This is a great scope at a keen price with a triplet objective and a large focuser with built in rotator. Purchased with the matching 0.8X reducer/flattener for a compact and reasonably lightweight rig. The large focuser allows for a fully illuminated circle of 48mm diameter, enough to cover a full-frame sensor. The fit and finish is very good and the orange accent colour makes it look attractive. An artificial star test reveals an airy disk and single diffraction ring at focus with no false colour, although the rings are not identical either side of focus. The included handle doubles up as a guidescope ramp which assists with balancing and makes for a neat set-up with minimal flexure. Anyone in the market for such a scope would do well to consider the Askar on their shortlist.

I have had my Askar 103mm with the 0.8 reducer for just over a month now. Because of persistently wet weather, have only had 4-5 opportunities to use it, but I'm very happy with the results. Visually, I have used it at the full 700mm FL with two BST Starguider eyepieces and a Televue 2.5x powermate. I have been observing the moon with smaller refractors, a 6" Newtonian and my C8 (8" SCT) on and off for about 58 years, and I have never had such impressively sharp views and so much detail and contrast with any scope before. At First Quarter, the views into terminator craters, with mountain and crater floor detail, and the close-up view of the Hyginus rille (cleft) were jaw-droppingly good. On the same evening, I did a tour of the sky using the go-to function on my HEQ5 mount, and it was interesting to see some of the objects visually that I have been photographing over the past couple of years. Messier 101, 63, 51, and the Leo Triplet were all picked out with no trouble at all, in spite of fairly intrusive moonlight. Even the Owl Nebula was glimpsed. Views of open clusters M44, M67, M35 and the Double Cluster were really spectacular, with a profusion of stars on a nice, flat field against a velvety background.
Imaging so far has been using the 0.8 reducer, and my cooled ASI533MC camera. Star colour is very well rendered with no false colour intruding. Star shapes are good right across the field. The rack and pinion focuser needed tensioning up a little, as the weight of the camera caused the focuser to rack out if the scope was pointing above about 30 degrees. This was achieved in less than a minute by tightening a small hex bolt under the focuser. There is of course a separate locking screw as well. Focuser travel is very smooth in both coarse and fine modes, but I was surprised that even with the generous amount of travel available, I still needed an extender to find focus visually without the reducer. The scope balances nicely on the HEQ5 mount and achieiving sub 1.0" error is not a problem. (non belt-modded mount)
I am very satisfied with the results so far on deep sky objects, and the FOV with the 533 and the 0.8 reducer is ideal for medium-sized DSOs such as M78 (Orion), and eg. the Tadpoles or the Fish Head nebulae. Larger galaxies like M101 and M81 show plenty of detail, although obviously 700mm doesn't give quite the reach needed for smaller objects. Moderately widefield views of galaxy groups should be stunning. This week I have captured Comet Pons-Brooks at 560mm, with tail detail right to the edge of the picture.

In summary, to date I am very happy indeed with the scope, and looking forward to exploring its capabilities further. As always, the service from FLO was impeccable, with the instrument arriving ahead of the estimated delivery time. I just wish they'd stop putting clouds in the box!

I was looking for a four inch apo for visual use to compliment my 10inch Starsense Explorer Dob, and 80mm ED doublet ((Altair 80 ED-R). I had owned a 102 Tecnosky F7 previously - FPL53 and Lanthanum doublet - which came from the same stable as the Starfield and several others. I was very pleased with the Tecnosky, very sharp images, good contrast and virtually no CA to note.. So, the natural thing to do was buy the well respected⁷ Starfield version with the same optics of the Tecnosky.

I though I'd check out the current crop of 102 apos anyway, I couldn't see anything that looked better than the Starfield - and then I happened to come across an ad for the new Askar 103 triplet. Here was a triplet with all the extra features (including two finder feet fitted, a handle with the capacity to add more finders/accessories if necessary, binoviewer friendly, graduated field rotator, 3.5 inch R&P focuser, a case etc). All this for a triplet only about £100 more than the Starfield. I had set my heart on a four inch that would be at least on a par with the Starfield, Tecnosky etc range of doublets in terms of optical quality.

There is little on line about this scope yet as a visual instrument, but there are a few good reviews on imaging with it on u-tube and other places. They all seemed fairly positive to me, and Askar has a good, if young, pedigree, so I took the plunge and placed my order.

I've had the scope since Nov 1st and have had about nine hours with it under the stars. So how is it doing?

The fit and finish of the scope is excellent and is of a high standard. The sliding dew shield, focuser and image rotator work very well. Attention to detail is very good, it even comes with two finder screws on the handle which fit into two holes at the ends of the dovetail to stop it slipping through an untightened clamp. The handle is very sturdy and has numerous holes to fit accessories to it, and along with the two finder feet (and two multiple finder adapters I already have) makes it possible to attach accessories in at least nine positions.

This is particularly helpful for me as it makes it very easy to adapt to use the excellent Starsense Explorer push to location system which I have already used with it.

Now the important bit - the optics. I need not have worried, the views I have had indicate they are of a high quality, and certainly are worthy of a very good triplet - if used visually or for imaging. The sharpness, and contrast on Jupiter and the Moon have been very good indeed, despite less than ideal conditions. One morning when the GRS was in view and also Ganymede and its shadow was particularly memorable. Star images are really tight, and I was surprised with the number of faint background stars visible when looking at some deep sky objects. The Orion nebula showed greatly detail in swathes of swirling nebulosity with the background a lovely inky blackness. The colour of stars were also very evident for a four inch scope. The most surprising thing to me was when I observed Vega one night. Admittedly it was at a high altitude - though the seeing was not great. When I focused in on it with my 12.5 Morpheus it was reduced to a beautifully small and pure white airy disk. I watched it for several minutes, and it did not vary in appearance, I knew then I had made a good choice.

One thing, it is a fairly hefty scope compared with a doublet, coming in at 6K / 13.5 lbs with rings, dovetail, handle and a 1 25 inch prism - no finder. I was using it on an AZ5, fine up to about x100 but difficult as you increase the mag. past this. It deserves more stability if you intend to use it to its full capacity. To this end I have just bought a used Vixen GP which is on the way!

In use, straight out the house, I had no problems with it taking a long time to cool down. If you do have any problems - it's worth the wait!

Finally, when I tried to remove the section of tube off to put it in bino or reducer-mode, I couldn't grip the tube hard enough to undo it. I now own a strip wrench which did the trick!