have i found the holy grail in APO. refractors?

[keiwein1]

http://www.telescope.com/Orion-ED80-80mm-f75-Apochromatic-Refractor-Telescope/p/9895.uts?refineByCategoryId=1706
gotem bois!

[Scott]

I believe it's basically the same as the sw 80ED. Happy to be corrected though. If so, it's a great 'scope for us restricted by budget. If got the sw version and love it

[brantuk]

For all the hype in the advert the focuser sure looks pretty average - not even dual speed - which is pretty essential for sharp focused astro images. Maybe it's ok but Holy Grail? Not imho.

[Scott]

For all the hype in the advert the focuser sure looks pretty average - not even dual speed - which is pretty essential for sharp focused astro images. Maybe it's ok but Holy Grail? Not imho.

similar focuser to my sw 80ED, sure the focus is trickier but certainly possible, especially using a bahtinov mask . You are right though, its not the holy grail, but what is? 

[Alien 13]

It looks like a good scope but not quite the holy grail, that comes with a 71mm objective is white and gold coloured and has 5 elements.

Alan

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

I thought this was the holy grail:

http://www.apm-apo.com/apo530_6500-cnc_e.htm

Bit slow, but add a reducer and you should be OK

As is common in Holy Grails, it is well beyond reach of the common mortal

[pipnina]

I thought this was the holy grail:

http://www.apm-apo.com/apo530_6500-cnc_e.htm

Bit slow, but add a reducer and you should be OK

As is common in Holy Grails, it is well beyond reach of the common mortal

I didn't even know fracs came in sizes above 6" then I discovered the 300mm on takahashi's site and now THIS? It's bigger than most high-end dobs!

[Kropster]

If you look in the corner of the page, you'll see this!

http://www.telescope.com/Orion-ED80T-CF-Triplet-Apochromatic-Refractor-Telescope/p/101422.uts

[John]

I've owned one of the Orion ED80's - it was identical to the Skywatcher ED80 Pro except for the tube colour. Since then Skywatcher had upgraded the focuser to a dual speed crayford but it looks as if Orion have stayed with the single speed.

I see these chinese ED doublets as being small milestones in scopes for the amateur because they made well corrected fastish refractors available at affordable prices for the first time

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

If you look in the corner of the page, you'll see this!

http://www.telescope.com/Orion-ED80T-CF-Triplet-Apochromatic-Refractor-Telescope/p/101422.uts

I think that has the same optics as my APM 80mm F/6 (not the LZOS). It is my stalwart solar imaging scope, and I have started dabbling in DSO and comet work, combined with the Tele-Vue TRF 2008 0.8x reducer flattener. Very useful F/4.8 combination.

[Paul73]

Leave them alone. They have obviously put a lot of effort into their marketing blurb....

Let's put it down to "youthfulness exuberance". Hubble beater? No.....

I'm becoming a bit of a fan of the baby scopes.

Sorry.

Paul

[YKSE]

Leave them alone. They have obviously put a lot of effort into their marketing blurb....

Paul

I think these were the original marketing text when Orion 80ED made its appearance for over a decade ago.

APOs of similar apperture costed at least over 1000$ at that time, while this one only 499$, and its performance was about as good as those "low-end" Apo as we can see from Tom Trusock's review.

We are kind of spoiled by the fact that there are so many affordable ED Apos nowadays,  this little guy is the true contributor to it.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

True enough. The SW80 ED and its clones have made apochromats accessible to many more people than ever before. My APM 80mm F/6 triplet (not the LOMO) was 649 euro (new) when it came out. That is an amazing price that we would not have seen if SkyWatcher, Orion and the like hadn't brought out this game changer.

[ollypenrice]

The way to get round the single speed focuser problem for imaging is to attach a long 'wand' or lever to one of the focuser knobs. At one time TeleVue made them for their earlier single speed instruments but they are dead simple to improvise.

My holy grail of (imaging) refractors might look something like this, but taken a few scopes further... 

LRGB Ha OIII - so six would be nice... Hello Santa, how fine you look today! May I offer you a brandy?

 lly

[Astro Imp]

LRGB Ha OIII - so six would be nice... Hello Santa, how fine you look today! May I offer you a brandy?

 lly

Naughty, naughty trying to bribe the old man