John Kocijanski
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 08/22/03
Posts: 1826
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Anyone have a chance to compare these two? Are they basically the same scope?
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Deep Space Observer 10 * SPC-8 * C102 HD f/10 * XT 4.5 * Orion/Moonlite 80ED * PST *
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Tom Trusock
Reged: 02/26/02
Posts: 33846
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Yah, I've used em both. Two or three AT66's, and three WO66's.
Optically - dey give da same views.
Mechanically there are some difference:
The AT has a locking ring for rotation, whereas the WO has the thumbscrew. AT has a different style focuser knobs (rubber coated! Yay for northern observers and cold nights!), while the WO's are metal. Personally, I like the WO's lock mechanism better (technially, I suppose the ring is better for collimation, but the thumbscrew is a lot less fuss), and the AT's focuser knobs better.
The AT comes in a wider color selection.
Pick what's important to you. Be happy with either.
T
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You do not need a parachute to skydive, you only need a parachute to skydive twice...
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John Kocijanski
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 08/22/03
Posts: 1826
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Thanks Tom. I'm debating about getting rid of my AT1010 for a lighter travel scope. Lately it has not seen much use. If I go for one I'd like to mount it on a Bogen 3001 tripod with a Microstar. I may see if I can try the scope first at a local shop to see if my tripod and mount can handle it. The AT1010 is too heavy for that setup.
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Deep Space Observer 10 * SPC-8 * C102 HD f/10 * XT 4.5 * Orion/Moonlite 80ED * PST *
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Tom Trusock
Reged: 02/26/02
Posts: 33846
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FWIW, I use a WO66 (fpl53 prototype) on a bogen 3001 w/ microstar meself. Nice travel setup.
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You do not need a parachute to skydive, you only need a parachute to skydive twice...
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jrcrilly
Refractor wienie no more
Reged: 04/30/03
Posts: 30716
Loc: NE Ohio
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Quote:
Yah, I've used em both. Two or three AT66's, and three WO66's.
Optically - dey give da same views.
Mechanically there are some difference:
The AT has a locking ring for rotation, whereas the WO has the thumbscrew. AT has a different style focuser knobs (rubber coated! Yay for northern observers and cold nights!), while the WO's are metal. Personally, I like the WO's lock mechanism better (technially, I suppose the ring is better for collimation, but the thumbscrew is a lot less fuss), and the AT's focuser knobs better.
The AT comes in a wider color selection.
Pick what's important to you. Be happy with either.
T
I'll agree in general - but I'll pick one nit. It's the WO ZS66SD that's comparable to the AT66ED. The ZS66ED (the model designation mentioned in the initial post) is an obsolete model that was substantially different.
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John C
Battle Cry of Reno
http://www.wadsworthobservatory.com
My Cloudy Nights gallery
AT12RC
AT65EDQ
QSI683WSG-8
Roper Scientific Quantix 6303E "project" camera
mystery EQ mount on the way
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John Kocijanski
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 08/22/03
Posts: 1826
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Quote:
The ZS66ED (the model designation mentioned in the initial post) is an obsolete model that was substantially different.
The new one is the Zenithstar 66 SD Doublet APO. How does it compare to the Astro Tech 66. They seem to be very similar.
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Deep Space Observer 10 * SPC-8 * C102 HD f/10 * XT 4.5 * Orion/Moonlite 80ED * PST *
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Tom Trusock
Reged: 02/26/02
Posts: 33846
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It was the WO66SD doublet I was referring to.
My comments still apply.
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You do not need a parachute to skydive, you only need a parachute to skydive twice...
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jrcrilly
Refractor wienie no more
Reged: 04/30/03
Posts: 30716
Loc: NE Ohio
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Quote:
The new one is the Zenithstar 66 SD Doublet APO. How does it compare to the Astro Tech 66. They seem to be very similar.
Hi, John.
All the above comments refer to this model - substantially the same as the AT66ED. I just didn't want you to accidentally trip over a ZS66ED and think it was the same.
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John C
Battle Cry of Reno
http://www.wadsworthobservatory.com
My Cloudy Nights gallery
AT12RC
AT65EDQ
QSI683WSG-8
Roper Scientific Quantix 6303E "project" camera
mystery EQ mount on the way
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csa/montana
Den Mama
Reged: 05/14/05
Posts: 76331
Loc: montana
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John: I've not used a WO, but have the AT66ED & absolutely love it; the finish is absolutely top notch; lightweight (although heavier than I thought it would be), The dual speed focuser is a dream.
Carol
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Carol
AstroTech 16" Dob (Thanks ASTRONOMICS!)
Vixen 80MF
Masayumas 7.5,15,25W,35
Pentax XW5,10; XL7
TV22Pan
ES30
Paradigm 8,12,18
DreamCatcher Dobservatory
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David E
Post Laureate
Reged: 05/25/06
Posts: 4177
Loc: North Carolina
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Quote:
Thanks Tom. I'm debating about getting rid of my AT1010 for a lighter travel scope. Lately it has not seen much use. If I go for one I'd like to mount it on a Bogen 3001 tripod with a Microstar. I may see if I can try the scope first at a local shop to see if my tripod and mount can handle it. The AT1010 is too heavy for that setup.
That will work fine. In fact, considering the powers that you will be mostly using a scope this small (below 125x) I put mine on a 3001 and 3130 fluid head. This setup is better for daytime use (mostly the way I use my SV66), the Microstar would be better for mostly nighttime use.
David E
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John Kocijanski
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 08/22/03
Posts: 1826
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Quote:
considering the powers that you will be mostly using a scope this small (below 125x)
Which eps do you tend to use the most?
