TV-101 for visual?

Hi. I currently have a 10" SCT and have been looking for a high quality refractor as a second, more portable scope. Until today I've been pretty much resigned to something along the lines of an FS78, TV85, FS102 or a TV102. Any of these would give me wider FOV than my SCT while at the same time being far more portable (and I could piggyback the 78/85 onto the SCT for guiding in the future...not sure if an LX200 mount could handle a FS/TV 102 piggybacked).

However, today there's a TV101 listed in the classified and I've seen an occasional Genesis pop up. Until now I've never even considered buying a 4-lens design because the new models are well outside my price range. However, today's listing has piqued my curiousity.

I've never looked through a TV101 or similar 4-lens design. At 540mm f.l., the FOV would absolutely dwarf that of my SCT. Given that, how well does it perform visually on planets compared to the doublets I had been considering? I assume the TV-101 gives up some contrast due to the extra lenses (which would be further exacerbated if I have to resort to a Powermate)?

For primarily visual use, am I better off sticking to my original plan to buy a doublet?

I used to have a TV-101 (I now have a NP-127 which is a similar 4-element short focal length apo). When I had the TV-101 I only had one opportunity to compare it to a TV-102. On Deep Sky Objects they were essentially the same except that the TV-101 permitted much larger fields at lower power. On the planets the TV-102 seemed just a tad sharper but it was not a significant difference (in my opinion). The new NP-101 further improves on the 4-element design and now it will slightly out-perform the TV-102 on the planets. However, for Deep Sky Objects there is hardly any noticable difference between the TV-101 and NP-101. And, since a used TV-101 can be purchased for about $1500 less than a new NP-101, I think it is an excellent value in addition to be an excellent telescope.

As for the problem on needing to use a Barlow with it in order to achieve high powers, Tele Vue now has some short focal length/wide field/good relief eyepieces (i.e., 3.5mm Nagler, 3mm Radian and 2.5mm Nagler) that remove that limitation.

Another advantage of getting a TV-101 versus say a TV-102 or FS-102 is the you'll be able to binoview with the TV-101 at much lower powers and with much wider fields.

Anyway, it's a great all-around portable scope and I highly recommend it.

Thanks for the responses. Sounds like the TV101 is a worthy candidate and is perhaps even more flexible than the doublets I'd been considering.

Last summer I had new TV101NP and 102 for side by side. I chose to buy the 102 for greater flexibility with planets, adequately wide fields (much more than your SCT), crisper central images than the 101NP. I think the simpler doublet design gives a more pleasing image.

This is all aesthetic...any TV 4 inch scope that I have seen will fill your needs to excess!

Robert