Telescope Reviews: On a buget looking for grab and go 80 - 90 mm

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Equipment Discussions >> Refractors

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Chris Lindsay
member

Reged: 07/19/08

Loc: Battle Ground , WA.

On a buget looking for grab and go 80 - 90 mm
#2542984 - 07/26/08 05:35 PM

I have been looking at the WO scopes and really like them. They are a bit out of my range. I was hoping that you guys could suggest some other ones that would not hit the pocket book sub 700. Right now I have a 10 dob and don't get out with the kids enough to use it as I live in the small town. I have used junkers refractors and really am tired of them. What are my options? I would like it as compack as posible so I can throw it in the car with 3 kids and the wife. I would like to find somthing that the kids can use. On a side note I use to own a nexstar 5 but did not like the drive and buttons. Thoughts and ideas welcome.
Thanks for the info

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spaceydee
Postmaster

Reged: 04/16/04

Loc: Where the Kittens Are

Re: On a buget looking for grab and go 80 - 90 mm new

new

[Re: Chris Lindsay]
#2543000 - 07/26/08 05:48 PM

You might want to look at the Orion ED80. I have heard it is a good "bang for the buck" telescope.

Welcome to Cloudy Nights!

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FirstSight
Postmaster

Reged: 12/26/05

Loc: Raleigh, NC

Re: On a buget looking for grab and go 80 - 90 mm new

new

[Re: spaceydee]
#2543017 - 07/26/08 06:01 PM

Quote:

You might want to look at the Orion ED80. I have heard it is a good "bang for the buck" telescope.

Welcome to Cloudy Nights!

There's a used Orion 80ED package w/2-speed focuser, televue clamshell and dovetail base for $495 shipped available on Astromart right now (doesn't say that it includes a diagonal). Used WO Megrez 80 &90mm APSs tend to go in the neighborhood of $900 used - often with diagonal and a few other goodies included).

Which brings up a question: Is your "sub-700" budget limit for the optical tube alone, or would that have to also include all the ancillary equipment (other than eyepieces) needed to make a complete functioning telescope? One of the real "gotcha"s about refractors compared to dobs is that the cost of the refractor (i.e. optical tube with focuser) is of itself typically only half the cost of the total system (mount, tripod, diagonal, at least a red-dot finder). With a dob (especially mass-produced commercial ones), the price usually includes a complete functioning telescope, not just the optical tube.

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naglertized
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 01/10/07

Loc: Jacksonville Florida

Re: On a buget looking for grab and go 80 - 90 m new

new

[Re: FirstSight]
#2543398 - 07/26/08 10:43 PM

From what I've heard of them, another vote for the Orion ED80, a heck of a deal for a virtually colourless scope.

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jason_milani
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 09/03/04

Loc: Northeast Ohio

Re: On a buget looking for grab and go 80 - 90 m new

new

[Re: naglertized]
#2543487 - 07/26/08 11:43 PM

Orion ED80 or a Celestron ED80 with an upgraded GSO 2 speed crayford focuser (i just sold one here and i hated to part with it). Optical performance will rival or surpass the William Optics scopes (and i'm not knocking them as i've owned quite a few). The only thing you won't have is a retractable dew shield which is nice but not necessary.

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Tamiji Homma
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 02/24/07

Loc: California, USA

Re: On a buget looking for grab and go 80 - 90 mm new

new

[Re: Chris Lindsay]
#2543593 - 07/27/08 01:32 AM

Hi, Chris.

As many suggested, Synta made ED80 scope optics is very good.
There are several brands (Orion, Celestron, Vixen, etc) that use
the same optics and they come with different packages
such as focuser, mirror, diagonal, case etc.

It seems that the scope goes on sale time to time.

I got Vixen ED80SF at $799, with Porta Mount,
case, flip mirror diagonal (I am not using it), finder
scope. I saw $399 OTA only, which is very good deal.
I remember a few months ago, Celestron had sale.

Even though I bought one for future guide scope, it is
one of my most used scopes. I even upgraded focuser to
Feather Touch, which is almost as expensive as OTA itself

ED80SF deserves the upgrade to match with the optics

Good luck in finding your favorite scope.

Tammy

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Mr. Mike
scholastic sledgehammer

Reged: 11/08/05

Loc: Churchville, NY

Re: On a buget looking for grab and go 80 - 90 mm new

new

[Re: Chris Lindsay]
#2543834 - 07/27/08 09:19 AM

I'll throw in a vote for Stellarvue. My 80mm ED has been excellent thus far. You can get a nice "package" deal for about $600 bucks. Definitely worth a look.

