Hello All,
Getting a little gear hungry after the holidays! I am looking for a wide field refractor for AP and my priorities are sharpness and round stars across the field (no coma), some vesatility in the FL, and f/5.6 or better. My current workhorse is the SW120 in my signiture with the .85x reducer. I love this scope for its clarity, and I think I am pretty much sold on refractors.
So... looking at widefield, I started thinking Redcat, but do like the option to add a reducer. I believe I am between the two scopes below, and hoping for advice. They seem SO similar, maybe it's negligable. Also open to additional suggestions in the same-ish FL, aperture, and price range.
HPS has the Apertura 75Q including .75x reducer for $1,200. Gives me 400mm at f/5.4, or 300mm @ f/4. Nice compliments to my current 900mm @ f/7.5 and 765mm @ f/6.4.
or
Askar FRA400 for $1,200. I would have to buy the .7x reducer for another $250, and it gets me a little wider to 280mm @ f/3.9.
I'll be using mostly with my APS-C Cooled Camera, but sometimes attach a FF DSLR which I believe would be fine without the reducers.
Thoughts? Other contenders?
Thanks all and Clear Skies! Heading out tonight to my local Bortle 3/4 to freeze my a$$ off cuz I just can't resist some broadband in dark skies!
Paul