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Deep Space Observer 10 * SPC-8 * C102 HD f/10 * XT 4.5 * Orion/Moonlite 80ED * PST *
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John Kocijanski
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 08/22/03
Posts: 1826
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Is there a dovetail finder bracket that fits the scope?
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Deep Space Observer 10 * SPC-8 * C102 HD f/10 * XT 4.5 * Orion/Moonlite 80ED * PST *
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williamoptics
Vendor (William Optics)
Reged: 05/24/05
Posts: 319
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Tom, a few more mechanical differences.
Ever since April or May, we do not use anodizing anymore, but a metallic paint (earlier still, we also did a couple of batches with a powder paint like the Megrez on the white version: now all metallic paints).
All the lens cells of these latest versions are collimatable, altough we warn against this, unless you knocked the scope out of collimation, which as you know, should not be that easy! This is something we failed to communicate well enough, I know many users who were not aware of this.
Last but not least, I do not know about other similar scopes, but ours has a Vixen compatible L-bracket now, compared to the old versions of our 66s which didn't.
Daniel
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jrcrilly
Refractor wienie no more
Reged: 04/30/03
Posts: 30716
Loc: NE Ohio
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Quote:
Last but not least, I do not know about other similar scopes, but ours has a Vixen compatible L-bracket now, compared to the old versions of our 66s which didn't.
Daniel
Hi, Daniel.
Great! That's something I really wished for on my early model. 
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John C
Battle Cry of Reno
http://www.wadsworthobservatory.com
My Cloudy Nights gallery
AT12RC
AT65EDQ
QSI683WSG-8
Roper Scientific Quantix 6303E "project" camera
mystery EQ mount on the way
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williamoptics
Vendor (William Optics)
Reged: 05/24/05
Posts: 319
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John, drop me a message (marketing@williamoptics.com); we can sell you one of these for your scope if you want..
D.
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David E
Post Laureate
Reged: 05/25/06
Posts: 4177
Loc: North Carolina
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Quote:
Quote:
considering the powers that you will be mostly using a scope this small (below 125x)
Which eps do you tend to use the most?
Almost any eyepiece will work well with these scopes. Although the "budget" wide field ep's tend to get a bit soft at the edges compared to say, Naglers. This is due to the fast F6 focal ratio, but in my opinion you still get a very good image out of the low cost wide field ep's. Because I put my 66ED system together to be a "hit and run" scope, I mostly use a 8-24mm zoom eyepiece, and a barlow or Powermate when I want to go higher in power. As I mentioned I usually keep the powers below 125x but on steady nights you can certainly go much higher for some pretty star splitting or planetary work. Don't expect a 66mm scope to have the resolution or light grasp of any 80mm scope, but they are indeed the ultimate in portability, and very high quality images for the money IMO.
David E
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David E
The funniest thing about this message is that by the time you realize it doesn't say anything, its too late for you to stop reading it.
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David E
Post Laureate
Reged: 05/25/06
Posts: 4177
Loc: North Carolina
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Quote:
All the lens cells of these latest versions are collimatable, altough we warn against this, unless you knocked the scope out of collimation, which as you know, should not be that easy! This is something we failed to communicate well enough, I know many users who were not aware of this.
Daniel
Daniel, great news that you have upgraded your lens cell to a collimatable one. It would take a hard knock, like a fall to the concrete, to get it out of collimation so in normal use the user should never have to worry about collimating their WO66 telescope.
David E
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David E
The funniest thing about this message is that by the time you realize it doesn't say anything, its too late for you to stop reading it.
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Tom Trusock
Reged: 02/26/02
Posts: 33846
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Quote:
Tom, a few more mechanical differences.
Ever since April or May, we do not use anodizing anymore, but a metallic paint (earlier still, we also did a couple of batches with a powder paint like the Megrez on the white version: now all metallic paints).
All the lens cells of these latest versions are collimatable, altough we warn against this, unless you knocked the scope out of collimation, which as you know, should not be that easy! This is something we failed to communicate well enough, I know many users who were not aware of this.
Last but not least, I do not know about other similar scopes, but ours has a Vixen compatible L-bracket now, compared to the old versions of our 66s which didn't.
Daniel
Cool. Thanks for the update Daniel!
T
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You do not need a parachute to skydive, you only need a parachute to skydive twice...
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Pasquale
Encrypted
Reged: 10/12/05
Posts: 2224
Loc: Arifjan, Kuwait
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I've really enjoyed my little 66mm scope; it fits neatly on my motorcycle for travelling, and light enough to use with a camera tripod.... You can get caught up in widefield sweeping and burn a couple of hours in a hurry...
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Pasquale
Go Mariners!
NexStar 9.25 GPS / SkyAlign
Stellarvue SV102ED
WO ZS80FD Anniversary
WO ZS66ED Triplet
Vixen Sphinx SXW
Canon EOS XT/350D, Meade DSI, NexImager
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jwaldo
Smart Mime
Reged: 04/26/04
Posts: 3836
Loc: Simi Valley, CA
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Quote:
Last but not least, I do not know about other similar scopes, but ours has a Vixen compatible L-bracket now, compared to the old versions of our 66s which didn't.
 The L-bracket on my 2 year old ZS66 Triplet fits the Vixen-style dovetail base on my M1 mount.
Sort of sad to see the anodized finish go. It makes for such a beautiful piece of equipment (at least until I touch it and get it all fingerprinty  )
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-R.J.
Discovery DHQ 8"
Celestron C4-R on LXD75
ZenithStar 66 ED Triplet
Hardin DSH 6"
Orion Transporter 70
Sears 60/900mm
10x50's & assorted other binos
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