for visual use and for photography. The other telescopes I'm considering are TOA130, Borg 125, Tak FSQ106, WO110, Vixen 115ed and NP101. My top two choices are the TEC and Stellarvue. Advantage to the cheaper mounts is I could get a better autoguider and guide scope. I like the idea of an f/4 Borg but don't know much about their performance.

If you have some input, I appreciate it.

Don

Hi Don
I'll leave the scope questions for others, however if you have any photographic plans then you most definitely will want the Gemini GoTo on the G11. Gemini Level 4 just came out a few weeks ago and from all reports I've read it is excellent. I think the bugs have been worked out of the drivers from all the various associated programs that can work with Gemini have been corrected, and the very experienced users are very happy.
Buck

From what I understand, the final design for the SV5 is not yet fixed. SV just announced a double flourite 135mm f5.4 scope to be produced in very limited quantities. I had heard that the SV5 was going to be a 127mm air spaced triplet, but no one outside Stellarvue has seen one yet except for a few privileged testers. They were going to show the prototype at NEAF but apparently they got sidetracked. Vic just mentioned that some other designs were in the works, too. They are apparently waiting for RTMC to formally make some announcements and to show some new prototypes.

I am sure the new scopes will be really awesome. It seems like a very exciting time for Stellarvue right now.

I own a Tec140 and highly recommend it. It is a proven perfomer and is 10mm larger than the SV130.

Jeff

If your not planning to purchase until next spring, you might want to consider getting on "the list" for either the TEC140 or SV scopes before too long. Otherwise you might have to wait an additional 6 months or so to recieve yours. I would also recommend calling Vic before deciding fer sure, as he is truly giddy with excitement over some of the projects he has in the works. I've not spoken to Yuri before, but a call to him would be a great idea too.