Well, perhaps, you guys are getting bored with me comparing the view with an APO, but here it is anyway. This is probably my last opportunity before I have to part company with my old pal, the C102-HD. I did a side-by-side comparison with the TV Everbrite in the TV-102 and no diagonal in the C102-HD. Each comparison was done with the same EP (thus slightly different magnification). Each scope was allowed to cool down for 30 minutes (not cold tonight).
After what seemed like fog from marine layer forever, I got my very, very good view of Mars tonight, the best yet since March.
The C102-HD without the MV filters was horrible with Mars as we now know. The MV1 filter gives the most pleasing view with very minor color cast and very natural color (I now know this because my APO gives true color). I now find the MV2 color cast quite pronounced. This only proves that when you have something closer to perfection to compare with, perspective can change. Thus, I now prefer the MV1 with C102-HD. Again, 200x seem to be the limit with the C102-HD with 250x (4mm TV Radian) being quite soft and 333x (3mm TV Radian) going downhill.
The TV-102 is remarkable; you have to see to believe how sharp the dark markings were tonight. My wife was commenting that they looked like map of continents! The mark of a good APO was showing through as I was able to push magnification with ease 220x (4mm TV Radian) - best view, and 293x (my new 3mm TV Radian) - only slight softness. The 4mm TV Radian is quickly becoming my favorite. Mars looks like a peach color in my TV-102 whereas it definitely looked more orange in the C102-HD without filter. I then plug in the MV2 filter. Yug, it turned Mars yellowish! I then slipped in the MV1 filter and wow what a pleasing view with only minor color shift toward green but still with pronounced orange peach color! Furthermore, the dark markings came through easier with the MV1. Thus, the MV1 acts more like color filter that enhanced certain details but with more natural colors.
In case you guys are curious, here are some of the sharp details I saw in the TV-102. The thin but very clear Sinus Sabaeus was crossing the meridian tonight and the Syrtis Major was still visible. At moments of good seeing, these markings were tact sharp: Mare Serpentis, lapygia veridis, Mare Tyrhenum, Mare Erythraeum, along with glimpses of polar caps?. In the TV-102, Syrtis Major color is obviously different (not quite sure what's the color) and Sinus Sabaeous is clearly darker. In the C102-HD+MV1 I noted that Syrtis Major and Sinus Sabeus are darker but didn't see color difference.
I saw many of these markings as well in the C102-HD +MV1 but it was not as sharp and of course I couldn't push magnification. Also, I was able to use the blue filter #80A and #82A with great results in the TV-102 whereas these filters are useless on my C102-HD (seems to magnify the chromatic aberrations).
Taking the cues from Geoff's earlier observation, I attempted to split Antares in my TV-102 but only caught a glimpse of its companion and not a clean split. It appeared that its companion is caught in the primary's diffraction ring.
What a joyous feeling tonight and farewell my faithful C102-HD.