My 2 cents....

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Chris Lindsay
member

Reged: 07/19/08

Loc: Battle Ground , WA.

Re: On a buget looking for grab and go 80 - 90 mm new

new

[Re: Mr. Mike]
#2544271 - 07/27/08 01:33 PM

I did not realize that there was so many different names with the same scope. I have been looking at the Orion 80 ED. I would like a short tube, is that possible to get the same good views. Thanks for the input, my daughter seems to be excited about new scope. My wife just informed me that she sold the junker scope at the garage sale for $15.

Also is there a place where people post sites with sales etc?

Thanks a bunch

Edited by Chris Lindsay (07/27/08 01:39 PM)

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Patricko
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 01/30/07

Loc: USA

Re: On a buget looking for grab and go 80 - 90 mm new

new

[Re: Chris Lindsay]
#2544441 - 07/27/08 03:07 PM

Hi Chris,

I second the vote above regarding the Stellarvue! I own one and it performs very well. To give you an idea I have owned MANY 80mm scopes. I rate the Stellarvue 80ED a 9/10! The Celestron 80ED is a excellent telescope as well; however, you may prefer one with a sliding dew shield, crayford, and binoviewer ready like the Stellarvue. They are on Astromart quite often that can be bought used for great prices.

To respond to your last question you would need a well made FPL-53 doublet or a decent ED triplet to get the same color correction at f/6 that the C80ED offers at f/7.5. The TMB 80SS comes to mind here for best choice ~$1,000, secondly the AT80LE comes in around ~$750. A tried and true used Stellarvue 80ED @ ~f/7 would come in about ~$450 on the used market.

Bottom line is good color/performance cost more due to exotic glass in these short f/ratios. Hope this helps!

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Patricko
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 01/30/07

Loc: USA

Re: On a buget looking for grab and go 80 - 90 mm new

new

[Re: Patricko]
#2544447 - 07/27/08 03:11 PM

Scott did a excellent review of a Stellarvue 80ED here:
SV80ED REVIEW
If you have not read it I recommend it!

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w orchid
Pooh-Bah

Reged: 04/23/07

Loc: Tampa, Fl

Re: On a buget looking for grab and go 80 - 90 mm new

new

[Re: Patricko]
#2544476 - 07/27/08 03:28 PM

Here is a nice 70. http://www.stellarvue.com/sv70ed.html

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Wehkoja
sage

Reged: 05/06/07

Loc: Finland

Re: On a buget looking for grab and go 80 - 90 mm new

new

[Re: Patricko]
#2544479 - 07/27/08 03:29 PM

Try: Stellarvue or try to find a used high(er)end refractor!

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rapowers
newbie

Reged: 07/12/08

Loc: Southern California

Re: On a buget looking for grab and go 80 - 90 mm new

new

[Re: Chris Lindsay]
#2545086 - 07/27/08 09:07 PM

The Stellarvue 80/9D is a nice basic scope for about $400 for the telescope and a few extras like red dot finder.

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Chris Lindsay
member

Reged: 07/19/08

Loc: Battle Ground , WA.

Re: On a buget looking for grab and go 80 - 90 mm new

new

[Re: w orchid]
#2545191 - 07/27/08 10:00 PM

Quote:

Here is a nice 70. http://www.stellarvue.com/sv70ed.html

I did like that one,but 70mm how much does that matter I am use to size does matter, thats why I thought that 80-90 would be good size.

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Chris Lindsay
member

Reged: 07/19/08

Loc: Battle Ground , WA.

Re: On a buget looking for grab and go 80 - 90 mm new

new

[Re: Patricko]
#2545304 - 07/27/08 10:50 PM

Quote:

Scott did a excellent review of a Stellarvue 80ED here:
SV80ED REVIEW
If you have not read it I recommend it!

Great review My wife asked if i was going to sell my dob? Don't know about that :P Will have to see If there is any other suggestions, I am open to them. It seems there are a lot of nice ones and the optics are pretty close for sure. One other thing I noticed that the 80mm are sold pretty fast at least the 80mm ED are.

Edited by Chris Lindsay (07/27/08 11:27 PM)

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Chris Lindsay
member

Reged: 07/19/08

Loc: Battle Ground , WA.

