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Gina's Esprit 80ED Pro Unboxing and First Impressions


Gina

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My turn now :D  Missed out on getting the first of these in the UK due to a power cut preventing me from paying FLO.

Anyway, it came this morning and I've unpacked it.  First impression - beautiful, professional looking scope. In a similar superb transport case much like the EQ8 except that instead of the lid lifting right off, this one is hinged.  Seems to me that Skywatcher have moved themselves up into a totally new league :)  This stuff looks really professional.  The focuser is very similar to the Baader SteelTrack - maybe even better - it's super smooth :)  The cap on the dew shield is a screw-on metal one - not your usual plastic.  The mounting foot is really solid and should be a lot better than tube rings.  The attachment to the dovetail bar is with two screws and two options have been provided 1/4" UNF and 3/8" UNF by way of inserts like you see on tripod heads.

Photos to follow shortly when I've found out why they won't upload :D

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The mounting holes with adapters.

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Underside of focuser showing the rack - this has rack and pinion focussing :)  And the focus lock lever - so much better than a small knurled knob :)

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The top of the focuser showing the scale - just like a Baader SteelTrack :)

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Unpacking the field flattener

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The two parts fit together and then the adapter screws onto the scope focuser, replacing the 2" eyepiece/diagonal holder

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Setting up camera, filter wheel and OAG.  This also shows the very nice little finder scope and mounting rings.  With this on the filter wheel can stand out to one side with the finder scope and guide camera to balance it.

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I read somewhere that the back focus required for the flattener is 75mm, I think.  My current setup measures 77mm back focus, not allowing for the filters which I think adds a mm making 78mm.  So I may need to change my extension tubes.  I thought the telescope user manual would mention this but it doesn't :(  May not be quite so critical with the relatively small sensor on the 460EX.

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I read somewhere that the back focus required for the flattener is 75mm, I think.  My current setup measures 77mm back focus, not allowing for the filters which I think adds a mm making 78mm.  So I may need to change my extension tubes.  I thought the telescope user manual would mention this but it doesn't :(  May not be quite so critical with the relatively small sensor on the 460EX.

 Very nice rig Gina i have noticed that manufactures who make scopes and flatteners dont detail what goes with what and often give conflicting measurements e.g.a simple scope flattener 20mm spacer T adapter diagram would do the job. Thankfully we have SGL..
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 Very nice rig Gina i have noticed that manufactures who make scopes and flatteners dont detail what goes with what and often give conflicting measurements e.g.a simple scope flattener 20mm spacer T adapter diagram would do the job. Thankfully we have SGL..

Thank you :)

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Yes, it does :) 

But there is one essential item missing with the field flattener - INFORMATION - the required FF to camera sensor distance to achieve a flat field.  A field flattener will not work without the correct back focus distance!  :confused:  :mad:

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Right...  Been reading Cloudy Nights and a reply from Skywatcher USA seems to confirm that the back focus required for the Esprit 80ED flattener is 75mm.

I'm always confused about whether adding filters in the light path increases or decreases this requirement but going by this thread on Cloudy Nights it wants increasing by 1mm for the 3mm thick Astrodon filters.  So that's 76mm then.

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Right...  Been reading Cloudy Nights and a reply from Skywatcher USA seems to confirm that the back focus required for the Esprit 80ED flattener is 75mm.

I'm always confused about whether adding filters in the light path increases or decreases this requirement but going by this thread on Cloudy Nights it wants increasing by 1mm for the 3mm thick Astrodon filters.  So that's 76mm then.

Hi Gina,

Thanks for the link, I wasn't sure if it added or subtracted too.  Right think I can start ordering extension tubes now :-)

John

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Wonderful Gina! are you going to biggy back it on the MN190? you really do have some incredible kit now! :)

Chris

Yes, that's the ultimate plan but for the moment I'm going to mount it directly on the EQ8 with the shorter ADM Losmandy style dovetail bar.

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It does look attractive. FLO are now clarifying the chip distance, which is good. (I have just posted a light hearted proof that the Esprit 100 is more than four times the price of the FSQ106. It's in the Whole Scopes section... :grin: )

Glass in the light cone extends the focal distance. Imagine a car wandering off to the edge of the road and putting its right hand tyres onto the mud. It will be pulled to the right by the drag on the right. Now draw a light beam represented by two close parallel lines. They enter a glass sheet at an angle. The side of the beam that enters the glass first will behave like the side of the car that goes into the mud. It behaves as if its being slowed, which it is (c is a constant in a vacuum) so it is deflected to the side of the beam which hits the glass first. Draw this for a light cone and you see that the angle of convergence of the cone is diminshed.

Well, that's how I remember it...

Olly

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