Antares sentinel 80mm apo

[milkyjoe]

Hello,

I wonder if anyone would be so kind as give me your impressions on the Antares Sentinel 80mm f6 semi-apo refractor, which is available from scopesnskies.com please?

Many thanks,

Rick.

[milkyjoe]

I take it this a no-no then?

[russ]

It was an okay scope Rick. At the time i bought one, when they first appeared, the Skywatcher/Orion ED80 was new to market and the Sentinel 80 was the cheap option. Promising semi-apo performance and decent build plus a nice focuser. At the time it was quite impressive on first sight. But the optics were closer to the performance of the Startravel 80 rather than the ED80. Plenty of CA still. It was an okay low to medium power scope but you would be better off finding a secondhand ED80.

[johninderby]

There's a positive review on Cloudy Nights.

http://www.cloudynights.com/item.php?item_id=1406

The semi-apo scopes seem to have dropped out of favour lately though as low end APOs are available for not much more money.

John

[Ant]

I love mine... I disagree with Russ (and I think we are talking about the same actual scope) there is little false colour.

It clearly isn't completely corrected as there is a very slight alteration in focus needed between different NB filters. This could be either down to not fully corrected optics or the fact that the filters aren't parfocal...

Either way IMO this sscope sits between the ED80 and Equinox 80.

Ant

[russ]

I love mine... I disagree with Russ (and I think we are talking about the same actual scope) there is little false colour.

It clearly isn't completely corrected as there is a very slight alteration in focus needed between different NB filters. This could be either down to not fully corrected optics or the fact that the filters aren't parfocal...

Either way IMO this sscope sits between the ED80 and Equinox 80.

Ant

Different scope matey. Yours is the full blown 80ED The Sentinel (same as the original non-ED Revelation) is an achro with supposedly better coatings and some additional baffles.

[GazOC]

Are you sure its the same scope Ant? I've owned one and, while the fit and finish was impressive, optically it wasn't a patch on an ED80 IMHO. Its a achromat with a few bells and whistles rather than a "semi-apo".

[milkyjoe]

Thanks guys. Not sure what to do now, I might try and find an ED80 or WO.

Rick.

[Ant]

Yep different scope (I knew that honest )

Edit: I've just realized... mines the Revelation 80ED isn't it?

Ant

[russ]

Thanks guys. Not sure what to do now, I might try and find an ED80 or WO.

Rick.

If you find a Sentinel for a really good secondhand price (£80-90), grab it. But the new price would put you in the price range for a secondhand ED80, Megrez 70/72 or ZS 66SD.

[step_hen]

I beleive its the same scope as my sadly sooty Orion Express 80. Great finish and nice single speed crayford. Better optics than an ST80 but not on a par with an ED80. Made a nice guide scope. Waiting to hear if mine can be rescued or is for the scrap heap. If its to be replaced, an ST80 would be my preference as its lighter and a tad faster.

Stephen