Re: On a buget looking for grab and go 80 - 90 mm new

new

[Re: Chris Lindsay]
#2545416 - 07/27/08 11:44 PM

Looked on craigs list found this. This looks good but the cases are different?

http://portland.craigslist.org/clk/for/772583861.html

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Patricko
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 01/30/07

Loc: USA

Re: On a buget looking for grab and go 80 - 90 mm new

new

[Re: Chris Lindsay]
#2545440 - 07/28/08 12:07 AM

This is a different OTA and focuser than the SV80ED's. This tube is also not binoready. A place I know of sales them new for just a bid more. It is probably this one here: 80ED

If it were me, I'd go with the new one and star test it to make sure its good, if not you could return it.

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jrbarnett
Eyepiece Hooligan

Reged: 02/28/06

Loc: Petaluma, CA

Re: On a buget looking for grab and go 80 - 90 m new

new

[Re: Chris Lindsay]
#2545488 - 07/28/08 12:45 AM

Chris:

Here are a few 80-90mm scopes that I would rate as great values. Each has some advantages and disadvantages, which I'll describe.

1. Stellarvue Nighthawk. $449 plus shipping. This one is a true classic. The scope that made Stellarvue. This scope grew out of the "copy scope" fad of the 1990s. A "copy scope" was a fast 80mm achromat made out of recycled photocopier optics. Stellarvue has been evolving this little scope for years, and it's quite nice.

Pros: Shortest, most portable of the bunch. Retractable dew shade. Decent optics. Very nice mechanicals. Comes with a nice, padded travel case standard.

Cons: Chromatic aberration (blue fringing) around bright targets at higher powers.

2. Orion 80ED. $479 plus shipping. This scope was quite revolutionary when it was launched. It is the only "aporchromat" in this bunch (at least visually). It won't have the blue fringing that you'll see in the nighthawk. The optics in these are very, very good. The 80EDs I've looked through have been consistently better optically than the Stellarvues I've owned and looked through.

Pros: Visually color free. Excellent quality optics.

Cons: Mediocre fit and finish. So-so paint. Decent but fairly lightly built focuser.

3. Antares Elite "Vixen-Spec" 90mm f/11.1. $335 with shipping included. This one is an achromat, but its long focal length makes it better color corrected than the Nighthawk. The dew shade is not retractable, so this is a long OTA, but quite lightweight. I would still call it portable. The optics will be the best in the bunch. These are hand figured, Japanese made optics. The scopes are quite nicely finished too. The price has recently dropped to boot.

Pros: Most affordable. Best optics. Classy "old school" looks.

Cons: Some chromatic aberration. Fairly long tube making it less transport and mount friendly.

I don't think you would go wrong with any of these OTAs.

With your $700 price target, you'd have cash left over for a decent mount. There are some really nice alt-az mounts that would be quite affordable - like the Orion Skyview AZ ($399) or Versa-Go ($319) mounts. There's also a really sweet Astro-Tech mount Voyager ($299).

Regards,

Jim

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Mr. Mike
scholastic sledgehammer

Reged: 11/08/05

Loc: Churchville, NY

Re: On a buget looking for grab and go 80 - 90 m new

new

[Re: jrbarnett]
#2545804 - 07/28/08 09:01 AM

Quote:

Chris:

Here are a few 80-90mm scopes that I would rate as great values. Each has some advantages and disadvantages, which I'll describe.

2. Orion 80ED. $479 plus shipping. This scope was quite revolutionary when it was launched. It is the only "aporchromat" in this bunch (at least visually). It won't have the blue fringing that you'll see in the nighthawk. The optics in these are very, very good. The 80EDs I've looked through have been consistently better optically than the Stellarvues I've owned and looked through.
Jim

The ED Orions are certainly better optically than the original Nighthawks, but the Next Gen Nighthawks with the ED glass are just as good optically as the Orion ED and you get the better fit, finish, and overall quality that Stellarvue offers. For $599, you get the scope and a decent package of goodies.

Just saying....

Edited by Mr. Mike (07/28/08 09:03 AM)

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Chris Lindsay
member

Reged: 07/19/08

Loc: Battle Ground , WA.

Re: On a buget looking for grab and go 80 - 90 mm new

new

[Re: Patricko]
#2546935 - 07/28/08 07:00 PM

Quote:

This is a different OTA and focuser than the SV80ED's. This tube is also not binoready. A place I know of sales them new for just a bid more. It is probably this one here: 80ED

If it were me, I'd go with the new one and star test it to make sure its good, if not you could return it.

Yup thats the one. I asked him if he would trade for my 10" DOb. I think I would use this much more than the Dob and the kids could use it. If I end up liking it I could always up grade. He does have a diag he is throwing in. Only prob is it does not have a tri pod. So if this works out which tri pods are good for entry level?

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