Im currently looking for a refractor in the 150-250mm focal length range for travel this summer. It will be going on a Wave 100i mount with the ASI 2600MC Pro
Current considerations are:
William optics MiniCat 51,
Askar FMA 180 pro,
Founder Optics Draco 62,
If someone suggests something else I'd consider that too.
I like the idea of the MiniCat but all the reviews and even WO themselves say it has bad star performance on APS-C. Right now it's my top contender. The reviews of the FMA are pretty good, but I don't like the lack of a focusing knob and I've had bad experience with Askar mechanics in the past. The FMA is far cheaper than the other options, which is definitely a plus. The Draco looks good, but is a little big for my idea of a backpack rig (it comes in a backpack but then my mount won't fit). It is also the most expensive option.
My smallest scope I currently use is a Sharpstar 76EDPH at a focal length of around 350. That scope is too big and heavy for me to travel with, and I'd like to not overlap that focal length too much with my travel scope.
If anyone has ideas for alternatives or feedback on these choice I'd love to hear it. I'm not a super pixel peeper, and will be using BlurX so maybe the MiniCat isn't so bad?
Clear skies
-Max
Edited by astr.max, 24 March 2025 - 01:33 AM.